START Gallery, a student-run gallery space in Struts Gallery, showcased the photography of Mt. A Fine Arts student Riley Small in a show titled The Foundry. The photography show delves into New Brunswick industry and the intersection of human-made structures and nature. The first START Gallery show of the fall, presented from October 9 to 26, features a dark and abandoned aesthetic that compliments the season. Small discussed the meaning and process behind their works.
Small is in their fourth year at Mt. A and grew up in Willow Grove, New Brunswick. Their art conveys both long- and short-lived experiences in rural areas, while incorporating inspiration from local history. The photography show features black and white images of abandoned structures that live amongst nature. The name of the photography show comes from an old industry that operated in Sackville since the 1900s. The Enterprise Foundry was used as a storage facility for local artists before it burned down in 2012, causing the unfortunate loss of many artists’ works. Since then, the building has deteriorated and nature began to overtake it. “Sackville used to be an industry-run town,” Small shares, “and [The Foundry] is just evidence of that. That was interesting to me, which is the reason why I wanted to go there. I’ve also had a long interest in photography with nature and man-made infrastructure going together visually.”
Small also described the process behind creating the pieces in The Foundry. First, they selected a rail camera, which is specialized for architecture photography. “You can slide it in different directions and that makes it easier to photograph architecture. The photo of the window,” one of the pieces featured in the show,“is one of the photos that use those functions in that camera,” says Small. The camera is large, and required several people to transport to the photography site. They had to set it up with every new photo and load film cartridges that were approximately four by five inches. Lastly, the tripod had to be leveled before pushing the shutter release button as gently as possible so as to not shake the camera. This tedious technique is what allowed Small to create such stunning photographs of the weathered infrastructure. They add, “not all the photos in the exhibition are from The Foundry either, but I kind of used an artistic license to create the theme.”
For photographers who are just starting out, Small offers some valuable advice. “I’d say first of all, always be taking pictures, whether it’s with a professional camera or just your phone,” they say. “All the best photographers are always taking pictures all the time.”Additionally, a great way to gain inspiration is by looking at professional photographers’ work and researching photographers that might be of interest to you. Through this research, you can find whose work and whose ideas you resonate with. “It’s also very, very helpful to have a community of people to show your work to and talk about it. Those you trust to give you feedback,” explains Small.
Check out The Foundry at Struts Gallery (7 Lorne Street, Sackville) until October 26. The exhibition’s closing reception is on October 24 from 6 to 8 p.m.
