2-16

Nohra Haime Gallery, Adam Straus, Small Memorials For A Great Loss

ak/gs set 2-7; #687914

NEW YORK CITY — Nohra Haime Gallery is presenting an exhibition of small memorials to soldiers lost in Iraq by Adam Straus through March 10. Inspired by his role as a parent to his 3-year-old son, Straus created “Small Memorials for a Great Loss” to put faces on the consequences of the war in Iraq. Through each individual memorial or “little poem of loss,” as Straus refers to them, he brings the viewer into the homes of those families who have experienced the ultimate loss.

Elements of Straus’s earlier work appear in these powerful images, where he combines different techniques and media. Photographs of actual soldiers who have been killed were enlarged to acquired a grainy, almost antique quality, giving a universal and timeless feeling. The enlarged photograph is then transferred onto wood or lead, materials often used by Straus. In this case, its relevance to the subject can be traced through the study of alchemy, in which lead represents sadness and mourning, among other dark feelings. Aesthetically, the use of lead darkens the image thus creating a somber tone.

“Small Memorials for a Great Loss” is Straus’s answer to an inner call of urgency not to remain silent about the war. A portion of the proceeds from the exhibition will be donated to a disabled veterans organization.

Nohra Haime Gallery is at 41 East 57th Street. For general information, 212-888-3550 or gallery@nohrahaimegallery.com.