SALADO, Texas — On a dark, sleepy Salado, Texas night in March, the stars were shining bright above the private container home-turned art gallery for the unveiling of SHAPESHFT.
Artist and Intuitive Photographer J. Genevieve needed it to be dark outside, so the multi-projector set up inside would have just the right conditions to use elements of light to reflect more than 2,000 images they photographed over the project's four-year journey.
Only, the images aren't being projected in one dimension. It's a completely immersive experience as soon as you walk down a long, dark hallway and see fabric unraveled along the floor leading you to the installation.
A series of gold hoops reach to the vaulted ceiling and a cascade of fabric; deconstructed and mended together, serves as part of the canvas for the images of ten participants.
"Wow! Just wow!" said Andrea, who is among the participants that allowed J. Genevieve to document their lives. "The colors, the light and the textures. All things that speak to me in my everyday life and my work are part of this art piece and it's beautiful. Truly beautiful."
In its first exhibition, SHAPESHFT is on display to J. Genevieve's Patreon supporters and those who were part of the years-long journey. Some sit inside the installation to view the flow of images that surround them. Others find another angle across the room or by the fire outside to see the constant reflection of humanity.
"I really do believe we all need to find our humanity and our spirit and mend them together and that's how we're going to move forward. This is a physical representation of that and what it could be," said J. Genevieve.
The work of SHAPESHFT began pre-pandemic and the artist says it was a life-changing process.
"I'm not even the same person and that's the point. I needed to hold the space for this project and me. It really was a shapeshift moment all around. It's wild," said J. Genevieve.
As Andrea looks at her images at the exhibit, she is truly awestruck, "The pictures being projected are mine and all the intricacies and soul that makes me, me. And being able to be shown to myself in a way that is real and authentic. That I can't escape from, has been humbling, but has also made me so much more confident and intuitive with myself and with my work. And I've grown so much as a human since those photos were taken and seeing them displayed right now, the feeling is pure joy!"
You can connect with J. Genevieve as the artist continues the SHAPESHFT journey.
Also on KCENTV.com: