Friday, October 05, 2007
Valerie Dunne will present her new exhibit “Ireland and Spirit”
Buffalo photographer Valerie Dunne will present her new exhibit, “Ireland and Spirit,” with an opening reception from 6-9 p.m. Monday, October 15, at Betty’s Restaurant, 370 Virginia Place, Buffalo, 362-0633. The exhibit will be on display until the end of December.
Dunne described the process of observing and choosing her subjects; the photographs, taken on a recent trip to Ireland, demonstrate the many levels of spirituality in the topics of the photographs and the effect on Dunne.
“In photographing, and subsequently printing the images from the Spirit series, I realize that there is a cultural story here. The fact that ancient, sometimes mysterious monuments are standing, mostly untouched, helps to affect the culture; they give the population inspiration to be a more spiritual/visual people,” Dunne, an Elmwood Village resident, said. “Everyday utility objects in public places have a decorative quality. For example, the City of Galway water system covers; they are decorated in ornate Celtic design, with wording in native Gaelic tongue.
“I have always been a photographer who looked for images of places and things that aren’t going to be around long, including buildings that will be torn down or reclaimed by nature,” Dunne added. “In Ireland, neither of these seems to be probable. Buildings aren’t disposable. Those that are not in use as buildings can be hundreds of years old, and left to stand. Being structures of stone, nature is certainly present, but only as an accent - not to overtake. It’s refreshing to shoot without the pressure of the structure not existing the next day.”
Dunne, a resident photographer for many years at the Buffalo Arts Studio, is also an artist member of the BAS Board of Directors, and is a member of Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center, where she has shown her work in the Hallwalls’ members’ shows. She has photographed in various styles and topics, from art photography, concerts and band portraits to human and animal portraits, political events and weddings. Other of her photographs of Ireland were published in Buffalo Spree Magazine.
The owner and operator of Barkloud Productions, a photography and graphic arts company, Dunne studied for her bachelor of fine arts degree in photography at Buffalo State College. She is married to writer Kevin J. Hosey.
Dunne described the process of observing and choosing her subjects; the photographs, taken on a recent trip to Ireland, demonstrate the many levels of spirituality in the topics of the photographs and the effect on Dunne.
“In photographing, and subsequently printing the images from the Spirit series, I realize that there is a cultural story here. The fact that ancient, sometimes mysterious monuments are standing, mostly untouched, helps to affect the culture; they give the population inspiration to be a more spiritual/visual people,” Dunne, an Elmwood Village resident, said. “Everyday utility objects in public places have a decorative quality. For example, the City of Galway water system covers; they are decorated in ornate Celtic design, with wording in native Gaelic tongue.
“I have always been a photographer who looked for images of places and things that aren’t going to be around long, including buildings that will be torn down or reclaimed by nature,” Dunne added. “In Ireland, neither of these seems to be probable. Buildings aren’t disposable. Those that are not in use as buildings can be hundreds of years old, and left to stand. Being structures of stone, nature is certainly present, but only as an accent - not to overtake. It’s refreshing to shoot without the pressure of the structure not existing the next day.”
Dunne, a resident photographer for many years at the Buffalo Arts Studio, is also an artist member of the BAS Board of Directors, and is a member of Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center, where she has shown her work in the Hallwalls’ members’ shows. She has photographed in various styles and topics, from art photography, concerts and band portraits to human and animal portraits, political events and weddings. Other of her photographs of Ireland were published in Buffalo Spree Magazine.
The owner and operator of Barkloud Productions, a photography and graphic arts company, Dunne studied for her bachelor of fine arts degree in photography at Buffalo State College. She is married to writer Kevin J. Hosey.
