Clay Patrick McBride Exhibition Opening and Gallery Talk
Photographer Clay Patrick McBride presents his recent project of tintype portraits, capturing the diverse community around the Roc City Skatepark, in a solo exhibition at RIT City Art Space. A gallery talk with McBride is set for 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3. It is free and open to all.
The exhibition is on view from Nov. 3-Dec. 3. Gallery hours are Thursday-Sunday 1-5 p.m., with Fridays being open from 1-9 p.m. McBride is a senior lecturer in RIT's School of Photographic Arts and Sciences.
The show, “ROCSTAR,” consists of massive photographic prints, wheat paste murals and site-specific installations in which McBride depicts heroic portraits of Rochester's skating community. It showcases McBride’s approach to one of the earliest methods of photography, wet plate collodion. Famously romanticized through scenes of early Americana, collodion images riddle our history as cultural artifacts that illustrate everything from pedicot street fashions to cultural icons like Billy the Kid.
By adopting this iconic photographic technique, McBride refreshes our gaze on contemporary culture by re-contextualizing it through this slow, deliberate process, in order to connect more deeply with his subjects. He says, “One of the reasons I am drawn to the skate park is because it’s one of the few places in Rochester, N.Y., where I see a great deal of diversity and collaboration. Here, I see all kinds of people: Black, Brown, White, Asian, young, old, straight and queer, teaching each other what they know about skating. These photographs illustrate how inclusive and accepting the skate community is, and how dedicated they are to each other's growth. All walks of life are represented by this culture.”
The show is sponsored by Assistant Professor Eric Kunsman and Shades of Paper.
Event Snapshot
When and Where
Who
Open to the Public
Interpreter Requested?
No