Mule Auction Paparazzi
Recently I attended a gallery opening that I’ve been excited to see for quite some time. The Griffin Museum of Photography – Digital Silver Imaging in Belmont, Massachusetts featured the work of my former Professor and current photography mentor, Charles Meyer. Charles’ work was a collection of photographs of the Dickson Mule Auction in Dickson, Tennessee that he has taken over the past six years.
Mule Stall #210
Mules are the offspring of a female horse and a male donkey, and are bred for a number of uses such as trail mounts, domesticated work animals, carriage pullers and fieldwork animals. The Dickson Mule Auction is the largest and oldest mule auction in the country, and attracts people of all kinds from around the globe. While there are always new faces at the auction, many of the attendees, sellers, buyers and spectators are repeat visitors. Charles describes the atmosphere as that of a reunion, brought together by beautiful animals. The photographs, close ups of the mules, a group of old friends talking and laughing between their stalls, and a mule proudly displaying his auction number create the feeling of a close-knit circle that has a passion, or at least a need, for the mules.
Two Men Talking
Here is how Charlie describes his interest in this unique event, “This is my sixth year photographing the Dickson Auction. I am drawn to this small rural gathering – the culture, the social dynamics, and the mules themselves constitute a unique setting that I have not encountered elsewhere. Each time I return the work evolves and I am able to explore in greater depth both the visual possibilities and the human element.”
From my experience with Professor Meyer his love for analog, 35mm, black and white photography expands beyond the process and into the content of his photographs. The gelatin silver prints displayed at the Griffin Museum in Belmont are gorgeous and the mules seem to glow, creating the illusion that if you were to touch the photography you could feel their velvet brown fur.
Tommy admiring 'Mule #007'
Charles’ work has been exhibited at many musems and galleries including the ICA Boston, Addison Gallery of American Art, and the UNESCO Gallery in Paris, France. He curates exhibitions for the McMullen Museum of Art at Boston College as well as teaching the art of photography at Boston College. Along with photography he has worked in film on the PBS Television specials Civil War and Baseball, by Ken Burns. He also served as aan associate Producer and Photographer for a four-part film series on conflict resolution in war torn areas of the world.
Oh my God, we’re going to Canada.
Great news has just arrived, I will be traveling to Alberta, Canada next month to visit long lost relatives – though I suppose they’re not really lost. The province’s capital of Edmonton will be my first destination other than the airport and after that short excursion I’ll travel north to Cold Lake where my great aunt and her family live. After a few days there I’ll be traveling south west and staying in Banff National Park (see photograph below!) and making day trips to various places of interest including Calgary, Jasper National Park, and Lake Louise then finally staying in Calgary with some distant cousins before returning to the states! Stay tuned for some history of the province and eventually some wonderful photographs =]
Some thoughts
Due to lack of exploration of things outside of my house, and a surplus of hours spent searching blogs, there may or may not be a few posts that have nothing to do with the outside world. Today, two lists of things I love and things I don’t. Believe me, I could’ve added many more but I had to stop somewhere =]
12 things I can’t live without.
1. my camera
2. a radio
3. internet/connection to the blogging world
4. BOOKS (i count that as one thing because i could never pick just one.)
5. coconut shell hoop earrings from Costa Rica
6. PURPLE
7. tomatoes
8. curly hair
9. Art, Crafts and quotes
10. acupuncture
11. a comfy bed
12. wool socks
11 things i can live without.
1. cell phones. join Oprah’s’ \’No Phone Zone\’
2. incorrect grammar i.e. fustrated instead of frustrated
3. scary movies
4. vegans who only talk about being a vegan (I’m all for the organics, but can’t stand listening to people rant about how awful they feel after one bite of processed food.)
6. white noise, tapping things, restlessness, clapping to songs
7. crocs
8. the color green
9. toxic people
10. the book ‘Eat, Pray, Love’
11. my negative reactions to things people do
