"Ancient Surprise", New works by Elena Dahl at The Blue House Gallery

The Blue House Gallery is excited to present "Ancient Surprise", New works by Elena Dahl opening Saturday March 15th 6-9pm at The Blue House Gallery!

Join us for our first exhibition of 2025 featuring the works of Elena Dahl!

From the Artist:

Ancient Surprise is a series of instant film photographs that explore relationships between queer desire, transness, landscape, and time. They celebrate the prairies, forests and waters in so-called “Ohio” and they also document my transitioning body in a moment of climate crisis and anti-trans legislation.

I deliberately overexposed some photographs and underexposed others, reveling in the way this technique can suggest a glowing subject or a concealed scene, mimicking the flickering I feel between wanting to be visibly trans in some scenarios and stealth in others. I look to plants for guidance as they negotiate when to make themselves available for pollination, when to camouflage and masquerade, and when to mount thorny defenses.

In the time between two photographs, vegetation grows around a billboard depicting the Ten Commandments, leaving visible only “thou, thou,” “shalt, sh.” As politicians use Christian fundamentalism to attempt to outlaw trans people, I see these trees and thistles as our accomplices; we, too, aim to overgrow cisheteropatriarchal rules with a reciprocal ecosystem that keeps us all breathing.

While some photographs remain straight, the majority embody a process of detachment and attachment as they become photomontages, transitioning from one form or season to another altogether.  

We hope you can come join us Saturday March 15th for our newest exhibition! If you've been here before, the parking situation is a little different. Our friends at The DURC next door are willing to let us use the old Seibenthaler's parking lot. Once you park, and visit our new horse neighbors! We'd like to leave the parking nearest the house for folks with any mobility issues. Please join us on Saturday!

Ancient Surprise

New Work By Elena Dahl

Opening Reception March 15th 6-9pm

3325 Catalpa Drive Dayton, Ohio 45405

https://www.facebook.com/events/2333421790390665/

This exhibition and associated programming are partially funded by the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District in partnership with Culture Works.

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The Blue House Gallery

"Ancient Surprise", New works by Elena Dahl at The Blue House Gallery is taking place at The Blue House Gallery, which is located at 3325 Catalpa Drive in Dayton. The Blue House Gallery - Our mission is to create a learning place audiences can comfortably converge and exchange or interpret ideas.