Elegiac Being

Opening reception Fri., Aug. 3, 6-9 p.m., exhibit runs through Aug. 31, PII Gallery, 242 Race St., 215-592-1022.

by Natalie Hope McDonald

gallery

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Many artists have examined post-Katrina life in New Orleans during recent years. But for a New Orleans expat by way of Philadelphia, and a Big Easy resident since the 1990s, finding a way to document culture meant pairing photography with folk art. Jonathan Traviesa's photographs examine the relationship between people and their surroundings in New Orleans. His sometimes haunting black-and-white portrait series of friends and strangers was shot on film using an old Rollieflex camera. Comparatively, his vibrant digital color photos bespeak the randomness of architecture. And while the two series have very little in common in the way of composition, they both acknowledge a distinct Southern character that persists despite tragedy. "The portrait project is a series spanning almost 10 years before and after Katrina," says Traviesa, who's widely exhibited in New Orleans, Tampa and Chicago. In 2005, the Times-Picayune named his Katrina installation the year's best show.

In keeping with a theme of reflection ("elegiac" refers to things dead or past, while "being" denotes the state of living), Tatyana Meshcheryakova's collection of handmade Voodoo dolls pays homage to both the spiritual and natural worlds. Used as common symbols of devotion in Louisiana, each doll features materials the artist collected from New Orleans and Philadelphia, such as tree bark, alligator heads, fabrics from cocktail dresses and costume jewelry. "The dolls I make aren't meant to be used for negative purposes," says Meshcheryakova. "My dolls are a love letter to New Orleans."

Opening reception Fri., Aug. 3, 6-9 p.m., exhibit runs through Aug. 31, PII Gallery, 242 Race St., 215-592-1022.