Artifacts and Incidents is a series of photographs taken by the artist “along the periphery of rural communities in the western United States.” It has landscapes from the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains in addition to the Pacific Northwest, and Alaska, as well as stills of other objects that exist in the borderlands.
Nicole Hill is an associate professor of art at Humboldt State University and has had shows in such exotic locales as Halifax, Italy and Portland.
In her artist’s statement she says, “My photographs are of subtle and aggressive relationships within the natural world. They document the natural movement of land, disturbances within its contours, and discarded objects contained within. The source of action that has defined or altered a site or object is often unclear.”
Subtle and aggressive relationships: there are objects left over from a target practice session, riddled with bullets and the erosion of time. There’s a carcass of a deer covered by the snow. Haunting images from the boundaries of society.
Fairbanks Gallery shows are excellent and free to the public. This is another example of their fine work bringing top quality shows to Corvallis.
It’s recommended that you call in advance to confirm hours as the Fairbanks Gallery is understaffed and must sometimes close during normal business hours: (541) 737-4745.
by Ygal Kaufman
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