Island photographers show in Town Hall: Welcoming visitors through August

Shelter Island Town Hall isn’t typically an art lover’s destination. But summer 2026 is already bringing some big changes.

As of June 20, local artists have been displaying their work in the assembly hall, including several inspiring works of photography from Kathryn A. Cunningham, Chris Sorensen, Carl Norr, and Virginia Khuri. Each collection embodies a sensibility and a theme brought upon by the hands of their creators.

Mr. Sorenson’s exhibit utilizes modern-day media, specifically a recognizable, eerie red wardrobe and white wings. A dress was inspired by Margaret Atwood’s 1984 book and adapted Hulu series “The Handmaid’s Tale.” The photo was created with the help of his wife, contributing to his award-winning fine-art series “Wife, During Quarantine.”

“Since we were on lockdown, she was my only subject,” Mr. Sorenson said.

Following the Jan. 6 insurrection, he compared the unsettling overlap of Atwood’s fictional coup against the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. This unrolled his photography into a theme, he said, of patriarchal violence and control not only for women, but toward men, as well.

In one piece, a male dressed as the DC Comic character “Joker”— who sports green hair and pale skin— is silenced by a hand covering his mouth. Though there are painted lips and teeth, the ‘new’ mouth is useless, creating the illusion of voicelessness and stripping him of an opinion. Meanwhile, the woman’s mouth is completely visible to the viewer.

However, in alliance with an overbearing patriarchy, she is forbidden to speak. Sorenson’s photos cleverly represent the root of both the imaginary and real-life insurrection: violence, power, and control. To quote Sheryl Lee Ralph’s 2022 speech, “Just because you have rights today does not mean that you will have rights tomorrow.”

While several of the works focus on human subjects, artist Kathryn A. Cunningham shifts the attention to the beauty of touched and untouched nature. “I typically do oil paintings,” she said, “but I took an expedition to Antarctica.”

Perhaps one of the most wondrous places in the world, she was able to freeze her experience in time through her digital media. Her photos, which are printed on thin metal sheets as opposed to canvas or paper, highlight four of her most memorable moments from the trip.

In one, a penguin stands proudly on a block of ice, stretching its wings out wide as if it knows the camera is focusing in on him. In another, Ms. Cunningham obtained photographs of a rusty oil tank, accompanied by an eerily abandoned research station underneath. These ghostly images of what once was display the mark humans have imprinted on nature, raising the question as to what is truly left of the completely natural world.

However, in an effort to bring forth a peace of mind, her collection finishes with a reflective image of glaciers bouncing off a glass-like sheet of black water. Overhead, a perfect blue sky completes the masterpiece with wisps of thin clouds. It is almost as though the miraculous freezing temperatures can be felt through the metal, even on a warm summer day.

Similarly, Virginia Khuri’s photographs focus on the birds, the sun and the sky. Ms. Khuri adds her own unique touch by solely working in black and white film. Hence, rather than getting lost in the many different colors of the world, viewers can truly appreciate the hidden mystery behind the shape of a cloud. 

Another artist, Carl Norr, contrasts the peacefulness of the Island with a busy subway terminal in New York City. Though several dozen people are bustling through the station, Mr. Norr only captures a few partaking in basic human conversation; most spend their time staring intently into their cell phones. Any leftover attention is allotted toward mindlessly holding onto a bag or a child’s hand. This embodies similar themes of the loss of nature, as seen in Ms. Cunningham’s work.

The art show will run through the rest of the summer, with hours Monday through Friday from 1 to 3 p.m. During this time, it is open (apart from an occasional meeting) to anyone who wishes to take a moment or two to appreciate the talent of these unique and impressive Shelter Island artists.