SEEN BETTER TIMES | Juror: Michael Borek | March 12 - April 07, 2024

On display at MEG through April 7, the exhibition features 24 images that depict scenes that have "seen better days." Juror Michael Borek says the images he chose from the 14 included photographers go behind the surface of obvious decay and "invite viewers to use their imaginations to finish the hint of a story that is sketched out, but unfinished." 

Exhibition Artists: Soomin Ham, Tim Hyde, Eric Johnson, Irina Lawton, Sandy LeBrun-Evans, Matt Leedham, Francine B. Livaditis, Maureen Minehan, David Myers, Van Pulley, Sarah Hood Salomon, Alan Sislen, Tom Sliter and Fred Zafran

Exhibition hours: 11am-5pm daily
Location: Multiple Exposures Gallery | Torpedo Factory Art Center | #312

View the Exhibition: Seen Better Times

Juror’s Statement:

The title of this exhibition, Seen Better Days, could seduce less mature photographers into presenting only photos of peeling walls and decay. Follow the well-tested rules of composition, add high contrast, saturate the colors, and you have a recipe for aesthetically pleasing photos that most viewers will love. But, after a while, they become a bit boring, because there is nothing more behind the surface.

Since many of the photos I selected for this show depict scenes that have “seen better days,” they cannot help but show certain decay. But they go behind that surface, try unusual angles or crops, and invite viewers to use their imaginations to finish the hint of the story that is sketched out, but unfinished.  Sometimes, what is not seen in the picture, but what is felt “around the corner,” is as important as what is in the frame. And some of the photos use a more allegorical approach, capturing the spirit of the title in a more abstract, philosophical way.

It was a privilege to juror the exhibition of my former colleagues. Enjoy. And go under the surface and around the corner. It is rewarding.

Juror’s Bio:
 
Michael Borek, a photographer based in Bethesda, Maryland, is originally from Prague, Czech Republic. After graduating from the School of Economics in the 1980s, he realized that he did not want to work as an economist under the Communist regime. Instead, he took a job as a night watchman and attended intensive English courses during the day. After passing the required exams, he started working as a freelance interpreter, which gave him more flexibility to pursue his other interests. One of them, photography, stayed with him all his life, and later became his second calling. In 2012, The Maryland State Arts Council awarded Borek an Individual Artist Award and Grant. He has had two solo exhibitions in the Czech Embassy in DC, and the US Embassy in the Czech Republic presented a solo show of Borek’s photography at the American Center in Prague. He has also exhibited his works in many galleries in the USA and Czech Republic.

Contact Information For Media & Purchase Inquiries
High resolution images for media use are available upon request. All images are available for purchase through the gallery.