(TRENTON, NJ) -- “Third Thursdays,” the free popular monthly photography presentation and artist talk series at Mercer County Community College’s (MCCC’s) James Kerney Campus (JKC) Gallery at 137 North Broad Street in Trenton, will take place March 17, 2022 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. The event, curated by Heather Palecek and Habiyb Shu’Aib, will feature work by Jeff McConnell and Gene Barclay. The talk will be hosted by Michael Chovan-Dalton, director of the JKC Gallery, and will take place live and on the Zoom conferencing platform. All are invited to register at jkcgallery.online.
Professor Chovan-Calton remarked, “Building on our momentum, our upcoming Third Thursdays photography artist talk on March 17 will feature the works of two artists who approach photography in completely different ways.”
About the Artists
Jeff McConnell lives in the forests of New Jersey and found alternative photography when there was no camera of a kind to make the pictures he imagined. He graduated from Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia in 2000 and has been exploring photography without lenses ever since. He has shown work and given workshops in numerous countries.
The theme of McConnell’s artist talk will be street photography with slow pinhole cameras. “Photography is a tool of perception,” McConnell explained. “Even before we all had increasingly sharp, clear cameras in our pockets at all times, I had already decided to go the other way and embrace the messiness of chance. Maybe using simple, lens-less cameras, I might see something my eyes couldn’t on their own. It’s been a long time and I still get surprised.”
Gene Barclay is intent on focusing on the present and especially street life in Philadelphia and New York City neighborhoods. His works include photography, books and short films.
“My photography is my best attempt to document the people, things, and events that surround me,” said Barclay. “I have a great passion for capturing the now because you never know what may be of interest years down the line.”
Photo by Gene Barclay
For more information about registration and attending in person or online, please visit JKCGallery.online.
“Third Thursdays” artist talks were started by Heather Palacek and Habiyb Shu’Aib as a platform for artists to showcase their work to the Trenton and the regional community. The events quickly reached an audience from New York to Philadelphia. With the introduction of hybrid virtual and in-person shows, JKC Gallery now features artists from across and beyond United States with a global audience reach.
For information about registration visit JKCGallery.online.
Located at 137 North Broad Street, Trenton, New Jersey, Mercer County Community College’s JKC Gallery is a gallery for photography and lens-based work from international and regionally-noted artists. Please call or email [email protected] for Gallery hours and in-person visits. JKC Gallery will be running virtual shows through social media accounts and its community gallery website.
Top Photo by Jeff McConnell
