NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
July 10, 2008
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Ann Dee Lee
Public Information Director
Oklahoma Arts Council
(405) 521-2931
anndee@arts.ok.gov
OPTICS AND ALCHEMY PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT
COMES TO THE STATE CAPITOL
Oklahoma City, OK -- Oklahoma City photographer Lori Oden uses rare, antique photographic processes from the 19th century and her images recall an era of widespread invention and discovery. Oden’s photography exhibit, Optics and Alchemy, will be on display in the first floor of the North Gallery at the State Capitol through September 7th. Curated by the Oklahoma Arts Council, the North Gallery is devoted to Oklahoma’s finest photographers and is open daily from 8:30-5:00.
Optics and Alchemy is a collection of images Oden produced over the past several years, most have never been on exhibit until now. She specializes in historic photographic processes, including daguerreotype, wet collodion, platinum and palladium, cyanotype, calotype, salt print, albumen and tintypes. Oden explained that alchemy refers to an ancient study of science and chemistry, a term commonly used to imply the creation of something valuable from something that is not, such as lead to gold.
“I mostly enjoy the nineteenth century processes because I am involved in every
aspect of the process, including mixing my own chemistry, coating my own paper,
and making my own film on glass or tin. Personally, the nostalgic feel of these
processes and images in our fast-paced, digital society gives me peace and a sense
of hope that history and beauty will not be lost.”
Currently the executive director of the Paseo Artists Association, Oden is a native Oklahoman who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and a Master of Liberal Studies degree from the University of Oklahoma in Photography, Literature and Art History. She also serves as an adjunct professor in photography at Oklahoma City University and Oklahoma State University. She has published essays in the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum quarterly newsletter and other publications include, Rangefinder Magazine, Photo Marketing Magazine, American Society of Photographers and the Oklahoma Museums Association Newsletter.
Her work has been exhibited at the Leslie Powell Gallery, Lawton, the Oklahoma
Visual Arts Coalition, City Arts Center, Calypso Café City Arts, Individual Artists of
Oklahoma, Skylight Gallery Auction and the Hubbard Museum of the American West. This exhibit was partially funded by a Creative Project Grant from the Oklahoma Visual Artists Coalition.
For more information, contact Ann Dee Lee, Public Information Director, Oklahoma Arts Council, (405) 521-2931 or anndee@arts.ok.gov.
ABOUT THE OKLAHOMA ARTS COUNCIL
The Oklahoma Arts Council is a state agency whose mission is to improve lives through the arts by promoting and sustaining the development of a thriving arts environment, which is essential to quality of life, education and economic vitality for all Oklahomans.
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