Exhibit to Feature Black and White Photos

CHASM: Work by Michael Dillow

(PRESS RELEASE)_June 20, 2023 (Lake Worth Beach, Fla.) -- A distinctive collection of black and white photographs from Lake Worth Beach-based professional photographer Michael Dillow will soon be on display at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County.

An exhibition of Dillow’s work will take place June 23 through August 4 in the Cultural Council’s Solo Gallery at its downtown Lake Worth Beach headquarters. Free and open to the public, summer exhibition hours are Tuesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m., as well as the second Saturday of each month from noon to 5 p.m.

Originally from Philadelphia and now based in Lake Worth Beach, Dillow has gained a following for his unique documentary practice that examines the relationship between place, state of mind, and memory using book formats and other non-traditional methods of installation.

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​The exhibition at the Cultural Council is titled CHASM, and features a photographic essay that investigates the connections between memory, state of mind, and geography through an exploration of South Florida’s enigmatic landscape. The title evokes the presence of an immense division between past and present while alluding to a shift in perspective resulting from a substantial life experience. The documentary-style work blends haunting and untraceable landscapes with contemplative portraits to conjure abstract psychological states. The open-ended narrative sequence suggests a confrontation with the unknown and underscores the tension between uncertainty and hope.

“Generally, my work attempts to describe a feeling or thought that is intangible,” Dillow said. “The title, CHASM, establishes a foundation for the viewer to look from, and the open-ended narrative structure allows for space where people can recall their own experiences while viewing the work.”

Selected through a highly competitive application process, Dillow is one of six Palm Beach County professional artists whose work was chosen by a committee for a coveted Solo Gallery exhibition.

“Michael Dillow’s subject is uniquely contemplative, and the physical work is lusciously rich in velvety black and shades of gray,” said the Cultural Council’s director of artist services Jessica Ransom, who is curating the exhibition. “I find it calls me to sit and ponder and leaves me with questions not simply answered in one viewing.”

With photography books that are held in the University of Miami Special Collections Library and the Jaffe Center for Book Arts, his work has been shown at the Center for Fine Art Photography, the Sweetwater Center for the Arts and the 2019 PhotoAlicante Festival. His work has been featured in FotoRoom, C41 magazine, Fisheye magazine and In the In-Between.

Recently, Dillow participated in the Beyond Addiction, Reframing Recovery exhibition held at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s City Art Space, curated by Graham MacIndoe and Susan Stellin. In addition to his studio practice, Dillow teaches photography at Florida Atlantic University, Palm Beach State College and a private high school.

Michael Dillow: CHASM will run from June 23 to August 4 at the Cultural Council’s headquarters in Lake Worth Beach. Summer hours are Tuesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m., as well as the second Saturday of each month from 12 to 5 p.m. Visit palmbeachculture.com/dillow for more information or to register for the opening artist reception on Thursday, June 22, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.