Art review journal AEQAI reviews Speciation: Still A Camera along with Lidzie Alvisa and Donis Llago's exhibition Transparency at AREA.
"A more technically-minded photographer or historian may be able to pick out the evolutionary points of the machinery, but the photos are interesting to the casual viewer, too (and oh-so-marketable, with a neat poster on sale). What I found most interesting was that the captions noted what general populations appreciated each camera in its heyday. One was “popular with young people and beginners,” another was the same model that was used to photograph Marilyn Monroe and Betty Page, another was appreciated by servicemen visiting their families while on leave during WWII and the Korean War.
It’s that aspect of personalization, beyond the black and white see-through aesthetic, that makes me tie these two exhibitions together. “Transparent?” invites us to examine ourselves, through the examination and exposure of global power structures. “Speciation” reveals cameras’ insides, but in a way that pays homage to the people who use them. Whether it’s a paintbrush, x-ray, or mirror, those in power would do well to check their reflection, as the citizen-viewer does the same."
Read the review by Joelle Jameson here.
