Artifacts of Magic
by Janine Menlove
Artist’s Statement and Biography
Living in New York, British born, Janine Menlove is a photo-based artist. Through constructed photography, she explores relationships between object, place, and time. Using only her own photographs, Menlove creates imagery in a blend of significance and whimsy that impart narratives of personal and/or global reference.
Menlove’s prolific career in commercial photography created opportunities and awareness in a myriad of subjects that inform her artwork today. Traveling the globe on thousands of assignments, photographing cars, places, architecture, and celebrities created an extensive archive of photographs central to her visual storytelling.
Menlove’s latest project Artifacts of Magic was created in response to the invitation to the exhibit at the Irvington Library. Menlove valued the opportunity to create a body of work fitting to a library and through a personal lens, she created work that holds a universal message of the power of books. This exhibition includes photomontages of photographs of books and their pages, along with bold graphic designs comprised of writer’s quotes on reading and books – all in the format of an oversized bookmark.
“The allure and the mastery of photomontage is power over place and time with the practical capacity to break down limitations between imagination and reality. Using this technique allows me to explore and create narratives with compilations of diverse and fragmented visual information. Combinations are unlimited, and with each project my process includes the somewhat colossal task of choices and possibilities.
Artifacts of Magic derives inspiration from boxes of books and papers I found tucked away in my mother’s closet. The books had traveled from England and were written over a century ago. Within the pages were personal messages of love, condolence, and achievement written to my Gran and Grandad. As an artist and as the heir to these papers and books, I felt a responsibility to document and celebrate these artifacts of magic.”
Janine Menlove lives with her husband just North of New York City on the banks of the Hudson River, and is an artist member of Upstream Gallery in Hastings-on-Hudson. She always carries a camera, and appreciates nature and culture in the Hudson Valley and New York City. Her artwork is exhibited in solo and group shows, and is in private and corporate collections.
Artist Reception: Saturday, September 9 at 2 PM
View a preview of the exhibit below, then visit the full gallery in person at the Irvington Public Library!
Be sure to check our event calendar or call to ensure the gallery is open at the time of your visit.
