First "Second Saturday" of 2021, unlike those of the past ten years when the streets were filled with people bundled up and rushing into every gallery and cultural center that was hosting an opening.....but the good news is that there are still 'openings', with masks, physical distancing and a chance to socialize with neighbors, friends and visitors to Beacon. And now that shows are open every weekend, there is more time to visit or return again to see the same show.
One such opening on January 9th was the Beacon Photography Group's show, "Assorted Visions', with 26 members showing a total of 90 pieces, at the spacious and inviting Howland Cultural Center. The show is ongoing on weekends through the end of January from 1-5pm.
The Beacon Photography Group with 462 members mostly meets up in a virtual space with posting on its Facebook page. Seeing the exhibit with the members' photographs mounted, framed and hung within the historic building is a visual feast for those who believe a picture is worth a thousand words and belong on the wall as well as on a screen.
I was mostly struck by the unique expression and variety across all the images. The diversity of subjects: nature, shapes, objects, humans. The varieties of perspective: up close and personal, distant and remote. The use of creative energies: innovative design and experimental execution. And above all, the acceptance for the work from amateurs to enthusiasts to serious artists using a camera.
Food for thought: In this day and age, where differences are notable and disagreements arise when opposing points of view are voiced, it is certainly refreshing to see that with images, you can explore the differences of how individuals portray reality in so many different ways. You can ask the photographer -- 'how did you arrive at that image, what prompted you to do it that way, tell me more about your way of seeing.' You can walk away with more understanding and without having to defend your own point of view. Given how each person can see the same things in the world so differently, one image alone is insufficient; we can get closer to reality when each point of view is seen through a collective.
