Opening Reception (artist in attendance)

Friday, February 1
5–9 PM

In 1999, while examining photographic books at Portland’s Multnomah County Library, Jayna Conkey turned a page of “The New Color Photography” by Sally Eauclaire. Where she should have seen a photo of a nude figure reclining on a bed, instead she saw something entirely unexpected. Someone had cut the figure out leaving behind a “window” that revealed some of the text from the previous page. Written in red ink below the missing image were the words: “can’t believe it!”

Using her 4×5 camera, Conkey went on to document mutilated books from libraries around the country, transforming their pages into new multi-layered images. Her resulting photographs of anonymous interventions embody the twin responses of censorship and voyeurism. Coming full circle, the series exhibits for the first time in Portland since the work was created 20 years ago, now at a time when these issues are equally, if not more, relevant.

Jayna Conkey works primarily in photography and has exhibited nationally and internationally. She earned her MFA from the University of Colorado, Boulder and taught at the Oregon College of Art and Craft in Portland, Oregon from 1997-2000. She is currently a Professor of Photography and Graphic Design at Western Nevada College.

Left: Elliott Erwitt, West Germany, Sylt, 1968 (from the book Photographs and Anti-Photographs), 8×10 inches, 1999, Silver Gelatin Print.

Christian Vogt, Basel, 1979 (from the book Photographs), 11×14 inches, 1999, Silver Gelatin Print.

Elliott Erwitt, Car and Poles, Rome, 1965 (from the book Photographs and Anti-Photographs), 8×10 inches, 1999, Silver Gelatin Print.

Wilhelm Von Gloeden, Taormina (from the book Taormina), 8.5 x 11 inches, 1999, Archival Inkjet Print (#2 of 10).

Tom Bianchi, Tom as Atlas/Joshua Tree (from the book Extraordinary Friends), 11 x 14 inches, 1999, Silver Gelatin Print.

Ian Colverson, Denis Masi, Untitled (from the book Berlin Suite), 11 x 14 inches, 1999, Silver Gelatin Print.

Elliott Erwitt, Lucienne with Baby, 1953 (from the book Photographs and Anti-Photographs), 11 x 14 inches, 1999, Silver Gelatin Print.

Jo Ann Callis, Girl on Bed, 1977 (from the book New Color Photography), 7 x 9 inches, 2018, Archival Inkjet Print (#2 of 10).

Christian Vogt, Augustine, 1980 (from the book Photographs), 8 x 10 inches, 1999, Silver Gelatin Print.

D. Dondero, Untitled (from the book Dateline Reno, Photography by D. Dondero), 11 x 14 inches, 1999, Silver Gelatin Print.