Looking at Ground Zero:
Photographs by Kevin Bubriski
September 14, 2002 – February 23, 2003
Opening Reception: Friday, September 13 from 6 – 9 pm
World Trade Center Series, New York City, October 6, 2001, silver gelatin print
By featuring the exhibition Looking at Ground Zero: Photographs by Kevin Bubriski, DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park joins forces with other museums around the nation that choose, each in its own way, to commemorate the tragedy of September 11.
Shot in the streets immediately surrounding Ground Zero in New York City, Kevin Bubriski's 24" x 20" black and white photographs are a striking reminder of the initial and lasting impact that the deaths of thousands of people and the destruction of the World Trade Center had on the citizens of New York—and anyone else with even a remote connection to the city. Instead of focusing on the chaos of the actual disaster site, however, Bubriski chose to photograph the people—oddly quiet and standing still in the traditionally frenzied city streets—who stare at the scene before them. In these photos, the World Trade Center is nowhere in evidence, except in the stunned expressions on the faces of the people now confronting the sight of its obliteration.
World Trade Center Series, New York City, September/October 2001, silver gelatin print
Bubriski uses a Hasselblad medium format camera, which relies on a waist-level finder. His subjects are generally unaware that they are being photographed as the camera does not appear to be aimed toward them. The result is expressions and gestures that are entirely natural and unselfconscious.
These 25 beautifully printed black and white silver gelatin prints capture very early reactions to the tragedy—long before the tourist-accessible viewing platform was built, and long before most of us returned to our almost normal daily lives. The Vermont-based photographer, most famous for his photos of the Himalayan region, captured these eloquent images during a series of trips down to New York in early October and mid-November 2001. Looking at Ground Zero: Photographs by Kevin Bubriski is organized by Curatorial Fellow Jennifer Uhrhane.
World Trade Center Series, New York City, September 27, 2001, silver gelatin print
Kevin Bubriski received an MFA from Bennington College, VT and lives in Shaftsbury, VT with his wife and two children. He has exhibited worldwide—his work is in the permanent collections of The Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the International Center of Photography, all in New York; the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; the Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven; the Center for Creative Photography, Tucson; and the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris. A recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Fulbright Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Asian Cultural Council, Burbriski worked for nine years in Nepal, and has photographed his journeys to India, Tibet, and Bangladesh. He has published two books of his photographs; a brand new one, Pilgrimage: Looking at Ground Zero (powerHouse Books) is available for sale during this exhibition at The Store @ DeCordova.
Educational Programming
In addition to the exhibition described above, DeCordova's Education Department has organized the following related events.
Lecture by Kevin Bubriski
Thursday, October 3, 2002 at 6:30 pm
Join photographer Kevin Bubriski for a slide presentation and discussion of his experiences as a documentary portrait photographer. These candid images, taken in the weeks following the tragedy at the World Trade Center, show what the media did not: the responses of everyday people, drawn to the site and attempting to grasp the scale of the damage. From parents and children to tourists with cameras of their own, the need to confront the site, this pilgrimage, is at the heart of Bubriski's poignant and moving work. Book signing to follow. Members $5/Non-Members $7. Call 781/259-3622 to register.
Teacher Workshop 201—Looking at Ground Zero: Photographs by Kevin Bubriski
Wednesday, October 2, 2002 from 3:30 – 6:00 pm
Get an insider's view on the issues and techniques of documentary photography. With Kevin Bubriski as our guide, we will tour his exhibition discussing his experiences at Ground Zero, and later see slides of his other documentary projects. Participants will be given time in the galleries for an in-depth look on their own. Inspired by Mr. Bubriski's experiences teaching young children, we will end by brainstorming classroom applications. Workshop includes an Educators' Resource packet. Members $43/Non-Members $48.
Photographic Portraits Master Class 178—What I Learned at Ground Zero by Kevin Bubriski
Sunday, October 6, 2002 from 10 am – 4 pm
Join artist Kevin Bubriski for this intensive Master Class in the art of capturing people on film. Starting in the exhibition of his work, Looking at Ground Zero: Photographs by Kevin Bubriski, students will work in the studio to explore different technical, artistic, and philosophical approaches. The opportunities a darkroom affords in creating portraits will also be discussed. Intermediate/Advanced. Members $72/Non-Members $79, limit 15.
