New Exhibition Breaks Boundaries with Photography

  By Hailey de la Vara, Transcript Reporter

Photography floods the walls of the Ross Art Museum, presenting a new exhibit that displays a tension between accuracy and uncertainty within a picture.

“Double Take: Precision & Ambiguity in the Photograph” provides viewers with an abstract experience by going against the traditional sense of a photograph.  The exhibit began on Oct. 18 and will be on display until Dec. 13.

Photographs have always been known to give a sense of reality to viewers, but the techniques displayed by the photographers show a contrasting objective.

The basis of the photos implicates a scene or a subject.  Most are constructed or framed to resemble something else. There are other techniques that the photographers use such as manipulating light and shutter effects which lead to complicating the viewer’s sense of reality.

For example, “Double Take” exhibits Harold Edgerton’s “Bullet Through Apple,” in which a bullet pierces an apple and creates a surrealistic scene that is more “real” than what a viewer would see without a camera.

The photographs range in dates from early 20th century to early 21st century, with a common historical theme.

Although the exhibit has only been open for two days, there has already been positive feedback.  Aimee Duckworth, a sophomore at OWU, voiced her experience after viewing “Double Take”.

“I really liked the pictures at the Ross because they represent that things in life are more than about what meets the eye,” Duckworth said. “It also made me think about how things in the world can be perceived differently for any individual and I find that very intriguing.”

Tammy Wallace, assistant director of the Ross, explained her excitement for the exhibit and why it was chosen to be displayed.

“The exhibit is faculty curated by Jeffrey Nilan, who is a professor of photography here at OWU.  There was a collaboration between the photography department and English department to interact both departments and show viewers both sides of the spectrum,” Wallace said.

Furthermore, the museum label states how Nilan grouped the images by formal properties, encouraging viewers to discover the elements that connect the groups.  The exhibit provides a challenge to consider the sense of artistry that was crucial to the capture of these photos.

 

 

Looking at Objects from Our World Through the Eyes of Alum Stephen Donaldson

By Hailey de la Vara, Transcript Reporter

 

 

The Mowry Alumni Center is now featuring “Blue Light,” an exhibit commemorating Ohio Wesleyan alumnus Stephen Donaldson.  

The installation features photography of landmarks, landscapes and objects, with one common element: a blue light source.  

According to Donaldson, the purpose of the exhibit is to provide the audience with a striking visual experience. The photographs displayed were taken over a 17-year span, in places such as New York, Massachusetts and Italy.

“For this project, five of the twelve images were created using artificial sources of light, and all but one of the rests were created long after sunset, or before sunset, in situations when there was no direct sunlight available,” Donaldson wrote.

After working 13 years in the finance and electronic industries, Donaldson decided to “throw it all away” and pursue his dream to photograph the beauty of the world.  His photographic journey became a vital component of his life and led him to write three books about his newfound passion.

Donaldson currently resides in Great Barrington, Mass., where he photographs weddings and conducts lectures at schools, universities, and professional organizations.

With the exhibit showing until November 15, students are encouraged to come visit the Mowry Alumni Center to view these stunning photographs and have a unique visual experience. Four photos are located on the first floor of the alumni center, and the remaining eight photos cover the walls of the second floor.

To view more of Donaldson’s photography, go to http://www.sgdphoto.com