Patricia McDonough

March 16th – April 30th, 2005

The Robin Rice Gallery announces a solo exhibition of photography by Patricia McDonough. The opening reception will be held on Wednesday March 16th 2005 from 5.30 to 8.30pm. The show will run through April 30th, 2005.

In her new series of large color images entitled “Air”, McDonough stages surreal compositions using vibrant balloons to highlight emotional contrasts such as celebration and solitude, exuberance and melancholy, effervescence and tranquility. Like an EE Cummings poem, McDonough extricates whimsical moments from the trivial, honoring the hidden magnificence of the mundane. Using bold ruby reds, lemon meringue yellows and hot pinks, she juxtaposes the magical with the metaphysical in a Francois Truffaut – meets – Paul Klee world.

In the invitational image “Floating,” a sky blue balloon dangles wistfully in a state of transcendental equilibrium, fallen from its peak during the party, yet inflated enough to float symmetrically in the hallway. The balloon becomes anthropomorphic, expressing the peaks and abysses of life.  In another piece, “Tied Down,“ a red balloon globe, like a faceless head, tilts longingly against the window, exuding almost human-like despair, contrasting with a nearby brightly lit detergent jug and a suburban lawn grill.

A native of North Carolina, Patricia McDonough was educated at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and at NYU 's Tisch School of the Arts. She has worked as a commercial photographer since 1994 with clients including United Airlines, American Express, The History Channel, Esquire, GQ and The New York Times Magazine. Her photographs have appeared on book jackets, CD covers and in the American Photography and Communication Arts publications. McDonough also teaches in the full-time program at ICP. Many of the images in this latest series were created during her residency at the Edna St. Vincent Millay Colony for the Arts.  This is McDonough’s second solo show at the Robin Rice Gallery.

Gallery hours are Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and by appointment Tuesday through Wednesday.