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Exhibit Opening Sept. 7 for 9/11 Photos and Artifacts
(Posted: August 3, 2006) (Printable Version)
A formal exhibit opening will be held at noon Sept. 7 at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith for “Five Years from Ground Zero — Through the Lens of the Photojournalist,” an exhibit that includes numerous photographs taken during the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the United States by terrorists.
The exhibit, which will hang in the Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center at UA Fort Smith, includes photographs taken by photographers and photojournalists from throughout the United States, all shot during the attacks and aftermath of the events occurring in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. Also in the exhibit are copies of articles from journalists from around the country, a TV video from Sept. 11, and other artifacts. Contrasting the Sept. 11 photos are ones of other worldwide events and more lighthearted ones done since then by the award-winning photographers.
Stacey Jones, associate vice chancellor for campus and community events, said the exhibit is the first of its kind to be held anywhere. He added that the exhibit would not have been possible without the efforts of one of the exhibitors, amateur photographer Carmen Taylor of Lavaca, who came up with the idea for the exhibit. Taylor’s photo, shot while a tourist in New York on Sept. 11, is in the exhibit.
“Having this exhibit in Fort Smith is important to UA Fort Smith, to the region, to the state and to the nation,” Jones said. “In addition to the exhibit, we also have other events planned, all to bring us together in remembering and in reaching forward as a nation.”
On hand for the exhibit are two professional photojournalists whose lives were changed by events of the attack, David Handschuh and Gulnara Samoilova. Handschuh was with “The New York Daily News” outside the first tower and captured the explosion of the second tower before being injured himself. Samoilova, a Russian-born American citizen, is a photographer who lived near the site of the towers, realized the horror of what was happening, and took photos for which she has been recognized internationally. Both have now channeled their photography into other areas. The two will conduct a 1:30 p.m. Sept. 7 seminar directed to news media and first-responders. The seminar is co-sponsored by Entertainment Fort Smith magazine.
Jones also said he had tough decisions to make in getting the exhibit ready for public view.
“The response from across the United States was overwhelming,” Jones said. “It was necessary to limit the number of photographs we could show in the exhibit. Although all were award-winning examples of what took place on Sept. 11, what the public will see will still create a massive impression on those who view it. And, we also have some other events as part of the month-long observance we’re doing in remembrance of Sept. 11.”
The exhibit will hang through Sept. 29, with the exception of a collection of four panels and a DVD being sent here by the Associated Press. That portion of the UA Fort Smith exhibit is only available through Sept. 13.
In addition to Handschuh and Samoilova, a partial list of other exhibitors includes:
· Thomas Franklin of the “Bergen Record” in New Jersey, whose photo of three firefighters raising the American flag against the devastation in New York has been printed around the world and has won 14 awards;
· John Labriola, freelance photographer who won awards for his images, including ones from inside Tower 1 of the World Trade Center;
· Allan Tannenbaum, a photojournalist who has made a name for himself through his photos of John Lennon, the unrest in South Africa, the Gulf War, and the World Trade Center terrorist attacks;
· Ethan Miller, photojournalist with Getty Images in Nevada, who won a national award for his image of a flag-waving girl at a candlelight vigil the day after the Sept. 11 attacks;
· Richard Snodgrass, whose photos are in private and museum collections across the country and is now compiling photos of the temporary memorial for Flight 93 in Pennsylvania;
· Mike Walter, WUSA-TV anchor in Washington, D.C., and winner of four Emmy Awards, who witnessed the jet crash into the Pentagon on Sept.11 and covered the events for USA Today Live;
· Phil Nesbitt, who consults with media and publishing organizations from around the world and has been involved with print media for 39 years and who has authored articles about Sept. 11 and its impact on photography;
· E.C. Gilbreath of Fort Smith, local attorney and photographer, with a montage of photos shot at the World Trade Center prior to Sept. 11, 2001; and
· Carmen Taylor, amateur photographer from Lavaca, Ark., a tourist who took photos of the jetliner hitting the south tower on Sept. 11 and who originated the idea for the UA Fort Smith exhibit.
Taylor was on a ferryboat during her first trip to New York and watched the World Trade Center’s north tower burst into flames. She then took the photo of United Airlines Flight 175 as it hit the south tower. Taylor’s photo, which netted her numerous awards and a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize in photography, was transmitted by Associated Press and run on front pages of newspapers around the world. Since that time, Taylor has spoken to countless groups and developed the school program titled “September 11 … Students Talk About It.” Jones said Taylor, who has worked tirelessly to bring the exhibit about, will attend the opening.
Also a part of the UA Fort Smith exhibit are audio interviews provided by Kaci Ruh of Storycorp; and information and images from Silverstein Properties, the Manhattan-based real estate development and investment firm designing Freedom Tower, the first office tower to be rebuilt on the World Trade Center site.
A remembrance concert, featuring UA Fort Smith and community musicians, is planned for 7 p.m. Sept. 11, on the Campus Green.
In addition, David Friend, creative development editor with Vanity Fair magazine, will come to the UA Fort Smith campus on Sept. 29 for a noon book signing of his book, “Watching the World Change,” and a 2 p.m. lecture. The book signing will be held in the university’s Campus Store. The lecture will be held in the Reynolds Room. Both events are open to the public. He will also do a book signing the next day at Books-A-Million in Fort Smith.
Jones added that Jeff Beauchamp of Bedford Camera and Video was also a partner in the event. Bedford provided printing and mounting of many of the photos to be seen here.
Exhibit hours are 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on Fridays. The exhibit is located on the west end of the first floor of the Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center and encompasses wall space outside the Reynolds Room. For more information, call the Campus and Community Events Office at 788-7300.
| Article by: Sondra LaMar, Director of Public Relations |
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