Swirls and Silver
by Gina Fuentes Walker

As with the abstract swirls and patterns in the bottom of Anna Cox's morning cup of coffee, there is an engaging flow and movement in this new exhibition at the New Image Gallery. Whether traditional, alternative or digital printing methods were used, this inaugural show reflects a broad range of materials and technology that artists have at their disposal to create new photographic work. Perhaps this is why I was attracted to a simultaneous feeling of nostalgia and innovation that shapes the overall tone of this exhibition.

Paspoort, is a fragile and delicate image that is also precise in the way it is arranged and displayed. Political leaders come in and out of focus in David Luke's "The Politics of Presentation." The pose is reminiscent of a formal presidential portrait, while the blur evokes the use of digital manipulation. Same with Joelle Jensen's Repose: Bath, in which she employs old source material to create new work and breathe new life in a family snapshot. I hope visitors to the gallery come away from this show with a new take on the familiar and re-examine the clean edges of a rooftop, the arch of a doorway, the movement in a garment, and the abstract shapes and patterns their morning coffee leaves behind.

Juror’s Essay by Gina Fuentes Walker for the 15th Annual New Images Exhibition at the New Image Gallery. James Madison University, VA . March 2006