Local artists Valerie George and Micah Mermilliod have teamed up for a compelling dual exhibition, "Starprints," on view at MAC's Gallery @ Room 1927 through June 28.

The show features photograms and lumen prints that delve into themes of transformation and transcendence, using organic materials drawn from the body and the earth.

The Mobile Arts Council announced the exhibition as part of its mission to enrich the quality of life in the Mobile area by increasing accessibility to the arts. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

George, a multidisciplinary artist, employs installation, video, performance, sound, sculpture, photography and collaborative projects to explore art and life. She earned her MFA from the University of California, Davis, where she worked closely with Lynn Hershman-Leeson and Mary Lucier. George is a Full Professor of Art at the University of West Florida, Arts Editor of Panhandler Magazine, Co-Founder and Co-Director of the 309 Punk Project, and a member of Good Children Gallery in New Orleans. She now lives in Mobile.

"Momma was a sunbather, a star gazer, a satellite chaser, a moon lover and believed we are all made of starstuff," George said. "Bearing witness to the Space Race and moon landing, she was fascinated by all things space. Upon her death, she donated her body to science and, ultimately, to the art in this exhibition. The photograms on display are created using her ashes and my body to reconfigure our combined forms into celestial ghosts. This body of work is dedicated to the memory of Nelda Grace Brown and her imprint on all the lives she touched."

Mermilliod's work frequently incorporates collage, both materially and conceptually, reflecting his interest in how humans adapt to a rapidly changing world driven by technology, environment and socioeconomic forces. His recent pieces explore quarantine experiences and the new normal that followed. He received his MFA in Creative Technologies and Practice from the University of South Alabama in 2022 and works as a curator at the Alabama Contemporary Art Center in Mobile.

"These lumen print photographs serve as a reflection on the transformations that see the elements of all living things repurposed and reused in an ongoing cycle of life and death," Mermilliod said. "Using flowers and other symbolic objects, these prints were made using the sun as mediary to affix the images to paper."

George and Mermilliod's artistic synergy stems from a shared passion for experimental photographic processes and a deep interest in pushing the boundaries of traditional photography. Their collaborative efforts have created a dialogue between human experience and the natural world, offering viewers a glimpse into the ephemeral beauty of transformation and transcendence.

"Starprints" is free and open to the public. The Mobile Arts Council, a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 1955, aims to promote a vibrant cultural community in Mobile by supporting community, education, and membership initiatives.

For more information about the exhibition and other Mobile Arts Council events, visit www.mobilearts.org.