On Nov. 14, the Longwood Center of the Visual Arts (LCVA) hosted the opening of their latest exhibit called “Old School: Historical Methods in Contemporary Practice.” This exhibit was a very interesting one as it focused on various aspects of photography over the years and featured artwork from a variety of photographic genres.
When passing the LCVA, one may notice that the usually see- through glass has been covered up with black cloth and has various designs of the exhibits name across it. This is all due to the reenactment of the camera obscura, otherwise known as “dark chamber,” which is open for visitors to go in and see. While inside the camera obscura, there is a scene that can be seen once your eyes have adjusted to the dark. The scene won’t be described so that it isn’t ruined for gallery goers, but it was very interesting and impressive to have been recreated.
The concept of the camera obscura was designed by Alex Grabiec and Michael Mergen with help from David B. Hagan. For the purpose of the exhibit, it was recreated by student volunteers who devoted lots of time and effort into making this exhibit possible.
In the next gallery, there was an
area that showcased how cameras and photography has changed over the years. This was an opportunity for visitors to carefully handle the cameras and see how this concept has developed and changed. There was also an area with props that gave visitors the opportunity to have their photo taken in a photo booth.
Continuing on through the exhibit, there was a video showcasing the work of artist Shaun Irving and how he came up with the concept of the “camera truck.” This was an interesting addition to the exhibit because instead of visitors looking at the various artwork, they got to see how the artist made it happen and created these masterpieces. Also in this gallery were photographs by Courtney Johnson using her homemade pinhole camera. Her photographs featured underwater views from all of the fishing piers in North Carolina.
Before reading the description on what the photographs were of one may have been confused, but after reading how she was able to take these photographs and seeing the camera she used, it was fascinating that someone thought of this idea and was actually able to carry it out.
The third gallery featured Camp Unity, with is a project that the LCVA partners with each year. The camp is for adults with disabilities and their artwork was on display for everyone to see. This artwork was different from the others in that the artists were asked to paint their personal accomplishments and traits and there was artwork from four different weeks that was shown.
What was really touching was that some of the artists were there looking for which one was theirs and taking pictures with huge smiles on their faces. This spoke so much about how the LCVA partners with these projects and provides those less fortunate with the opportunity to paint and show off their artistic skills.
The last gallery in the LCVA featured photographs by Sally Mann and Pam Fox. Both had very interesting photos of various scenes and objects and are highly respected photographers. An interesting fact about the photography by Fox was that the camera she used was over 100 years old and featured a large format.
Overall, the exhibit was excellent and provided a lot of history on photography. Whether you are an avid photographer, or just do it as a hobby, you should really check out this exhibit. It will be at the LCVA now through January and is free to the public.
Onlooker observes artwork in the LCVA at the “Old School: Historical Methods in Contemporary Practice” exibit.
