THE SHOW: “Face Value: New Works by Artist Mark Wolfe,” runs through Oct. 19 at the University of Charleston’s Frankenberger Gallery, Geary Student Union 2nd floor. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. Call 357-4795.

By Amanda Miller
For the Gazette

With his latest solo show “Face Value” at the University of Charleston, photographer, designer, and illustrator Mark Wolfe anoints more than 40 portraits with his characteristic touch–textured, bold, and direct. Mayor Danny Jones, artist Charly Hamilton, musician Michael Lipton, writer and
psychologist Laurie Helgoe and many others are among the more than 50 faces in this diverse array of local Charleston denizens.

Wolfe’s previous fine art endeavors have focused on objects with religious or death-related symbolism, such as headstones and graveyard ornamentation. This time he photographed the living–his friends, coworkers, and acquaintances. Yet, he still managed to infuse each portrait with a thread of mortality, giving these images an unnerving stillness, as if they were memorials themselves.

Wolfe’s decision to narrow the image down to black-and-white on a stark white background with soft lighting provides a constant to the photographs, freeing them of any individual context or associations. With no posing or instruction from the photographer, each portrait is defined solely by the expression of its subject.

This filtering of visual information allows the viewer to soak up the details. Every hair and line is up for scrutiny. The subtleties of a half smile or a squint are more apparent. By choosing not to identify his subjects by name or occupation, Wolfe leaves an uninterrupted stream of communication between the viewer and the emotional intensity of the subject.

The clean and simple presentation of the show further aids Wolfe in his stripped-down approach to portraiture. Excellent print and paper quality hold up well when pinned directly to the wall. An absence of framing and heavy glass is a refreshing and decidedly humble role for the artist in handling his subjects. Wolfe delivers the sharp presentation one ought to expect from a graphic designer.

Those who enjoy Wolfe’s past work should make it a point to see this show. His portraiture showcases the same high-contrast texture and editorial composition of his previous work. However, “Face Value” avoids some of the adolescent trappings cemeteries and gargoyles can present in photography. This work progresses into some of the most interesting territory in portrait photography-the kind that quietly hits you in the face with his emotional impact.

Amanda Miller holds a BFA in new media and photography from West Virginia University, where she also focused on modern art theory and contemporary art criticism. She is a West Virginia native and exhibits installation-based work throughout the state.

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