Filter Photo is pleased to present Interior Life, juried by Strange Fire Collective. Join us for a reception concurrent with our other exhibition, we like small things v.3, on September 11th, 6 – 9 pm. A juror’s choice award of $500 will be announced as well as an honorable mention.

Participating Artists

Lois Bielefeld, Gary Blum, Tuan H. Bui, William Camargo, Jeanie Choi, Anastasia Davis, Annie Donovan, Jesse Egner, Arthur Fields, Nate Francis, Preston Gannaway, Brian Gee, Juan Giraldo, Conner Gordon, Olivia Alonso Gough, Mario El Khouri, Erica McKeehen, Darren Lee Miller, Deepanjan Mukhopadhyay, Jeremy Ng, Lingfei Ren, Rolls and Tubes Collective, Annick Sjobakken, Dean Snodgrass, Ursula Sokolowska, Liz Steketee, Wendy Stone, Sarah Sudhoff, Nicole White , Zoë Zimmerman

Image Credit: Jeanie Choi

This We Have Now

This we have now

is not imagination.

This is not

grief or joy.

Not a judging state,

or an elation,

or sadness.

Those come and go.

This is the presence that doesn’t.

From Essential Rumi

by Coleman Barks

Presence

For most of us, the past few months have been filled with introspection due to spending large amounts of time alone or with small family groups. The world has fundamentally changed as a result of physical distancing and the long pause that the current pandemic has foisted upon us all. We’ve learned to explore our spaces, to watch the shadows on the walls, and the way the sun hits certain parts of the house at different times of the day. In this moment of slowing down, many of us have found a presence that we lacked in the time before, when we were often busy and harried. Yet, before the pandemic, there was also an innocence in the way we experienced the world and each other; none of us were yet aware of the havoc that was to become our shared reality.

The images we’ve selected speak to the theme of Interior Life in this current, complex moment. Long shadows on walls and light through windows hint at time’s passing. Time is central to the idea of presence; collectively, we have lost a sense of the days, weeks, and months. Collections of house plants and domestic animals draw our attention to the care given to people’s personal spaces. Whether they be green flowering life, or a beloved dog or cat, these companions remind us of the interconnectedness of life, and – most importantly – that we are not alone in this experience, no matter how isolated we may feel.

In the face of existential questioning and fear, we are reminded that the things we have often taken for granted – home, family, routine – are actually the most fundamental and precious. The hands of a young man simultaneously tenderly touch and cut the hair of an older man. A Zoom portrait of an older woman reminds us of the technology that, already omnipresent, has become a staple of communication and connection. Finally, a tiny yellow house against a blue sky and white clouds reminds us of the world outside our quarantine. It provides hope for the future and the new reality that we are all dreaming of and working towards: a bold, just, diverse, inclusive, and connected society.

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Strange Fire Collective
July 2020

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The Strange Fire artist collective is a group of interdisciplinary artists, curators, and writers focused on work that engages with current social and political forces. We seek to create a venue for work that critically questions the dominant social hierarchy and are dedicated to highlighting work made by women, people of color, and queer and trans artists.

Our collective practice is centered around increasing the visibility of meaningful work and creating dialogue and community through publications, exhibitions, and events. We are committed to making our projects accessible, affordable, and socially relevant.

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Strange Fire was formed in 2015 by Jess T. Dugan, Rafael Soldi, Zora J. Murff, and Hamidah Glasgow.

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Exhibition Dates: August 28 – October 3, 2020

Exhibition Reception: September 11, 6 – 9 pm

Location: Filter Space | 1821 W. Hubbard St., Ste. 207

Official Website

More events on this date

Tags: AnastasiaDavis, Annick Sjobakken, Annie Donovan, Arthur Fields, Brian Gee, Chicago, Conner Gordon, Darren Lee Miller, Dean Snodgrass, Deepanjan Mukhopadhyay, Erica McKeehen, Filter Photo, Gary Blum, INTERIOR LIFE, Jeanie Choi, Jeremy Ng, Jesse Egner, Juan Giraldo, Lingfei Ren, Liz Steketee, Lois Bielefeld, Mario El Khouri, Nate Francis, near west side, Nicole White, Olivia Alonso Gough, Preston Gannaway, Rolls and Tubes Collective, Sarah Sudhoff, Tuan H. Bui, Ursula Sokolowska, Wendy Stone, William Camargo, Zoë Zimmerman