Rotating Exhibits
Pinky Bass: The Magic of the Camera
September 17 - November 15
Artist Statement
That first time in the darkroom, when an image emerged from the intention of my vision
鈥� gelatin silver layered on paper through the use of trays of chemicals 鈥� my sense
of awe and wonder was captured. This was the beginning of my 鈥渏ourney鈥� (MFA thesis:
Steal the Elixir and Run, lifted from Joseph Campbell's writing about the hero's journey). The magic elixir
of the anatomy of vision, the physics of light, the chemistry of photography, and
my ability to use these elements gave me my voice. The 鈥渃amera obscura鈥� became my
鈥渄arkroom鈥� for discovering, playing, creating, making mistakes, envisioning, and literally
touching that elixir.
Artist Biography:
Pinky/MM Bass grew up in Fairhope during WWII at the home of her grandmother, Lois
Slosson Sundberg. At age 52, she earned her MFA in photography from Georgia State
University and returned to live in Fairhope. She has received grants from the Regional
Artist Project (RAP), the Southern Arts Federation/National Endowment for the Arts
(SAF/NEA), and the Alabama State Council on the Arts (ASCA). Her work is found in
many museums, including Birmingham, Huntsville, the High in Atlanta, and the Mint
in Charlotte, NC, as well as in numerous private collections. She has exhibited internationally,
including over 30 solo shows. She was featured on APT in 2019 in the Monograph series.
Publications include Polaroid Book, Pinhole Journal, Alternative Photographic Processes, and Aperture.
In 2024, Bass received the Alabama State Impact Award, in part for her education program, Pinky's Portable Pop-up Pinhole Camera and Darkroom. She lives at Homestead Village and is a Fairhope Fanatic!
Pinkymmbass.com