CURATOR Kostas Prapoglou proudly presents the solo exhibition of artist Susan Daboll at the gallery space of the historic Parnassos Literary Society in Athens. Born and raised in America, her artistic journey has been profoundly influenced by her surroundings and family history, resulting in an immense body of work that reflects both the attractiveness and multiplicity of our reality. The exhibition, titled whose history is it anyway?, was inaugurated on May 23, and runs till June 15.

The visual language of Susan Daboll resonates deeply through the exploration of the intersection between human experience and the perception of existence. Redolent of lost landscapes, the array of installations on display surface like psychological biographies, embracing a testament to the universality of emotion and an inherent dignity. At the heart of Daboll’s artistic practice lies a deep sense of empathy and social consciousness. In a world increasingly defined by technological advancement and societal upheaval, her work serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring power of the soul and its ventures into unknown territories. 

Transmitting far beyond mere aesthetics, Daboll’s artistic and visual versatility are evident in her mastery of colours as well as diverse mediums and techniques. Black and white gelatin silver prints, various types of film, collage, colour polaroids, Diana camera photographs, printed cloth and digital prints are all masterfully orchestrated and in dialogue with furniture pieces and other found objects that all have a special meaning to her. Navigating the terrain of the human condition, the artist infuses her work with a comprehensive understanding of emotions and experiences. Through her distinctive artistic lens, she contemplates the complexities of life, offering glimpses into the depths of the soul.

Central to Daboll’s work is the evocative power of portraiture as representations of metaphysical entities. Departing from her own deep feelings that had been buried for years, Daboll surveys the intricacies of [inter]personal relationships, capturing the essence of their spirit with remarkable power and empathy. One of the recurring themes in the body of work on display is the magnitude of physical or non-physical presence.

Susan Daboll was born in South Weymouth, Massachusetts, and grew up in Niantic, Connecticut. While studying printmaking and photography at Syracuse University (BFA), her work was chosen for the brochure cover of an exhibition, solidifying her commitment to photography. After graduating, she moved to NYC where she worked in the commercial photographic field, including the research department of Magnum photos. She realised her aspirations were more toward fine art and this led to attending the graduate programme in photography between New York University and the International Center of Photography (MA). Hired by NYU directly after graduating, she taught darkroom photography.

Running her own photo lab in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Daboll began experimenting with mural-sized images and techniques. In the early 1990’s, she earned acclaim for large-scale photographs of the female form that investigated sexuality, mythology, and religion. These were featured on the front of a neo-classical building, and included in an exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. In 1995, she began using colour film to explore nature and the man-made landscape. Technique played a part in her first exhibition of photographs shot in nature, soft-focused and impressionistic. In 2007, she completed her first all-digital project photographing in the fields of Paros, Greece.

Daboll has always embraced technical experimentation, and unexpected outcomes in her work. Exhibitions include: The Butterfly Effect, Mouzakis – Butterfly factory, Athens, Greece, 2023; A Sense of Place, Fokianou Art Space, Athens, 2023; Touch Me, Fokianou Art Space, Athens, 2022; The Holland Tunnel Gallery 25th Anniversary, Holland Tunnel Gallery, Newburgh, NY, USA, 2022; Body Language: Photographing People, University of Colorado Art Museum, Boulder, USA, 2019; A Landscape of Longing, Kerrigan Campbell Gallery, NY, 2005; Exterior/Interior: The Way I See It: Five Photographers Working in Brooklyn, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Brooklyn, NY, 1998; Photographs, Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA, USA, 1995; Bodies of Work, 1984-1993, James Howe Gallery, Kean College, Union, NJ, USA, 1993; The Airport: A BorderlessDialogue, Kennedy Airport, NY, 1991; NAKED, Art Institute of Chicago and University of Colorado at Boulder, 1986. Collections include: Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Chicago Art Institute, Monterey Museum of Art, CA, Portland Museum of Art, Maine, University of Colorado, Boulder, University of California, Los Angeles. She lives and works in Paros, Greece, and NYC.

• Susan Daboll’s exhibition whose history is it anyway? is curated by Kostas Prapoglou and runs till June 15 at the Parnassos Literary Society, Aghiou Georgiou Karitsi Square 8, Athens, 105 61 – 3^rd floor. Exhibition days / times: Thursday – Friday: 17.00 – 20.00; Saturday: 12.00 – 17.00. Nearest metro stations: Panepistimiou or Syntagma.

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