The Light Divides and the Story Multiplies

Associated Artists of Pittsburgh (AAP) is pleased to present The Light Divides and the Story Multiplies, a group exhibition curated by Pittsburgh artist and AAP member Dan Hendrickson. Opening August 29th and continuing through October 30th, the exhibition brings together more than 50 works by 6 regional artists who are expanding the expressive possibilities of cyanotype, one of photography's earliest image-making processes.

Presented in AAP's Exhibition Space at Ice House Studios in Lawrenceville, the exhibition examines how a nineteenth-century photographic technique continues to evolve in the hands of contemporary artists. While cyanotype is often recognized for its distinctive solar photograms with Prussian blue tones, the works in The Light Divides and the Story Multiplies add another exciting chapter in the medium’s future. Photography, digital imagery, painting, textiles, mixed media, and experimental processes intersect throughout the exhibition, demonstrating the medium's remarkable versatility and continued relevance.

Rather than presenting cyanotype as a historical process, the exhibition highlights it as a living artistic medium reshaped by new materials, subjects, and interdisciplinary approaches. Together, the works range from direct photographic observations to conceptual explorations, surveying the breadth of contemporary cyanotype practice in Pittsburgh.

"Since its invention in the 1840s, the rich blues of cyanotype have continuously inspired artists to experiment and reinvent the medium. This exhibition offers a snapshot in time of how several Pittsburgh artists are using cyanotype today, as a tool for inquiry, imagination, and expression," said Dan Hendrickson, curator of the show.

The exhibition features work by Dan Hendrickson, Christine Holtz, Andy Julo, Christine Lorenz, Michele Randall, and Cathleen Richards.  The exhibition guide, which will be available in the gallery, features an essay by local author Dani Lamorte. 

An opening reception will be held on August 29th, 5-7pm, at the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh Exhibition Space at Ice House Studios. The event is free and open to the public.