"Ties That Bind: Images of Celebration, Adversity and Identity," a collaborative exhibition linking Light Work/Community Darkrooms with the Graduate Program in Museum Studies and the Department of African American Studies, opens April 19 and will be on display in the Robert B. Menschel Photography Gallery, located in the Schine Student Center, through Dec. 20.
Janet Olivia Henry, a 2001 Penny McCall Award winner whose work is included in the exhibition, will give a slide lecture, "Curating: A Creative Act," at 5 p.m. April 19 in Room 304A of the Schine Student Center. A reception will immediately follow.
"Ties That Bind" is the second in a series of exhibitions sponsored by a grant from the University's Vision Fund, which supports projects that seek to enhance the intellectual climate at the University through diversity and departmental collaboration. In 2001, Light Work/Community Darkrooms was awarded a grant for collaboration with the graduate program in museum studies and the Department of Religion to stage the "Ritual and Religion" exhibition.
The Light Work Collection is comprised of works by artists who have participated in Light Work's Artist-in-Residence and Regional Grants in Photography programs. The collection is an extensive and diverse archive for the mapping of trends and developments in contemporary photography, and it reflects Light Work's commitment to multiculturalism and gender equality in the arts. Of the collection's nearly 2,000 images, 200 were considered for inclusion in the exhibition by the curatorial team of graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in Museum Studies 503, "Introduction to Curatorship."
The general theme of identity was originally suggested to the students, who then looked at the Light Work Collection image database, selected works of interest, and viewed the original pieces. After viewing the images, the theme was narrowed to kinship, focusing on the notions of celebration, adversity and identity. Thirty-six pieces were then selected for the exhibition.
The exhibition itself seeks to raise difficult and varying questions surrounding these themes and leaves the job of answering these questions to the gallery viewer.
Abby Goodrum, assistant professor in the School of Information Studies, who is conducting a study of image information behavior, recorded the selection process.
Artists included in the exhibition include Ajamu, Hilton Braithwaite, Albert Chong, Renee Cox, Gerald Cyrus, Lydia Ann Douglas, Bill Gaskins, Anthony Gleaton, Lonnie Graham, Janet Olivia Henry, Marilyn Nance, Clarissa Sligh, Beuford Smith and Danny Tisdale.
The exhibition and accompanying catalogue were created under the guidance of David Prince, curator of the University Art Collection; Carol Charles, instructor in the Department of African American studies in The College of Arts and Sciences; and the staff of Light Work/Community Darkrooms.
The Robert B. Menschel Photography Gallery is located in the Schine Student Center, 306 University Place. Gallery hours are daily 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with the exception of University holidays.
