Photographer Stephen Marc of Arizona State University will visit
Mississippi State University with his new artwork created from photographs of MSU and surrounding areas.
The MSU Art Department Gallery in the basement of McComas Hall will feature Marc’s work from Jan. 21 until Feb. 20. The Mississippi Arts Commission gave MSU a grant to fund this exhibition.
“The exhibition includes 10 pieces that are specific to Mississippi,” MSU art gallery director Alex Stelios-Wills said.
Marc recently appeared on the cover of the December issue of Exposure Magazine, a national photography magazine. He published two photography monographs, “The Black Transatlantic Experience” and “Urban Notions.” These works and others have taken him to locations such as Ghana, Jamaica and England.
“I think he appeals to a wide audience because of the topicality of the pieces–because it is specifically about this area. All the photographs are taken from this area and all the interviews, research and visiting of sites were done in this area. And also, because it’s digital artwork,” Stelios-Wills said.
The exhibit also includes other pieces of Marc’s work dating back as far as 1995. These older pieces, including much of his family history, are much more personal to Marc and serve as a type of documentaries. Not only does Marc’s work reveal aspects of his life as well as the South, it reveals the details of the area in which MSU thrives.
Marc’s work originally reflected a documentary style. He took photographs of life as he saw it; he captured the moment he saw as it was there, rather than trying to pose individuals or alter the lighting of the Chicago area in which he grew up.
The montages, or collage of photographs, in Marc’s case, were inspired due to his interest in black history. But why would an artist come to Starkville? Marc discovered that Starkville posseses a strong background involving civil rights. He was able to visit two old plantation homes and even an old slave quarters upon his visit to Starkville, Columbus and the Oktoc area located south of Starkville. He was able to access slave registries and get great detail for his work by visiting Mississippi communities and interviewing individuals and families.
“I believe that Stephen Marc is a very good and interesting artist, not because of the political implications of his work or because of the exciting media of novelty that he works in, but rather almost despite that. He’s a very good photographer and has a great visual sense. Because of that, he’s a good montage artist,” Stelios-Wills said.
The exhibition is a month-long event, in which not only Marc’s works will be available for viewing, but also for Marc to speak about his work. It is rare to have a well-known artist have an extended stay for an art department.
“Students would bring insight to the exhibition and would enjoy going to the symposium because Stephen (Marc) is a very exciting, energetic person. He’s very excited about talking about the research involved and how the individual pieces begin to work together. Hearing it helps you to understand the work involved,” Stelios-Wills said.
Marc has scheduled many appearances in the Starkville community as well as at MSU. His presentations will be as follows: a symposium titled “Public Identity and Personal Past Intersections” on Feb. 4 at 2 p.m. at the Hunter Henry Center; visits to Henderson and Armstrong elementary schools and Starkville High School of Sept. 5 for their students; a public lecture called “Collaborative Communities” in McComas Hall theatre on Feb. 6 at 4 p.m. as well as a public forum regarding historic preservation and its role with the Exhibition on Feb. 8.