Jesse Egner: I Want to See How Things Play Out
Blue Sky is pleased to announce June 2025 exhibition: I Want to See How Things Play Out by Jesse Egner
First Thursday Opening: Jun 5, 5 – 9 PM
In-Person Artist Talk: Sat, Jun 7 at 2 PM
In I Want to See How Things Play Out, Jesse Egner uses humor and absurdity to navigate themes of queerness. Working with familiar everyday objects, he co-creates moments that blur fantasy and reality with his collaborators. Rooted in Egner’s experiences with body shaming and marginalization, these photographs subvert conventional norms and empower queer dynamism.
Jesse Egner (American, b. 1993, he/they) is a queer artist and educator currently based in Brooklyn, New York. Often taking the form of playful and absurd photographic portraiture of himself and other individuals, his work explores themes such as queerness, body image, relationships, collaboration, and humor. He received his BA from Millersville University of Pennsylvania in 2016 and his MFA from Parsons School of Design in 2020. His work has been exhibited and published globally and is included in the permanent collection at the Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts. He is a NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship recipient and has participated in residencies at the Santa Fe Art Institute in Santa Fe, New Mexico; Bunnell Street Arts Center in Homer, Alaska; Studio Vortex in Arles, France; Yaddo in Saratoga Springs, New York; the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, Vermont; and TILT Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Organizer
Founded as the Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts by a group of five young photographers in 1975, Blue Sky quickly established itself as an important venue for local photography. In a short period of time, the organization expanded its offerings to include national and international artists, many of whom exhibited at Blue Sky early in their careers. Blue Sky’s special endeavor continues to be the exhibition of emerging and established artists that exemplify the finest in photographic vision and innovation. As such, Blue Sky has earned the accolade as having “the best record of discovering new photographers of any artists’ space in the country.” Today, from our 3,700-square-foot facility in Portland’s historic DeSoto Building, Blue Sky presents 20 – 25 exhibitions annually, maintains a public research library, showcases regional photographers in an annual juried exhibition of original works in its Pacific Northwest Drawers, and offers artist talks and programs — all free to the public.