Have You Ever Seen the Back of a Shadow
Prior exhibition installation at the Emmanuel Gallery, UC Denver. All work by Wayne Brungard.
Brungard has spent his life exploring the relationship of the abstract with reality, and experimenting with various industrial materials to make tangible the intangible. As a sculptor he captures the dynamics of human relationships, dynamics that result in feelings of connectedness.
Central to his work is the capturing of implied, often veiled, emotions that form the foundation of relationships. Implicit is an invitation to step into the same physical space occupied by his sculptures so as to awaken feelings within and cause the viewer to wonder from whence they came.
Migrations
Inspired by Jacob Lawrence’s 1941 seminal Migration Series, Zughaib’s Syrian Migration Series allows for an exploration of the contemporary consequences of the post WWI peace through the lens of the current Syrian conflict and the mass migration it has triggered.
The Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I resulted in the creation of modern borders in the Middle East that have lasting effects on today’s geopolitics. Zughaib’s Syrian Migration Series seeks to refocus attention on the modern Syrian crisis and give voice to those affected, particularly the experience of women and children migrants and refugees.
The series is an interpretation of Jacob Lawrence’s 1941 seminal Migration Series depicting the mass movement of African Americans from the Southern United States to points north and west. Known as The Great Migration, this defining period in American history was ignited during President Wilson’s first term by the start of WWI and the demand for labor in urban centers and amplified by the political, social, and economic repression of African Americans in the South. The intersectionality of the Great Migration and the present-day Syrian migration reframes these domestic movements within a global context.
Formal/ Informal: Innovations in Portraiture
Formal/ Informal explores the definition of portraiture, comparing that formal term to the compositions created by photographers.
During the 19th century, formal studio or posed portraits flourished as a way to capture a vision of a person, whether known or unknown to the photographer. The artist, in turn utilized their craft to tell the story of the sitter. Images from the 20th and 21st century evolved into both formal and informal views of people, as their environs began to play as much of a role in their portrait as their face did.
The result is a collection of portraits that could be serious, playful, have social or political ramifications, or whose purpose is to celebrate the people, famous or infamous, ultimately telling the story of our society as a whole.
Why Am I Sad
Why Am I Sad explores mental health and depression through still life photography. It’s estimated that almost 280 million people worldwide live with depression. Among this staggering number, this book unveils the personal narrative of just one of them—me. As a child of immigrants, I found myself living in a duality that often left me feeling like an outsider in both worlds. I was a cultural chameleon, navigating the ever-shifting boundaries of identity.
Amidst the cacophony of conflicting cultures, there was a profound sense of isolation, a feeling of not quite belonging to either place. Photography emerged as my sanctuary, a medium through which I could articulate the unspoken turmoil within. However, even as my lens captured moments of beauty, the weight of sadness lingered, a constant companion hovering at the edge of every frame.
Why Am I Sad is a personal exploration through the shadows of melancholy, unfolded in vivid still life photography that celebrates and challenges the notion of beauty and sadness. I extend an invitation to delve into this narrative—a narrative woven with threads of family legacy of mental health, cultural identity, and the relentless pursuit of self-understanding. Each photograph serves as a mirror reflecting the complexities of human emotion—a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Behind each photograph lies a story, a silent echo of my mother's struggle with clinical depression—a battle fought in the shadows, unseen yet deeply felt. Her pain became intertwined with my own, shaping the contours of my journey through sadness. Through the lens of my camera, I invite you to join me on this introspective odyssey, where every image is a step closer to understanding the enigma of sadness.