American Malarkey: Renée Allie
December 1-31, 2019
Opening: Wednesday, Dec 11, 6-9pm

STATEMENT:
American Malarkey is a nostalgic photographic trip into humorous Americana. It is the chance encounters of out-sized relics of mid-century advertising glory, their modern equivalent and other ridiculous vignettes found on the back roads of America.

In the last century, and to this day, Americans have erected whimsical icons along the American roadside. Most are advertising related—designed to grab our attention, to convince us to stop the car and to get out and buy something. Others are harder to define. Some have been placed by private citizens presumably just to cause wonder and to lighten the day of others. Regardless of their original intent, they all possess a distinctive American-ness.

From vulgar 20th century remnants to ludicrous modern relics—these left-behind attention-getters have a jubilant, triumphant quality that says, “Hey, look at me, I exist to make you happy” …And they do!
By choosing to shoot with a vintage film camera with black and white film and to implement the lost art of hand coloring on the prints, I am enhancing the nostalgic quality of the subject matter and referencing the hand-colored postcards of the last century.

I have always been drawn to this subject matter but after a recent health crisis and in light of the current status of unrest in our country I am drawn to this lighter side of Americana that feels so relatable and universal in its appeal. – Renée Allie