Nebula Gallery to Premier Student Photography Exhibit March 9-April 23

Come see the Nebula Gallery’s newest exhibit, which features the creative work of four UT Dallas students. The exhibit includes a wide range of subjects ranging from a series of photographs bringing idioms to life in a visually striking way to a portrait series capturing the essence of the powerful connection between people and their mobile devices.

“Photoworks 2020” represents a selection of about 10-15 photographs taken by advanced photography students and curated by faculty member Marilyn Waligore. The students’ collections, which will be on display from March 9-April 23, cover topics such as history, language, fashion and technology. Each student will display several images from their individual portfolios.

Exhibiting artists are all undergraduate students and include: Tony Boykin and Megan Martinez, who are both majoring in Arts and Humanities with a visual arts concentration; Kevin Ong, an electrical engineering major; and Jacob Tran, who is majoring in Arts, Technology and Emerging Communication. See details about their exhibits in their own words below. The students will be on hand at a reception in the gallery on March 10 at 1:30 p.m.

The advanced photography course the students are taking is designed to guide students’ personal development as artists and foster the refinement of technical skills through workshops and critiques.

“Exploring portraiture as a method of collaboration, these photographers discover the expressive potential of this exchange and the possibilities of human form. Meanwhile, photographic records of architecture reveal a city undergoing transformation through a revisiting of familiar Dallas landmarks,” said Waligore, who teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in areas relating to photography and digital media. She has directed the photography program at UT Dallas for 30 years

Student Collections:

Tony Boykin

Series Title: Past is Present
The photography represents my history and the changes I have observed over a lifetime spent in Dallas. This collection of photographs is personal as it speaks to my past and present in this dynamically changing city.

Megan Martinez

Series Title: Idioms
The work was created to bring idioms to life in a playful and visually striking way. I use the double meaning behind each phrase and the literal interpretation to form a slightly bizarre or humorous image.

Kevin Ong

Series Title: Something Real
To some degree, technology such as phones has become a part of our human identity. It is at this boundary that I hope my work will make people ask themselves what is more important. Which is real: The “you” that exists through technology or the “you” that exists outside of it?

Jacob Tran

Series Title: Details
Details is a portrait series that emphasizes details of fashion while providing commentary on how the corporate world propagates patriarchy.

The Nebula Gallery is located on the third floor of the Eugene McDermott Library in the Special Collections and Archives Division. Visit the gallery between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.