Taos, New Mexico—Wednesday, November 19, 2003 — The Aloni Reznik Studio welcomes the holidays with a new exhibit featuring works by widely recognized embroiderer Mical Aloni and acclaimed photographer Assaf Reznik. The decadent holiday reception will be at the Aloni Reznik Studio on Saturday, December 13 from 4-7pm at 316 Burch, Taos, NM.

The Lovers and Dancers exhibit illustrates the interplay of movement, luminosity, and transformation. The compositions, which include intricate embroidery and fine art photography, swirl with blazing passion in golden hues and bright white light. “Rituals around the world bring light into people’s hearts to uplift their spirit during the dark winter months,” says Reznik. “Light is essential. It is symbolic, beautiful, comforting and transforming. Hanukah, the Jewish holiday of light, celebrates the miracle when one day’s supply of lamp oil lasted for eight days in the House of God in Jerusalem. This is symbolic to me: if one has a spark, just an initiation of light, it may last longer than one expects. It’s fitting to introduce this work during the holidays.”

Aloni’s new series of embroidery consists of portraits of Taos women, some of which will debut in the Lovers and Dancers exhibit. “My intention in this body of work is to let the models choose how they want to present themselves to the world”, says Aloni. “I give them a stage to express their fantasies, their imagination and creativity. With my needle and thread, I hope to act as a catalyst for their vision. In this way, I share the canvas with each of these incredible women.”

Also on display will be Reznik’s eclectic retrospective on dance, love and movement. In his new photographs, Reznik captures the sensuality of the human form with flames, light and uniquely captured motion—photographic techniques distinctive to Reznik’s work. Seven of the images depict Nikesha, a beautiful ethnic dancer from Taos in a series of mysterious and striking movements.

The couple will unveil their newest collaborative photo-embroidery work, The Emergence from a Cocoon, a self portrait of Aloni. The piece depicts Aloni emerging in thread from an abstract mask-like nude image that Reznik created. The resulting image is a combination of mirrored nude portraits becoming one—a cocoon which breaks open, revealing the color, lines and threads of the couple’s unified work of photography and embroidery, hence the pseudonym M.A. Razoni. The couple clearly shares a vision of aesthetics, leading to a tantalizing, harmonious tension between the two mediums.

Aloni is represented by several galleries and her work was recently featured at a lecture on Fiber and Feminism at the Fiber Art Center and Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts. Three pieces from the Honeymoon Album portfolio are on display through January18, 2004 at the prestigious Contemporary Art/Taos exhibit at The Harwood Museum of Art. Her work is also in the permanent collection of the American Craft Museum in New York.

Reznik won Best of Photography at the Taos Fall Arts Festival 2003 for Gallop, a 27 x 40 inches print from his Garma collection of Aboriginal ceremonial dances in Northern Australia. Another piece from the Garma portfolio, Harvest, is in the permanent collection of the Harwood Museum of Art in Taos, NM. His work is also represented by Art Resource Group gallery in Arroyo Seco, NM.