Wesleyan's current photography exhibit "Framing and Being Framed: The Uses of Documentary Photography" was reviewed in last week's New York Times Arts section.  The exhibit features pieces by renowed contemporary artists such as An-My Le, Alfredo Jarr, Wendy Ewald, Kota Ezawa and Perry Bard.

Despite its title — “Framing and Being Framed: The Uses of Documentary Photography” — the exhibition at the Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery at Wesleyan University contains many artworks that are not, strictly speaking, documentary photographs. Some of them are not even documentary in nature. They are more conceptual projects that employ photographic material ranging from snapshots of everyday life to portraits and conventional documentary imagery.

 

But this in no way negates the show’s powerful premise, which is to encourage viewers to think about the ways in which artists and photographers use and abuse documentary principles. Nina Felshin, the gallery’s curator, has done a terrific job assembling interesting and provocative work in this vein, the best ofwhich invite viewers to consider issues of agency, context and interpretation in documentary-based art.

Together the exhibit challenges the conventional assumptions about the medium of documentary photography. The artists integrate sound recordings, videos, animation and community outreach into their artworks.

The exhibit will run through December 7th, so if you are in need of a study break be sure to stop by the Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery in the Center For The Arts to explore Wesleyan's impressive photography collection.

Read the full review.