Life, Art and Water: A Stunning Exhibit at ICC Gallery

EAST PEORIA — Water is much like life.Oftentimes it is unclear, problematic and taken for granted. The current art exhibit in the ICCPerforming Arts Center illustrates these parallelsbetween water and life, showing the true beautywater beholds.

Unbottled: Intimate Portraits of Water is a series of water photographs by Doug and Eileen Leunig, two photographic artists and one married couple. These are no ordinary photographs of water, though. Thephotographs were taken using a “painting with light” method, which involves high powered flashlights and a digital camera, giving magical qualities to otherwise plain landscapes, still-life compositions and, in this case, even water. The “painting with light” method nearly makes the photographs look like paintings, as Doug and Eileen used it for all ofwater’s states – liquid, steam and solid.

The exhibit also includes framed quotes in between the photographs, all having to do with water, as well. They describe the beauty of water explicitly, which is a nice complement to the abstract meanings the photographs may have. Throughout the exhibit, one could interpret the quotes and photographs and derive the same meaning:

“When you put your hand in a flowing stream, you touch the last that has gone before and the first of what is still to come.”– In the first standout photograph Ecstasy of Memory, one can interpret the center steamed water as the flowing stream the quote describes. On either side of this stream are two colors, which may represent the past and the future, the “last that has gone” and the “first of what is still to come.” Even without looking for meaning, Ecstasy of Memory and its painting like feel is visually astounding.

“If there is magic on the planet, it is contained in water.”– In the most visually stunning photograph Elation, there is a myriad of colors, lightness and natural elements. While this photograph’s natural landscape makes it look like a normalphotograph, the use of sensual colors and lighting schemes almost makes the nature loo like a fantasy, like magic. This has a lot to do with water, as the photograph depicts a moist, rainy night. This photograph utilizes rain, a natural function of water, and manages to make it look magical.

“Water flows humbly to the lowest level. Nothing is weaker than water, yet for overcoming what is hard and strong, nothing surpasses it.” – The central photograph, Belief, one can see both these qualities of water. The photograph is the exhibit’s most natural and simple, yet most profound and beautiful. Its subject of a still ocean view illustrates the simple, natural beauty of water, while leaving the most interpretation up to the viewer. The still water is weak, but the vastness andcompleteness make it “hard and strong.”

There is much to be said about these beautiful works, and just as much to say about their creators. Having collectively worked as corporate photographer, photo editor, and writer, Doug and Eileen Leunig are well-rounded artists. The Leunigs are also very active in our art community, conceiving and creating Art Lives In Central Illinois, their collaborating publication with over 200 visual artists in the area. The Leunigs also have a few exhibits in Peoria, from “Exhibit A” in Peoria’s Junction City to their First Fridays exhibit on Adams Street in downtown Peoria. They have been published many times, including one hardcover photography book Gathering Light. For their craft and dedication to that craft in Peoria’s community, the Leunigs were named Arts Partners of the Year in 2012.

The Leunigs’ exhibit in the ICC Performing Arts Center is completely free and just a short walk away from the academic buildings. Gallery hours are generally 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the PAC lobby, so there is plenty of time to go see some truly incredible local works of art here at ICC.