LAURA BETH REESE
Blue Sky is pleased to announce 2024 Critical Mass Exhibition: #influenced by Laura Beth Reese
First Thursday Opening: Apr 3, 5 – 9 PM
In-Person Artist Talk: Sat, Apr 5, 3:30 PM
Laura Beth Reese’s #influenced explores the intersection of social media, celebrity culture, and consumerism by focusing on public figures like Paris Hilton and Kylie Jenner. Using handmade props and ready-made products, Reese created carefully constructed scenes that mirror the virtual world of social media. The resulting work reflects how pop cultural influences shape and distort our perceptions of fame, identity, and reality.
Laura Beth Reese (American, b. 1987, she/her) is an artist and pop culture connoisseur. She uses photography as a tool to explore her obsessions – from her ex-boyfriends to her biological mother to reality television. Her work has been exhibited nationally—most recently at Abakus Projects, the Photographic Resource Center, and the Pen + Brush Gallery. She is a 2025 recipient of the Grant for Creative Individuals from Mass Cultural Council and has been published in Boston Art Review, Paper Safe, and online at Cosmo.com and The Huffington Post, among others.
Reese was born in Iowa and raised on the east coast of the United States. She holds an MFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and a BA from Muhlenberg College. She resides in Boston where she has taught at Harvard University, Boston College, and currently works as a Studio Manager and Part-Time faculty member at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts.
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.