Marilyn Szabo's Life & Death Portraits Come to the monOrchid

PHOENIX - Nov. 2, 2016 - PRLog -- Shade Projects is proud to present a solo exhibition of Marilyn Szabo's Life & Death Portraits, in Shade Gallery at the monOrchid. The exhibition will showcase technically exquisite portraits taken over a 25 year period of various individuals both personally important and of prominent members in the community. The photographs featured include Allen Ginsberg, Mohammed Ali, musician Ray Manzarek, poet Ntozake Shange, sculptor Klaus Ihlenfeld, and studio assistant to Harry Bertoia, as well as memoir photographs of Szabo's mother and friends. Her imagery captures her subject's distinct personalities, as well as their defining characteristics. Through Szabo's own power and artistry she is able to get her subjects to reveal something of themselves resulting in photographs that are striking and powerful, due to a strong collaboration between the photographer and sitter. Szabo has created a distinct style of portraiture that is nothing short of iconic that is showcased in this exhibition.

Szabo received her Bachelors of Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University in History. Wanting something "less academic" she began taking photography courses. Since then she has exhibited both nationally and internationally, garnering numerous awards and grants. She has received a Phoenix Arts Commission Artist Project Award for portraits of the builders of Terminal Four, Sky Harbor Airport, a Phoenix Art Museum Artist material Grant, and from Phoenix Arts Commission an Artist Project Award for portraits of iconic Chicano artists.

She was awarded in 2010 by Alligator Juniper the National Photography Award. Her work can be found in many public and private collections throughout the United States. Szabo and her artwork have been featured in numerous publications both online and in print including Black and White, Sun Magazine, In/Sights: Self-Portraits by Women, edited by Joyce Tenneson Cohen, Phoenix New Times and Java Magazine. Szabo is a creative force Arizona culture. In 2014, At Work in Arizona: the First 100 Years was published. 168 pages and over 160 images, Szabo was curator and eighty of her photographs including portraits of Arizona personalities are seen.

The monOrchid and Shade Projects curator, Nicole Royse will host the Opening Reception on First Friday, December 2^nd, 2016 from 6-10pm. The Closing Reception will take place on Friday, December 16^th, 2016 from 6-9pm and the evening will offer an intimate event with the artist, Marilyn Szabo and Curator, Nicole Royse. Life & Death Portraits will be on display in Shade Gallery at the monOrchid from December 2^nd until December 26^th, 2016. Please visit our website for more information at monorchid.com and please direct all exhibition inquiries to Shade Projects Curator, Nicole Royse.