Monday, Nov.14, marked the opening of a new photography exhibit in Paly’s Norsemen Gallery.
The "Wabi Sabi" exhibit, which features works by Paly photography teacher Margo Wixsom’s Advanced Photography class, focuses on objects traditionally considered unworthy of an artist’s attention, including an old pair of sneakers or a tangle of wires.

Artist statements hang from the walls along with the unusual photographs, many of which are framed using styrofoam packing material. "[This exhibit] is particularly targeted at people who question what goes into art galleries," Wixsom said. "[The artist statements] let everyone know there isn’t some secret to being an artist." Students commented on the value of exploring unconventional beauty and allow student photographers to explain what they hope viewers will gain from the exhibit.

In her own artist statement, Wixsom wrote, "[In] my disposable American world, I’m reminded of how easily we can turn the beautiful into ugly with our daily habits." Several pieces show items that had been used and thrown away. "Empty Calories," by sophomore Kristen Bergstrom, pictures an assortment of bottles and cans stacked for recycling pickup by the street. "The pile of bottles in Empty Calories has a huge range of colors, variety, and texture that makes this photograph interesting,” Bergstrom wrote in her artist statement. The bright oranges and reds of the cans juxtapose the dark blue recycling bin backdrop, creating a stunning mix of color.

"Childish Insecurities," a six-panel photo display by senior Drew Durham, pictures three shots of a brightly colored, fanciful train on one side of the standup display, and three shots of a similarly painted bus on the other. "I intended to show through my images and my presentation pieces my unique views of the everyday beauty of even the most childish and imperfect things," Durham wrote in his accompanying artist statement. The train photos, each taken from a different angle, follow the train filled with people winding around a row of cars in a dusty parking lot. The multi-colored bus covered with writing is set against a gray-brown backdrop of packing crates piled high in front of a rusted building.

While some artists focused on bright color, others chose to use a dramatic black and white approach. "Shattered," by senior Kira Kobza, is comprised of several different shots of a shattered window overlapping on a styrofoam frame. Each picture was photographed in black and white and taken in different lighting and from several angles to produce several views of the same object. Two works entitled “Paint Cans,” by senior Dani Vernon, used editing techniques to create light and dark steaks within black and white photographs of two paint cans against a stark white background. The pictures are framed using Styrofoam speckled with black paint.

Unlike most traditional photography programs, Wixsom has created Beginning and Advanced Photography classes at Paly that incorporate more advanced photo processing technologies. "I needed to serve the needs of the Paly students," Wixsom said. "[I want students to be] hooked on photography at their own level." To encourage students less interested in what Wixsom calls the "chemistry" aspect of photography, she only requires that students develop their own film for the first semester of Beginning Photo. Second semester, students are allowed to use digital cameras or commercial developers. Advanced photo students are encouraged to develop their own film, but may use color developing or digital editing.

The Wabi Sabi exhibit is in the Norseman Gallery, in the 100 building, for the next few weeks. The gallery will be open for viewing during lunch and by appointment.