UC Clermont Art Gallery features “Reclaiming Your Outside Voice” by Judi Bommarito as part of FotoFocus 2024
“Setting Her Free” by Judi Bommarito. The artist’s work will be on display in the UC Clermont Art Gallery as part of the FotoFocus Biennial backstories Oct. 1 – Dec. 13. (Image/Judi Bommarito)
The University of Cincinnati Clermont College Art Gallery will present “Reclaiming Your Outside Voice,” a compelling photographic exhibition by Judi Bommarito, as part of the 2024 FotoFocus Biennial backstories. The exhibition will be on display from Oct. 1 – Dec. 13.
An opening reception will be held on Oct. 1 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the UC Clermont Art Gallery, Snyder room 140. Following the reception, an artist talk will take place from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in Snyder room 142 and online via Zoom (Zoom details to be announced soon at ucclermont.edu/community-arts).
Bommarito describes “Reclaiming Your Outside Voice” as a photographic journey that intimately explores the relationship between a daughter and her mother, shaped by the challenges of mental illness. This evocative collection captures the transformative power of photography as a catalyst for healing and understanding.
Intricately woven into this visual narrative are the notes her mother leaves behind, like breadcrumbs of emotion, for Bommarito to discover.
These handwritten messages form an intimate dialogue, offering insights into her mother’s inner world, her desires and her struggles. The notes become a poignant manifestation of their emotional connection, transcending the confines of mental illness and affirming the universal need for connection.
“As viewers immerse themselves in these images and the stories they tell, they may find echoes of their own experiences and a deeper appreciation for the power of compassion, connection and forgiveness,” said Bommarito.
Bommarito is a Detroit-based visual storyteller and documentary photographer. She has served as an adjunct instructor at the College for Creative Studies since 1999, where she also earned her bachelor’s degree in fine arts. As a photographer, her work has received numerous awards both nationally and internationally.
For more information about the exhibition and artist, please visit judibommphoto.com.
The UC Clermont Art Gallery is in the Snyder building on the college’s campus at 4200 Clermont College Drive, Batavia, Ohio. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., or by appointment. Learn more at ucclermont.edu/community-arts.
About the FotoFocus Biennial: backstories: “Reclaiming Your Outside Voice” is part of the 2024 FotoFocus Biennial backstories. Now in its seventh iteration, the Biennial activates over 100 projects at museums, galleries, universities, and public spaces throughout Greater Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus and Northern Kentucky in October 2024. This is fifth year that UC Clermont has hosted a FotoFocus exhibition.
For more information about the FotoFocus Biennial: backstories, visit fotofocus.org/biennial/2024.
UC Clermont College is located in the center of Clermont County on 91 beautifully wooded acres in Batavia Township. The college is an accredited, open-access institution offering more than 60 programs and degrees. UC Clermont is part of the nationally recognized University of Cincinnati. For more information, call 513-556-5400 or visit www.ucclermont.edu.
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