By Summer Mull
The beautiful landscapes and the man-made evolution of the wild west are displayed through photographs in the Museum of Art''s new exhibition, 'Photography and Perception: Exploring the Western Landscape.'
The exhibit takes the viewer on a visual tour of the American West.
It replaces the long running Dorothea Lange photography exhibit and will run until May 4, 2002. The MOA wants to have at least one photographic event at all times, said Christine Howard, marketing and public relations manager of the MOA.
The MOA has scheduled several public lecture series, beginning Jan. 10, to run in conjunction with the exhibit, Howard said.
'Standing before the landscape with a camera is like looking into a mirror,' said landscape photographer Mark Klett in an MOA news release. 'The landscape reflects our own image, but so much of what we know, and what we think we know about the land has come through someone''s lens.'
Over 20 photographers are represented in the exhibit, including, Ansel Adams, William Bell, Carleton Watkins, Linda Connor and Timothy O''Sullivan.
The MOA chose the photos in the exhibit because of the way they represent the West and the changes it has undergone, said Diana Turnbow, assistant curator at the MOA.
'You see an evolving vision of the West from the wilderness to an open space,' she said. 'The goal of the show is to experience that change and have a sense of sensitivity to the environment in which we live.'
A photograph of Yosemite by Carleton Watkins is the oldest photo in the exhibit. It dates back to 1861, Turnbow said.
Photography began in Europe in the late 1830s. Western American photography, however, did not begin until after the Civil War, she said.
The government began sending groups of scientists and mapmakers out to survey the mysterious West. Photographers accompanied them and brought back visuals of the new landscapes, Turnbow said.
'Photography showed the splendors of the West and encouraged people to visit,' Turnbow said.
Mining interests and the railroad also encouraged the movement to the West, she said.
Photographs from both the 19th and 20th centuries show the changes the landscapes have undergone.
The late 20th century started a re-evaluation of the West. Photographers began looking at the positive and negative results of urbanization on both man and the environment, Turnbow said.
'It is a stunning exhibition,' Howard said. 'The photographers have captured these landscapes in a way that people have never before seen.'