Monica Denevan
Giant Sequoia Triptych, Mariposa Grove, Yosemite, 2020

photograph from original negative, printed on aluminum
53”H x 41”W (each)

ARTWORK STATEMENT:

Like many San Franciscans, I spent part of my childhood summers in and around Yosemite. My mother and I vacationed at nearby Camp Mather annually and we took day trips to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and the valley to hike and explore. Last year, after eight months of Covid lockdown, I returned to Yosemite. I was longing to be, once again, in that majestic landscape, away from the walls of my home, and to feel a part of something wondrous and expansive. I hiked to Mariposa Grove, which had been closed for three years for conservation, and photographed some of the giant sequoias in silence. It was a humbling experience to be in the presence of beings so large and so old. It was quiet, the air was cold, and it was hard to take in their beauty and perfection all at once. I was grateful to be there, and I didn’t want to leave. Two months later, fifteen giant sequoias in Mariposa Grove fell in 100 mph winds, yet many more of the ancient trees withstood the storm, as they have in the past. 

ARTIST BIO:

Born in San Francisco, Monica Denevan studied photography at San Francisco State University. Traveling as often as she can, she works with a medium-format film camera, printing from negatives in her traditional darkroom. Denevan’s photographs have been exhibited internationally. In 2016, ten of her images were included in a book of Lao photographs published by Nazraeli Press and Friends Without a Border in NYC. Last year, she was the All About Photo Awards first-place recipient. She is represented by Scott Nichols Gallery (Sonoma), Capital Culture Gallery (UK), and Open House Bookshop (Bangkok).