“the space between” opens march 7

Ming Toy Gallery is pleased to host "The Space Between" - Josephine Langbehn's first solo show - during the month of March.

Langbehn is a Nebraska artist engaged in multiple disciplines as a painter and arts educator. Using historical photographs as a starting point, she paints portraits of people to connect the stories of past lifetimes to those in the present. Taking an image that has been cherished through the years or those discarded and forgotten, Langbehn paints them on a larger scale, which offers the opportunity to reminiscence and reflect.

Below, the artist describes "The Space Between" in her own words:

"It reflects the quiet, unspoken reminders of ways we stay connected - to those who came before us, to each other, and to the moments and people that fill us with light. Everyday people, even those from the past, remind us of our own memories and connections to the people around us. It explores the physical and metaphorical space: between the viewer and the painting, between strangers, between the fear of forgetting and the work of holding onto memories, between the silence of grief and the holes of missing fragments in the memory. Yet, even in these spaces, the light doesn’t dim. Instead, we are keeping the light on, sustaining the presence of those we love, the memories that shape us, and the truths that exist beyond language."

Langbehn's paintings have been exhibited in regional exhibitions across Nebraska and in the Midwest, including Salina Biennial, LaLa, Omaha Summer Arts Mural Cube Project, National Art Education Association Juried Exhibition, Nebraska Artist Biennial and PACE New Masters Exhibition.

She holds a B.A. and M.A. in education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, lives in Omaha and creates from her studio at Hot Shops Art Center.