Artist Statement
In my work, I am constructing psychological space. My intent is to explore the human psyche and relish the idea that we are all beautifully flawed. These large-scale images (48” x 60”) come from the exploration of human behaviors and compulsions. I look for an everyday level to the clinical subjects that I research, as tendencies toward one issue or another are present in everyone.
I have always been drawn to using interior space in my work and ultimately focused on the psychological weight that a space can have. I realized that by controlling the environment more I could create a space that holds a narrative.
The settings are always in actual spaces as opposed to a studio. The domestic setting places the scene in reality while the situation created is an elaborate exaggeration. The space represents a thought process, a feeling, or a subconscious drive.
I am exploring how we come to see ourselves, see others, and how others may come to see us through our quirks. These images illustrate how we relate to others, to the world at large, how our traits affect other people, and how the world affects us given our various traits, whether they are internalized or externalized. Further, I am examining our attempts to manage our issues ourselves, and the inevitable pitfalls these efforts create.
It is ultimately the viewer who completes this work. There can be a comfort found in recognizing that one is not the only person with such a problem. However, there is discomfort in the possibility of being face to face with an aspect of oneself that is in general negative. Each piece is a kind of self-test.

 

 

Sarah Hobbs


EDUCATION
2000 MFA in Photography, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
1992 BFA in Art History, University of Georgia, Athens, GA


AWARDS & HONORS
2011 Artadia Grant Awardee
2011 Photolucida Critical Mass Top 50
2002 Finalist, Forward Arts Foundation Emerging Artist Award


SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2011
__ Flight In Place (installation) Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, Augusta, GA
__ Sarah Hobbs: Photographs, Augusta State University, Mary S. Byrd Gallery of Art, Augusta, GA
–– Out of Mind, Silver Eye Center for Photography, Pittsburgh, PA
-
2009
— Emotional Management, Solomon Projects, Atlanta, GA
— Does This Sound Like You?, Loyola University, Julio Fine Arts Gallery, Baltimore, MD

2008
— Modern Angst, Sumter County Gallery of Art, Sumter, SC

2006
— Sarah Hobbs, Hollins University, Roanoke, VA
— Does This Sound Like You?, Solomon Projects, Atlanta, GA

2004
— SubUrban: Sarah Hobbs, The Knoxville Museum of Art, Knoxville, TN
— Small Problems in Living, Yossi Milo Gallery, New York, NY

2003
— Small Problems in Living, Solomon Projects, Atlanta, GA






SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2012
–– CRITICAL MASS 2011 - Contents: Love, Anxiety, Happiness and Everything Else, Photo Center NW, Seattle, WA; Newspace Center for Photography, Portland, OR; and Rayko Photo Center, San Francisco, CA
–– Room in My Head: Staging Psychological Space, Savannah College of Art and Design, Gustein Gallery, Savannah, GA


2011
–– After the Suburbs, Kiang Gallery, Atlanta, GA

2010
–– Post-her, Jackson Fine Art Project Space, Atlanta, GA

2009
— Slightly Unbalanced: Sophie Calle, Mike Kelly, Bruce Nauman, Sarah Hobbs, et al. Independent Curators International, New York, NY (traveling exhibition)
— southXeast, Florida Atlantic University Art Galleries, Boca Raton, FL

2007
— On the Scene: Kota Ezawa, Sarah Hobbs, Angela Strassheim, The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
— Wandern*, Solomon Projects, Atlanta, GA

2005
— The Empire of Sighs, Numark Gallery, Washington, D.C.

2004
— Human Conditions, Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, MD
— Diorama, Lobby Gallery, Shorenstein Realty Services, New York, NY

2003
— Forward Arts Foundation 2002-2003 Emerging Artist Award Finalists, Swan Coach House Gallery, Atlanta, GA

2002
— girl, Georgia State University Gallery, Atlanta, GA

2001
— A New Consciousness: Five Emerging Georgia Photographers, Artwalk, Atlanta, GA
— Up Close and Personal, artist studio tour in conjunction with The Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Atlanta, GA

2000
— Discomfort: Photographs by Sarah Hobbs, Athens Academy, Athens, GA
— MFA 2000 Masters Thesis Exhibition, Georgia Museum of Art, Athens, GA
— LaGrange National XXI Biennial, Lamar Dodd Art Center, LaGrange, GA






SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
2011
Andrews, Skyler. “Sarah Hobbs’ Art is Organized Chaos,” Verge, September 14, 2011, p. 23
Brennan, Lissa. “Too Perfect,”Pittsburgh City Paper, February 24.
Shaw, Kurt, “Artist’s Photos Let Spaces Speak Volumes,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, February 20.

2009
Fox, Catherine. “Atlantan Sarah Hobbs Assaults Our Defenses in Photos at Solomon Projects,” Artscriticatl (www.artscriticatl.com), December 11
Fox, Catherine. “Mental Disorders Inform Hobbs’ Show at Solomon Projects,”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 9, p. D14
Stone, Staci. “Sarah Hobbs’ Emotional Management at Solomon Projects,” Burnaway (www.burnaway.com), December 21
Author not known, “Sarah Hobbs’ Psychological Space,” Monthly Photography (Korea), January, p. 95-103.

2008
Fallis, Greg. “Sarah Hobbs,”UTATA (www.utata.org/salon), August

2007
Finel-Honigman, Ana. “Sarah Hobbs in Conversation with Ana Finel Honigman,” Saatchi Gallery Online (www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk), January
Lopez, Ruth. "Thinking outside the box," Time Out Chicago / Issue 117, May 24 - 30.

2006
Demos, TJ, et at. Vitamin Ph: New Perspectives in Photography. New York: Phaidon Press Ltd., pp. 126-127 (text by Ana Finel- Honigman)
Cullum, Jerry. "Picture Perfect Scenes Filled with Inside Jokes," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 18, pL12.
Feaster, Felicia. "If These Walls Could Talk," Creative Loafing, June 8-14, p45.
Davis, Tiffany. "Frames of Mind," Daily Candy,(www.dailycandy.com), June 1

2005
Dimling-Cochran, Rebecca. "Sarah Hobbs at the Knoxville Museum of Art," Art in America. October, p. 186-187.
Self, Dana. Suburban: Sarah Hobbs. Knoxville Museum of Art exhibition catalogue.
Sessa, Sam. "MAP examines photography's role," The Baltimore Sun, May 26.
Knowles, Susan W. "Sarah Hobbs at the Knoxville Museum of Art," Art Papers, March/April, pp. 43-44.
Mascina, Audrey. "T.O.C." Blast (France). Volume 16, (February/March), pp. 81-87.

2004
Angrist, Laurel. "Sarah Hobbs," New York Press, December 22-28.

2003
Cullum, Jerry. "Problems in Living engagingly shown." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 7, p. Q6.
Feaster, Felicia. "Dysfunction Junction," Creative Loafing, March 5-11, p64.
McGown, Edna. "Small Problems In Living: An exhibit by Sarah Hobbs, Witty photos capture our shared neuroses." Digital City: Atlanta, What's Going On. March www.digitalcity.com/atlanta/entertainment/event.
Going On. March www.digitalcity.com/atlanta/entertainment/event.

2001
Fox, Catherine. "Contrasts in Focus," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Nov. 21, p. Q6.



SELECTED COLLECTIONS

Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Brooklyn Museum of Art, Brooklyn, NY
Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, GA
Sir Elton John Collection, Atlanta, GA
Knoxville Museum of Art, Knoxville, TN
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
Montclair Art Museum, Montclair, NJ
The Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago, IL
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Banco Espirito Santo, Portugal
Hadley Martin Fisher Collection, New York, NY

 

Cross-Reference