The Emerson Gallery will host two photography exhibits this summer. The exhibitions will run from June 1 through Sept. 10, 2006.
The Missing Story of Ourselves: Poverty and the Promise of Higher Education, features 50 color photographs coupled with first-person narratives, providing accounts of the struggle, hard work and finally the celebration of growth and dignity experienced in the attainment of college degrees by low-income student parents across the nation. The exhibit presents a complex and sensitive portrait of what it means to be poor in the United States and the transformative power of higher education. This traveling exhibition aims to counter the dehumanizing stereotypes of underprivileged student parenthood through self-portraits. The exhibit was organized by The ACCESS Project, a program designed to provide free tuition, academic support, social/family services and career guidance. Participants have spent one academic year taking college courses at Hamilton and upon successful completion, have matriculated into Hamilton or other colleges.
In addition to The Missing Story, the Emerson Gallery will present a special complimentary exhibition of ten photographs taken by Alexis Mann '05, a recent Hamilton graduate and photography major. Produced as a community outreach project for the Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center and titled Hope in the Heart of Utica, this show is a photographic record of Washington Court housing development residents as they transition to new lives through the HOPE VI project.
A panel discussion with ACCESS Project students led by Vivyan Adair, The Elihu Root Peace Fund Associate Professor of Women's Studies and ACCESS Project Director will take place on Friday, June 2, at 1:30 pm in Room 109 of the Kirner Johnson Building.
An opening reception, with gallery talk and exhibition tour begins Friday, June 2, at 4 pm at the Emerson Gallery in the Christian A. Johnson Hall.
The exhibitions and all events are free and open to the public. The Emerson Gallery is located in the Christian A. Johnson Hall, directly behind the Chapel. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 10 am -5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 1 pm -5 pm. For further information, including information on parking and wheelchair accessibility, please contact the Emerson Gallery at 315-859-4396 or on our website www.hamilon.edu/college/Emerson_Gallery.
