Rhea Pappas, Beneath the Surface, Photography Icebox Gallery. Image courtesy of minnpost.comI see here, a really beautiful girl falling upwards, from some antigravity into the water. I see that it is water, but what I really see is antigravity. I really like it, which sounds like a lame statement, but I enjoy looking at it. The composition is interesting, the subject is beautiful, every inch of space is activated, without being over crowded.
I am unsure, however, what it is supposed to say. I feel almost like it's not supposed to convey anything that can be said with words (a very intense down side to criticism), but it's more of an emotion. This picture emotes, it's not a commentary. At this, I think it's very successful. I can feel that delicious combination of serenity, resignation and strangulation. At the same time, It feels calm.
Pappas attended MCAD, and received a fair amount of awards while even still in school. She is just out of college, and the gallery remarks, "Rhea has the kind of talent that we enjoy and want to promote at Icebox Gallery...". This image is a part of a series of similar images on display at the same gallery.
Very happy to see you have been out and about viewing work, Meg. Nice subjective and formal description(s) of the work. Regarding the content: what about the other artists in the show? Sometimes information can be gained from looking at the curating...how the curator selects and places work can tell you alot about the meaning. And there is always research. Can you find other photographers/ artists that use water as a metaphor? (even writers? I'm thinking about Shakespeare's Ophelia here...) Don't be afraid to draw on many sources to broaden your critique!
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