"Cuba: In Form" exhibit at Joan Weill Adirondack Library - 2010-01-28

IMAGES OF CUBA ON DISPLAY AT JOAN WEILL ADIRONDACK LIBRARY
Photographer Gretjen Helene brings “Cuba: In Form” from Feb. 3 – May 5

CONTACT: Kenneth Aaron, Director of Communications, (518) 327-6297

PAUL SMITHS – Cuba may be just 90 miles from the United States. But as Gretjen Helene’s photographs show, it can be worlds away.

Helene, a Massachusetts-based documentary photographer, is displaying a selection of portraits and other photos at Paul Smith’s College that depict life in the island nation – a place where she says college education is free but Internet access is heavily restricted, where bottled water can be more expensive than beer and commodity shortages are par for the course.

Helene, who has traveled throughout Central America as well as Russia, Nepal and several other places, made an unsanctioned journey to Cuba to produce these images, which will be displayed at the college’s Joan Weill Adirondack Library from Wednesday, Feb. 3, to Wednesday, May 5.

Additionally, Helene will discuss her journeys on Monday, Feb. 1, at 2:30 p.m. in the library. The talk is free and open to the public.

Her Cuba photographs continue exploring themes of freedom and autonomy that have been woven into her recent work, which includes photography and poetry by Helene from a 10,000-mile cross-country motorcycle trip, and photographs from the Burning Man 2009 festival in the Nevada desert.

Before concentrating on personal work, Helene taught at the Art Institute of Boston, where she received a photography degree. Her work has been shown since then in Alaska, where she was born, as well as New York and the Boston area.

The exhibition is free and open to the public. The library’s hours are from 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Mon.-Thurs.; 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m., Friday; 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday; and 1 – 10 p.m., Sunday.

For more information about Helene, see her Web site at www.gretjenhelene.net.

NOTE: Photographs available upon request.

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