Visions of Blindness: Out of the Dark

An exhibition of ‘Lightpainting’ Photographs by Gerald Pirner

In Memory of Sonia Soberats (December 26, 1934 - April 25, 2023)

LOBBY

Lobby Main Wall: Pieta, 2023

In a color photograph, five dancers are shown connected by arms and legs. Rachael, a ​44​-year-old white woman with long brown hair, on the far left stands with her left arm reaching to the ground and her right arm reaching to her right and is connected to Tiffany, a blind white woman in her 30s who is 5’ 6” with ​ch​in-length dark straight hair. She is reaching out to her left, connected to Ka, a tall woman with short hair, ​and white skin, who stands with her back facing us. The skin of her back is exposed and her left hand touches Tiffany’s forearm. Below Ka, right of center, Clarissa, a caramel Black/Filipina* femme in her late 20s with a muscular, thick build and broad shoulders sits regally, with eyes closed, ​and her head is turned slightly over her left shoulder. Her right hand and forearm are resting on Gabriele’s chest. Gabriele is a slim ​32-year-old Black non-binary person with almost sho​ulder-length locs. They are l​ying down, left of center, with their head to the right, in the direction of Clarissa while their feet are reaching upward, touching Rachael’s right arm ​a​s stands above them.

Turn 90 degrees to the left, move a few paces, turn 90 degrees to your left, and move forward six paces to the wall.
There are two photos hanging.

On the left: Gerald Pirner, Portrait Gabriele Christian I, 2022 

This is a color portrait Gabriele, a slim 32 year old Black non-binary person with a nose piercing, small gold hoop earrings and almost shoulder length locs with shaved sides and a moustache is seen with bent legs in olive undershirt and dark blue denim pants. Light reflections give the impression that Gabriele is underwater in the darkness. On the outer side of the front leg, the folds of the jeans are clearly visible. Feet and lower leg of the back leg are in darkness. Gabriele’s right arm is drawn to the body, the hand in a gesture of pause. The other hand protects the face from the light.

On the right: Gerald Pirner, Portrait Sherwood Chen II, 2022

Image description: Sherwood, a middle-aged Asian man with long salt and pepper hair,  is seen in a dove blue jumpsuit with the sleeves rolled up. The light on Sherwood’s body leaves a ghostly residue of movement, the upper half of his body superimposed with two different sequences of movement. In one shot, he extends both hands down and out in front of him. In the other shot, he has his right arm in the same position, but slightly raised. The left arm, on the other hand, is bent upward and the forearm is the most brightly illuminated. The legs, of which only the lower legs are visible, are crossed and in profile. The left foot is set off and the toes are up. The right one is turned to the left.

Enter the elevator and go down to the basement. When the doors open, directly in front of you is a large photo.

BASEMENT

In front of elevator doors: Gerald Pirner, Vom Dunkeln V (Selbstportrait mit Rachael Dichter und Sherwood Chen), 2022

In half-profile, illuminated from the waist up, three figures stand facing us. All three seem to expect something. All three hold their right arm outstretched in the our direction. On the left, Rachael, a 44 year old white woman with long brown hair, holds her left arm bent upwards with her eyes closed. Her facial expression between pain and longing possesses something rapturous. Coming out of the blackness, a hand lies on her bell. In the center, Gerald, a 66 year old blind white man with gray curly hair and beard. He stands in the white opened shirt frontally to us. While his face is slightly tilted downwards, his gaze looks imploringly upwards. On his shoulder lie the multiple doubled fingers of Sherwood, a middle-aged Asian man with average build and long salt and pepper hair. Ecstatically enraptured, he turns his face to the right with closed eyes and open mouth.

Turn 90 degrees to your left, move two paces and turn 90 degrees to your left again, move three paces into the alcove containing one red wall and one white wall. In front of you on the red wall…

Alcove I, red wall: Gerald Pirner, Portrait Rachael Dichter III, 2022

Image description: In this black and white photo, most of the photo is the pitch-black background. On the lower right, Rachael, a 44 year old white woman with long brown hair, sits relaxed with her head tilted to the left and her eyes closed. With palms turned up, the back of her wrists rest softly on her knees. 

Turn 90 degrees to your right and face the white wall. 

Alcove I, white wall: Gerald Pirner, Vom Dunkeln IV (Selbstportrait mit Rachael Dichter und Sherwood Chen, 2022

Image description: The black and white landscape format shows Rachael,a 44 year old white woman with long hair, Gerald, a 66 year old blind white man with curly hair and beard. and Sherwood, a middle-aged Asian man with long salt and pepper hair, standing in a row in quarter-profile with their bodies open to the left towards the viewers. Rachael on the far left with long dark hair and Sherwood on the far right, also with long dark hair, have their faces turned upward with closed eyes. Gerald in the center is bent forward toward the viewers. He wears a white long-sleeved shirt and looks spellbound with an open mouth at something not visible.

Turn 90 degrees and move five paces forward, then turn 90 degrees to your left.

Alcove II, red wall: Gerald Pirner, Portrait Ka, 2023 

Image description: The color photograph in portrait format shows Ka, a 63-year-old white woman with short hair. You can see her from her head to her hips. She is turned in at an angle to the camera. Her face is turned in half-profile to the left edge of the picture, her eyes are closed. Her left shoulder is turned towards the viewer. Her left arm is bent and her hand is resting on her left shoulder, open at the top. Behind her, you can see her right hand with fingers spread upwards. She is wearing a long-sleeved, glittery, slightly transparent, dark top and has her back turned diagonally towards the camera. Her face and hands are illuminated with orange-red light.

Return to the elevator doors and move seven paces past them, turn 90 degrees to your left where two photos hang across from the staircase.

Across the staircase on the left: Gerald Pirner, Portrait Gabriel Christian II, 2022 

Image description: Bathed in warm red-gold light, Gabriele, a slim 32 year old Black non-binary person with a nose piercing, small gold hoop earrings and almost shoulder length locs with shaved sides breaking out of the blackness with arms, face and part of their body. In the portrait format picture Gabriele has held the forearms like a cross in front of the face. Under closed eyes, the chin is surreally stuck in the crossing forearms.

Across the staircase on the right: Gerald Pirner, Venezianische Spiegel I (Selbstportrait), 2019 

Image description: In the left half, Gerald, a 66 year old blind white man with gray curly hair and beard and black clothes, is shown in profile, pointing his finger at a mirror, which depicts him pointing his finger at the mirror.His gray-bearded face is only slightly lit. He is wearing a long black sweater. The mirror with its magnificent frame occupies the right half of the picture. At the level of his hand, the mirror shows cloudy streaks. Like another person, Gerald can be seen in the mirror image from the front. With wild determination he looks into the right corner of the picture.

Return to the elevator and go up to the Mezzanine.

MEZZANINE

As you exit the elevator, turn 90 degrees to your left.
Move a few paces forward and turn 90 degrees to your left.
You are now facing a white wall with a single photo. 

Mezzanine I: Gerald Pirner, Portrait Tiffany Tailor I, 2022 

Image description: In a portrait black and white photograph, Tiffany, a blind white woman in her 30s who is 5 foot six with chin length dark straight hair, green eyes and average build, is photographed in profile up to her waist. She is wearing a dark T-shirt and flowered pants. Her facial profile is brightly lit on her closed eyes. Curling her elbow, she places her fingertips on her shoulder. The back of her hand, forearm and upper arm form a triangle. A smoky cloud of light can be seen behind her upper body.

Turn 90 degrees to your right and move forward a few paces. You are now facing a white wall with a single photo.

Mezzanine II: Gerald Pirner, Portrait Rachael Dichter II, 2022

Image description: In a color photo, Rachael, a 44 year old white woman with long brown hair and brown eyes, stands out from deep black. The viewers see her from behind in profile. Her face is turned to the right, her eyes and lips are closed. On her long brown hair, flames of light are flickering from the back up to the chin. Behind her head a hand is to be seen, coming abruptly out of the darkness.

Right of Stage Door Gerald Pirner, Portrait Clarissa Dyas I, 2023 © Gerald Pirner

The color photograph in landscape format shows the dancer Clarissa. She/they is in her/their late twenties, black/Filipina* and describes her/their skin color as caramel. She has a muscular body and broad shoulders. At the bottom left of the image, you can see her right hand, which she uses to support herself off the ground. Her body is performing a horizontal, dancing-sporting movement. Her legs appear to be floating in the air, with her left leg draped over her right leg and pointing downward. Her left arm is bent and extended upward. Her face is looking down. Her hair is short and curled black. She wears a light blue, long-sleeved top. Especially brightly illuminated her is left leg and her right arm.