“The Art of Selfies,” a juried exhibit from eleven Pacific Northwest artists incorporating self-photography, will open on Friday at the Arts of Kenmore Gallery in Kenmore City Hall, 18120 68th Ave. N.E.

Selected to exhibit their work are Christie Avery-Cooper, Kathy Greisen, Torii Hayashi, Megan Jensen, Skyler Larson, Kellie Moeller, Kim Murphy, Robert Routt, Bill Royce, Sara Solum, and Melissa Wax.

The public is invited to an opening reception from 6:30-8 p.m., featuring a presentation by photography artist Melissa Wax of Seattle (melissawax.com).

The new exhibit showcases a sophisticated array of style and subject matter “capturing the ‘self’ in reflection, shadow, and direct portraiture,” according to gallery curator Sara Hayashi.

The term “selfie” is credited to photographer Jim Krause who coined the term in 2005, while the first recorded self-photograph was taken in 1839 by Robert Cornelius on daguerreotype. But the frenzy can be attributed to Russian Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna, who in 1914 photographed herself in a mirror and promptly mailed the image to a girlfriend.

“In this age of social networking, ‘selfies’ tend to be the mode to brag, bomb, tweet, or send a pic to Mom,” Hayashi said. “A powerful narrative documenting hallmark moments from school crowds and sports events to Spring revolutions across the globe. This form of commentary adds an intense visual context to pop culture elevating the use of photography across the airwaves.

Wax will discuss her unique approach to photographic portraiture in both fine art and commissioned pieces. Working mostly in natural light, her eclectic work evokes strong narratives expressing music, wind, and suspended time within each frame. Wax is a member of RAW (rawartists.org), an international community that supports new artists within the first 10 years of their creative career. She enjoys volunteering as documentary photographer for the local radio KEXP (kexp.org) and music industry both in-studio and on location.

“The Art of Selfies” is the latest in a series of five exhibitions mounted throughout the year by Arts of Kenmore, a nonprofit organization that also produces the annual Kenmore Art Show at Bastyr University in June. AOK Gallery exhibits are made possible by sustaining support from the City of Kenmore, 4Culture, and the AOK membership.  The current exhibit “The Art of Kamishibai” will remain on display through February 25.

The mission of the Arts of Kenmore, a non-profit, all-volunteer organization, is to promote the Arts in the Kenmore community through the annual art show and other programs, including arts grants to six public schools and ongoing exhibits in the AOK Gallery.

To learn more about the Kenmore Art Show, purchase artwork from AOK Gallery exhibits, support AOK Grants for Schools program and get involved with the Arts of Kenmore, please visit www.artsofkenmore.org or contact info@artsofkenmore.org. or David Maehren, president of the Arts of Kenmore, at dmaehren@artsofkenmore.org.