Image courtesy of the artist
From April 4-19, 2025, New City Arts will presents On seeing + being: presence in the midst of anxiety, an exhibition of new work by Ben Fey.
Ben W. Fey is a designer and photographer based in Charlottesville, Virginia. He fondly remembers taking photographs of the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular at Disney as a kid in the mid-90s. One of his favorite photographs was not of the fire or action, but of the place where Indiana Jones hid when the giant ball rolled down the hill. Almost 30 years later, Ben still loves photographing the overlooked details around him. His work has been exhibited at Second Street Gallery and Trinity Presbyterian Church. Ben holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia.
New City Arts' Welcome Gallery
114 3rd St. NE, Charlottesville, VA 22902
First Friday Opening Reception
April 4 from 5-7:30PM; Artist talk at 6PM. Free and open to the public. All ages welcome. Exhibition opening sponsored by William Taylor and the Taylor Group of Truist Investment Services.
Gallery Hours
Wednesday-Saturday from 10AM-5PM
Exhibition Events
Photo walk and discussion with Ben Fey | April 12 | 10AM-12PM | Learn more and RSVP for this free event here. Space is limited.
Thank You
This exhibition is supported by the Bama Works Fund of Dave Matthews Band at the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation.
Exhibition Statement
As a way to get out of a creative drought, I established a daily photography practice for 2024. The practice involved making and sharing at least one photograph per day. The daily photography practice was a reminder to not allow anxiety, worry, and fear to take up my time. Instead, I chose to pause, be present, and truly see and appreciate the beauty around me.
As a musician, some days during my 2024 daily photography project felt like practicing my scales or just checking a box—however, I found the daily practice of looking with my camera helped me be more present even in the times when I wasn't making photographs. Sometimes I had to look harder to find the beauty, but it was there, even in the midst of difficult things.
Over the 366 days of 2024, I made and shared 412 photographs. Themes found in the work are: motion, the passage of time, light and shadow, small details/moments, and comfort/nostalgia.
Located at 114 3rd St. NE on Charlottesville’s downtown pedestrian mall, New City Arts’ Welcome Gallery supports artists who live in the Charlottesville area. Welcome Gallery exhibitions and programs are made possible by generous sponsors, donors, and grants. Interested in sponsoring an exhibition? Connect with us!