Unveiling Creativity: Light Work’s ‘Mater Si, Magistra No’ alongside the 2025 B.F.A. Art Photography Showcase at Syracuse University

Light Work will showcase “Mater si, magistra no,” a solo display by Nabil Harb, running until April 25 in the Kathleen O. Ellis Gallery, 316 Waverly Ave. in Syracuse. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, Jan. 23, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the gallery.

Lake Hancock, Nabil Harb, 2024

“Mater si, magistra no,” (a macaronic expression meaning “Mother yes, teacher no”) showcases a collection of monochrome photographs that illustrate and portray moments and scenes in Harb’s hometown of Lakeland in Polk County, Florida. This location in Central Florida serves as both the setting and central character in Harb’s visual storytelling: a narrative infused with surreal characteristics that reshape concepts of the area through the formal language of photography into a conceptual notion—an idea of representing the essence of a location without verbal expression.

“The landscape is the ideal reflection of our community, our ultimate index—it encapsulates our histories, our secrets, our shortcomings, and our aspirations for the future,” Harb states.

Through his camera, Harb scrutinizes rather than merely gazes at intricate scenes and dynamic figures; his photographs challenge the before and after of a picture by exhibiting a moment elongated or an instant illuminated by a strobe. The stories within this work are contradictory and weave together. The predominant narrative is a struggle between humanity and nature, where beauty and destruction coexist in an atmosphere that is surreal, alluring, and breathtaking. The intersection of opposing concepts of destruction and renewal is where Harb’s formalism and conceptual photographic method converge, revealing the possibility for beauty within chaos and ominous renewal.

Harb, a Palestinian American photographer, was born and raised in Polk County, Florida, where he continues to reside. He earned his bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of South Florida and his Master of Fine Arts in photography from Yale University. His work has appeared in Aperture, The Atlantic, ArtReview, The Guardian, and A24.

2025 B.F.A. Art Photography Annual

Light Work is also showcasing the 2025 B.F.A. Art Photography Annual. This exhibition displays works by seniors from the Art Photography program within the Film and Media Arts Department at the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University. The exhibiting artists include Maxine Brackbill, Charles Lavion, Kelsey Quinn Leary, Lili Moreno Martel, Shawn McCauley, and Hazel Wagner.

Each spring, seniors enrolled in the art photography program are presented with the opportunity to display a selection of images from their senior thesis projects at Light Work. The senior thesis is an extensive, yearlong photographic investigation of a topic chosen by each student. The subjects of these projects vary widely, ranging from deeply personal inquiries into family and identity to sharp and humorous explorations that push the limits of fashion and studio photography. Students select, edit, and print the images in partnership with and with assistance from Light Work’s curatorial staff and master printers.

“The B.F.A. Art Photography Annual is not only the inaugural exhibition for many students in the Art Photography program, but also a significant learning experience for them,” remarks Laura Heyman, associate professor of art photography. “Besides providing students with the opportunity to envision how their creations might exist outside the university walls, the Art Photography Annual introduces their work to peers, the local community, and esteemed curators and critics who judge the exhibition.”

Bruno Ceschel, the founder of Self Publish Be Happy, acted as juror and chose Brackbill’s images for Best in Show.

“Maxine Brackbill’s photographs explore identity through lenses of gender, race, and familial contexts, presenting narratives that are intensely personal yet universally relatable. These tales arise during a period when there is increasing visibility for diverse viewpoints, but also a climate that seems to grow more hostile,” notes Ceschel. “One particularly compelling image of Maxine standing in water, challenging the viewer with a gaze that confidently affirms her new body and new life, evokes both vulnerability and defiance.”

An opening reception will occur in the Jeffrey J. Hoone Gallery at Light Work on Jan. 23 from 5 to 7 p.m.