Washington Post
May 25, 2012
by Mark Jenkins
Renate Aller
The dicotyledon, which provides the title of Renate Aller’s photo exhibition at Adamson Gallery, is a kind of flowering plant whose blooms come in pairs. “Dicotyledon” is not a selection of flower pictures, but it does include several pairs: diptychs that contrast urban and rural, or human and environment. Aller is known for austere seascapes, and there are a few of those in this show. But the German-born New Yorker has started to add animals and humans (all children) to her crisply detailed, meticulously framed compositions, and sometimes arranged the images to converse with each other. In addition to the diptychs, there’s a six-panel study of sky and clouds in which two squares are pure blue — both empty and saturated. Aller captures shimmering, gem-like moments, and offering multiple views only increases the sense that she has perfect timing.
Renate Aller: Dicotyledon
On view through May 31 at Adamson Gallery, 1515 14th St. NW; 202-232-0707; http://adamsongallery.com/artists/.