JEN GOLD a senior thesis exhibition

Jen Gold presented her senior thesis exhibition, “The Looking Glass” last week in Sacred Heart Hall. The models used in her photographs included her close friends and a few random models. In the process of its creation, Gold found herself short one male. She then asked a man walking by to participate in her project. The man graciously accepted and she ended up being very happy with his portraits. Gold photographed more females than males for this exhibition. After she finished shooting everyone, she shuffled their photographs around to see who paired up well together. Ultimately, 18 portraits were brought to life in her senior thesis exhibition.

Gold’s main influence is a Dutch photographer named Rineke Dijkstra. Gold saw Dijkstra’s exhibition in SFMOMA last spring on a school trip with photography professor Andrew Cross. This encounter changed the way she viewed portraiture. Gold’s photographs are all taken underwater, which distinguishes her work as unique.

“I still to this day can’t put a finger on why I am so obsessed with underwater photography,” Gold said. “I guess I am just fascinated by the process. It is so different than shooting above ground; I love the way that light bends and how the body is transformed underwater.”

She closed her exhibition with a reception held on Feb. 8, where she provided her guests with snacks and wine provided by Wattle Creek Winery.