News & Events

“Absence as Presence,” Photography Exhibit by Gabriela Knox Opens at UNC Asheville

December 6, 2011

“Absence as Presence,” a new exhibition of black-and-white photographs by UNC Asheville senior Gabriela Knox, is on display through December 17 at the Highsmith University Union Gallery on campus. This BFA senior exhibition is free and open to the public.

Knox’s exhibit explores photography as an objective form of art. “Photography is often regarded as the most objective of fine art media,” according to Knox, “and it is conventionally expected to produce images that are a true record of the reality in front of the camera. It is also presumed that if a photograph lies, it is because the image has been manipulated before or after it was taken.”

Knox presents unadulterated images captured in low lighting at night – “objects extracted from their surroundings, denied any previous context,” in order to “demonstrate the peculiar way people see,” creating meanings out of a combination of objective visual information and prior knowledge and experience.

“Absence as Presence” will be on view Mondays - Saturdays, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. and on Sundays, 12 p.m.–6 p.m. through December 17. For more information, visit art.unca.edu or call 828.251.6559.