Maine Arts : THE PAULA TOGNARELLI COLLECTION
Rhonda Lashley, Flying in the Rain
THE PAULA TOGNARELLI COLLECTION
Maine Museum of Photographic Arts
15 Middle Street, A3, Portland, ME 04101
APRIL 5 - MAY 25, 2024
written by: Max Wiener
The unique wit and charm of Paula Tognarelli’s extensive collection shines on the walls of the Maine Museum of Photography.
It’s safe to say that Paula Tognarelli has a unique sense of humor. It’s witty, sharp, and cunning, and her extensive photographic collection certainly highlights just that. Her exhibited works at The Maine Museum of Photography show a lighter side of life, where societal norms are taboo, and the youthful splendor in all of us comes out to roam free.The Paula Tognarelli Collection is a glimpse into the mind of the namesake, a true testament to her character and personality that can only be seen by looking into her collection.For example, you can find out someone’s music taste by looking at their vinyl record collection, and we can see Tognarelli’s artistic taste by looking at her choice of works. And, as a fantastic addition, we learn more about her as a human being, inspiring us to pursue the truth of ourselves .
Diana Nicholette Jeon, Nights As Inexorable As The Sea, Volume1,
In 2021, Tognarelli retired as the executive director of the Griffin Museum of Photography, having served in the role for fourteen years. Being at the helm of a curatorial institution brings a lot of art onto your plate, leaving some with the overwhelming task of sifting through to find what’s truly profound. Tognarelli’s vision takes this into account but also inflects her interests, and in her collection, we see a keen sense of humor that brings out the child in all of us. Irene Klench (Paula Tognarelli) In Car is an eagle with human hands driving an old Chevy Bel-Air This alluring image, surprisingly, isn’t a hallucination.There is no marijuana-induced psychosis that provides us with this viewing experience, no intense trip that leads us to this endgame of artistic hilarity. Instead, a great photograph (with exceptional color manipulation) is presented to us as one of the marquee images of the entire series, setting the stage nicely for the rest of her collection and giving us a small glimpse into the mind of Tognarelli herself. It doesn’t always have to be what society deems “fine art.” If you like it, that’s all that matters.
Alison Plass, Harlan in Blue
A recurring theme throughout a lot of Tognarelli’s collection is youthful rebellion. In many of the presented works, we see children (or a child’s mindset) going against the grain of societal norms humorously.Ruth Orbin’s Comic Book Readers shows kids reading their age-appropriate material with the stance and posture of an adult, analyzing the departure of our childhoods by succumbing to contemporary norms. But, some of her works show the true beauty of life and the richness that is associated with it. Parks, nature, and quality time with one another all add to the splendor of existence. Each photograph should inspire us to improve one small aspect of our lives. Life is short, so let’s care less and enjoy more. That’s what Paula Tognarelli would want us to do.
Betsy Schneider, Boy with Comic Book
