Umami is the taste of savory. Rich and luscious, it permeates the flavors of soups and stews, cheeses and seafood, basically all the comfort foods of the proteinacious kind. Umami is also the name of the new exhibition of images by photographer Julie Pochron at Safe-T-Gallery that opens on Valentine’s day. Umami, the photo show, starts with a large body of luscious imagery, adds a soupcon of sex and a dash of wit, and produces a rich and satisfying experience; a perfect foil to a cold winter’s day.
Each of Pochron’s photographs in Umami combine elements from two sources, the commodified world of fashion photography and the equally commodified world of food photography. Partly because of the nature of the fashion imagery (all the images are in fact self portraits) and partly by the sheer physicality of the images (all were taken with large format film cameras and presented as large prints) the images have a depth and pungency that transcends what could be a rather banal juxtaposition of a women and say a piece of meat. The sensuous handling of the photography opens the way for a deeply polymorphic interpretation of the imagery. It does not hurt either that Pochron has a wry (and ribald) sense of humor as well.
Ms. Pochron writes, “Images of ‘woman’ bombard us—sexy women, pouty women, rich women, fulfilled women. My innermost desire runs parallel to these, persuading me to buy what they sell, to become what they are. -- But my muse recognizes the mirage and saves me. -- She digests these apparitions and reforms them, leaving icons of solid strength and beauty in their place.”
Julie Pochron was born in Chicago and graduated from the Pratt Institute, she currently lives and works in Brooklyn. Her photographs have been exhibited across the United States. Umami will be her first show at Safe-T-Gallery. The exhibition will run from February 14th through March 23rd and will open with a reception for the artist on Valentine’s day February 14th, from 6 to 8 PM. |
© Julie Pochron