Brigitte Carnochan

I went to Brigitte Carnochan's opening of Imagining Then at Gallery 291 in San Francisco tonight. The work struck me very hard and left me in an emotional state that I can't shake.

Gitta's hand-painted photographs of figures and still lives are exquisite. This new work is very different. Working from photographs and objects from her parents, Gitta constructed a view and interpretation of her memories, her parents, and a time. She found the time to focus on the project after putting it aside for a few years as she recovered from shoulder surgery. By that time she had acquired expertise in digital image making that allowed her to realize her vision.

The images are collages of pictures, documents and letters mostly from the 1940's. Images of Gitta and her parents are juxtaposed with scenes from World War II Germany, and then Gitta's journey to the United States. Gitta as a young girl against the backdrop of a massive, painful conflict that left its impression on her life.

The show itself is well presented, and it starts on a strong portrait of a bold child, and then leads the viewer emotionally through a devastating time with images seemingly rising from a young child's attempt to understand the change and pain around them. The final image of is one of hope and closure.

Gitta's show runs from January 8 - February 28, 2009.

It's morning now. And the images still haunt me. Isn't that what good art is about?