In contrast to Skarbakka’s painful realities, these artists use photography’s alchemical properties to create imaginary worlds, sometimes mysterious, sometimes mordant, always compelling. Stranka’s weightless images feel like scenes from a viewer’s half-remembered dream, whereas Valsecchi presents heroic portraits, seemingly ripped from myth. Self-contained fantasy realms, painstakingly built from multiple images, are the substance of Kazanjian’s photo-constructions – viewers won’t be surprised to learn he’s an ex-game designer. And Miami Instagram sensation Santlov is a don’t-miss — his #ToysRLikeUs depictions of iconic playthings dealing with the mundanities of everyday life point out the gap between fantasy and reality. Greenberg, who splits her practice between a politically motivated fine-art discourse and a lucrative line of celebrity editorial photography (her controversial 2008 portrait of John McCain for the cover of The Atlantic memorably straddled that line), here shows work from her series of surprisingly human portraits of animals. Santlov will be present at Friday night’s opening of Motion to Light. Greenberg lectures at OMA 10 a.m. Saturday, followed by her dealer, Brian Clamp of the ClampArt gallery, speaking at 11 a.m.
