Crystals of Silver

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

Candela Gallery is excited to announce a solo exhibition by Richmond, Virginia-based artist Susan Worsham, opening November 1st. Renowned for her vibrant use of color, Worsham’s upcoming show, Crystals of Silver, draws inspiration from her extensive collection of microscope slides and will feature a limited edition series of rarely seen black-and-white photographs.

Worsham stopped printing black-and-white work 25 years ago when Ektalure paper, known for its high silver content, was discontinued. The show's title comes from the silver halide crystals that make photographic paper sensitive to light—these same crystals are preserved within Worsham’s treasured microscope slides. Worsham muses,

“The microscope slides, like photographs, are meant to capture and preserve. The specimen is affixed to the surface of glass like an image is fixed to the surface of paper. The glass holds both beauty and death at the same time, their labels often reading like small poems –

Human hairs of Man, Woman, and Child
Chirping drum and file of cricket
Butterfly’s tongue.”

In this exhibition, Worsham has returned to gelatin silver printing, preserving memories with a sense of closure. Each image serves as a poetic tribute to lost moments, youth, and the passage of time. While initially focused on exploring her brother’s memory and the loss of family, Worsham’s work has evolved to delve into her relationship with her childhood neighbor, biologist Margaret Daniels, and reflect on her understanding of self and the world. Worsham infuses these inspirations into a multi-sensory experience incorporating video, audio, and sculpture. 

Alongside a rare series of black-and-white photographs, a standout piece in the show is a large pink marble perfume bottle shaped like an urn, evoking the scent her mother used to wear. A marble box carved to resemble Kodak paper memorializes the paper that once held our photographs, smiles, and memories. Lastly, a moving still life in the back room preserves scenes Worsham set up in her childhood neighbor’s basement, photographed before the house was emptied and sealed like a tomb.