2 photo exhibits open at Da Vinci

Caption: At the Window by Sara Allen is part of a new photography exhibit at the Da Vinci Art Alliance at 704 Catharine St.

Two new photography exhibits are showing at the Da Vinci Art Alliance at 704 Catharine St. INSCAPE: Landscapes of the Self by Sara Allen, as well as Found and Made, a collaboration by photographer Howard Brunner and sculpture artist Carol Wisker, opened simultaneously on May 4 at the Da Vinci Art Alliance and will be available for a video walkthrough in the coming days.

INSCAPE: Landscape of the Self is a series of photographs by Allen that moves from black and white portraits to color abstractions of the human body. With this series, Allen was finding ways to express the feelings of isolation, loneliness and pensiveness prompted by the pandemic. She began to explore photography that offered unusual perspectives, challenging the viewer to see the aging body in new ways. By showing herself so intimately, Allen hopes that the emotions being expressed extend beyond her own personal sphere. The imagery offers a connection not only between the artist and herself but between the artist and the viewer, creating space to appreciate the self.

The two-person exhibit Found and Made is an exploration of the city around Brunner and Wisker, representing a journey of discovery and reconciliation.

For Brunner, it’s an intuitive process of unconscious artmaking, finding and photographing anything that draws him in. Brunner’s process is a matter of becoming immersed in the spectacle of the urban environment and noticing those moments when he feels emotionally or psychologically connected to what he sees. 

For Wisker, the project became an outlet in coming to terms with the current themes that are

dominant in today’s culture – racial injustice, environmental disruption, feminism and gun control. Everyday found and recycled objects became her canvases. The mannequins, furniture and cloth or wood objects are used as metaphors in her sculptural creations.