Hawaiian-born artist Christy Lee Rogers is bringing her distinctive underwater photography to Shanghai with a major solo exhibition that showcases two decades of her innovative work. The exhibition, titled "Aqueous Renaissance," opens at Art Labor Gallery and features Rogers' signature large-scale, maximalist photographs that capture human figures suspended beneath the water's surface amid flowing, colorful garments.
Rogers, who developed her fascination with water during her childhood in Hawaii, describes her relationship with the element as both liberating and chaotic. "For me, water has always been both chaos and freedom," the artist explains. "It strips away control and asks us to see ourselves in a different light. That's where my stories begin." Her unique artistic vision transforms underwater scenes into dreamlike compositions that evoke the grandeur of Baroque and Rococo paintings and murals.
The artist's technical approach involves submerging her subjects in dark water while using various lighting effects to create dramatic, painterly images. As the figures twist and turn underwater, the interplay of light and movement produces ethereal, almost surreal visual effects. Rogers combines this lighting technique with vibrant fabrics and flowing garments that billow around her subjects, creating compositions that blur the line between photography and classical painting.
"Aqueous Renaissance" draws its title from the concept of renaissance as a period of revival and rebirth, reflecting Rogers' intention to highlight beauty and grace in our contemporary world marked by division and conflict. According to Art Labor Gallery, Rogers' underwater visions serve as "mirrors of our collective condition—fragile, fluid, and searching for meaning," rather than mere escapist fantasies. The exhibition aims to emphasize themes of interconnectivity and human beauty during an era often characterized by social and political fragmentation.
The exhibition features works with evocative titles such as "Harmony," "A Dream Blossomed Right in Front of My Eyes," "Our Hopes and Expectations," "Tenderness," "A Dream Dreamed in the Presence of Reason," and "Candy." Each piece demonstrates Rogers' ability to transform the underwater environment into a stage for human emotion and connection, creating images that feel both timeless and distinctly contemporary.
"Aqueous Renaissance" runs from September 6 through October 26 at Art Labor Gallery in Shanghai. The exhibition represents a comprehensive overview of Rogers' artistic evolution over the past twenty years, showcasing her continued innovation in underwater photography and her exploration of themes related to human vulnerability, beauty, and our shared search for meaning in an increasingly complex world.
