A new exhibition opening Wednesday at the SVA Gallery brings together photography by students and recent graduates of the American University Dubai (AUD) and the School of Visual Arts (SVA). The exhibition was jointly curated by Stephen Frailey, Chair of the MFA Photography and Related Media Department at SVA and Roberto Lopardo, chair of the Visual Communication Department at AUD. The subject is identity, and the cross-cultural vibe at play here puts new gloss on a subject that many in the field insist is passé.

The theme is explored through some tried and true subjects that are brought up to date here, including gender issues and native cultures. In a mesmerizing piece by Kyle Ganson, a trio of monitors shows the transformation of a long-haired young man into a beauty queen, and the reverse, in which his makeup is removed and he's given a buzz cut. His lack of expression emphasizes his beautiful eyes, adding an undercurrent of doubt as to the viewer's preference for the subject's gender.

Left: Gate by Mona Ayyash. Right: Tire by Cima Azzam. Courtesy School of Visual Arts.

Aya Atoui has taken a page from Tina Barney's book, giving the Arab upper classes a rare moment of exposure. But the fictional quality of the scenes she creates oddly neutralize any cultural differences between them; her outlandish characters have much in common with Alice in Wonderland or David Lynch's exploration of nether worlds.

Not surprisingly, the subjects of war and other catastrophes figure into questions of identity. Mona Ayyash photographed men seated outside their homes holding large framed mirrors. The scenes reflected in the mirrors bring home, literally, the ravages of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Following in the footsteps of Michael Lesey's Wisconsin Death Trip, which relied on portraits to undermine the perceived normality of chaotic times, Kelly Clark presents images of seemingly nondescript suburban American homes in which violent crimes took place.

Part of the show's success is due to the simple, low-budget installation that spotlights content over context. The quality for the most part is equalized through digital prints and video monitors. In the series Dichotomy by Manal Elias, however, a dozen silver gelatin fiber-based prints with air-dried rippled surfaces nicely speak for the human touch as well as the human condition. A series by Raji Al-Sharif based on classical Islamic poetry, while lyrical and mysterious, would have benefited from the addition of translated excerpts of the poems referenced by the photographer.

Basically Human: Conditional Identities/Conditional Spaces opens Wednesday, July 8, 6-8 pm, at the Visual Arts Gallery. 209 East 23 Street, New York, NY. In conjunction with the opening, there will be a screening of the film Transit Dubai, directed by Ineke Smits, 2008. A panel discussion will follow the film, featuring a conversation between several SVA and AUD artists moderated by Seth Greenwald, faculty member of the BFA Photography Program at SVA and Roberto Lopardo of AUD. These events are free and open to the public. Please visit the website for information.

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