In the current exhibit at City Gallery, Mary Lesser brings something
special to the art of portraiture.
...
Lesser’s story telling begins with photographs, some that come directly
from her family, others found in flea markets or attics, that are
scanned into a computer ad manipulated. From these she creates drawings,
monotypes, collages and shadow-box constructions that tell interesting
tales.
Some of the most touching works are a series simply entitled “Family History,” mixed-media monotypes, reminiscent of classic snapshot-like photos.. . . . .
Each work includes patches of anonymous hand-written text that gives the images a sense of narrative ad history. These are lovely works that appear to possess a psychological subtext, one getting a sense that although the tangibles remain as smiling photographs, there are also intangibles here that transcend the smiles, suggesting a host of memories and losses that will never be forgotten.
—Judy Birke, Art Critic, New Haven Register, April 2007
