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| Tyler Dowd "Hole in the Wall" digital photography |
Once again, Studio M at the Mass Mu is exhibiting the works
of students enrolled in Photojournalism at Walsh University. 18 images are on
view and well worth the time to stop by. Professor Lee Horrisberger has taught
her class well. In a world were almost everything
is “caught on tape”, selfies saturate our servers, and images can be captured
instantly on a cell phone, the role of photography as an informational art form
is becoming somewhat of a dinosaur. Considering the long and rich history of
photographs as our source for emotional connection to situations where words
cannot say enough, it is refreshing to see students challenged to keep this
tradition alive.
A large statement is posted just inside the door so I will
skip the details of the specific assignment. Students were allowed to use “cameras,
computers and photographic equipment from Walsh’s Communication Department to
imitate the style, lighting and content of a photojournalist of their choosing.”
Next to almost every image in the show is an explanation by the student as to
why their journalist was selected and how a specific work by this person
influenced the image you see. I would recommend that these comments be read in
order to put the student photographs into their correct context. One must keep in mind that these are intended
to be emotional pieces that convey a story visually, not just “pictures” of
people or things. But this is Snarky Art so I chose to see them also as
independent works of “art” because this is a show rich in happenstance and the
merits of just good old fashioned fundamentals.
As with any show, there are gems to be found and I will
touch upon a few as we progress. Since space (and your attention) are limited,
not everyone will get mentioned but all the works were deserving of comment. Several
pieces already had red dots on the tags and my visit was the day after the
opening!
Working around the room from the statement and going counterclockwise
(because I know you print these blogs out and take them with you to follow
along…right?) Brook Morgan (Jr) presents “Avery”, a study in crisp contrasts of
black and white (on several levels) that captures a moment in time. Inspired by
Sally Manns, Ms. Morgan’s subject does not look at the viewer but rather pulls
us out of frame to wonder what caused the reaction we see on the child’s face. The
child’s emotion is contagious.
Ronnie Stokes (Jr) whose piece is entitled “Zac Carter” is
more than a journalistic project, it is also a study in the layering of
triangles, whether intentional or not. Three bright “stars” of light forming
the first such triangle are the teeth, the earring and the logo on his hat. If
one continues to look for smaller and smaller triangles they are easily found.
It is this underlying fundamental element (shape) of composition that elevates
this piece and gives it bones.
Kaci Bucklew also has a basic element of art (space) which
creates a layer of interest most likely unintended, hence the role of
happenstance. The figure in “Matthew Lenz” is holding a longboard, the intended
subject of the image, but the placement of the figure to the right leaving an
empty space on the left, his eyes looking left, and a horizontal tree branch in
the background located almost at eye level, all pull the viewer out of frame to
wonder what is happening elsewhere. What is the rest of the story? Perhaps
other skaters? I believe the board was to be having it’s portrait taken, but
the figure holding it in place is far more intriguing.
Tyler Dowd (Jr) has a well written narrative of how he
captured his graffiti image which leaves the viewer wanting more of the story
when paired with the picture. “Hole in
the Wall” is just the beginning of an interesting journey on the part of the
photographer. Whose work did he capture? How did it get there? Why was it done?
All these questions are left unanswered…….the picture made me want to search
for clues.
Dallas Makowski (Sr) was inspired by Neil Leifer’s image of
bowling. Mr. Makowski’s “New School” appears to be a well thought out response
to the formal elements of his chosen reference photo but to capture the moment
in time of a bowling ball midway between the release and the lone pin at the
end of an alley, is not something planned. Perhaps luck played a big role in
how this study in contrasts works so effectively, but it does, and
photojournalism is sometimes just all about being in the right place at the
right time and pushing the shutter button.
Jamie Woodburn (Jr) had that same good karma with her the
day she set out to capture sunlight. Inspired by Eliot Porter, one of the first
photojournalists to work exclusively in color, her image “Sunlit Forest”
reveals more than was perhaps intended. A strong visual piece as it is
presented, look a bit more closely and one will see that she was not alone in
the woods. Directly below the burst of sun (something that happened suddenly on
a cloudy day according to her narrative), two trees form a cross (X marks the spot?)
and within the negative space formed by those trees, a “face” can be seen in the
shapes and patterns. I found more faces than the one which is most obvious.
Yes, the intent was to capture light, but the almost holy intensity of the
sunburst itself also gave us life in the forest.
Finally, I want to acknowledge the work of Alejandro Meza
(Soph) and his piece “Never Ending Pathway”. As an artist, I was drawn to his
overwhelmingly strong use of line as pattern in this image that depicts a man
walking in a snowstorm on the edge of the woods. The blurred trees are
vertical, the seams of his jacket are horizontal but he is vertical figure as
well, and the wind driven snow is diagonal. Add the elements of texture and
space and this work is dead on to his source of inspiration, the work of
William Eugene Smith whose figure is in a circular composition.
There is more to see in this small but very strong show at
the Museum. Good job to all these students who put their work on public display
and I encourage the viewers to purchase a rising star or two as the prices are extremely
reasonable and well worth your investment in their future.
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