The Surreal Meets the Existential as Portraiture Becomes Performative
The City of Santa Clarita is excited to present “Dawn/Eclipse of A New Era,” an expressive photographic exhibition by acclaimed artist Harry Gamboa Jr. This exhibition will run from Wednesday, June 4 to Monday, August 5, at The MAIN (24266 Main Street) with an opening reception on Thursday, June 20, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.
Harry Gamboa Jr. brings a new series of photographic work to The MAIN, exploring the ephemeral intersection of surrealism and existentialism. Through a series of directed and photographed performances, Gamboa captures the performative nature of human presence against the urban backdrop of Old Town Newhall. His images delve into the illusion of mass identity, blending the tangible with the digital to create a resonant mythic narrative. In “Dawn/Eclipse of A New Era,” the essence of “noir” in Southern California emerges, casting light on the gray zones that define our contemporary landscape.
This digital photography project involves a diverse group of performers who were directed by Gamboa to pose in different locations in Newhall. These conceptual images challenge the built environment and redefines spatial relationships between object and subject, evoking an aura of 21st century “cool” and “calm,” while hinting at perpetual momentum. The performers include current students and alumni from California Institute of the Arts, as well as collaborators from Gamboa’s previous projects.
Harry Gamboa Jr. is a renowned artist and educator, known for his influential role as a co-founder of the Los Angeles-based performance group Asco and as the founder/director of the international performance troupe Virtual Vérité. Currently, he is a faculty member in the Photo/Media Program at California Institute of the Arts.
For more information about this exhibition or the reception, please visit SantaClaritaArts.com, or email Stephanie Jacinto at sjacinto@santaclarita.gov.
