Andrew SOVJANI

PAGES & PAPER: EXPLORATIONS OF LIGHT & FORM

August 22nd - september 15th, 2020

Pages and Paper goes beyond simple photographic expression through the use of innovative techniques and dynamic compositions. The exhibition is a curation of work from Andrew’s Whitewashed, Off the Shelf, and Paper White series, all of which feature paper:  Folded paper creates striking interactions of light and shadow; discarded and white-washed books evoke nostalgia.

Artist Statement:

“As I age, I’ve become more and more attracted to things that are disappearing. These are objects and places that are seemingly no longer needed in today’s society. My work captures nostalgia and our past. It is meant to be a hint or trigger that brings back memories like the smoky-sweet smell of pipe tobacco and a dear uncle or grandfather. Since I often think that I am a painter trapped inside a photographer’s body, I have chosen to print some of my pieces as reAction prints, a multi-day printing technique that I’ve developed that blurs the lines between painting and photography. The first day, traditional film negatives are projected onto silver gelatin paper and developers are applied with brushes, guided only by the dim amber glow of the safelight. Then, over the next several days, bleaches, acids, and various homemade toners are wiped, brushed, stenciled, and dripped onto each print, altering the silver compounds in the paper. Tonal and color changes happen throughout the process so that I don’t know what the final image will look like until the print is dry. The end result is a one-of-a-kind print that embodies my original photographic vision as well as the event of printing—that unique combination of emotion, environmental conditions, and happenstance.“

Biography:

Andrew Sovjani (b.1967) is a visual artist recognized for blurring the boundaries between photography, printmaking, and painting. Raised in a family of working studio artists, art making is in his blood. Andrew has drawn from his life experiences in the scientific world and living in Asia to create transcendent bodies of work that are often extremely peaceful. His award winning photographs have been shown in exhibitions throughout the U.S., Europe and Japan and are held in many public and private collections. He has won awards of distinction at many of the top fine arts festivals in the nation and was a finalist for the Critical Mass book awards in 2007 and 2010.