A new exhibition featuring photography by Jennifer Ray is on exhibit at McPherson College’s Friendship Hall through February 12. The exhibition titled “Shouting Fire” tackles the country’s violet past and present through photos of objects that have been used as shooting targets and left behind.
“It is an honor to have an artist of Jennifer’s caliber and success exhibit at our institution,” said Michaela Valli Groeblacher, associate professor of art and gallery director at McPherson College. “Some art fits nicely over your coach, while other art, like Jennifer’s photographs, makes you think and feel.”
Ray is associate professor of photo media at Wichita State University and associate director of the School of Art, Design & Creative Industries at WSU. Her work is in many collections including the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and the Museum of Contemporary Photography, among others. She has been selected to show at many national and international exhibitions. Her long term project, “Shouting Fire,” will be published later this year.
“Though this body of work bears a relationship to traditional documentary, I use lighting and my arrangements to assert particular narratives,” Ray said in her artist statement. “I avoid photographing the shooters themselves. I want to look beyond simple matters of demographics toward the roots of our nation’s obsession. At this critical moment in history, it seems paramount to develop a complex understanding of our history and the contemporary cultural forces shaping major debates.”
A closing reception for the artist is scheduled for Wednesday, February 12 at noon with an artist’s talk at 12:10 p.m. in the gallery.
The Friendship Hall gallery at McPherson College is open to the public during regular business hours, Monday through Friday.