Members Exhibition
Society for Photographic Education
Scarab Club
Detroit
Through Nov. 9
Perspective was the main word on my mind as I walked in a circle around Detroit’s Scarab Club for the opening reception of the Society for Photographic Education’s Members Exhibition.
I’d learned about the show only the day before, and the flyer said little about its theme or contents. So I didn’t know what to expect. But I love art, surprises, and the energy of a room full of artists — and I was not let down.
The space was filled with students, local artists, and visitors from other states in town for the society’s conference. The art was more than I imagined.
Photography is more than realism these days. Much of it is experimental. From collage and cyanotype to blends of fantasy, pigment print, and sublimation, this exhibit was more fascinating than I expected it would be.
One of the first pieces that caught my eye was I’d Rather Be Slowly Consumed By Moss, a dye-sublimation print on wood by local artist Amelia Burns.
The title itself is iconic. Like the piece itself, it could be interpreted in countless ways.
The collaged work features a cutout of Cookie Monster alongside a butterfly, a trash can, and what could possibly be a black heart. The background is serene, featuring nature, a waterfall, pine trees, a blue sky, and fragments of a map in the top right corner.
And, while an older woman is pictured appearing to be floating on a cloud or walking on the water, as I looked at this piece, I found myself reminiscing about youth.
At the center stands the Virgin Mary: a large sculpture cutout in the back, with a miniature version in the middle of the piece. The only words in the entire piece hover over her: “I’d Rather Be Slowly Consumed By Moss.”
To me, with all of the elements at play, the title feels like a quiet surrender, an escape from the chaos of the world into a dreamlike, peaceful place. The Scarab Club’s energy that evening felt similar.
“The title of the work ‘I’d rather be slowly consumed by moss’ comes from a bumper sticker I photographed on a car,” the artist told me via Instagram DM. “At the time I created the work, I was going through a difficult time, and those words felt cathartic for me and made me laugh. Each collage is somewhat of a self portrait and interpretation of the world around me using fragments from my photos.”
I knew before asking Burns what the title meant to her that my perspective on the piece would differ. And every other viewer's interpretation was likely also unique, possibly ranging from “That looks cool,” to “This reminds me of an important time in my life.”
Other pieces in the show that caught my eye, such as Infiltration B-10 and Infiltration D-8 by artist Glenna Jennings, leaned even further into experimentation through abstract digital manipulations and mysterious subtext. Together, they made the exhibition feel like an open conversation about what photography can be.
This show reminded me that art is all about perspective. Whether it’s a realistic portrait or something heavily experimental, every viewer will have their own feeling when they see a piece, each one as distinct as the artists themselves.
