John Dolan - 2001

The Robin Rice Gallery announces solo exhibition of photography by John Dolan. The opening reception will be held on Wednesday, January 17, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The show runs through March 3, 2001.

John Dolan’s photographs revel in the extraordinary that lies beneath everyday, fleeting occurrences. And in this eloquent collection of twenty images shot in ravishing color and black and white over the past twenty years, the often hidden essences of people, places, and objects are made plain, as if in dreams. Frequently placing his subjects at center, Dolan extracts from them their raw spirit and underlying energies, creating gripping drama within a short story-type form.

In the invitational piece Blue House, Ireland, the powerful glow of a glorious late dusk appears to overwhelm a small cottage marked by oddly human features. As if shaken by a strong wind or set inside a snow globe, the house seems suddenly vulnerable and alone yet heroically stands strong within the light. Pacific another work, displays a human encounter with a similarly powerful force of nature. Viewed from behind, a man and a woman wade up to their knees in the bubbling white surf of the Pacific. While the woman hangs back, seeming tentative, the man has pushed on and now pauses in contemplation. Just ahead the froth has grown to a great height and like a cloud, has merged with a seductively shimmering sky.

A New York-based photographer for the past fifteen years, John Dolan was raised outside of Washington DC. After graduating from Beloit College with a B.A. in Art, he worked as a master printer for Sylvia Plachy and became well known for his photographs of celebrity weddings. He has twice received awards from the Society of Publication Designers. Dolan’s recent clients in editorial and advertising include Martha Stewart Living Magazines, Travel and Leisure, Banana Republic, Lexus, The Gap, and AT&T. Dolan’s work has appeared in several group shows at the Robin Rice Gallery. This is his first solo show.