Alanna Airitam | Crossroads

Quint Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of the exhibition, ALANNA AIRITAM: Crossroads. This is the first solo exhibition at the gallery for the artist. The exhibition opens on Saturday, July 20th with a public reception from 11AM to 1PM, the artist will be in attendance. 

In this new series, Airitam describes:

The subjects look away from the lens to protest the lies, injustice, and lack of humanity we face on a daily basis in a country designed to benefit a few while oppressing many. Their postures are strong and confident as they look in a new direction. The colors are dark and muted but the people are beautifully lit to highlight the light we all have in dark times.

In 2019, it is challenging to go a single day without being affected by the pressure of newly created divisive policies. It is clear to see how it severely and disproportionately affects people of color. The American criminal justice system confines close to 2.3 million people. Thirty-three percent of those people are Black. Currently, approximately 2,654 immigrant children were separated from their families due to recent policies. For me this project asks, how long do we go along with these atrocities before we turn our backs on a system intentionally out to harm so many? With enough pressure, everything turns away. And by turning away, what are we turning toward?

Photographer Alanna Airitam was born in Queens, New York and now resides in San Diego, California. As a portrait photographer, her work focuses on identity and representation, and proposes an investigation into the concept of wholeness. Her use of Chiaroscuro lighting creates a painterly effect, that coupled with her use of symbolism allows her to explore the duality of light and dark both metaphorically and literally. Her subjects are illuminated in a way that calls for them to be viewed as the counter to contemporary stereotypes.

Airitam’s images have been published in a variety of national and international media outlets such as Chicago Tribune, BBC News, VICE!, The Huck, Lenscratch, Range Finder, Feature Shoot, and the San Diego Tribune.