Sara Greenberger Rafferty: Untitled, 2014, acrylic, polymer and inkjet prints on acetate on Plexiglass and hardware; 60 by 57 1/2 by 1/2 inches; courtesy Rachel Uffner.
Comedy has long been a touchstone for Sara Greenberger Rafferty, and there’s a certain black humor evident in how she manipulates the material qualities of images. Many of the works included in her third solo at Rachel Uffner Gallery feature distorted inkjet prints on plastic film that have been pressed between thicker sheets of plastic. Several depict human figures in radiant colors, though these images of bodies also appear distressed, having been subjected to harsh chemical baths. Other prints depict objects that could be associated with performance, such as microphones and a door marked “audience members.” The overall installation in the gallery’s main space appears stagelike, an effect heightened by large curtains hanging on the walls.