recent work by sarah crawley
Sarah Crawley's photographic bookworks invite us to enter the past. Doorways, windows and pathways of ancient ruins and churches, whether sealed or gaping, beckon an exploration of a history that involves centuries of ritual and ceremony. Glimpses of amusement park rides are juxtaposed with relics from long ago in order to evoke completely different memories.
Capturing specific sites in and around Winnipeg and England with her Holga camera, Crawley's polaroid emulsion transfers contradict the traditional notion that photographs should depict reality objectively and with great clarity of form. Instead, her images reveal a very subjective viewpoint and are deliberately unclear. In fact, the ambiguity of the works and their deliberately subjective presentation coalesce well with the theme of memory. "Through the use of multiple photographic printing processes," says the artist, "layers of information are built up, producing ethereal, dream-like images."
Sarah Crawley has exhibited in group and solo shows across Canada since graduating with a BFA from the University of Manitoba in 1994. A recipient of numerous awards, Crawley is involved in the Winnipeg arts scene in diverse ways. She has acted as a juror in visual art competitions and served on the boards of several galleries and arts organizations. In addition to exploring new media (book binding and video production), Crawley has shared her knowledge of the photographic medium with others, teaching workshops at The Floating Gallery. In November of this year and February 2001, she will lead sessions on alternative polaroid techniques at the Winnipeg Art Gallery and Art City.
Jennifer Gibson