New Canaan Library announces the opening of Torrance York: Semaphore; A Journey through Parkinson’s, an exploration of the artist’s creative journey after a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) nine years ago. The exhibition opens on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in the Lightburn Gallery, with a reception and gallery talk with Ms. York and the curator from 5:30 – 7:00 pm. All are welcome; please register to attend, newcanaanlibrary.org/events.

After her diagnosis, York’s photography underwent a shift in perspective and process. Pre-diagnosis, her work was focused predominantly on landscapes, notably her Common Ground series depicting Irwin and Waveny Park, and her Road Works series capturing skid marks from unusual camera angles. Over the last few years, her subject matter and technique have undergone a transformation—her road maps becoming mind maps.
On the one hand, York’s photographs have provided her with coping mechanisms and, on the other, a way to communicate her challenges and observations to others. The result is an illuminating and inspirational body of work that engages the viewer to perceive mundane yet wondrous objects with a new lens that may be relatable to many.
The exhibition is curated by Arianne Kolb and Micaela Porta and sponsored by Parkinson’s Body and Mind, Fairfield County. A wide range of Parkinson’s-related programs, from workshops and talks to hands-on activities and exercise, will be offered throughout the 6-month run of the exhibition.
Torrance York, a lens-based artist living in Connecticut, earned a BA from Yale and an MFA from Rhode Island School of Design. Exhibited nationally and internationally, her work is held in public and private collections. In 2010 she received a Connecticut Artist Fellowship grant. York serves on the Board of the Educational Video Center in NYC where she formerly taught documentary video and is an Artist Guild Member of Silvermine Arts Center.