8X2: New Photography by Greg Donley, at Foothill

Full disclosure, I have long loved Greg Donley’s photography. Why? The way he constructs these long horizontal works creates a left to right cinematic effect with the splicing. Therefore, from a distance, each work creates cool visual rhythms of light and space. In addition, he pairs these works into 8 upper and lower groupings duos, hence the title, 8xTwo.

The first grouping seen upon entering the gallery, pairs the “Houses of W 7^th St., Tremont,” above the “Houses along canal, from Burano, Italy,” from 2024. The canal composition has boats and houses painted in various Mediterranean pastels against a lovely blue sky with white fluffy clouds. There are a few people on a bridge who were captured in one panel. The Tremont composition also features one large #7 next to a green house. Donley’s experimentation with exposure and transparency rewards close viewing. There are several phantom rooflines that create an otherworldly look to the Italian canal scene.

A similar effect is achieved in Walk around Scaligero Castle, Lake Garda, Italy, 2025, where the castle ramparts appear in ghost-like transparency over the lake. This is juxtaposed with the mighty Dolomites in the composition above it creating an interesting dialogue of vertical figures.

When I first attended the show on opening night, the grouping that captured my attention was what I call the protest pairing.

One image is from the site of the 1943 Rosenstrasse protest in Berlin and below it, is an image from the “Hands Off” protest at Market Square in Cleveland from April 2024. Donley includes snippets of key information that require the viewer to lean in close.  I eventually got a magnifying glass from Michael Weill, the owner of Foothill Gallery, to read the words because, you know, words are important. Here is what appeared: 

“Propaganda minister Josef Goebbels had ordered a media blackout, but it was impossible for the state to arrest such a large number of people in a single day without the public noticing. Despite threats of being shot on site if they did not disperse, the women continued return to Rosenstrasse 2-4 to protest.” Mr. Donley does not need a bullhorn to make his point. The careful placement of images is enough.

The magnifying glass was especially helpful for the “Hands Off” protest below. Besides all the colorful signs and that brilliant St. Upid patron Saint of Economic Collapse. I’m a little embarrassed to say that I had to ask Mr. Weill who St. Upid, was, as it was not a saint I’d ever heard of. As I spoke the question, I chuckled when I realized I’d walked into wordplay at its best.

And this is where Mr. Donley thrives, in the puns and double entendres of his compositions and careful placement, even when a bit of graffiti is accidentally captured, like this lovely tribute in French on a remnant of the Berlin Wall: “Mohamed Cherif Le Meilleur Karate Man Meilleur Père ♡ Maya ♡ “  Someone named Maya scratched this onto a the wall celebrating Mohamed Cherif as both the best karate man and the best father.

I do appreciate how Mr. Donley constructs vertical motives throughout: cornfields, scaffolding, ramparts, mountain peaks or how humans are interspersed through his works, usually appearing like ghosts. And the humor throughout is refreshing, especially wordplay, like the MISNY Billboard cameo in the “Cuyahoga River valley from Tremont,” image.

Finally, this is a great show that rewards a second or third visit. Catch 8 x Two, when you can, and buy a few works, it’ll be worth it in the post-Trump era when grandchildren will ask, grandpa, “who was that big yellow man with the tiny hands?”

8xTwo: New Photography by G. M. Donley
Through June 3, 2026
Foothill Galleries of the Photo-Succession
2450 Fairmount Boulevard, Suite M291
Cleveland Heights, OH 44106
216.287.3064