by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
One of the distinctive elements of the Museum of Contemporary Art on Laura Street at Hemming Plaza is its architecture.
One of the most striking features is the atrium, the central vertical element that rises from just above the ground floor to the skylight three floors above.
“From the standpoint of the museum and its galleries, the atrium is the axis of the exhibit space. It’s very challenging and exciting,” said MOCA Director Marcelle Polednik.
To take advantage of the expansive architectural centerpiece, Polednik has devised a new series of exhibits for the museum, “Project Atrium.”
The first installment opens to the public Saturday.
In addition to using the unconventional vertical gallery space, the series of exhibits also will allow Jacksonville audiences to see the work of emerging artists that otherwise might not be exhibited here, said Polednik.
For the debut of “Project Atrium,” Polednik invited Los Angeles-based fine art photographer Melanie Pullen to exhibit part of her collection of images that combine vintage crime-scene photographs with a high-fashion interpretation.
A self-taught photographer originally from New York City, her images have been featured in publications including The New York Times Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Vogue, Fortune, GQ, Rolling Stone, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Independent in London.
Pullen’s work has been included in exhibitions at the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Museum of Photographic Arts and the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum.
Pullen was inspired to create the images in the MOCA exhibit by the book “evidence” by Luc Sante. It’s an examination of crime-scene images taken by the New York Police Department from 1914-18.
“It really upset me. It horrified ne, but I couldn’t stop looking at the images,” said Pullen.
She later found another book of crime-scene photographs and had a completely different reaction.
“I saw everything except the victims. That’s when I realized a crime-scene photograph is a perfect story. They are like the last scene in a movie. That’s what inspired me to explore those images,” said Pullen.
For specific inspiration, she went to the photographic archives of the Los Angeles Police Department and the L.A. County Coroner’s Department.
She selected images that didn’t have much information about the crime in order to create her own stories based on the original visual documents.
The process involved in creating the images was often complex, involving high-fashion costumes and sets. Some of the photographs involved a set crew of as many as 60 people, more like a high-budget film production than a still photo shoot.
Pullen said her photographs have a high-fashion look, but they’re also “a comment on society and commercialism and the media’s exploitation of violence. I hope it makes people stop and think.”
Displaying the images in a group in the atrium as opposed to a more conventional gallery setting creates a different experience for the viewer.
“A traditional installation starts off slowly, so by the time you get to the hangings, you’re ready. With them all in one place, it hits you all at once,” said Pullen Thursday as she watched her photographs being installed in the atrium.
“Project Atrium: Melanie Pullen” will be exhibited through Nov. 6.
It will be followed by a sculpture installation by Gustavo Godoy scheduled to open Nov. 19 and a “wall drawing” by Mark Licari set to open March 24.
For museum hours and information, visit www.mocajacksonville.org.
356-2466