Bowling Green

Nicole Bengiveno

The Essence of Time

Nicole Bengiveno is interested in capturing the mystery and magic of light and how it communicates the passage of time. In her recent series in the New York Times, she photographed New York City scenes of commuter life - pedestrians rushing to Grand Central Terminal, speeding or arriving subway trains, or the solitary wait on a train platform. One image shows an apartment building in the moonlight, with windows glowing, a view of urban domesticity one may see while homeward bound.

Bengiveno, trained as a photojournalist to realize the essence of her subject through her camera's lens, has lengthened her exposure times to reveal the arcing streaks of light, the whirling patterns of sunlight bouncing off a metallic surface, the late afternoon's golden glow, and illumination from streetlights and passing cars that creates the appearance of painterly brushstrokes in the faces of evening commuters. The Essence of Time explores the properties of light that surround us and transform everyday sights to the poetic. Bengiveno says she was inspired by time and space, energy, and motion for the series. Surrounded by the orange tile of the Philip Johnson-designed Bowling Green station (4,5), the seven lightboxes glow with strong color and high contrast, bringing the photographer's ruminations on time and light to the hectic subway environment, showing what can be seen when one stops to look.

The Essence of Time will be on display through 2007.

Display transparencies donated by Portland Color.