Julie Blackmon
Julie Blackmon
“Midwest Materials”
May 4, 2023 through June 10, 2023
Exhibition Reception: Thursday, May 4th
Artist Led Exhibition Walkthrough: Saturday, May 6th
The Fahey/Klein Gallery is pleased to present "Midwest Materials", a solo exhibition of photographs by celebrated artist, Julie Blackmon. The works on view are a collection of imperfectly perfect narrative images that focus on the complexities and contradictions of modern life. As part of the Fahey/Klein Gallery’s tradition of promoting cutting-edge talent that is redefining the medium of Fine Art Photography, “Julie Blackmon: Midwest Materials” is a collaborative exhibition with the Fahey/Klein Gallery and NFT marketplace, SuperRare. A small number of works from “Midwest Materials” will be made available as NFTs with SuperRare.
Blackmon’s photographs are a deft mash-up of wit, dark humor, and irony - with sly references to iconic American works of art for which the artist has gained such renown. Her recontextualization of 19th Century paintings brings to life details of childhood exploration and imaginative play in a world largely void of adults. Finding insight and inspiration in the seeming monotony of her "generic American hometown," Blackmon constructs a captivating, fictitious world that can be at times both playful and menacing. Set amid the front porches, shallow rivers, and half-deserted streets of her Midwestern town, Blackmon’s satiric tableaus are often littered with the disposable artifacts that we turn our eyes away from: potato chip bags and fast-food wrappers, discarded toys and magazines. Her unblinking eye verges on the surreal, lending an irreverent snap to her unique world. Her busy, imaginary narratives walk a darkly humorous line between lighthearted Americana and the chaos and occasional darkness of our daily lives.
Julie Blackmon (b. 1966) pursued studies in art education and photography at Missouri State University. She has received numerous awards from industry leaders such as the Santa Fe Center of Photography, Society of Contemporary Photography, B&W Magazine, PhotoSpiva, Critical Mass, PDN, and American Photo. Her photographs are included in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art; Cleveland Museum of Art; George Eastman House, Rochester, NY; Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City; Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Toledo Museum of Art; Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR; Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago; and numerous private collections. She lives and works in Springfield, Missouri.
Julie Blackmon’s hardcover monograph, Midwest Materials, (Radius Books, 108 pages; $55), is available for purchase at the gallery while supplies last.
Press Photographs Available on Request