Only Nearness
Only Nearness, exhibited at the Ruffin Gallery in October 2022, forged a compelling dialogue between the cold gaze of capitalist realism and the shadowy allure of Southern Gothic. Through the contrasting textures and processes of lithography and risography, the exhibition delved into the anxieties and contradictions woven into the fabric of contemporary Southern life. The prints served as visual meditations on the profound ways economic systems shape our environment and psyche, often leaving behind a haunting residue of decay and disillusionment. Scenes of disrepair became potent symbols of this erosion. The “nearness” evoked in the title speaks to a dual proximity: a physical closeness to the tangible realities of economic hardship and an intimate emotional connection to the stories these landscapes whisper – stories of loss, resilience, and the enduring weight of the past.