Gloria Baker Feinstein

Artist Statement

These images were made during the summer following the 2016 election. My neighborhood park has a fountain that attracts young families, especially on long, hot, lazy afternoons. To take breaks from the unsettling news, I began hanging out at the fountain during the golden hour, that magically lit time of day just before sunset. The light may have led me to these pictures, but the shadow of my own experience hangs over them. The images are troubled by our present reality: frightening changes, an unrelenting sense of uncertainty, an endless feeling of dread. Believing in the healing powers of beauty and optimism, I am admittedly conflicted by this. I would like my images to provide hope, yet I have come also to appreciate the value of acknowledging and exploring the uneasiness of our times. An honest photograph, though dark, can offer its own strong, authentic connection in this complicated world we share.

Gloria Baker Feinstein | Portland, OR

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