Treading the line between dream-state and reality, American photographer Shaniqwa Jarvis’ solo exhibition Sleep to Dream is an ethereal exploration of the natural world through fleeting moments caught on film. On display at creative agency SN37’s gallery space in downtown Manhattan, the illuminated work against the backdrop of dark walls transports the viewer into a dimension away from the surrounding Seaport neighborhood, an area that epitomizes the entire built environment in which we inhabit. By contemplating the duality between mother nature and human nature through the traces of our earthly existence, Jarvis offers a glimpse into her subconscious. Snow-covered bucolic landscapes, warm hues of a cloudy sunset, and creases on worn bedlinen all possess a preternatural quality that emanates from the hazy space of visual recollection.
Sleep to Dream, which features the series Iceland commissioned for A Magazine N°21 Curated By Lucie and Luke Meier, is a departure from the traditional portraiture that the photographer is best known for. Instead, she presents a myriad of viewpoints of our surrounding world, abstracted in a manner that draws focus towards subtle textures that would otherwise go unnoticed. In accordance with SN37’s philanthropic arts initiative, all proceeds of the show will be donated to Shaniqwa’s alma mater, the Harlem School of the Arts.
Sleep to Dream will be on view from September 10 through October 16, 2022.
