I was recently in Chicago for the Filter Photo Festival and was happy to attend the opening of the Light Exhibition at the David Weinberg Gallery, jurored by Matthew Avignone and David Weinberg.  The walls were filled with compelling images and in the center of all that goodness, were the images of Clarissa Bonet.  Her stark and cinematic look at uban spaces were beautifully executed and I wanted to see more.

Clarissa received her M.F.A. in photography from Columbia College Chicago and her B.S. in Photography from the University of Central Florida. She is currently an adjunct photography teacher at Harrington College of Design. Her work has been exhibited national and internationally. She was the recipient of the Albert P. Weisman grant for two consecutive years. Her work is in the collection of the South East Museum of Photography and Calumet Photographic. She has most recently won PDN’s the Curator; search for undiscovered fine art photography.

The urban space is striking. Its tall and mysterious buildings, crowds of anonymous people, an endless sea of concrete constantly intrigue me. City Space is a ongoing photographic exploration of the urban environment and my perception of it. I am interested in the physical space of the city and its emotional and psychological impact on the body. 

These photographs reconstruct mundane events in the city that I have personally experienced or witnessed in public. Stark light, deep shadow and muted color are visual strategies I explore to describe the city. I use the city as a stage and transform the physical space into a psychological one. The images I create do not represent a commonality of experience but instead provide a personal interpretation of the urban landscape.