Illustrating Duality Through Photography

Photographs by Gabriel Stroup · Exhibit runs from Apr 7 – May 18
ARTIST STATEMENT:

Photography is one visual art form that requires not just an artistic vision, but also a comprehensive understanding of physics in order to achieve that vision. As a medium with such an inherent duality between creativity and logic, it requires the engagement of both sides of the brain to be successful. As an ongoing challenge to balance this blend of two seemingly-opposite approaches, I constantly look to make connections between the artistic pursuit of photography, and the practical application of photography, with the added goal of encouraging other artists and knowledge-seekers to make their own unique contributions to the arts and sciences.

While my last photography exhibit in 2021 focused entirely on Utah’s natural landscapes, wildlife, and their interaction with humanity, this exhibit has allowed me to emphasize this broader theme of duality. To illustrate it, I’ve attempted to spatially contrast the colorful and organic scenes of natural landscapes and wildlife (all shot with my digital camera), with the monochromatic and geometrical aspects of urban landscapes (all shot with my film camera on black-and-white film). For both photography paradigms, I employ various techniques from either the portraiture and the landscape genres, utilizing ambient light, geometry, timing, and a minimalist kit, across various scenarios and conditions. This has helped me establish an adaptable approach to the subject matter and composition regardless of the lighting conditions I find myself in.

Not only has this inherent duality within photography affected my methodology and mindset towards the craft, but it has also highlighted similar dualities in many personal areas outside of the craft as well. From these recent revelations, my immediate goal with this exhibit became to share and emphasize this duality with the public, through displaying some of my personal favorite photographs in a contrastive yet complementary spatial arrangement.

Ultimately, when sharing my ever-improving images, one of my long-term goals is to use photography as a tool to not just inspire an artistic appreciation for a given location or subject, but to also pique some curiosity about the location/subject that could make it significant for non-photographers. This goal is all the more important when we realize that any given subject or location is bound to move on or no longer exist over time, so it’s incumbent on all of us to embody an appreciation for all the things we can see today, rather than what we might (or might not) see tomorrow.

ARTIST BIO:

Gabriel Stroup is a local Utah photographer from Salt Lake City, with a strong focus on nature photography. While at Rutgers University, acquiring his bachelor’s in biology with a minor in geology in 2018, he developed an eye for photography not only as a self-educational tool to learn about nature, but also as an outlet for continued artistic expression. Gabriel has previously shown his work at Antelope Island State Park during the early fall of 2021, and continues to show work for these purposes online via social media in addition to future exhibits. His Instagram handle is @GigabyteSpyder, and his website can be found at Bit.ly/GigabytePhoto.