Courtney Conlon

The 50+ photographs in Courtney Conlon’s new show at Cal State Fullerton’s Pollack Library are at first glance reminiscent of Ryan McGinley’s embrace of nature as a site of freedom, or Wolfgang Tillman’s intimate documentation of his friends in real-life situations. However, Conlon is not interested in these kinds of comparisons or definitions, this is made clear by Conlon’s stark truisms found spread throughout the opposite side of the gallery from where the majority of the works are hung. Conlon instead would prefer that we set aside our opinions and expectations and “let go.” She does this by showing us personal moments, photographs that serve as individual anecdotes of  moving from the known and familiar to what might be possible to know. Another highlight is how Conlon juxtaposes her work with the art of two five-year olds (pictured in the entrance to the gallery) in an effort to anchor her work to what she holds valuable, and diffuse knowledge and expectations.

Letting Go is scheduled to run till September 30, 2013 in the Atrium Gallery. More information about the exhibit can be found Here.

Full disclosure: I helped curate the show with Kris Beals.