A former E.M. Baker School principal and a former Baker student-turned-gallery co-owner have teamed up for an exciting photo exhibit.
Joanna Miller, Baker’s principal from 1989 to 2007, connected with her former student Alexandra Ainatchi at an opening reception at the Spot Under Spot (SUS) Gallery when it first opened in 2014. Serendipitously, the two reconnected on a Manhattan subway nearly a year ago. One thing led to another, and an exhibit was born.
Dr. Miller’s exhibit, Journeys Beyond…, consists of 36 stunning photos, ranging from 7-by-9 inches to 23-by-30 inches, that were taken on safaris in Africa and on trips to Myanmar and India between 2006 and 2015. From heartfelt portraits to gorgeous landscapes, many of these pictures feature vibrant colors with exotic backgrounds.
“Each photo in this exhibition transports you to an entirely different world—perhaps a place you may want to visit or somewhere you may never get a chance to see,” said Ainatchi, who co-owns SUS Gallery with her mother, Sharon Khazzam. “I’ve found that viewers seem to find a personal connection to the photos, which are all very human and tangible, even in the most exotic of portraits. The images have been taken with so much care, showing both beauty and emotion equally in photography technique, as well as Joanna’s careful choice of settings and subjects.”
Miller reflected on her work: “Each photograph has a story, each photograph has a memory and each photograph serves to conjure up a larger world—a world beyond, a world of different cultures and different traditions and an extraordinary world where animals roam free.”
The public is welcome to attend the opening reception, which will be held on Thursday, Sept. 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. at 42 Middle Neck Rd. in the Village of Great Neck Plaza. The exhibit will continue through Nov. 3, by appointment only. To arrange a visit, email alexandra@susgallery.com or call 347-395-1948.
