Alfa Art Gallery invited you to an in-person reception for this exhibition on January 24, 2025. Alfa Art Gallery is thrilled to announce “Beyond the Image: Unveiling Hidden Narratives”, a vibrant collection showcasing the true artistry of photography.
“Beyond the Image: Unveiling Hidden Narratives” is the newest exhibition in Alfa’s New Brunswick Art Salon (NBAS) program that has run at the gallery over the past fourteen years. The featured artworks explore the variety of artistic photography capturing the many ways a narrative can be told, through texture, nature, and observation of human activity. Each piece reflects the artist’s unique approach to these themes, with some works echoing the intricate flows and textures of nature, while others explore the lines between the known and the unknown describing the complexity of storytelling.
About the New Brunswick Salon Initiative:
Alfa Art Gallery is a non-profit organization devoted to the discovery, growth, and support of emerging and established artists within the art community. Since its establishment, Alfa Art has conducted multiple shows featuring local, national, and international artists and various materials including oil color, watercolor, mixed media, sculptures, photography, crafts and glass works. As an open art studio – gallery, Alfa’s exhibiting artists are welcomed to demonstrate their creative process in the space provided, while collectors and visitors are capable to learn and follow artists’ techniques, styles, and motivations.
About Alfa Art Gallery:
Founders of Alfa, husband and wife duo, Vesselin and Galina Kourteva, have aimed for Alfa to be a cultural hub and space of diversity where all kinds of people may come together and understand one another through the art being presented. News Brunswick is the perfect location for such a space, as there is a rich ethic heritage and diverse population that allows for us to reach artists and audiences from far and wide. The gallery was originally founded in 2007, and ever since then the team here at Alfa Art Gallery has been dedicated to following through on this mission and delivering a positive and engaging experience for all.
2025 NBAS Featured Artists in Photography:
Bob Leonard is a New York City-based photographer known for his abstract compositions that convert everyday scenes into composites. His series, including “Reinventions,” “Walls,” and “Stories,” connect thematically linked images of found objects. A long-time member of the Soho Photo Gallery, Leonard’s work has been featured in prominent publications and recognized in illustrious competitions.
Burt Allen Solomon is a New York-based photographer who has been capturing images since 1961. Primarily focused on black and white gelatin-silver prints, his work explores themes of beauty and order in everyday life. With numerous solo exhibitions and participation in group shows, Solomon invites viewers to engage with his photographs without titles, encouraging personal interpretation and discovery.
Dakin Roy is a photographer who specializes in abstract images derived from found objects and environments. His series “Relegated: a Series of Found Abstractions” distills meaning from neglected materials as subjects, inviting viewers to explore subtle emotional connections within his work.
David DesRochers is a New Jersey-based photographer known for his captivating nature photography that transforms landscapes and wildlife into striking visual narratives. His collections, including American White Pelican and Alaskan Iceberg, highlight his ability to merge the grandeur of nature with delicate details. DesRocher is a member of the North American Nature Photography Association, and his work has been featured in prominent exhibitions and recognized in prestigious international photography competitions.
Edward Volpe is a passionate photographer who has spent 18 years exploring the beauty of colors and spontaneous moments through his lens. Specializing in vibrant landscapes and dynamic action shots, his work captures the authenticity of unplanned moments. Volpe’s photography offers fresh perspectives on familiar scenes, drawing inspiration from the world around him and consistently experimenting with new techniques. He invites viewers to experience the emotions embedded in every frame and see the world in a new light.
Jane Soodalter is a self-taught photographic artist who captures the hidden beauty of everyday objects through her macro lens. She transitioned from a career in pediatric occupational therapy to focus on her art full-time. Her work has been exhibited and published both in the United States and abroad, inviting viewers to discover new narratives in the ordinary.
Jessica Margo, a fine art photographer from Belmar, NJ, rediscovered her passion for photography after a successful media career. Her work has been exhibited in various galleries across New Jersey and Philadelphia, earning recognition in national and international competitions. Through her camera lens, she captures the hidden beauty of everyday objects, transforming them into imaginative new forms. Her images invite viewers to see beauty in nature, exploring the dynamic movement of the ocean in a close-up view.
Kay Kenny is an artist who specializes in rural nighttime photography. Based in New Jersey, her work carries dreamlike qualities through the light and color of her compositions. Alongside creating art, Kenny teaches photography at New York University, and has curated several exhibitions of her own. She is also a member of local art committees in the area as a way to further participate within her community.
Neil Kohl is a documentary photographer based in Philadelphia. Recently, he has focused his skills on social justice initiatives. His work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions throughout the US, while also being a part of various publications, workshops, and festivals. His photographs serve as powerful visual narratives, capturing moments that provoke thought and inspire dialogue.
Pete Aldrich is a fine art photographer from New Jersey with a BFA in Communication Art from Pratt Institute. Since 2005, he has showcased his work in solo and group exhibitions. His vibrant photographs capture the unique infrastructure and spirit of northern New Jersey’s urban areas, highlighting their bold colors and quirky character.
Rocio De Alba’s latest photographic series captures the strength and resilience of women who have reclaimed their lives after long-term addiction. Through intimate portraits of women with over a decade of sobriety, de Alba shifts the narrative away from stereotypical depictions of addiction, offering a powerful celebration of recovery. Her work not only challenges societal perceptions but also offers hope, encouraging women to break the cycle of addiction and embrace empowerment.
Note: Rocio De Alba’s artwork work will only be featured in our Virtual Exhibition, Thursday January 23rd.
Suzette Dushi is a Turkish-born New York and Long Island based photographer whose work has been featured and collected in the US and abroad, and whose work has been published many times over. Dushi has a wide range of photographic projects and elements ranging from architecture, nature, and portraiture but always with profound emotional meaning.
Tsveta Ubcheva is a Bulgarian based photographer and artist. She attended multiple photography schools and has continued her education at Ivaylo Stoyanov’s Conceptual Photography Masterclass in a school of modern photography “Photoconcept” since 2014. Through her education and work in chemical engineering, she has come to understand the central link between art and provocation to restore harmony between the viewer and the universe.
Walter Plotnick’s Surprise Inside series transports viewers into a playful realm where anticipation and nostalgia converge. Using photographic collages of unfolded cardboard boxes, Plotnick reveals hidden moments within, as objects and figures emerge from the confines of the boxes. With a warm sepia wash and a sense of dynamic energy, his works evoke the joy and excitement of childhood surprises, capturing moments of discovery that are both whimsical and visually striking.
