A surprise in the basement…
In the lower level galleries at CMCA (Center for Maine Contemporary Art) there resides a very cool exhibit. The photographs by Meggan Gould in the first lower level gallery are just the perfect example of an original idea carried out to perfection. It’s the “Verso” part of the rather confusing (to me, anyway!) concept of grouping the two bodies of work together with a common theme. I didn’t get it at all looking at the two exhibits in person and hardly do now after reading the explanation on the CMCA website.
But the images in the “Verso” part are worth a stop at CMCA alone.When Gould inherited her grandmother’s photograph collection she discovered on the backs of many of the photographs notes that hung out there in a sort of psychological geneological space.
Verso 16, from the exhibit “Verso” © Meggan Gould. All Rights Reserved.
In the photo above, Gould makes a vertical presentation of the back of this horizontal photograph and the simplicity of the presentation is magic. You can even bring the image home on a large card that includes Gould’s contact info. on the back. It’s on our refrigerator. We love it.
(Not as successful to us was the other exhibit by Gould in the further gallery downstairs – “Recto” I guess. I felt there were 3 very strong photographs in the group and the rest – although impressive for their print quality – were more about content than photographic success.)
Back to “Verso”. I have amassed a collection of vintage postcards of Belfast. On the front of one of them the words “Why so silent?” have been penned in the sky over the village of Belfast back in the horse and buggy days of 1905 . It was mailed on June 23 (at 1 p.m.! – those were the days!) and is addressed on the back to Miss Marcia Blaney of Waldoboro. This is before postcard backs were divided to allow room for a note as well as an addressee.
As with Meggan Gould’s “Verso” photographs, we can only write the stories ourselves now. The “Can I take it.” on the back of Verso 16 gives us nothing but itself and even the lack of a question mark at the end of the note is a major factor in divining its intent. Other images of bits of paper and numbers on the backs leave much to our imaginations. “Why so silent?” makes me sad every time I even think of it, let alone see it, penned over the village of Belfast for all the world to read as the postcard made its way from the saddened sender to the silent recipient.
You have until July 17 to see the Gould exhibits, and the artist is giving a presentation on June 27 at 2 at the gallery. It’s a special exhibit that is a terrific artistic grouping and that rewards its viewers with much to think about.
“Evan – horrible day” from the exhibit “Verso” © Meggan Gould. All Rights Reserved.
