VIRTUAL EXHIBITION

LEAH MACDONALD: LOST LIGHT LUV

Curated by Amie Potsic

This virtual exhibition is a companion to Leah Macdonald’s Lost Light Luv exhibition on view at The InLiquid Gallery in Philadelphia from March 9 - April 15, 2023.

““I remember my favorite things about analog photography. The way it looked, the way it felt- the constant ideas that sparked inside me. I was compelled to think about scenes and locations and clothing and models and props. Always scouting, searching, and looking for the landscapes and buildings that could act as theatre sets for my imagery. I looked at every person in terms of a photograph.””

— Leah Macdonald

Lost Light Luv, a solo exhibition and book release, celebrates photographer Leah Macdonald's artistic legacy encompassing thirty years of analog photography, master printing, and emotive portraiture. The show is on view at The InLiquid Gallery in the Crane Arts Building in Philadelphia, PA from March 9 - April 15, 2023. The book signing and artist talk are on Saturday, March 18 from 4:30 – 6:30 PM. The opening reception is on Thursday, March 9 from 6 – 9 PM. The closing reception is on Thursday, April 13 from 6 – 9 PM.

Inspired by the female figure and the challenges women face, Macdonald's work is emotionally charged, visually dynamic, and intensely personal. To create each image, Macdonald collaborated with women who could relate to her own struggles while being brave enough to bare their own. In conversation, the collection of portraits conveys a depth of emotion, self-awareness, and longing.

To create her visual world, Macdonald utilized the historical 4x5 view camera, Type 55 Polaroid film, and silver gelatin prints created in a traditional wet darkroom. Macdonald's work was created in the heyday of black and white photography before digital made it obsolete as an industry standard. As the photography field changed, Macdonald's work became all the more precious and unique. Additionally, rather than printing in editions, each photograph in Lost Light Luv is created to be a one-of-a-kind monoprint, a singular glimpse into the complexity of power, femininity, and beauty. This body of work is a love letter to silver gelatin photography itself while simultaneously honoring the stories and individuals illuminated by Macdonald's lens.

In addition to the exhibition at InLiquid, Macdonald will be having a book signing and artist talk on Saturday, March 18 from 4:30 to 6:30 PM.

When Friedman started drawing these portraits, approximately 1270 people had perished in Philadelphia county from the coronavirus. He did not know these people, but spending time with them, in silence, at his easel, with the light traces captured by the camera, he often felt he was not so much looking at them, but into them, thinking about who they were, what their lives were like and how America failed them. As the pandemic expanded and the death toll rose, RA got national attention for the project and expanded his portraiture nationwide.

The human toll of the COVID-19 pandemic cries out for documentation, commemoration, and closure and art is a key part of these processes. This exhibition combines the collective efforts and talents of people from diverse backgrounds: women and men, minorities, those local and far-away, nascent artists and seasoned professionals; putting their time, talent, and best energies together as part of the search for new and better directions.

The artworks intimately and respectfully transcend the artificial boundaries of ethnicity, religion, and culture. The mark-making, forms, and details be they heavy or light, lively or anguished, direct or meandering; reveal trenchant and visceral handwriting that needs no translation.

Exhibition Dates
March 9 - April 15, 2022

Book Release
Book Signing and Artist Talk: March 18, 4:30 - 6:30 PM

Receptions
Opening Reception: March 9, 6 - 9 PM
Closing Reception: April 13, 6 - 9 PM

Location:
The InLiquid Gallery in the Crane Arts Building
1400 North American Street, Suite 108
Philadelphia, PA 19122
(215) 235-3405

Gallery Hours
Wednesday – Saturday, from 12 - 6 pm

About the Artist

Leah Macdonald was born in Philadelphia, attended the San Francisco Art Institute, and went on to receive her MFA in Photography from the California College of Art. She has enjoyed a long and varied career path within the arts: commercial photography, professional analog printer, and college professor. Additionally, in 2007 she was asked to do a live painting demonstration on the Martha Stewart show. Other highlights include a solo retrospective at Wexler gallery in 2010 and being the scenic director of In My Body Musical in 2016. She has created numerous artist books and her work has been published extensively. For more information on Leah Macdonald's work: http://www.leah-macdonald.com/

VIRTUAL EXHIBITION

leah macdonald: Lost light luv

RA Friedman, *The Trouble I’ve Seen: The COVID-19 Portrait Project, USA,* Installation image, 2022. Photo Credit: Amie Potsic

© RA Friedman, *Portrait, Lost to COVID-19 08 29 20,* Drafting lead on paper, 8.5” x 6.58”, 2020

© RA Friedman, *Portrait, Lost to COVID-19, 04 06 21,* Drafting lead on paper, 2020

© RA Friedman, *Portrait, Lost to COVID-19, 10 12 20*, Drafting lead on paper, 2020

© RA Friedman, *Portrait, Lost to COVID-19, 03 30 21,* Drafting lead on paper, 2020

© RA Friedman, *Portrait, Lost to COVID-19,* *10 28 20*, Drafting lead on paper, 2020

© RA Friedman, *Portrait, Lost to COVID-19,* *11 05 20*, Drafting lead on paper, 2020

Amie Potsic interviews RA Friedman about his Philadelphia COVID-19 Portrait Project, which memorialized Philadelphians lost to the virus. Friedman discusses how to bring a portrait alive from minimal photographic sources and how others can get involved and collaborate on his project.

Publication

About InLiquid
The InLiquid Gallery is the physical expression of InLiquid's mission as a hub for visual art in Philadelphia. As a non-profit providing opportunities and a platform for enhanced exposure for local artists, The InLiquid Gallery is the first permanent space that offers rotating curation of our artist members' work. The InLiquid Gallery aims to provide the local and visiting public with a social destination where artwork can be seen, enjoyed, experienced, and purchased. For more information, visit Inliquid.org or follow them on Instagram at @inliquidart.

VIRTUAL EXHIBITION﻿

LEAH MACDONALD: LOST LIGHT LUV

Curated by Amie Potsic

VIRTUAL EXHIBITIONleah macdonald: Lost light luv

Publication

VIRTUAL EXHIBITION

VIRTUAL EXHIBITION

leah macdonald: Lost light luv