Centering in Holyoke

This is the week of the Open House at our new Media Arts Center. Drop by on Wednesday afternoon if you are in our general area of Massachusetts. HCC is about 2 hours west of Boston.

THORP AT TABOR

From the "Corn" series by Gregory Thorp

Also on Wednesday, October 28th, is the opening of Gregory Thorp‘s show at the Tabor Gallery. The Tabor is HCC’s fabulous exhibition space lovingly lorded over by Amy Johnquest. Her installation of Gregory’s hard to classify pictures about text and context in colonial New England is very powerful. It’s not about corn. The show probably packs more of a wallop if you are in the gallery alone, but come for the reception. The opening is from 11:00 – 1:00 with Gregory giving a slide talk at noon. He has a 30 plus year career of making spectacular pictures. I first saw his work when it was published in the late 1970s in American Photo magazine. I’ve been a follower of Gregory’s vision ever since.

OK, so you drive all the way from Boston and you’ve got three and a half hours to kill between Gregory’s show and the MAC Open House. No problem. Bring your camera and visit Holyoke in the rough.

Factory Foliage, 2009, Frank Ward

Last week my Advanced class went on a fall foliage field trip. The trees are more leaf-free this week, but architectural wonders abound. These pictures epitomize the current conditions in small city New England. My class is looking for the beauty in the midst of decay.

White Windows, 2009, Frank Ward

Post Industrial Interior, 2009, Frank Ward

I’m praising Holyoke, with its own “college on the hill.” Below is a picture of another college (I can’t remember if it is on a hill). I’ve been spending the week looking at my work from Central Asia.

English Classroom, Tajikistan, 2009, Frank Ward

I thought the above picture from my travels this summer has the appropriate theme for this post about education and opportunity.

I’m also going through my Central Asia archive from the 1970s and posting some on my Asia Central blog. Take a look and I look forward to seeing many of you on Wednesday at HCC.