February 20, 2012

Cedarhurst to display student, faculty, staff photos

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- An annual photography exhibit that features the work of Southern Illinois University Carbondale students, faculty and staff  starts this week at the Cedarhurst Center for the Arts in Mount Vernon.

The 2012 exhibition of work from the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts opens Saturday, Feb. 25, and runs through May 6.  A gallery talk and opening reception are set for 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25.  Admission is free and the public is welcome to attend.

This year’s installation will feature about 25 prints, said Daniel Overturf, a professor in the Department of Cinema and Photography, who noted the relationship between the college and Cedarhurst dates to 1992.

“This is an entirely supportive environment.  They are such great patrons of the arts,” he said.

This year’s installation will show a great deal of diversity of media, Overturf said. The works “reflect photography’s shifting definition as a discipline,” with prints that utilize antique processes more than 100 years old to current digital techniques.

“It’s nice to have the discipline represented from many different eras,” Overturf said.

Overturf also likes that students, some of whom are in their second or third semesters of photography, will show their work alongside long-time faculty and staff photographers.

The setting is also a bit different.

“This gives us all a chance to be in a museum environment, which is a little different than being on campus,” he said.  “It’s an outreach opportunity because it has elements of community involvement.”

Overturf noted that a separate exhibit by the late Ansel Adams, a noted photographer and environmentalist, will be featured in Cedarhurst’s main gallery during the same time period.  The interest in Adams’ collection will attract more visitors to the work by SIU Carbondale students, faculty and staff, Overturf said.

“This is a major exhibition for Cedarhurst to bring in from one of the more prominent photographers in history,” Overturf said.

There are several lectures and events associated with 72-piece exhibit of Adams’ work, including a lecture by Adams’ son in April.

Cedarhurst Center for the Arts is at 2600 Richview Road, Mount Vernon.  The facility is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and 1-5 p.m. on Sunday.  The facility is closed on Mondays and national holidays.