Camouflage
Hiding In Plain Sight
In the animal kingdom, moving unseen is a vital skill. Some creatures spend their entire existence in a constant struggle to remain undetected, whether to avoid predators, stalk prey, or live in harmless symbiosis. In our daily lives, the ability to camouflage ourselves may not always spell the difference between life and death, but it can be important to our social interactions and emotional well-being. Dealing with the desire to blend in, to assimilate, to fade away into the background is a universal feeling, and Camouflage is all about hiding in plain sight.
Camouflage invites over eighty artists from around the world to explore what it means to be invisible. In the natural world, camouflage can present itself in stunning and ingenious ways and many of the Camouflage artists were eager to explore this evolutionary phenomenon. National Geographic photographer Matthew Cicanese’s macro images of a spider perfectly blending with its surroundings is a near optical illusion of pattern and detail, while those on the other end of the spectrum chose to explore a more human and emotional side of camouflage. Struggling with notions of personal identity and cultural norms, the idea of camouflage can provide an uneasy balance of safety and deception. “I have always been shy, and as a student, I was wracked by impostor syndrome.” notes participating artist Jenna Kass. “So I wrapped myself up in that feeling, let it rip me apart, and lied myself into confidence.”
Participating Artists: Adam Pritchett, Alex Conkins, Alison Polston, Amanda Chung, Amelia Langford, Angela An, Angela Rizza, AnneMarie Rogers, Ashley Floreal, Aster Hung, Asya Mitskevich, Beth Hughes, Brian Uhl, Briar De Wolfe, Caitlin Ono, Chan Chau, Chelsea Harper, Christina Chung, Christopher Hegland, Corrie Young, Dana Kang, Delia Evin, Eduardo Vieira, Erica Leveque, Finn Matthews, Frances Alvarez, Gica Tam, Greta Jaeger, Heather Franzen, Jake Giddens, Jenna Kass, Jess E. Dycus, Jessica Roux, Joana Neves, Julia King, Kamille Areopagita, Kat Lyons, Kathleen Marcotte, Kelsey King, Kendall Quack, Kim Sokol, Kring Demetrio, Kyle Cahill, La Scarlatte, Lauren K Cannon, Lis Xu, Maddy Haynes, Matt Hayton, Matthew Cicanese, Meera Lee Patel, Megan Kelchner, Ming Hai, Monica Amneus, Natalia Mieses, Nathan Durfee, Patricia Thomasson, Renée Park, Ricardo Ales, S A Lieske, Saleha Chowdhury, Sam Calimlim, Sarah Clement, Scott Southall, Sean Price, Sheena Klimoski, Shelby Hacker, Shelby Hersleff, Sher Rill Ng, Shreya Gupta, Stephne Boutcher, Taylor Fourt, Taylor Rose, Tidawan Thaipinnarong, Tricia Beal, Vanessa Gillings, Vero Navarro, Xiao Qing Chen, and Z Akhmetova
