School of Visual Arts (SVA) presents “Natural,” an exhibition of photography, sculpture and installation art by current students and recent alumni featuring work inspired by natural forms. Curated by Richard Brooks, assistant director of student galleries, the exhibition will be on view July 7 - August 11 at the Visual Arts Gallery, 601 West 26 Street, 15th floor, New York City.

M. Benjamin Herndon transforms digital photographs of trees and rural landscapes into richly rusted steel surfaces and delicate graphite drawings on tissue paper.By combining organic imagery with these seemingly disparate materials, the artist subtly contrasts the natural and the manmade. Herndon is a recent graduate of the BFA Fine Arts Department.

Eun Jung Kim’s installation Malang Malang invites viewers into a serene chamber where soft fabrics of pastel hued tulle and organza caress the senses and create an intimate world of comfort and tranquility. Kim is a recent graduate of the MFA Fine Arts Department.

Hyung-Gyu Kim’s sculpture and video installation, The Pond - Horizontem Recta, examines the moment a raindrop hits water. Three white plaster sculptures depict explosive splashes of water. The artwork’s video portion is embedded in a mirrored box showing a cloudy sky over a reflective pond surface. The artist states: “The video’s juxtaposed images represent the birth and death of the raindrop as it transfers from sky to pond, and the distinctions between each of these aspects of nature remain mysterious.” Kim is a recent graduate of the MFA Computer Art Department.

Maggie Shannon's color photographs document the often dreamlike landscape of Martha's Vineyard during the off-season. By asking islanders to show their secret places and hideouts, Shannon reveals hidden parts of the elite summer destination. Shannon is a current student in the MFA Photography, Video and Related Media Department.

Exhibition

Natural

SVA Chelsea Gallery