VCU Photography Major and VMFA fellowship recipient Jenny Wolf

VCU student and photographer Jenny Wolf's boundary pushing work has given her notice and awards

By Sam Grimes



















Jenny Wolf, a junior photography major at Virginia Commonwealth University, constantly reinvents herself and innovates to stay unique in the world of photography. Her abilities have won her recognition and prestige. She recently completed a series of prints using photographs and acetone.

The prints were made by laying a large printout of a black and white photograph over a thick paper sheet of the same area. After Wolf donned her gas mask the acetone was poured across the image. This allowed the ink to bleed through the large image and onto the blank, white sheet underneath.

Wolf's first attempt was unsuccessful in her opinion. The red plastic tool she used to slide the acetone across the image bled pink all over the blank sheet.

"This is awful. You can have it if you want," she said, tossing her first attempt aside.

Wolf's fellow photography major and VCU junior Griffin Davis stood watching and laughed as his peer struggled.

"This process is important to learn in the photo department because it shows myself and my peers that we don't have to be limited by photography," Davis said.

Wolf thinks that the acetone process is best for "producing work that gives off a sense of nostalgia."

"The process never guarantees a clean print, thus giving the product a worn look," Wolf said.

Davis believes techniques such as using the acetone to transfer photographs onto paper are "pushing the boundaries of photography into other art."

"Anybody can be a photographer these days," he said.

Davis is citing the fact that so many people have digital or cell phone cameras with them at all times. He and Wolf both believe that they need to separate themselves from the average person to be artists. Using techniques such as the acetone process helps them do that.

This is not the first way Wolf has shown that she can stand out as an artist. She, along with a handful of her VCU peers, was awarded the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Fellowship in February. Wolf was granted the distinction for a series of photographs she did of people holding matches in the dark.

"Winning the VMFA is a huge honor and a relief. It's amazing to have your work recognized by the museum," Wolf said.

She believes that the award goes to help a just cause. The fellowship is meant to support artists by giving them financial aid to continue their work.

"During these hard economic times it's important for everyone to have art in their lives," Davis said.

Wolf agreed with her fellow student that it is important that local artists, like herself, receive the support they need. The fellowship is one clear way that necessary help is given.

"I think that the museum is taking on a great responsibility by doing this. It ensures that artists will be able to survive and keep working to produce work, while being alleviated from financial stress," Wolf said.

She believes that, other than being a patron for artists across Virginia, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts most important and generous role is giving out the fellowship. And as Wolf continues to push into new territory in photography she hopes to follow-up her fellowship with another one in the future and continue to move ahead as an innovator of photography.