Leah Sobsey works at the intersection of nineteenth century photographic processes and twenty-first century digital technology. In the course of her investigations, Sobsey travels to national parks to examine their museum collections. The subject matter of each series is dictated by her findings as her imagery bridges past to present, honoring both the specimens she works with and the medium of photography.
For Collections Sobsey photographed shoes from the Carroll Family Homestead Collection at Acadia National Park. Each photograph contains a single shoe against a black background, allowing the viewer to scrutinize the unique specimen. In another set of images, specimens of tiny birds, tattered shoes, and clipped ferns are housed in drawers of darkness. They have been plucked from their context and illuminated by sun and light, brought to life once again.
Her work is particularly time sensitive, as museum collections are currently in a state of crisis due to lack of funding and support. This body of work sheds light on the importance and significance of the collections to the scientific community and beyond.
