Meditative, soothing photos

SIMA ELIZABETH SHEFRIN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN

Camels in the Bathroom
Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery
Until Oct. 8

I had three thoughts as I first looked around at Camels in the Bathroom, the exhibit of photographs by Roman Elinson, Alex Gubanov and Baila Lazarus, currently on display at the Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery. My first was, what a lovely combination of artists. My second was, this show is mostly about texture. And my third was, where are the camels?

This exhibit is an interesting combination of nature photography and travelogue, with the odd bit of mystery and whimsical humor thrown in. It's not clear at first glance which photographs are the work of which artist; both Lazarus and Elinson have pieces that are almost abstract depictions of texture. Gubanov's pieces tend to have more identifiable subject matter, but texture still plays an important role in his esthetic. I find it fascinating that a medium as flat and smooth as photography creates pieces that are so textural. Elinson speaks in his artist's statement about "the esthetic function of photography as portraying three dimensional reality on a flat surface." It is only the sure knowledge that I'll be disappointed, that keeps me from closing my eyes and running my fingers over some of Lazarus's sensual depictions of the desert.

There is an interesting relationship in this exhibit between the portrayal of the human and the humanizing of the environment. Although there are occasional figures in these photos, for the most part they seem to form a part of the landscape, and it's rare for us to make eye contact with them or get any sense of their personality. Gubanov does offer us a couple of exceptions. In "Chefchaouen," a young girl greets us with a delightful smile. And in "Swimming Lesson," even though the boy on the dock has his back turned towards us and his friends are already in the water, I feel like these are children with whom I now have at least a nodding acquaintance.

But for the most part the humans are distant, part of their own world, or even esthetic components of that world. In Lazarus's "Perdmontemps Junction," the yellow shirt of a tiny figure by the side of the road is balanced by the yellow of the Crush sign on the restaurant opposite. In Gubanov's "Soul Searching," a man's back is turned towards us, creating a very meditative effect along with the rows of shoes on the floor, which suggest this is a place of prayer. The artist tells us his intention was to "gently bring the viewer into a particular situation without intruding or imposing" and in this he has been successful.

Gubanov's "Shaded Thoughts" is a striking image of a man sitting by a wall in the leafy shadow of a palm tree, although the actual branches are not visible in the picture. A small bag sits on the ground a short distance from his feet. The composition is so strong the picture could almost be posed, although I suspect it's just one of those perfect moments that a photographer's eye is sometimes quick enough to capture.

The landscape, on the other hand, is very humanized. Elinson's "Feet," a depiction of footprints in the sand, clearly inform us that someone has been here. And his "Desert Lips," which the artist describes as "soothing and seductive," is an obvious reference to the human body. Many of Lazarus's depictions of the desert in Death Valley, Calif., such as "Boundaries" and "Liquid," are very sensual, while others such as "Groovy" are a playful reminder of human shapes.

"I love open big-sky places that make me feel small and give me a sense of awe," said Lazarus in an interview. "I suppose that's why I'm drawn to taking pictures in the desert."

Curator Reisa Schneider has done an excellent job with this exhibit, carefully pairing pieces that have interesting relationships to one another. The curving roads in Gubanov's "Chefchaouen" and Lazarus's "A Road Less Taken," work well side by side. And Gubanov's "Soul Searching" and Elinson's "Looking Out, Looking In," with their keyhole perspectives on the world, provide an interesting juxtaposition.

I was less fond of some of the brightly colored pieces on the third wall, although I am indebted to Schneider for pointing out to me the humor of the dust fragments which read as little hairs on the legs of Gubanov's "Betty Boop." I also appreciated the whimsy in the mounting of Lazarus's "This Way Up?" which is hung both right side up and upside down to emphasize the optical illusion in the image, although it is up to you to determine which is which.

On the whole I enjoyed this exhibit. It's not profound, but it is soothing and a pleasure to the eye, meditative, but lightened with the occasional spot of humor. Oh, and about those camels ... they literally are in the bathroom. If you visit the men's and women's washroom on the first floor of the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver, they'll be there to welcome you.

Sima Elizabeth Shefrin is an artist, banner maker and community arts co-ordinator living in Vancouver.

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