Homey Gallery Spaces

Without a doubt I would display my work in a very casual manner that would most mimic a domestic setting. My photography most resembles homemade environment because of its subject matter—Mexican-American immigrant home life. I would be torn between displaying my work as homey photographs or large scale gallery prints. I am leaning toward the latter because it would create a life-size atmosphere where the subjects of my photographs would appear to be present in the exhibit. I’m hesitant to frame my work in kitschy picture frames because even though it gives my work a domestic feel, I think the readymade picture frames would add a sense of tackiness and a whole art as commodity aspect which would take away from my original intentions. My projects are centered around the subject of Mexican-American home life and Hispanic-centered religious iconography and practice, so I would want to resemble the original context of how the photograph was taken to the fullest extent. For example, I would include a few readymade sculptures like a homemade altar with Catholic candles, saint statues and religious paintings or another example would be an end table with Hispanic brand foods. I would want to connect the images to the sculptures in a way where the audience feels welcomed and at home in a Mexican-American household. I would ultimately want the viewing setting to resemble a domestic setting and for the photographs to resemble an atmosphere as if the subjects were present in a home-like set. Not only would I want to depict the Mexican-American family values through my photographs, but I also want to give a sense of the day to day life of a Hispanic immigrant through quotidian objects to more fully portray my culture to my audience.