Lead to Gold

 Rhianna Gallagher received a Bachelor of Arts from Humboldt State University in 2013, and is currently working on her Masters of Fine Art Photography at San Jose State University. Her practice is grounded in traditional black and white darkroom, and more recently antiquated alternative processes. She has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions within Northern California. She is currently a teaching associate at San Jose State University.

            This body of work is born from romantic longing, and the precarious spaces where pain and elation are parallel. Using plants as symbols for desire, and to illustrate the mythical notion of a spectral lover come to life of enchanted flowers. In celebration of the individual photographic object, each piece is made with hand painted emulsion, and embellished with watercolor and metal leaf to enhance their sentimental and transitory content. 

Desire

I bury myself in dead leaves

I bury myself in earth

imagining young bulbs piercing flesh that is slowly turning to earth

reaching upward for sunlight

I draw a magic circle around you in white chalk

in salt

tie poisonous flowers to a broomstick

holding onto your ghost

a monument

an amulet

we are both carnal and temporal

wild, vital, organic, ephemeral

with a desire for union

and a desire to dissolve.

website: rhiannazgallagher.com

contact: gallagher.rhianna@gmail.com (831) 295-7607

Friday October 7th 5-9pm