After Image: Solo exhibition by John Shen

Praise Shadows is pleased to announce After Image by the New Haven-based John Shen in his solo debut at the gallery. Featuring time-based media, photography, and installation, the show is an exploration of memory, subjectivity, and the enduring presence of loved ones, created over three transformative years—from the precipice of the global pandemic to the close of 2023. 

At the core of After Image lies a 14-inch CRT television monitor, a once ubiquitous technology at the time of Shen’s birth, which serves as both medium and message. Shen has inscribed a portrait of his mother, captured from a photo of her before she gave birth to him, directly into the cathodes of the monitor. This imprinting process results in a persistent after image, an indelible reflection of his mother that remains visible even when the TV is in use.

Another body of work on view is photographs from Shen's Straw Inscriptions series, black and white prints created using a camera built by him over a meticulous year-long process using approximately 28,000 hand-glued black drinking straws. Drawing from Hito Steyerl's ruminations on the 'poor image,' Shen seeks to navigate the tension between hyperrealism and authenticity in contemporary photography. By intentionally forgoing advanced optics and embracing a low-resolution approach, this work challenges the prevailing obsession with technical perfection. The resulting photographs are painstakingly produced on Direct Positive Gelatin Silver Paper, making each image a one-off unique object. By prioritizing emotional resonance over technical precision, Straw Inscriptions offers a profound commentary on how our memories and identities are intricately woven into the images we create and perceive.

About the Artist

John Shen is a multidisciplinary artist born in China and raised in New Zealand, currently pursuing an MFA in Photography at the Yale School of Art. He earned his BFA in Photography and Painting from The Rhode Island School of Design. Shen's work intricately explores the nexus between image and object, delving into themes of memory, identity and temporality. Through his experimental,research based practice, Shen bridges cultural narratives, philosophical inquiry and technology, creating evocative pieces that invite viewers to reflect on their own journeys of self-discovery and the persistent echoes of the past.

Artist Talk
Moderated by Laurel Nakadate, photographer, filmmaker, video and performance artist, Saturday, February 22, 4-5 pm. Registration required; register here.

Opening Reception
Saturday, February 22, 5-7 pm. Open to the public; registration not required.