Thi Linh Wernau to Exhibit “You. Are. Beautiful.” Photographs in a Solo Show at The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck
Gloucester, MA (PRWEB) October 01, 2013 -- The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck is pleased to present "You. Are. Beautiful.," an exhibition of 30 photographs by Thi Linh Wernau from her portrait series celebrating the human spirit and beauty in all people. The exhibition, underwritten by Wernau Asset Management, will be open on Thursday, October 24 and will be on view through Monday, November 11, with a reception with the artist on Saturday, November 2, from 4:00 - 6:00 PM. Volume 01 of the artist’s self-published book will also be available for signing and sale. This will be Thi Linh Wernau’s first exhibition with the gallery and her first solo exhibition.
"You. Are. Beautiful." depicts portraits of everyday people with grit, grace and gravity. A wounded Marine and amputee, a stage-three breast cancer survivor or a skater are all celebrated for their own beauty and spirit. Wernau created this body of work from her travels photographing strangers and a few people she knew. The artist asked all of them to complete the statement, “I am beautiful because...” Moved by the power of a simple phrase, Wernau also included the phrase “you are beautiful” into each person’s set of portraits.
Wernau’s project is deeply personal and simple in its mission. As the artist states, “My number one mission with this project is to spread love and kindness. I hope that the overall story my work tells is one that will inspire people to pay this message and act of kindness forward.” In 2012 - 2013, Wernau created this body of work, which was inspired by objects and people in her own life, including her late Grandmother and Grandfather in Vietnam, who she had only met once in her life in 2004. Her work with veterans is especially meaningful to her because her brother is a two tour Iraq War veteran, and her father is a Vietnam veteran who brought her mother to the United States from Vietnam after the war. “With my work, I especially wanted to celebrate veterans and wounded veterans because I believe what they go through is one of the ultimate tests of the human spirit. In 2014, I will be focusing my 'You. Are. Beautiful.' work on my tribute to these warriors.”
In Wernau’s images, she showcases a world of people full of color and contrast. By combining people’s statements together with their portraits, she is able to create a poetic and philosophical message about the state of being and the things that unite us across our humanity.
The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck is located in Rocky Neck Art Colony in Gloucester, MA, one of the oldest continuously working art colonies in the United States. The gallery is located at 6 Wonson Street, Gloucester, MA, and fall hours are 12 - 4 PM, Thursdays through Sundays. The exhibition will include the following special events:
SAT-SUN, OCT 26-27 PHOTOBOOTH 2-4 PM
Have your portrait taken and become part of the project.
SAT, NOV 2 OPENING RECEPTION 4-6 PM
Enjoy wine, light appetizers and good company. There will also be an after-party at Short & Main in Gloucester, with 10% of food and drinks donated to charity.
SUN, NOV 3 PANEL DISCUSSION 3-4 PM
Listen to a talk with Cape Ann fine-art photographers and Boston artists.
FRI, NOV 8 FILM, ARTIST TALK AND VETERANS VOICES 7-9 PM
Watch the artist’s film and listen to her talk. Celebrate Veterans Day weekend with art and stories from local vets.
Thi Linh Wernau was previously an advertising and mobile technology executive. Her former fast-paced digital life contrasts with the mediums with which she prefers to work: toy cameras and film and wet plate collodion. She is largely a self-taught photographer, who has taken courses at the International Center of Photography and The Center for Alternative Photography in New York City. The artist’s work can be viewed on her sites at http://ThiLinh.pixpasites.com, http://ThiLinh.tumblr.com or http://facebook.com/ThiLinhPhotography.
Thi Linh Wernau, Thi Linh Photography, http://ThiLinh.pixpasites.com, +1 9783251971, [email protected]
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