The Errand and the Epiphany

In her figurative street-scene collages, Jessie McNeil takes the perspective of the flâneuse—the keen-eyed observer, contemplating the ever-evolving nature of urban culture, signification, and memory. Featuring everyday studies of environment and wonders, The Errand and the Epiphany reflects on how built spaces impact human participation in public life. McNeil’s meditative and meticulous process of collage making, based on her photographs of city dwellers, recommunicates the light and texture found in the streets, capturing moments when the miraculous and fleeting is confused with, or transformed from, ubiquity.