New photo exhibit observes the cosmos through an artistic lense

Photy by Sanjeev Sivarulrasa (copyright)
Milky Way, Lake Superior, 2011

In their calendar of local events Artengine notes that local photography Sanjeev Sivarulrasa has opened his new exhibit Night Light, which is taking place at the Karsh-Masson Gallery at 136 St. Patrick Street and runs until May 5.  The exhibit provides a unique perspective on the cosmos, which is a domain normally controlled by scientists.

“Scientists are the gatekeepers of the sky,” Sivarulrasa told me in a recent phone interview. “(But science) doesn’t tell us much about how we feel about the night sky.”  I interviewed him for a story on his show that I wrote for Apartment 613.

The universe, says Sivarulrasa, cannot be left solely to scientists.  While fully embracing the work of astronomers and astrophysicists, he notes that artists provide a different perspective on the cosmos, and that this fresh insight needs to be explored.

Ottawa is full of wonderful photographers, many of whom I hope to highlight on this blog.  While Sivarulrasa does not have a photo-blog, I wanted to mention his new exhibit as his work is very good.  If you want to know more about his work, you can attend a talk this coming Sunday, March 24, at 2 p.m. at the Karsh-Masson Gallery.  The free talk will elaborate on his photographic technique of observing and imaging the night sky, while also comparing the scientific method of understanding the world with the artistic perspective.