Dan's Papers - April 18, 2008 - Art Commentary With Marion Wolberg Weiss

Art work appears all over the East End nowadays. Such places are sometimes called "alternate spaces" and have become popular venues in the past several years. There are practical reasons for these displays, one being an insufficient number of galleries to accommodate the large number of area artists. Often, too, art serves as decoration and "pick-me-ups" for drab offices and the like.

Even so, the exhibits at Canio's book store don't fit the typical uses of alternate space, expecially Kathryn Szoka's current photography presentation. As people who are loyal customers and fans of Canio's have known for decades, this is a special place: welcoming, familiar and intimate. A place to meet friends, soak up some culture at the weekly readings, and let your real self shine through. Oh yes, you can also buy books there, both used and new. Simply put, Canio's signifies a family; entering the store is like stepping into your own living room. It may be a bit cluttered and worn, but it will always be home.

Which is why Szoka's family photographs are so perfect in this setting - representing images you might find adorning a living room. While Szoka is a respected fine arts photographer, her usual aesthetics don't count here. We aren't looking at the composition of the image or the angle of the camera. We are looking at the photographer's father who is suffering from dementia.

At first we wonder if we can absorb such images, recalling our own afflicted family members or Annie Leibovitz' pictures of a dying Susan Sontag in a recent exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. But despite our misgivings, we can't take our eyes away from the images, even from those that are stunningly painful (like Szoka's lying on a bed with her father). Most of the other photographs are not as dramatic perhaps, but still symbolic and poignant: her father throwing a ball in the air; a relative pushing him uphill in his wheelchair.

Szoka has wisely included pictures of her father before his last days, engaged in routine activities befitting a more healthy individual: his birthday party comes to mind as a potent, symbolic image.

There are other symbols, like balloons, that appear in several photographs signifying youth and freedom. They are understandably subtle objects, but those small things are the ones we remember about our precious loved ones.. Szoka allows us to remember.

The photographs will be on view at Canio's in Sag Harbor until May 9. On that day, there will be readings which feature care-giving. Call 631-725-4926 for details.