Revelations & Reincarnations

photography and poetry by Angel O’Brien

at Franklin FOTO

Opening Reception Sat. October 4th 5-9pm

8953 North Lombard St. Portland, Oregon 97203

This series addresses the simultaneously personal yet deeply universal experience of living in an imperfect body. This world quite wrongfully demands that perfection be limited to the young and privileged, and so through these photographs, I ponder the explorations of life and its glorious complexities that is afforded someone who made it past the “youthful” years and am decidedly enjoying an era of revelations and reincarnations. My wrinkles, scars, aches + pains, plus sized clothing, and my glorious white hair are each passages in the book of my life written into the layers of my skin for all to see.

Each of these photographs are made by hand either in my basement darkroom or at Franklin FOTO using a variety of alternative processes as well as silver gelatin. Like all humans, each print is beautifully unique and one of a kind. Through the use of additional artistic mediums such as embroidery, paper collage, cardboard sculpture, paint, etc., you will see that many of these photographs are not simply photographic prints. Even though a photograph is indeed worth a thousand words, sometimes I have even more to say.