OPENING RECEPTION – January 26th, 6-8pm

ON VIEW through March 3rd

Read the reviews in The Washington Post and the Washington City Paper.

Cross MacKenzie Gallery is pleased to present this inaugural exhibition of photographs by Oculoire. Comprised of Phil Hernandez and Ned Riley, whose parallel explorations of photography have joined in this collaboration. Oculoire examines the graphic dynamism of black and white street photography. Jazz records, skate culture, motorcycles, and late nights all act as inspiration and subject matter from which their aesthetic is drawn.

The DC-based photography duo conspires to exploit the gritty elegance of black and white street photography. From the daily hum of skateboarding around the city through the late nights and even later mornings, Oculoire captures a romanticized vision of daily/nightly life. Drawing from the likes of Brassaï and Cartier-Bresson, Oculoire is strongly rooted in the storied tradition of street photography, while also carving out their own distinctive niche. Using both digital and analogue mediums, their photographs endeavor to capture the stolen moments of solitude and wonder in settings replete with frenetic energy. Within Oculoire’s work is a discernable sense of nostalgia, from the emotive jazz-influenced styling to the evocatively classic subject matter, which is only enhanced through their high contrast black and white lens. These photographs draw the viewer in to the seductive strangeness of the city after hours.