A Beautiful Decay at Positive Negative

Polaroid show features an international array of artists that challenge the limitations of the format

The event description for this show of Polaroids highlighted the international representation of artists: Germany, Sweden, England, Italy, Czech Republic, Australia, Brazil, United States, and Canada.

It also poetically described the reason for the title: “‘Beautiful Decay’ sharpens its gaze on disorder and desolation, where memories are forgotten and left behind, and the laws of entropy take hold: the cracks and blood and decay of modern life. Everything grows older, yet is beautiful in its release.”

But what it doesn’t describe is just how impressive the range of work is.

Sure, photos from around the globe should expectedly yield a variety of subject matter.

But it is the treatment of the Polaroids, from double exposure to pulling off and smearing the emulsion, and doing so with more than experimental treatment, rather, an obvious record of expert-level skill, that really makes this show shine.

Just to keep you intriguing, we purposefully kept these photos from opening night about the vibe of the room and the people in it. The photos, the show, Beautiful Decay, this you must experience first hand.

Beautiful Decay opened Thursday May 16. It runs until Saturday June 1st. Positive Negative is located at 436 Columbia St (@ Hastings) and is open Wed-Sat 1-4pm

Check out Positive Negative http://positivenegativegallery.com/

—

Image Gallery – photos by Ash Tanasiychuk