Strange Worlds: Photographs by Jay Hoops

October 4, 2025–January 4, 2026 | Gallery 118

For commercial and fine art photographer Jay Hoops, exploration and experimentation drove her work. The Long Island photographer returned again and again to the Polaroid format, valued for its instantaneous results and trusted for its honest capture of a moment in time. Polaroids have no need for darkroom development or printing, which means little chance to manipulate an image—yet Hoops created a series of dreamy, atmospheric scenes with dramatic lighting and mysterious subjects that are difficult to explain. The exhibition is exclusive to the Dayton Art Institute.

Plan your visit to see these and other incredible works!

Featured Image: Jay Hoops (American, 1919–2004), Untitled, n.d., Inkjet print on paper, 3 1/4 x 4 3/4 inches (8.3 x 12.1 cm); Sheet: 4 3/4 x 7 1/8 inches (12.1 x 18.1 cm). Gift of the Gary Beeber and Betsy Nichol Collection, 2024.66.10.