“The Genius of Place” exhibit captures time through the lens of wet-plate photography, featuring the works of Maurene Cooper of Vanity Tintype.
Nestled in the heart of Rittenhouse Square, the upscale Hyatt Centric Center City Philadelphia is bringing its next remarkable “Maker Series” installment to art enthusiasts. This series, emphasizing local artists, proudly introduces the wet-plate photographic mastery of Maurene Cooper from Vanity Tintype. Her exhibit, “Genius of Place”, will be unveiled on October 5th and promises to immerse visitors in a blend of Philadelphia’s lush locales, historical architectures, and floral portraits until the end of December.
Vanity Tintype is the brainchild of Philadelphia native Maurene Cooper. With a blend of academic prowess and a genuine passion for art, Cooper has used wet-plate photography to delve deep into the intricacies of family, intimacy, and the world-building aspects of placemaking. Her distinctive tintype style has garnered attention globally, allowing her to lecture at esteemed institutions and exhibit her work in well-regarded venues.
In “Genius of Place”, Vanity Tintype offers a visual treat by placing side-by-side portraits of women adorned with flowers against urban landscapes featuring native and invasive plant species and historical estates. Notably, many of these landscapes are captured from iconic Philadelphia sites like Fairmount Park and Bartram’s Garden. Regarding her inspiration, Cooper remarked on her fascination with the wet-plate process, “The work grew throughout the summer into a larger project that looks to native and invasive plant life in the city of Philadelphia in both bucolic gardens and the urban landscape with garden lots.”
Elizabeth Fricke, Director of Sales and Marketing at Hyatt Centric Center City, perfectly encapsulates the significance of this event, “Cooper’s process is unique in its antiquity and craftsmanship, and creates an ethereal look into Philadelphia’s personalities and green escapes.”
For those eager to experience this exhibit, an opening reception will occur on October 5th from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Hyatt Centric Philadelphia. Attendees can witness Cooper’s original ambrotypes and enjoy complimentary prosecco and light bites from the Patchwork Restaurant & Bar.
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