Exhibit runs July 20 - August 24
Opening / DJs: Saturday July 20, 5-9pm
Closing / performances by Tire x Silver, Alma Laprida, Model Home: Saturday August 24, 7-10pm
Open during all events, or email us to schedule a different time to view
Caron Stewart artist statement:
As a self-taught film photographer from Baltimore, Maryland, I've always been drawn to the raw energy and grit of the city's underground scene. Growing up in a community that's often overlooked, I've learned to find beauty in the unspoken stories and untold narratives that lie beneath the surface. And it was during the COVID-19 pandemic that I discovered my passion for photography.
With the world around me changing at an unprecedented rate, I found solace in the stillness of film. The tactile experience of loading film, waiting for the results, and witnessing the magic happen as each frame unfolded became an escape from the chaos.
My love for film photography is rooted in its ability to capture life's nuances. There's something about the grainy texture, and the nostalgia of it all that speaks to me. It's a medium that requires patience, attention to detail, and a willingness to take risks – qualities that resonate deeply with my own creative process.
As a person of color, I'm committed to capturing the untold stories of Baltimore's hardcore scene – a community that's often marginalized and overlooked. My photographs are a testament to the resilience and beauty of these individuals who embody the spirit of rebellion and nonconformity. From underground music venues to DIY spaces, I seek out alternative spaces that showcase raw energy and creativity.
My work is not just about capturing moments; it's about telling stories that need to be told. It's about amplifying voices that are often silenced and giving visibility to those who are often invisible. My lens is a tool for social commentary, a way to humanize those who are often dehumanized by society.
Through my photography, I hope to create a sense of connection and community among those who feel like they don't fit in. I want my work to be a reflection of the beauty and diversity that exists within this city – a city that's often overlooked but full of life and vitality.
Nick Albano artist statement:
I fell in love with photography when I thought my Olympus OM-10 broke. It had been my grandfather’s camera, and when he passed away the camera, along with most of his photography gear, was gifted to me. On the bottom of the OM-10 I’ve still kept the tape that says ‘If found call Tom at xxx-xxx-xxxx.’
When the shutter locked in place I thought I had lost the ability to use the camera, and with it, the ability to see the world as he had through that same viewfinder. I eventually got it to work again, but now when I use his cameras, or any camera, I know I’m giving an insight to those in the future of how I see my today.
The photos I’ve contributed to this gallery were all shot on one of Grandpa’s film cameras. His cameras were with me as Dad and I drove through fog covered cornfields, they were my companion as I said goodbye to my childhood home, and they were my inspiration for how I could contribute to Washington D.C’s hardcore scene. Family, the rural landscape of Elburn, Illinois, and music are themes that appear often in my photography and why I feel so humbled to have my photos, along with Caron Stewart’s work, represented by Logan Davis’s poetic vision of Sentient Lines.
Sentient Lines is about how music is more than just sound but a feeling, a sentient being, and a connecting line through us all. I was blessed to have sat next to Logan when she wrote the poem that has served as the lodestar for this gallery. I believe this line represents Caron and I’s work the best: “He drifts through fields and empty homes, skips through crossroads and crowded streets, wafts around campfires, and eventually settles in the soul, laying claim to flesh and bone.”
I grew up in Elburn, Illinois, a small rural town that my family has called home for over 183 years. Caron was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. Fields and crowded streets. But it was music, specifically the hardcore scene of Baltimore and D.C., which allowed for our crossroads to intertwine.
Nick Albano is a self taught photographer, raised in Elburn, Illinois he currently calls Washington D.C. his home. Sentient Lines is his first gallery.
Logan Davis’ curator statement:
Music has played a role in every life that has touched this planet. It is more than sound or emotion but something that has been and will be before, during, and after us. Sentient Lines explores that truth and narrative through Caron Stewart and Nick Albano’s work, translating the audio to the visual, and displaying the substantial nature of music in everyday life.
When examining Caron and Nick’s work, I was immediately reminded of the American blues musician and songwriter Robert Johnson. Described as the “First Rock Star” by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Robert Johnson's impact on 20th century music shaped the trajectory of musicianship while developing a blues standard and a technical legacy that can be heard in most contemporary rock music even today. Johnson continues to inspire musicians regardless of time, highlighting the historical significance of his expertise of the Delta Blues and social impact of his work.
Sentient Lines tells the story of the living and breathing spirit of music, who travels through the contrasting rural and urban, touching the souls and lives of everything and everyone. Music slams the senses, causing the bubbling breath of emotion creating the ultimate line of connection through all of us. Regardless of time or space, the soul of music will always live on.
Logan Davis (b. 1997) is an art historian, multidisciplinary artist, and independent curator based in Brooklyn, New York. She is earning her BFA in art history and fine art at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. She currently works for RULE Gallery, a contemporary space representing emerging and mid-career contemporary artists and artist estates, with a focus on fostering investigative art practices while developing artists’ long-term careers.