Coming soon: We Are Mist and Foglight

The art of Kym O’Donnell has the power to transport through haunting analog talismans of imagined pasts. Her stylized photographs, shot in studio and on location, were developed, printed, and often colored by hand. 

The Tampa lens-based artist who studied under Suzanne Camp Crosby at Hillsborough College in Ybor City passed away in November 2024. Tempus Projects is honored to present a retrospective view of O’Donnell’s work this fall, opening October 15, 2026, titled We Are Mist and Foglight.

“I wanted to make photos that looked like the type of films that I yearned to be in.” — Kym O’Donnell in Creative Loafing Tampa, 2016.

Opening reception: Thursday, Oct. 15 from 7 to 9pm (Tempus Members preview hour at 6pm).

Working firmly with 35mm and pinhole film cameras, O’Donnell composed her characters in otherworldly realms, crafting tangible tokens that often reference classic cinema and music. The players inhabit fairgrounds and graveyards, building narratives fueled by nostalgia, beckoning viewers beyond the veil to wander memory’s landscapes. 

We Are Mist and Foglight is open Oct. 15, 2026 through Jan. 21, 2027 during regular gallery hours, and by appointment.

This exhibition is guest curated by Danny Olda. With a background in independent curation and art criticism, Olda currently serves as the curatorial director of the Dunedin Fine Art Center. He has written for several publications around the globe, as well as curated exhibitions, lectured, and served on grant panels for private galleries, nonprofit spaces, museums, and colleges and universities.