Always On
Work by Christian Faloye, Neil Hamamoto, Sean Jackson, Jacqueline O’Neill, Sophie Sahara & Brittany Santagata
Curated by Maria Vogel
April 20 – June 2, 2019
The Canvas by Querencia Studio
Maria Vogel will present various bodies of works by photographers Christian Faloye, Neil Hamamoto, Sean Jackson, Jacqueline O’Neill, Sophie Sahara & Brittany Santagata.
Always On celebrates the power of photography in documenting life’s most intimate and overlooked moments, connecting viewers to worlds both distant and at home. The photographers in this exhibit, though from various backgrounds and working in a number of different styles, find commonality in their pursuit to record microscopic exchanges that ripple through society with significant impact.
Recognizing the double entendre of the photographer’s eye and the world itself as ‘always on’, the exhibit seeks to remind the viewer of the importance in noticing your surroundings and accompanying interactions, paying tribute to their value and context.
CHRISTIAN FALOYE is a multidisciplinary creative born and raised in New York City. Having worked in the arenas of music, fashion, and culinary arts, Faloye applies his personal philosophy cultivated from years of creative experience to all of his work. In his photos, Faloye aims to materialize the fleetingness of youth, adorning his subjects with sentiment and nostalgic intimacy. He transmutes thought into raw visual expression to capture the forever shifting concept of ‘Nowness’. The images on view are all products of experiencing complete presence in their respective moments. Each whispers their own narrative to the imagination of the viewer.
NEIL HAMAMOTO is a conceptually focused artist working in painting, sculpture, installation, and photography. His practice examines consumer culture and the ways in which certain systems control our daily movements. Technology, specifically the rapid ascent and speed at which it is growing and overtaking basic human functions, is an investigatory entryway for Hamamoto’s work. Rather than presenting his subjects in a dismal, matter-of-fact way, Hamamoto makes light of the reality, using tongue-and-cheek references in a playful manner. The body of work on view is part of Hamamoto’s Cell Tower series, in which he captures thought-provoking placements of cell phone towers across various parts of the world in an effort to draw attention to their looming, omniscient presence and the unnoticed power they hold over society. Using his iPhone to take the photos, Hamamoto adds layers to the conversation and addresses the medium directly.
SEAN JACKSON born in rural Virginia, is an American social-documentary photographer based in New York City focusing on the study of small groups of people. After studying journalism at The University of North Carolina, Jackson spent a period of time working in the newsroom at CNN before moving to Manhattan to apprentice for photographer and icon Bruce Weber. He is deeply fascinated by the power of people and aims to pair his photography and film alongside his love for anthropological storytelling.
JACQUELINE O’NEILL designs, creates, and operates things with and for people at the intersections of art, technology, and physical spaces. O’Neill is passionate about leveraging art and technology to design and develop equitable and sustainable urban and social systems. She runs Blockchain Art Collective, an authenticity and provenance-tracking platform in use by artists and galleries today. O’Neill is also a practicing visual artist. She earned her B.A. in Studio Art and Philosophy from Colgate University, has produced work for The New Yorker, and exhibited in Brooklyn. Other projects she has produced have included a pop-up speakeasy in rooftop water tower, and an empowerment through storytelling salon.
SOPHIE SAHARA was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and moved to Toronto, Canada at the age of nine. Her background greatly influences her work and the perspectives that guide her approach as she tackles topics such as race relations, colonialism, privilege, and structural inequality. Sahara received her Bachelor of Arts Honors in Drama from Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada, and her Master of Fine Arts Photography from Parsons School of Design in New York City. Sahara’s work has appeared in The New York Times, WWD, Adidas.com, Elle.com, and GINZA Magazine. Her clients include Nike, Samsung Mobile USA, POPSUGAR, Kohl’s, Kate Spade, Mejuri, Schutz Shoes, Adidas Running, The New School, and Emilio Pucci, and more.
BRITTANY SANTAGATA’s interest in photography lies in the intersection of people, objects, and spaces. As an observational photographer, Santagata explores everyday life, capturing moments as they exist in their natural state. With a B.A. in both Sociology & Film, her visual style has evolved through her work as a video producer, which allows her to travel often and photograph the areas and people she encounters. Based in Brooklyn, Santagata has also produced local pop-up art & music shows, through her recently founded organization, Taboo Thought Collective.
Always On will be on view at The Canvas by Querencia Studio from April 20 – June 2.