Spring Break
Exquisite photographs in Fairbanks gallery beg to be seen
Beautiful shots by world-renowned John Sexton on exhibit until April 29
Anna Swain
Issue date: 4/10/09 Section: Diversions
Every single student at OSU - including you - needs to go see the art at Fairbanks Hall. I just have to say that from the get-go. You will be blown away by the incredible skill, beauty and insight that fills the gallery. Even if you're not into art or photography, you should still go. Anyone who's ever noticed the beauty of the budding trees and flowers on campus will appreciate the exhibit. And if you haven't noticed the trees on campus, maybe it's time for you to pry your eyes away from your cell phone and take a look around.
But that's a different article. What I'm writing about now is the photographs in Fairbanks. They are taken by world-renowned photographer John Sexton, and it's easy to see how he has attained his status. Most of the pieces were taken in the United States, and a few in Japan. Sexton uses nature as his subject matter, and is able to allow the viewer to see it in an entirely new way. He expresses this goal when he explains his art, saying, "I hope you will sense a glimmer of the magic and excitement I felt when making these images." And indeed we do. Through Sexton's skill, tree knots become the eyes of a forest of aspens peering out of the frame, observing the viewer as much as being observed. An especially curious tree leans around its companions, begging to be noticed. A delicate fern appears punched from thin silvery metal, becoming both temporary and timeless. Every single image in the gallery accomplishes something of this kind.
Sexton is exceptional in his ability to infuse his subject matter with personality. He throws light on the similarity between the massive and miniscule, and draws parallels between objects we consider "alive" and those that are supposedly lifeless. For example, the photograph of sandstone forms and the photograph of a close up of a corn lily are strikingly similar. This leads one to consider what else the two objects, and the separate categories they belong to, may have in common. Sexton allows those who view his photographs to look at nature in a whole new way by encouraging us to perceive the beauty surrounding us on a daily basis. And if we can be more aware of the beauty existing everywhere in nature, we can be more able to see it in each other.
This, perhaps, is the most important reason you should go see the exhibit. Looking at Sexton's work is a very restful experience, especially given that it is being shown in the quiet, sun-filled gallery of Fairbanks Hall. When you have a break between classes, walk over and spend some time enjoying the art. Wander around the gallery, hear the floorboards creak under your feet, feel the breeze coming through the open door, and take a moment out of life to appreciate what goes unnoticed. You'll leave Fairbanks with a transformed perspective, and a newfound appreciation for the world around you.
Anna Swain
diversions@dailybarometer.com
But that's a different article. What I'm writing about now is the photographs in Fairbanks. They are taken by world-renowned photographer John Sexton, and it's easy to see how he has attained his status. Most of the pieces were taken in the United States, and a few in Japan. Sexton uses nature as his subject matter, and is able to allow the viewer to see it in an entirely new way. He expresses this goal when he explains his art, saying, "I hope you will sense a glimmer of the magic and excitement I felt when making these images." And indeed we do. Through Sexton's skill, tree knots become the eyes of a forest of aspens peering out of the frame, observing the viewer as much as being observed. An especially curious tree leans around its companions, begging to be noticed. A delicate fern appears punched from thin silvery metal, becoming both temporary and timeless. Every single image in the gallery accomplishes something of this kind.
Sexton is exceptional in his ability to infuse his subject matter with personality. He throws light on the similarity between the massive and miniscule, and draws parallels between objects we consider "alive" and those that are supposedly lifeless. For example, the photograph of sandstone forms and the photograph of a close up of a corn lily are strikingly similar. This leads one to consider what else the two objects, and the separate categories they belong to, may have in common. Sexton allows those who view his photographs to look at nature in a whole new way by encouraging us to perceive the beauty surrounding us on a daily basis. And if we can be more aware of the beauty existing everywhere in nature, we can be more able to see it in each other.
This, perhaps, is the most important reason you should go see the exhibit. Looking at Sexton's work is a very restful experience, especially given that it is being shown in the quiet, sun-filled gallery of Fairbanks Hall. When you have a break between classes, walk over and spend some time enjoying the art. Wander around the gallery, hear the floorboards creak under your feet, feel the breeze coming through the open door, and take a moment out of life to appreciate what goes unnoticed. You'll leave Fairbanks with a transformed perspective, and a newfound appreciation for the world around you.
Anna Swain
diversions@dailybarometer.com
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