Tilt Gallery recently settled in at a new Scottsdale gallery space at 7077 East Main Street. Jackalope Ranch checked in to see the new digs and learn more about an upcoming exhibition of mythologically-inspired works by Brenton Hamilton.
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The first thing we noticed about the new space was how absolutely cozy it was. The gallery is small, but not uncomfortably so. Aside from some labyrinthine partial walls and museum-quality lighting, stepping into the new Tilt feels like stepping into the living room of the coolest person you know. Large cottage-style windows in the front of the gallery give outsiders a nice glimpse into an almost storybook-like tableau.
Tilt's curation style is respectable; at present, the walls are occupied by works from several different photographers, spanning multiple different styles. Despite the apparent lack of cohesiveness between these artists, the winding walk through the gallery has a distinctive flow to it -- a clear sign that Melanie and Michelle Craven, co-directors of Tilt, know what they're doing. Each individual photograph is beautiful and complex, but somehow each of these dissimilar pieces fit effortlessly within a larger, equally striking context.
A collection of photographs by Brenton Hamilton entitled "As I nod to my influences I want to float" will be Tilt's first single-artist exhibition in their new space. Hamilton is a photographer and historian based out of Maine. His works are complex amalgamations of mythological forms, interspliced with figures from medieval paintings and scientific imagery.
These works are processed via a process known as cyanotype which was developed in the mid-1800s. Iron salts are brushed onto watercolor paper and allowed to dry several times. Following this process, negatives are placed into frames and exposed to sunlight for up to twelve hours, which produces the complex and deeply saturated images.
In true Tilt style, this exhibition is sure to be complex, thought provoking, and above all, beautiful. "As I nod to my influences I want to float" will open on February 5 with a reception from 7 to 9 p.m., and will be on display until February 28.
