Vignette: Zed Saeed

"Loreen Suleiman (Kurdistan") by Zed Saeed, Settled in Louisville by Catholic Charities-Migration and Refugee Services, Gelatin Silver Print, 20x24in, NFS

Some of the faces look like they could be from Louisville. Maybe the man grew up in the Russell neighborhood instead of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Other faces are wrapped in a hajib or other fabric head covering, so that we immediately assume that they have come here from another part of the world, even though we know America has a large Muslim population. Yet others show something about the features, or the set of the eyes, or maybe an expression of uncertain humility that feels unfamiliar to anyone born in the U.S.

Zed Saeed is an art and documentary photographer currently working with recent refugees and immigrants that have settled in Kentucky. In Louisville, he connects with these individuals mostly through the Catholic Charities-Migration and Refugee Services. Saeed believes strongly in the power of photography to create connections and to alter perceptions about people, places and things.

There is incongruity in the idea that a recent arrival from Somalia wears a Twilight: New Moon hoodie, and mistrust in the face of one girl, a distinct wariness that is missing in her sister, whose open and peaceful countenance peers out from with a hajib. Their family has fled the Syrian Civil War, traveling halfway across the globe, to a place entirely foreign to them, not by choice, but simply to survive – to live.  

"The Suleman Family" by Zed Saeed, Settled in Louisville by Catholic Charities-Migration and Refugee Services, Gelatin Silver Print, NFS

Saeed captures these people with stark simplicity that refuses to overlay any agenda except to witness them in all of their humanity. Most Americans cannot easily fathom the danger of their treacherous journey, or the heartbreak of having your community devastated by the horrific violence of modern-day warfare. If we ask ourselves whether or not we could find the courage, how would we answer - yes or no?. Perhaps this family never imagined that they could either, until there was no other choice. Can we accept such perseverance as anything less than heroic?

Saeed is currently featured in Looking Up: Heroes For Today – An LVA Exhibit at Metro Hall, which is on exhibit through January 11, 2019 at Louisville’s Metro Hall, 511 West Jefferson Street.

His photographs have been featured in Louisville magazine and shown at local galleries. Saeed is a grant recipient for his photographic work from the Kentucky Documentary Photographic Project and the Kentucky Arts Council. Saeed has also taught photography for many years around the country. He is currently a student at the Hite Art Institute at University of Louisville in the Masters of Fine Art program.

Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Education: BFA in Film Studies from Hampshire College, Amherst, MA; In his second year (of 3) at U of L's Masters of Fine Art program at the Hite Art Institute.
Website: www.zedsaeedphoto.com

"Parveen Suleiman (Kurdistan") by Zed Saeed, Settled in Louisville by Catholic Charities-Migration and Refugee Services, Gelatin Silver Print, 20x24in, NFS

"Montgomery Street School (Trophy Room)" by Zed Saeed, (Light painting photography), Photo: 20”x30”. Frame: 32”x42”. Metallic Print, $750

"Montgomery Street School (Men's Room)" by Zed Saeed, (Light painting photography), Photo: 20”x30”. Frame: 32”x42”. Metallic Print, $750

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Written by Keith Waits. Entire contents copyright © 2018 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved.

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Vignette: Brianna Harlan

“I am not what you think I am. You are what you think I am.”
-Unknown

"The Divided States of Americans (1)" by Brianna Harlan, Graphic Art, 16x20in, 5 Posters

We speak of our common humanity; that what connects us as Americans is greater than what separates us. Important words that few would argue, yet what is the action plan for rediscovering that commonality? In her Artist’s Statement for The Divided States of Americans, Louisville artist Brianna Harlan offers an action plan for the crucial first steps:
 
“The current, divisive political climate is causing increased self-awareness, especially among millennials who have been called a generation for activism, and marginalized groups. As false stereotypes are used to fulfill harmful political agenda, everyone’s realities are influenced. We are encouraged to draw lines, determine the worth of humanity, and demonize differences. The Divided States of Americans attempts in red, white, and blue—mirroring propaganda posters—to advocate for a different message: get a little closer to one another to see the greatness of diverse identity.”  

The Divided States of Americans are an example of social practice art, a series of five posters in red, white, and blue colors, with images that are autobiographical but also reflections for the viewer to witness their own role in unifying the communities in which they live; both a challenge and an invitation. Each Poster has "They Say" statements on the left vs "I am" Statements on the right. All five are currently featured in Looking Up: Heroes For Today – An LVA Exhibit at Metro Hall, which is on exhibit through January 11, 2019 at Louisville’s Metro Hall, 511 West Jefferson Street.

Harlan describes herself as, “a mixed media artist that creates Radically Vulnerable art to invite transformative dialogue. Themes of her work include identity, social/cultural dynamics, intimacy, oppression, and self-suppression. Brianna works primarily with participants, inviting them to share and unpack sensitive topics through questions and actions. The discoveries that come from these mindful investigations shape the concept and inform the work's medium. She creates with people, not just about them, and views the process and resulting work as a tool for a moving experience and constructive conversation.

Photo: Festival of Faiths

She was a member of the first group of Hadley Creatives, a 6-month learning and engagement experience for local artists who are at a pivotal point in their careers developed by the Community Foundation of Louisville in partnership with Creative Capital, a New York-based nonprofit that supports innovative and adventurous artists across the country. An exhibit showcasing the work from this group opens June 1 at the Kentucky Museum of Art & Craft in Louisville.

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Education: BA Studio Art, Hanover College, Hanover, IN
Website: briannaharlan.com

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"Oasis" by Brianna Harlan, Mixed Media Interactive Installation, 27x19x8ft, KY Center for the Arts,  April 2018

"The Divided States of Americans (2)" by Brianna Harlan, Graphic Art, 16x20in, 5 Posters

"inside Out" by Brianna Harlan, Printmaking: Relief and Mono-type, Clear Wax, 12x15in

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Written by Keith Waits. Entire contents copyright © 2018 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved

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Vignette: Teri Dryden

"Chopsticks 1 (diptych)" by Teri Dryden, Mixed media, 11x14in, 2018, $1000

“Chopsticks” as a musical piece is a simple but clever composition for piano that highlights the foundation of harmony and the structure of piano technique. In two of the paintings we see here, Teri Dryden adopts the title, and it appears she is recognizing a similar idea in her painting. The abstract compositions feel immediate, spontaneous in the very active and vigorous application of medium, as if the artist almost didn’t give herself time to think. The raw emotion captured goes to the heart of Abstract Expressionism, so that the images academically capture the foundation of the movement while also being very pure visual communication.

The effectiveness of that communication is a priority for Dryden: “The more I’ve traveled and ventured out, the more I’ve come to recognize the tissue that connects us as humans no matter where we live, how we speak, what we eat and drink, how we love or what we find beautiful. I mine that rich tapestry of experience and attempt to create a universal language on canvas that can speak to everyone.”

"Chopsticks 2 (diptych)" by Teri Dryden, Mixed media, 11x14in, 2018, $1000

“My work is informed by extraordinary life experiences that have shaped my aesthetic and worldview. I have an intense curiosity about places and the ways in which they connect, divide or define us. As an artist, I don’t simply “see” visual stimuli—I absorb them, and they become a part of my psyche. As a young woman, I traveled with Ringling Brothers Circus for two years, lived on a train, performed in every contiguous U.S. state, and gathered thousands of indelible impressions from garish to gorgeous that often find their way from my memory to my brush. I’ve experienced the exotic cultures of China, India and SE Asia, swum with stingrays in the Caribbean and paddled through a Mississippi swamp.”

In August and September, Dryden will be in residency in Onishi, Japan at the Shiro One Studios, which was founded with the philosophy that while most artists produce much of their work on their own, nurturing creativity through community, collaboration, and quiet reflection could enrich the development of ideas. She has received a Professional Development Scholarship from the Louisville Fund For the Arts to help fund this residency

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland
Education: Towson University
Website: http://www.teridryden.com
Gallery Representative: B.Deemer Gallery (Louisville) Brandt-Roberts Galleries (Columbus), Contemporain Gallery, (Baton Rouge) and Robert Kent Galleries (Marietta)

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"Samurai" by Teri Dryden, Mixed media, 34x40in , 2018, $2175

"Birds In Flight" by Teri Dryden, Mixed media, 34x36in, 2018, $2000

"Voices Carry" by Teri Dryden, Mixed media, 36x48in, 2018, $2200

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Written by Keith Waits. Entire contents copyright © 2018 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved.

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Student Spotlight: Abigail Munger

"Pregnant Woman 2" by Abigail Munger, Ceramic, 3x6in, 2017

In her sculpture “So fake you want to eat them” Abigail Munger shows meticulous craft in carving foam into convincing replicas of sushi, so when we are presented with the primitive forms of “Pregnant Woman 2”, we must consider the artist’s choice to work in such a rough, unfinished manner. The figure clearly references ancient sculptures such as “The Venus of Willendorf”, with the full rounded shapes of the historical fertility symbol and carved in geometric patterns. 

Munger states that her goal is to show the complexity of darkness and fear. “Darkness and Death is not always meant to be ugly or scared. Sometimes the darkness can be what shines a light at the end of the tunnel. My solo senior show is focused on that Beauty found in Darkness.” 

"So fake you want to eat them" by Abigail Munger, Carved foam, 7x8in, 2016

Munger has also exhibited two-dimensional works in conjunction with the annual Evening With Poe theatrical production at the Frazier History Museum. The stark and simple graphic images point to the artist’s interest in more macabre subjects.

“Overall my goal is to tap into a world that not many people focus on. Rather that darkness comes from the "freaks" hidden under a circus tent, or the dead body under the floor boards that you still hear the beating heart of.” 

Munger exhibited, "Pregnant Woman 2" in the Carey Ellis Art Show at the University of Kentucky. The piece was recognized with a Theophilia Joan Oexmann Award under the category of Ceramic. 

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Education: BA, Brescia University, Kentucky, 2018
Website: Abigailmunger.wixsite.com
 

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"Woman in Relief" by Abigail Munger, Fired clay, 5x9in, 2017

"Painted Paper Flower" by Abigail Munger, Acrylic painted paper, 13in, 2015

"Quoth the Heart... Nevermore" by Abigail Munger, Acrylic print, 11x14in, 2017

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Written by Keith Waits. Entire contents copyright © 2018 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved.

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Vignette: Tammy Burke

Tammy Burke inside Navy and orange personal enclosure

Tammy Burke is a multi-disciplinary artist working on her MFA through the Hite Institute for Art at the University of Louisville. Her history shows a good deal of installation and performance work, and here she shows us a concentration on the tactile as well as visual textures of fabric in recent sculptural pieces. In her statement she explicates her unique take on materialism:

“We use materials to psychologically or physically transform us every day, to conduct daily living, by believing in them to catapult us to higher moments, and by designing an identity. I create constructions that comment on and respond to humans’ sometimes irrational, but deeply seated relationships to things, how people use things and materials to generate and reinforce meaning, to project beliefs and identities, and how fragile but potent that dependency is.”

"Marbled enclosure" by Tammy Burke, umbrella frames, fabric, paint, LED candles, blacklight, paper hand fans, ink, table, exotic plant, black light, 2017

“Possessions project meaning and construct identities. The body is a charged vehicle, unequally distributed, and the bearer of our intentions, delivering coded messages through possessions: adornments, positions, companions, vehicles, and domiciles. Regarding this, Russell Belk summarized Sartre: ‘the only reason we want to have something is to enlarge our sense of self, and the only way we can know who we are is by observing what we have.’* Possessions act to amplify, mask, or create the self. They describe and extend the self and have the power to transform a believer. Identity is a territory, which can be acquired or at least pantomimed through possessions and performance.”

“Materials embody beliefs and facilitate sacred acts. Rituals, among life’s daily routines, are intentional simulations in which the outcomes may not be certain, but desired and envisioned. The ritual process may be the totality of the experience, but through ritual simulation we manufacture transcendence. For the faithful participant, objects and materials used to carry out, or that are produced through rituals become cathected.”

“Cathexis involves the charging of an object, or idea with emotional energy by the individual. They retain residues of the encounter in the mind of the participant. The simulation hallows the materials as well as the faithful.”

“I provide sensory experiences through seductive constructions. They may be exotic spaces, imagery, and materials, or commonplace things thinly veiled with pageantry. These objects provide an opportunity to experience cathexis. In turn, the viewer-participant’s engagement cathects these objects and materials, a transformative process for the construction, just as the encounter may be for the visitor. The materials are the message, and momentarily, they deliver something greater than their parts. Momentarily, they look divine. For a moment they enable a transformation.”

"Tall black personal enclosure" by Tammy Burke, umbrella frame, wood, gold leaf, sequined fabric, 48x82in, 2018

Burke has kept a busy exhibition schedule while working on her MFA, most recently mounting an installation concurrent with the run of Eurydice, at the U of L Thrust Theater in January, and participating in the Artlink Regional Exhibition, Artlink Contemporary Gallery, Fort Wayne, IN, January through March of this year.

Hometown: Jeffersonville, Indiana
Education: MFA Candidate, Hite Art Institute; MA Media Communications, Webster University; BFA Painting, Herron School of Art, IUPUI
Website: tammymburke.com

Belk, Russell W. “Possessions and the Extended Self”. Journal of Consumer Research, 15 No. 2 (1988), pp. 139-168. New York: Oxford University Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2489522.

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"Tall black personal enclosure" (detail) by Tammy Burke, umbrella frame, wood, gold leaf, sequined fabric, 48x82in, 2018

"Exponential" by Tammy Burke, cardboard boxes, sequin tarp, 9x12x8ft, 2018

"Big Dumb" by Tammy Burke, wood, cardboard, spandex, zippers, 62in diameter, 2017

"Navy and orange personal enclosure" by Tammy Burke, umbrella frame, wood, gold leaf, synthetic fabrics, 56x56in, 2018

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Written by Keith Waits. Entire contents copyright © 2018 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved.

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