MEDIA CONTACT:
Vanessa Ormsby, RCA Communications Manager
(361) 729-5519 / vanessa@rockportartcenter.com
CHANGING SOUTH TEXAS LANDSCAPES AND SEASCAPES FOCUS OF NEW EXHIBIT
Work of acclaimed artist Ansen Seale kicks off New Year at Rockport Center for the Arts
ROCKPORT, Texas (Dec. 1, 2023) — In his new exhibition, "Rising Tide, Shifting Sand: A Chronicle of Change in Texas,” artist Ansen Seale showcases images of landscapes and seascapes in a way that sets him apart from his peers.
Known for crafting his own cameras and other inventions, Seale used his distinctive slit-scan digital camera to capture and create scenes by swapping the horizontal dimension of the photo for the dimension of time, revealing a hidden reality and challenging conventional perceptions of the world.
Featured in the H-E-B Gallery at Rockport Center for the Arts (RCA), "Rising Tide, Shifting Sand: A Chronicle of Change in Texas” will be on view and available for collection Jan. 12–March 10, 2024. A public reception with Seale will be held on Saturday, Jan. 13, from 5–7 p.m. to officially launch the show. Admission is free and open to the public. The reception also will coincide with the monthly Austin Street Art Walk a free, alfresco, walkable art experience featuring RCA and other galleries located in downtown Rockport.
Born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, Seale grew up in an old farmhouse surrounded by an orange orchard, a natural playground where he developed a great appreciation for nature. Although he does not consider himself a “nature photographer” in the traditional sense, as an artist, he is drawn more and more to natural subjects.
“My work is about the nature of reality as expressed through our partners of the plants and animals we share our home with,” said Seale. “I hope to give the viewer a sense that they are connected in a real way to the world around them, including gravity, tides, and all the life forms in South Texas. A sense of wonder is our best defense against fearfulness as our beloved landscape changes around us.”
Showcasing Seale's distinctive photographic vision and immersing viewers in the natural beauty and essence of South Texas, the show invites guests into a world where the boundaries between observer and environment dissolve, including a standout larger-than-life 14 ft. X 36 ft. mural. Also adding to the experience is a 13-foot pendulum-powered "moon clock" strategically placed in the center of the gallery, echoing the rhythmic dance of the tides and serving as a metaphor for the constant ebb and flow of life.
“Ansen Seale’s work is enthralling. His images defy space and time and although they are still, there is movement in them,” said Luis Purón, executive director, Rockport Center for the Arts. “For this exhibition, he delves deep into nature and the changes we are experiencing in the South Texas environs. No one is doing photography in this complex and innovative way.”
Seale received his BA from Trinity University in San Antonio where he is now based. His time-based works of photographic and sculptural art have garnered international acclaim and have been exhibited in prestigious museums and galleries around the world. His work is included in the permanent collections of esteemed institutions such as the San Antonio Museum of Art; The Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas, Austin; The Museum of Contemporary Art in Salta, Argentina; and the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing. He has appeared in a variety of publications and received numerous awards including Artist of the Year by the San Antonio Art League and Museum in 2020, where he was honored with a retrospective exhibition, chronicling a 40-year career in photography.
For more information on the "Rising Tide, Shifting Sand: A Chronicle of Change in Texas,” visit rockportartcenter.com follow RCA on Facebook, or call (361) 729-5519.
About Rockport Center for the Arts and The Rockport Conference Center (The ROCC)
The new 1.2-acre Rockport Center for the Arts is located a block away from Aransas Bay in the heart of the Rockport Cultural Arts District. Designed by the award-winning team at Richter Architects, the state-of-the-art campus features a two-story, 14,000-square-foot, visual arts and education building with four galleries and five classrooms (204 S. Austin St.); a one-story, 8,000-square-foot conference and event center, known as The ROCC, including a 4,400-square-foot ballroom and culinary arts kitchen (106 S. Austin St.); with a 16,000-square-foot Sculpture Garden serving as a visually inspiring transition space between the two buildings. The hours of operation for the showroom, galleries, and gift shop are Tuesday–Saturday from 10 a.m.–5 p.m., and Sunday from noon–4 p.m. Admission is always free. For information on event space, or to book an event, call (361) 450-8033. For general information and to become a member, visit rockportartcenter.com, follow RCA on Facebook, or call (361) 729-5519.
About Austin Street Art Walk
Austin Street Art Walk is a collective effort of the Rockport Center for the Arts and Moon Over Water Gallery in partnership with Rockport galleries, restaurants, and businesses located along Austin Street in the Rockport Cultural Arts District. Scheduled the second Saturday of each month, April through December, from 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Art Walk is a free, alfresco, walkable art experience featuring an ever-changing mix of participants and art mediums such as paintings, ceramics, jewelry, photography, textiles, as well as live music, artist demonstrations, food and more. Follow us on Facebook for more information.
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