For fourth-year University student Meghan Rand, photography not only serves as a form of artistic expression, but also as a way of documenting history and change. In her upcoming exhibit featuring photographs of the Downtown Mall, Rand uses an accessible artistic medium to communicate a small part of a larger anthropological project.
The exhibit presents black-and-white, color and color-transfer images to illustrate the character of one of Charlottesville's historic meeting places.
The exhibit stemmed from Rand's study of anthropology. After taking a class entitled "Museum Culture," Rand drew parallels between her interest in photography and area of study, noticing how the art form could be a type of commentary on human interaction.
A Charlottesville native, Rand chose the downtown mall as a subject for a summer Research Fellowship. She realized that the project would have a lot of potential as an anthropological study focusing on the historical and sociological value of the mall.
The photography exhibit actually is a small part of a multi-dimensional project that will also include a research paper. Rand does not expect her photographs to completely communicate the ideas of the project but hopes that they will visually aid in representing its essence.
The photographs include subject matter ranging from simple images of a child and his mother to dancing audience members at Fridays After Five. Rand hopes the photos will create more student interest in the Charlottesville community, while being both aesthetically pleasing and interesting.
Rand thinks that students should realize the importance of seeing "the community that houses their school," and sees her artwork as a way to breach the gap between the two groups of people who live together, yet hardly ever interact
Much of the research for the exhibit has been historical. Rand found herself asking questions about the Downtown Mall's origins and its evolution. These questions-such as the reason for the mall's role as a community gathering place and its significance in promoting social change-caused her to examine the ever-changing area with more scrutiny. Rand also used old editions of The Daily Progress and visited the Albermarle Historical Society to gather information.
As Rand asked more questions about the sociological value of the mall she began to realize the wide scope of the project. For example, the city's interest in promoting the preservation of the mall might serve as a reaction to the growing "Wal-mart culture" of automobile-oriented shopping.
One of Rand's goals was to take an "oral history" of what she identified as "the cultural crossroads of Charlottesville."
Issues of image and identity caused Rand to ask more questions about the mall's role in the relationship between different groups of people. She paid special attention to the ways in which government, business and social aspects of the mall came together to foster a certain image for the people frequenting it.
Rand sees her work as a way of representing human interest. Her main concerns in what she photographs are taking photos that are "artistic and that speak to the viewer."
Rand is interested in reactions to her work and other people's opinions of the Downtown Mall. The project may ultimately result in a web page.
The opening reception for the exhibit will be tonight, from 6-9 p.m., at the Downtown ArtSpace.
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