Multiple Exposures Gallery is pleased to present two new exhibits: “Las Calles del Ecuador” by Valerie Makepeace and “Closer to Heaven” by Francine B. Livaditis. These exhibits will be on view from February 12 - March 24, 2019. An opening reception will be held on February 17, 2018, 1pm - 3pm.

Francine and Valerie discuss their projects:

Closer to Heaven - Francine B. Livaditis
Color Photographs of the Panteón San Miguel in Cozumel, Mexico
I first visited Cozumel, Mexico in the spring of 2015. It was the first stop on my cruise of the Western Mediterranean. As is my usual manner when I’m at a new place, I headed out on foot with my camera. Traveling southeast from the port area, I wandered through a commercial area that gave way to a residential one. At the end of the street was a cemetery, its gates open.
I had never seen a cemetery like this. It wasn’t because most of the internment spaces were above ground; I had seen this years ago in New Orleans. The intense Caribbean colors of the mausoleums are what took my breath away. As I made my way through the cemetery, I was taken by the sublime beauty of some of the family mausoleums and the derelict condition of others. It appeared that the best days of the cemetery were behind it. I photographed what I found interesting—objects, textures and structures.
I had the opportunity to revisit Cozumel this past December and knew that I wanted to see the cemetery again. Now too far a walk, I hired Eduardo to drive me there. I was happily surprised to see the revival of this cemetery. The already crowded grounds had many new structures and fewer vaults were in disrepair. It warmed my heart.
Online research disclosed that a newer cemetery had been built on the southern outskirts of the town. Eduardo didn’t understand why I wanted to visit one cemetery, let alone two, but he obliged and drove me to my new discovery. It was so different than the older in-town cemetery. This cemetery was at least four times larger and had a road system. Workers were actively constructing in two areas of the grounds. The visual impact at this cemetery is less intense because of the spaciousness, but the beauty of the colorful mausoleums remains.
I hope that you enjoy my wonderment!
Las Calles Del Ecuador - Valerie Makepeace
For 10 days our motorcycle cruised on breathtaking Pacific Coast beaches, across gorges by way of swaying rope and plank suspension bridges, through fragrant chocolate and coffee plantations, up the hairpin curves of the Andes Mountain Range in frighteningly dense fog, across the high plains at 15,000 feet, in a dust storm, dodging vicuna, then down the mountain range on the old cobblestone Pan American Highway with nothing more than the occasional yucca plant to remind us of the oblivion that awaited below and finally into the dazzling Amazon River basin with all it’s outrageous flora and fauna. Along the way I documented the way humans have positioned themselves amongst the splendor that is Ecuador. This show, Las Calles Del Ecuador, is the result of that adventure.
I have chosen to mount the photographs on panel board without frame or glass so that nothing comes between the viewer and the image allowing for it to be seen more closely as I saw it.