 – An exhibition, “Jo Sandman: Skin Deep” will showcase Serpents (1998), a series of 12 photograms opens Friday, February 14, 2025 at the Portland Museum of Art,…){kind=link}
PORTLAND, ME (PNAN) – An exhibition, “Jo Sandman: Skin Deep” will showcase Serpents (1998), a series of 12 photograms opens Friday, February 14, 2025 at the Portland Museum of Art, offers a look into Sandman’s deep connection to the natural world and her experimental approach to photography.
Created without a camera, these works use snakeskins on light-sensitive paper to explore abstraction, natural forms and symbolism. Inspired by her interdisciplinary training at the renowned Black Mountain College, she studied under luminaries including Robert Motherwell and Harry Callahan, experiences that shaped her ability to merge photography, painting and symbolism. Sandman’s work reflects a creative process rooted in collaboration and experimentation.
Through the lens of Serpents, the exhibition also examines the concept of glyphs, a pictorial language Sandman explored after hearing stories by poet Charles Olson of Mayan ruins and serpentine mythology, bridging ancient symbolism with modern artistic practice.
Visitors will experience a meditative dialogue between material, technique, light and composition. The photograms reveal intricate silhouettes and patterns that suggest movement, language and transformation. The works oscillate between beauty and unease, inviting viewers to reflect on humanity’s relationship with nature.
For more information on other Sandman’s PMA programming and views of Sandman’s work, see https://www.portlandmuseum.org/jo-sandman-skin-deep.