ISLAND LIGHT: The light of Cuba is captured in a series of photographic portraits by John Clarke at Hopewell’s Gallery 14. Works by fellow photographer Samuel Vovsi will also be on display. Gallery 14 is located at 14 Mercer Street, Hopewell N.J. 08525. For more information, call (609) 333-8511, or visit: http://photogallery14.com.

A new exhibition of work by members of Hopewell’s Gallery 14 opens January 9 and runs through February 8 with an opening reception Friday January 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. In addition, the Gallery will hold a “Meet the Photographer” event on Sunday January 11, from 1 to 3 p.m.

The show features local photographer John Clarke, a new Gallery 14 member having his first exhibition at the gallery. Titled “Portraits of Cuba,” the exhibition in the main gallery space features images that capture the rich colors and warm light of the island.

Mr. Clarke is the retired founding partner of Clarke Caton Hintz, an award winning architectural and planning firm based in Trenton. Having spent his professional career immersed in architectural and urban design issues, since retiring, he has devoted his artistic talents to photography.

According to a statement by the artist, “the photographer’s background in architecture is evident in the organization and structure of ‘Portraits of Cuba,’ which were shot during a week-long visit to the island in the spring of 2014. The images from the streets and markets of Havana, show people who appear happy and not shy or displeased about being photographed. An amputee does his exercise on a sea wall in the early morning light, not in a gymnasium. A cab driver pedals a bicycle outfitted to carry passengers rather than driving an auto. Grand old buildings are decaying but their strong character remains. A man wearing the image of Che Guvara salutes the photographer and seems to say, ‘Long live the revolution.’ The photos show a country that is extremely poor by U.S. standards, but one whose people have a vibrant spirit.”

Mr. Clarke used a hand held Nikon d800e with a 24-70 mm lens to produce digital prints on fine art Baryta 325 archival paper.

In addition to “Portraits of Cuba,” Gallery 14 will also display the exhibition, “Twos,” by local photographer, Samuel Vovsi, who has shown at the gallery previously and elsewhere.

Mr. Vovsi has described the works on display in the Jay Goodkind gallery as “not directly related: they were taken at different times and in different places, but they all have one unifying feature: each has precisely two main characters.”

“Sometimes it could be two friends, sometimes two lovers, sometimes a parent and a child, sometimes even a man and a pet,” said the artist. “The whole in such images is bigger that a mechanical sum of parts because not only do they show one character plus another character, but also a relation between them. And sometimes this relation is not clear, which is especially interesting, because it provokes your curiosity and it draws you in, wanting to figure out what the relationship is.”

Gallery 14 is located at 14 Mercer Street, Hopewell N.J. 08525. For more information, call (609) 333-8511, or visit: http://photogallery14.com.