Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting the Roberson Museum for the opening of Unexpected Passion, featuring photographic work by Joshua Lasky. I’ve admired Lasky’s work online for years, often struck by the way he manipulates light to create portraits that feel lifted from the Renaissance. But seeing these images printed large and hung in a gallery is something else entirely. Every hair, every freckle, every shadow is rendered in exquisite detail. The result is not just technical mastery, but an almost startling intimacy and a deeply human connection between subject, photographer, and viewer.
The exhibition unfolds in thoughtfully curated sections: luminous still lifes, arresting black-and-white portraits, and a deeply personal grouping devoted to Lasky’s family (his self-described muses). Another series draws direct inspiration from art history, reimagining works like Saint Jerome Writing and Girl with a Pearl Earring through Lasky’s contemporary lens. Throughout the gallery, excerpts from the artist trace his creative journey, including the moments he nearly gave it up, and the perseverance that brought him back to the work. These reflections beautifully underscore the exhibition’s central themes: light, devotion, and the enduring pull of the human condition.
“The faces you see on those pieces of paper belong to the people who have helped lay the path that guides me as I continue discovering who I am as an artist. Without them, I’d be lost. Each photograph is unique to me and, I hope, just as unique to the viewer,” Lasky writes.
Moving through the exhibition feels like walking alongside the artist himself and witnessing the evolution of both his craft and confidence. Unexpected Passion is on view through October 18, and it is more than worth a visit. While you’re there, don’t miss the adjoining gallery featuring a retrospective spanning more than fifty years of work by artist Orazio Salati, a powerful pairing that bridges generations of creative dedication.
Let me know about art events happening in your town! amicha@wskg.org
