inspired by musical traditions of the american south, potter captures the feeling of a place in images that are simultaneously alluring and haunting 

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BENTONVILLE, Ark. — On May 11, 2024, the Momentary will open Kristine Potter: Dark Waters, an exhibition of richly detailed black-and-white photographs inspired by the enigmatic terrain surrounding bodies of water that bear names of violence in the American South: places like “Murder Creek,” “Deadman’s Branch,” and “Bloody Fork.” The series of photographs, complemented by a video and sound installation, unravels the deeply held associations between land and a history of violence in this area of the nation.  

Kristine Potter: Dark Waters is accompanied by Potter’s second monograph, co-published by the Momentary and Aperture, which continues the artist’s engagement with the American landscape as a palimpsest for cultural ideologies. The exhibition is curated by Sarah Meister, executive director at Aperture; Alejo Benedetti, curator of contemporary art at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Momentary; and Elise Raborg, curatorial associate of contemporary art at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Momentary. 

Threaded throughout this series of photographs are Potter’s references to murder ballads – a genre of traditional folk songs in which women are often menaced or killed by men in rivers and forests. Still performed and recorded today, these songs mirror the many similar stories we find in present-day films, television series, and true crime podcasts. These cultural expressions have become the backing track for the South, tinting the way people perceive the region. 

At the heart of this work is an acknowledgement that narratives of violence against women are a substantial part of cultural consumption. “I’m interested in the ways in which our experience of place is informed by our culture and by the stories we tell ourselves about who we are,” said Potter. 

The photographs in Dark Waters shift fluidly between documentary realism and conceptually staged images. This intentional shift in photographic language reflects the experience of women who occupy the liminal space between the real and the envisioned – a realm of constant vigilance and exposed fragility. Together, the exhibition’s video, photographs, and sound installation present beauty, allure, and peril, all the while underscoring the enduring impact of cultural narratives and myths on our perception of place. 

“At its core, Dark Waters is engaged with our collective understanding of the South,” said Benedetti. “Kristine Potter’s works are mysterious entries into an all too familiar story. There is beauty, fear, and an enduring sense that we’re teetering between reality and fiction in every work. The Momentary always strives to present exhibitions that inspire guests to experience their world in new ways, and Dark Waters does this brilliantly, by foregrounding this region and the impacts of its lasting histories. We look forward to sharing this exhibition with our community and beyond.” 

“In developing this publication and presentation with the Momentary and the artist, we are shaping complementary expressions of Kristine Potter’s Dark Waters,” said Meister. “We hope that many audiences, whether by looking over the images and texts in the book, or by moving through the exhibition, are inspired by the possibilities that the power and democratic spirit of photography can put forward.” 

Kristine Potter: Dark Waters is on view at the Momentary from May 11 through October 13, 2024. The exhibition is free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Momentary’s website.  

Dark Waters is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company.  

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About Kristine Potter 

Kristine Potter (born in Dallas, 1977) is an artist based in Nashville. She holds an MFA from Yale University, and her awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship (2018) and the Grand Prix Images Vevey (2019–20). Potter is currently an assistant professor of photography at Middle Tennessee State University.  

About Aperture 

Aperture is a nonprofit publisher that leads conversations around photography worldwide. From our base in New York, Aperture connects global audiences and supports artists through our acclaimed quarterly magazine, books, exhibitions, digital platforms, public programs, limited-edition prints, and awards. Established in 1952 to advance “creative thinking, significantly expressed in words and photographs,” Aperture champions photography’s vital role in nurturing curiosity and encouraging a more just, tolerant society. For more information on Aperture, visit aperture.org.  

About the Momentary

Opened in February of 2020 in Downtown Bentonville, the Momentary is a platform for the music, art, and food of our time. It is a catalyst for creativity and economic vitality, and a welcoming hub that gathers and celebrates local heroes and international stars. The Momentary was founded by the Walton family, based on the vision of Tom, Olivia, and Steuart Walton. Its commitment to cultivating arts and cultural experiences provides more opportunities for education, engagement, and enjoyment in our region. The Momentary is an extension of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, founded by Alice Walton. The Momentary welcomes all with free general admission. Additional offerings include live music, visual and performing arts, an artist-in-residence program, culinary experiences such as Onyx Coffee Lab and the sky-high Tower Bar, indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, an outdoor festival space, and a retail shop. For more information, visit theMomentary.org. The Momentary is located at 507 SE E Street, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712. The Momentary’s Founding Funders are Walton Family Foundation, Walmart, RØDE Microphones, The Coca-Cola Company, Tyson Family Foundation, and Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation.