Andalusia photographs on display

Looking at photographs that are not only appealing to the eye, but have actual meaning behind them, is truly what brings such uniqueness to an exhibit.

Nancy Marshall, a professional and insightful photographer, displayed 29 of her own photographs of Andalusia, specifically Flannery O’Connor’s Farm, in GCSU’s museum. The photographs were first displayed in the Entry Gallery on Jan. 29 and the exhibit will end on May 10.

The artist gave a talk at her reception, held on Jan. 29 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m, sponsored in part by the Heritage Fund of the GCSU Foundation and the Pat Peterson Endowed Fund, explaining the significance and her connection to Andalusia.

“My intention was to go there and photograph once, but I found that my connection to the place has deepened, and now I have traveled there three times a year” Marshall said.

Marshall expresses her 29 photographs through a platinum effect, each having relevance to Andalusia’s landscape and interior. According to Shannon Morris, curator of the GCSU museum, “The process of the platinum effect is one that most artists can’t get their hands on because of its expense and involvement.”
“I felt like her photographs were very simple,” said Freshman Leslie Spamer, “but the platinum effect gave the photographs more depth and feeling.”

While taking these photographs, Marshall used an eight by ten wooden view camera on a tripod because of how it “renders detail and a sense of place.” The eight by ten sheets of film give her a larger negative she needs for the platinum contact prints.

Her precise techniques and style are proven through her photographs. She works slowly and alone and “wants to ground herself in the subject before taking the photos.” During her first trip to Andalusia in April, she took 14 photos. Instead of presenting them to the public right away, she let them sit for a little while. She did this because she wanted time to go back, look at her photos and make them reach to her perfection.

Marshall first got the idea of photographing Andalusia from reading an article in the New York Times called, “In Search of Flannery O’Connor.” There were photographs already established, but she had the intention of going to photograph them herself.

Flannery O’Connor is an important individual to GCSU because she attended Georgia State College for Women, now known as Georgia College and State University. Marshall’s connection to O’Connor was a special one, considering how her late mother attended Georgia State College for Women a few years ahead of O’Connor, thinking they might have come across each other during some point of time.

“The process of the Andalusia exhibit took about a year and a half”, according to Morris, “because there were so many things involved, such as putting together the catalogue.”

Marshalls’s largest Andalusia exhibit, which engages even more detail and photographs, is displayed at Emory University. This exhibit is possibly going to expand onto other college campuses as well.

For more information, contact Shannon Morris, museum curator at 478-445-4731 or Shannon.morris@gcsu.edu.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 6 2009. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry