Art exhibit creates love letter to St. Pete – through photos
Art exhibit creates love letter to St. Pete – through photos
A local artist is hosting a new exhibition showcasing how St. Pete has changed through photos.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Visual artist Luci Westphal created a love letter to St. Petersburg, not in words but photos.
"I pay a lot of attention to detail," Westphal said. "I think when I'm out in the world as a photographer that's just natural."
Her newest exhibition, "Post-Historic St. Pete," aims to highlight a changing city through her eyes.
PICTURED: Luci Westphal.
What they're saying:
"I'm very curious, and the contrast and juxtaposition between the historic and iconic buildings and the new builds was so dramatic that I was just pulled into it. I wanted to share what I was seeing with other people," Westphal explained.
Westphal took a unique approach to creating her shows. The full exhibition is split between two spaces, Forever Florida Real Estate and the Craftsman House. The walk between the two venues is also part of the exhibit.
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The reason is to get people outside, viewing the city.
Other unique aspects of the photos are that many are shared on construction-related materials like wood, concrete, metal and vintage windows.
"By putting this together and creating a conversation between buildings and between materials, it just brings attention to what is happening in our city right now," Westphal said. "People will have their own thoughts and feelings, and hopefully, conversations, and consider what our city has been like, what it is right now and where it is going."
Local perspective:
Many photographs feature historic buildings within the windows of newer high-rise buildings. It’s a purposeful decision for Westphal.
"Sometimes I worry that the way I'm approaching things might be corny or cheesy or too on the nose for some," Westphal said. "Taking photographs of old buildings reflected in new buildings has the symbolism of reflection. I'm thinking about it. I'm looking at it. I want you to look at it and think about it."
Schedule:
The Forever Florida gallery will be on display until the end of the month, while the Craftsman House one will be shown until mid-May.
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Westphal will also host a special speaker panel at the Craftsman House on Thursday, April 17.
For more information, visit the exhibit's website here.
The Source: FOX 13’s Barry Wong collected the information in this story.
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