Associate Professor of Photography Kally Malcom’s work has been showcased all across the country, as well as the world. Next, her upcoming exhibit will be on display in Portsmouth, Virginia. This solo exhibit, “Kally Malcom: Staged Presence,” will present pieces from three bodies of her work: “Pictograph,” “Remains” and “Native Sun.”

Having started her journey as an English major, Malcom later came to earn a master’s degree in Fine Arts. It was then that she also found a passion for education.

“I took a little bit of a circuitous route to become a professor of photography,” Malcom told Spinnaker. “I really found a love for teaching and making conceptual bodies of work.”

Malcom says the curator of Tidewater Community College’s Visual Arts Center has pulled pieces from three meaningful bodies of work for the exhibit, which she is very excited about.

“It feels a little bit like a retrospective, which happens usually when you die,” Malcom said with a laugh.

“Native Sun,” Malcom’s most recent collection, uses the lumen printing process to accentuate various plants and flowers. Malcom’s work at the UNF Sawmill Slough Preserve connected her to Curator Chuck Hubbuch, who identified plant species for her.

“He is just a maestro of understanding plant names,” Malcom said. “I make a documentary photo of a plant sample I’m working with, and he kindly gives me the scientific name.”

“Remains,” the second piece, features sharp and shadowy movement and utilizes a black and white pinhole technique. According to Malcom, this work shows the difference between objects from home and wildlife, providing as much contrast in the underlying themes as the visual elements.

Finally, “Pictograph” examines autobiographical stories coded within each image. These digital images use playful patterns and colors to channel Malcom’s personal anecdotes.

“Staged Presence” will be displayed at the TCC Visual Arts Center in Portsmouth, Virginia from July 7 to August 29.

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