ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS (June 17, 2020) — On exhibit from June 26 through August 14, 2020, Assembled Portraits by David Van Allen and Jazz Noir-Images from the Iowa City Jazz Festival by Ron Meyer. Both artists are from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
David Van Allen presents “Assembled Portraits.” Van Allen’s process begins by collecting hundreds of images of a person, using silver-based black & white film. His camera is very close to his subject during the image collection part of the process and he changes camera position for each fragment. This tends to make the portraits mildly cubist. He then assembles the photographs (up to 200) to create a nearly life-size portrait. Through this process Van Allen compiles multiple facial expressions and hand gestures, providing the viewer a more complete “picture” of the individual.
Ron Meyer presents Jazz Noir Images, black & white photographs of jazz musicians, made at the Iowa City Jazz Festival. The photographs are a mix of low and high key B&W prints. Meyer states, “A live jazz performance, especially a solo, is a very intimate experience for the listener. I have tried to capture this experience in my unique style of photography and black & white processing to give the viewer a feeling that the musician is playing for them.”
Quad City Arts is a nonprofit local arts agency dedicated to enriching the quality of life in the Quad City region through the arts. Support for art exhibitions is provided by the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Quad City Arts Gallery is located at 1715 Second Avenue in the Arts and Entertainment District of Rock Island. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. For more information, contact Dawn Wohlford-Metallo 309-793-1213 X108, or by email at dwmetallo@quadcityarts.com.
