The Gregg Museum of Art & Design in Raleigh opened to visitors last week, and a new photography exhibition welcomed art lovers.
In “Stephen Althouse — Objects of Intention,” which will be on display until Jan. 3, 2021, the artist has photographed manmade objects, cloth, tools, and simple farm machinery with large format film cameras. Highly specialized printing and development processes are used to record exquisite detail and rich tones in prints so large that they command a sculptural presence.
“Like so many artists across time, I feel compelled to portray aspects of the human race,” Althouse said. “I utilize old implements as depictions of ourselves rather than making literal portrayals of people.”
Originally trained as a sculptor, Althouse begins with man-made and natural objects, cloth, tools, and simple farm machinery to create evanescent sculptural assemblages. These mystic, almost sacred depictions of the human experience are further enriched by the artist through the addition of evocative messages digitally embedded in the images themselves.
The installation at the Gregg Museum features work that symbolically portrays the lives of members of the Amish community whose farms surround Althouse’s Pennsylvania home, further enhanced with an audio ambience built from recordings of Amish religious services.
At 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, the Gregg Museum will host a Virtual Artist Talk and exhibition walk-through with Althouse. Registration is required for the virtual event.
All exhibitions are free and open to the public. The Gregg Museum is open on a reduced schedule due to the pandemic. Reservations for timed entry are required. Please visit Gregg.arts.ncsu.edu for ticket information and registration, hours, directions, and announcements regarding openings, programs and other events.
