Light Work reveals timeless, immersive exhibit

A new Light Work Studio exhibit pairs Nicholas Muellner’s surreal photography with poetic text to create a timeless and immersive atmosphere.

Titled Asea, Muellner’s exhibit at Syracuse University’s Kathleen O. Ellis Gallery runs until Dec. 13, with a reception on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m.

Light Work curator Whitney Hubbs chose Muellner for this exhibit because of his strong ties to Central New York for nearly 20 years, including teaching at Cornell University. 

“I wanted to give him the forum to have a solo show in the area where he’s been working,” Hubbs said.

Muellner’s photos depict people posing in lush landscapes with surreal lighting. The text in the accompanying guidebook created by Muellener, Contact Sheet, leads viewers from image to image with short, poetic descriptions that encourage reflection.

SU junior and aspiring photojournalist Sky Zhuang said he found the exhibit’s use of light particularly striking. 

“Light is the main tool to explore the topic,” Zhuang said. 

Zhuang noted that while many exhibits use artificial lighting, Muellner often relies on natural light, which adds to the image’s complexity. 

“It’s good that they could find natural light and use it to help tell the story,” Zhuang said.

Photo by Hannah Beam

Maritime workers holding invisible tools in Nicholas Muellner’s “Asea” exhibit at Light Work.

The exhibit spans two rooms, creating a space where viewers can move between scenes, feeling almost suspended in time.

The portraits feature people connected to the maritime industry photographed in settings that reflect their everyday lives in places like Marseille, Odesa, Milan and Long Beach. The subjects hold invisible tools of their trades, creating a sense of disconnection from their real identities.

Hubbs shared her favorite photograph from the exhibit, which was inspired by Théodore Géricault’s 19th-century French painting “The Raft of the Medusa.”

Hubbs said she admired the lighting on the subject’s face and the challenge of coordinating multiple elements — five people, a table, and specific lighting. 

“It gives me a charge that I can’t describe with words,” Hubbs said.

Zhuang said Light Work exhibits always bring new perspectives to students and visitors and he appreciates how the exhibits showcase a variety of photography styles from documentary to abstract.

“It definitely gives me more inspiration and new perspectives.”