Tracey Morgan Gallery is pleased to present the second part of our third solo exhibition with photographer James Henkel, opening Friday, June 27 with a Reception for the Artist from 6-8PM. Henkel’s exhibition Cyanosure, originally installed in the fall of 2024, was disrupted by Helene. We are excited to present this new iteration which includes the addition of a series of new work.
The new photographs utilize mirror reflections, metallic surfaces, and selective focus to look at atomism, the Greek philosopher Epicurus’ theory that the material universe was formed not by a supreme being but by a constant rearranging of atoms and space. Henkel achieves the seemingly impossible task of visually representing the microscopic make-up of all things, and the expanding internal composition of the seemingly solid objects.
The work from Cyanosure explores new interpretations of the time-honored tradition of still life photography. Henkel’s color and black & white images subvert accepted ideas of classical floral art arrangements from both Eastern (Ikebana) and Western stylistic perspectives. A continuation of his ongoing interest in botanical forms, the work included shows decaying flowers alongside fresh ones, and weeds alongside cultivated blooms, as Henkel investigates culture’s shifting sense of beauty and the metrics by which that beauty is measured.
Both series, in their own ways, maintain Henkel’s commitment to aesthetic pleasures while embracing melancholia and the disruption of the preciousness of still life imagery, allowing space for humor, absurdity, and the exploration of mortality.
James Henkel has exhibited in over one hundred national and international venues, including shows at the Teheran Museum of Contemporary Art, Iran; SFMOMA; and the Minneapolis Institute of Art, among others. His work is in the collections of The Whitney Museum of American Art, The Walker Art Center, SFMOMA, and many others. He has been the recipient of grants and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Art, the Bush Foundations, the McKnight Foundation and the Minnesota State Arts Board. He is Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota. Henkel lives and works in Asheville and Penland, North Carolina.