Join us on Wednesday, April 16th, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at BmoreArt Connect+Collect for an artist talk with Jonna McKone and Elena Volkova. This conversation will explore their distinct yet resonant photographic practices, which examine time, memory, and history through slow, meticulous processes.
McKone’s images reveal how built environments, natural spaces, and personal narratives bear the weight of time, resistance, and transformation. She examines how history is inscribed, reinterpreted, and experienced across generations. In this presentation, she will discuss her site-based projects, focusing on the research and methods that guide her into these environments. She will speak on the importance of engaging directly with the land and incorporating natural elements—such as soil, water, and light—into her work. McKone will also explore the histories embedded in these landscapes and their evolving relationship with the communities connected to them.
Volkova will discuss her use of historic tintype photography to create a visual archive that explores themes of belonging, trauma, and transition, while blurring the lines between subject, creator, and audience. She will speak about The Me Before the War No Longer Exists: Ukrainian Portraits, a participatory project that documents the experiences of Ukrainian women displaced by war, using portraiture to preserve personal and collective histories. Volkova will also share her ongoing exploration of overlooked domestic moments through still lifes, delving into themes of liminality, subjectivity, and resilience. She will examine how these series intertwine, evolving through her lens as a photographer dedicated to capturing identity, time, and transformation.
The evening begins with time to view In Silver and Earth, the current exhibition at C+C, followed by presentations from each artist. A moderated conversation will deepen the discussion, leading into an audience Q&A.
:: Wednesday, April 16th :: 6-8 pm Artist Talk: Jonna McKone and Elena Volkova
Connect+Collect Gallery
