THE NEW NORMAL ANNA PAOLA PIZZOCARO at The Foley Gallery NYC Group Show „ExLAB Part II“, July 6-29, 2023

The Foley Gallery on 59 Orchard Street NYC 10002 is celebrating the 2023 second edition of „the Exhibition Lab Exhibition“, a program lead by Michael Foley and thephotocommunity.org and a group exhibition- featuring the series „The New Normal“ by the visual artist and award winning photographer Anna Paola Pizzocaro.

What does it mean, if the unthinkable happened?

Anna Paola Pizzocaro is talking about her series „The New Normal“: „Suddenly in March 2020 the unthinkable happened, we were told to stay home to save lives, to wash our hands for at least 10 minutes and wear surgical masks to go buy groceries; a terrible virus (Covid 19) was out there, and no one knew how to stop it. It was the beginning of a new pandemic. Hospitals were suddenly overcrowded, and for the next two years our way of living had to change. Young children did not meet their grandparents for months, elderly were the most affected, and my own father passed away.

The "new normal" was not normal. In these series starting from a classical composition, inspired by the Dutch style of still life, as we go through the images we notice subtle changes. Images progress into becoming chaotic, excessive and messy, as the new normal installs itself in our habits. Eventually in 2022 we started to slowly overcome the deadly virus, and finally on May 11th 2023, it was marked as the End of the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declaration. But for a long time we will still feel the effects of it all. Loneliness, sadness, and finally happiness and reconciliation are (I hope) expressed in this series. A small testimony of the last three years of personal experience, reflecting on the Covid 19.“

Pizzocaro‘s compositions „The New Normal“ are carefully balanced, with objects carefully placed to create a harmonious arrangement.

The artist, born in Milan, living in NYC, is playing with light and shadow to create a sense of depth and drama. Pizzocaro’s current photography series depicts a seemingly ordinary scenery at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it reveals unexpected and surprising elements that challenge the viewer's initial perception. This series is dealing with symbolic elements and allegorical references, such as flowers, fruits, insects, birds, books, to remind us to the transience of life, the inevitability of death, wealth, and the fleeting nature of worldly pleasures.

As you delve deeper into Pizzocaro’s artwork, you notice subtle details that disrupt the familiar setting. Birds are sitting on the table, where withered flowers, cake leftovers and a wine bottle, not a Bordeaux, but labeled „6 feet only, March 2020, New York“ is ready for the guest. During the COVID-19 pandemic, health authorities and organizations around the world recommended maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet from others, especially in situations where social distancing was necessary.

Memento Mori

In a subtle surreal way, Pizzocaro’s series employs narrative and storytelling techniques to address social conflicts, isolation and death -camouflaged perfectly in beauty. Finally „The New Normal“ is a piece of "memento mori",a reminder to live consciously by making the most of the present moment.

Short Facts

Where:

The Foley Gallery

59 Orchard Street, NYC 10002

Gallery Hours: Wednesday - Saturday, 12pm – 5h30pm.

www.foleygallery.com

email : hello@foleygallery.com

When:

July 6th until July 29th 2023

Group Show "ExLAB Part II": Participating artists: Amanda Bernsohn, Anna Paola Pizzocaro, Liz Steketee, Matthew Finley, Becca Screnock, Rick Wright, Teresa Camozzi, and Yvette Marie Dostatni.

Artist Contact:

Anna Paola Pizzocaro | Photographer

www.annapaolapizzocaro.com

email : studio@annapaolapizzocaro.com

Copyrights:

Photos: Anna Paola Pizzocaro

Text: Dr. Barbara Aust-Wegemund, author, art historian

AHC PROJECTS HAMBURG