Al Wildey’s exhibition is at Arts@1830 on 14th Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos).
From Alden Leonard. Contact him at alden[AT]borderstan.com and follow him @aldenleonard on Twitter.
Al Wildey would like you to join him on a journey. To get started, stop by Arts@1830 on 14th Street NW to see his composite photography show, “A Reflective Vision.”
Wildey’s photographs, which are produced by super-imposing thousands of images taken during his travels, are simultaneously vague and familiar. Exactly which landscape or city street he depicts isn’t immediately clear, but the viewer comes away with a strong sense of the place nonetheless. Wildey asks us to assume much of the subject matter, which he believes is a fundamental step in creating a relationship between the artist, the image, and the viewer.
Wildey’s pieces certainly interact with their audience. As you move past any given panel, its image shifts and changes with you. It’s a holographic consequence of the aluminum panels on which the images are printed. “As light reflects off of the surface of the images I hope the audience will reflect on their personal memories and experiences,” as he puts it.
The artist further involves the viewer by embedding unlikely messages and images in his pieces. In some cityscapes, you will find a ghostly face staring back at you; in a country landscape, an obscure word or phrase. It’s all very mysterious, and yet you come away feeling like Wildey has let you in on a secret. The experience is richer for it.
Come reflect with Wildey. “A Reflective Vision” runs through March 30 at Arts@1830, 1830 14th Street NW.
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“Midland” by Al Wildey, a 4′ x 8′ photograph, will be one of the works on display at Arts@1830 Gallery. (Image courtesy of Wildey and gallery)
From Luis Gomez. Catch his photos on Picplz and at One Photograph A Day. Follow him on Twitter @LuisGomezPhotos.
Al Wildey’s “A Reflective Vision” opens this evening at Arts@1830, 1830 14th Street NW. The solo exhibition of photographs runs to March 30.
Arts@1830 is the newest gallery on 14th Street NW. Gallery owner Regina Miele, a longtime DC resident, formerly inhabited Raven Arts across the street. In November she opened her new gallery, which includes a framing shop and studio space.
