Allison Blair: May 2019

Allison Semele Blair is a printmaker whose cyanotypes draw on Greek tragedy to memorialize the tiny, unnoticed deaths of wildlife killed by human causes. She spent a decade studying the Ancient Mediterranean, earning a BA in Classics from Brooklyn College, a post-baccalaureate certificate from Columbia University, and an MA in Greek and Latin from The Ohio State University.  As part of her early studies, Allison spent a summer with the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, which led to an abiding interest in the contemporary Greek landscape and modern interpretations of classical art and literature.  Allison has shifted her focus to studio art, but still returns regularly to Greece, most recently to participate in the Sfakiotes Artist Residency on the island of Lefkada.  Allison earned her MFA in Printmaking from West Virginia University in 2018.  She lives and works in Pittsburgh, PA.

“In my work, I memorialize wildlife killed by anthropogenic causes.  Inspired by Ancient Greek tragedy, I engage with the ethical dilemmas inherent in our actions to express the strange, intractable beauty of these unsung deaths.  Primarily focusing on birds who die by window strike, I seek to pay attention to and elevate the individual victims of a systemic problem.  I use antiquated processes to print digitally-captured imagery to express my belief in the continual relevance of the past to the present. “