LUX at Maryland Art Place
MAP’s Annual Gala sets a steep bar for fundraisers in town. This year in particular was over the top, with white satin walls, paparazzi, twinkling lights, faux diamonds, gourmet food stations, excellent signature cocktails (ahem), and an excellent selection of the area’s best photography-based works. The event was well attended by all sorts of handsome patrons in tuxes and floor-length sequined gowns, and, although I did see a few folks sneaking by in jeans, on the whole the dress code for the event amped up the excitement. Ray Lewis’s dreamy sunset photographs were better than expected, hung in MAP’s outer hallway. The famous Raven, who agreed to co-chair the event, gave a short, heartfelt speech about what the arts mean to him, before the live auction.
Image above: works by Graham Slaughter and Matthew Kern
If you couldn’t make the event, be sure to visit the exhibition and pick up a copy of the attractive, square catalog that includes all the participating artists. It’s beautifully printed and edited, and its archival value is a significant reason for artists to participate in such an event. I say this especially because a wide majority of silent auction labels, with excessively low prices for a first silent auction bid, were blank. If the audience at the event had done their homework, they would have snapped up one of the monumental works by Sondheim winner Ryan Hackett, a well-known image from the Copycat portrait series by Alex Wein, or a landscape image by Joe Hyde, Alan Sislen, or Christopher Saah.
The good news is that many of these works are still available at MAP, so if you’re an interested collector, make an appointment to view the exhibit. And if you’re not a collector, but interested in digital media and photography, you definitely want to visit and spend some time with the works on display. LUX is a rare opportunity to view a cross-section of skilled Baltimore artists working in a media that often goes unrecognized in a typical group show setting. The conversation that unfolds between these works alternately embraces and rejects a traditional approach to photography and is rife with art historical references. It’s a conversation that is difficult to hear over the din of a party, anyway.
work by Matthew Fishel and JM Giordano in the LUX Catalog
On exhibition at MAP through December 15 – Work by artists Michel Anderson, Kelley Bell, Lynn Cazabon, Tamara Cedre, Larry Cohen, Deepak Chowdhury, Edward DeWitt, Jill Fannon, Matthew Fishel, JM Giordano, Vin Grabill, Ryan Hackett, Joshua Haycraft, Joseph Hyde, Tiffany Jones, Matthew Kern, William Knipscher, Nate Larson & Marni Shindelman, Jati Lindsay, Kim Llerena, Brandon Morse, Elle Perez, Joseph Parra, Barry Schmetter, Alan Sislen, Graham Slaughter, Christopher Saah, Sylvie van Helden, Tobechi Tobechukwu, and Alex Wein.
MAP Director Amy Cavanaugh-Royce and a guest
Ray Ray addresses the crowd
works by Vin Grabill and Jati Lindsay
Emily Sollenberger, Julie Cavnor, Amy Raehse
works by Barry Schmetter and ?? (email me. so embarassing!)
William Knipscher and Abi Knipscher, with his work
MAP’s Emily Sollenberger with Ray Lewis’ photos
Ryan Hackett in background
Tamara Cedré and Joe Hyde
JM Giordano wears a tie
Liz Wade, Amy Raehse, and Alex Wein
Networking haul
works by Tiffany Jones
