KarpelesManuscriptMuseum will play host to an exhibit by nationally recognized fashion and fine art photographer Cheryl Gorski which will debut on August 6th, and will run through September 18th.The exhibit is titled “Life After Burning”, and includes 37 black and white photos involving performers and models juxtaposed with burned out buildings on Buffalo‘s East Side.“I first discovered these buildings in 2007, and was struck by their stark contrast to the rest of the city, and the finality of their abandonment. The images remained in my mind, and I began taking models there in 2008 and 2009,” says Gorski. “I’m pleased to share Life After Burning with the City of Buffalo.”
As the press release for the exhibit notes, “The collection evokes the inevitable sense of loss of materiality represented by the burned buildings, but celebrates life represented by the vitality, and burning emotions, of the performers in each image.”
Gorski says, “There are a lot of stories in these houses going back into Buffalo‘s history, a lot of them were speakeasies and this area had a lot to do with the labor movement.The models are supposed to represent some of these stories from that time period.”She continues: “I really want to put a positive spin on this situation, because these houses leave room for new buildings when they get torn down.The firemen have to tear them down, it’s a safety issue . . . It’s part of rebirth and rebuilding.I want to make people think ‘What’s the story of this house?’ And the story continues after the houses get torn down and they make room for new buildings.”
On August 6th there will be an opening reception from 5 to 9PM at Karpeles, a renovated church located at 453 Porter Ave., just a few steps from Kleinhan’s Music Hall. There will be a brief presentation by Gorski during the reception.Admission is free, and refreshments will be provided, along with a live jazz trio of Emile Lattimer, Sabu and Bob Davis.
There will also be a drop-off bin at the opening where Cheryl is asking people to donate a toiletry (toothpaste, tooth brush, deodorant, shampoo, etc…) to the children at Gateway-Longview Orphanage.She says that she has known and been in contact with this group for many years, and adds, “I asked them what they really need and they said that they have a real shortage of these toiletries, and I figured that if I can help these people get the supplies they need I’m going to do it in any way I can. I feel bad because this group doesn’t get a lot of media attention and a lot of people don’t know about them.”Gorski plans on having a drop-off bin for these toiletries at every show she has in the future.