A series of works from over 90 contemporary photographers, focusing on the visual manifestation of hope. At the McMullen Museum, September 30 through December 9.
Every now and then, the course of human events tosses us a fortuitous coincidence that makes for interesting stories, if not a profound life experience, to recall years later. In the aftermath of the attacks on the World Trade Center, an art exhibition on the theme of hope can assist in the healing process in BC. Call it fate, irony or just coincidence — whatever pushes people to see Hope Photographs in the McMullen Museum is well worth enshrining.
All of the photographs are studies in human nature of some sort; regular people, at work or at play, are the subject of every piece. The pictures are arranged loosely by their subject matter: old age, marriage, youth, athleticism, et cetera. Their content ranges from the profound (a NASA photo of the Apollo 11 rocket lifting off) to the amusing (Duane Michals’ five-picture series, “Grandpa Goes To Heaven”) to the surreal (a human silhouette composed of “25,000 Solar Images,” so titled). The photographers depict scenes from all civilized corners of the planet: Brooklyn, Warsaw, Vietnam, the Mediterranean and countless others. The central theme of hope, however, links all of these displays in a common chain.
One confusing touch, though, is the addition of short essays by Boston College professors. Framed and hung next to these works of art in prominent positions, these miniature treatises offer spur-of-the-moment observations on the subject of hope from each of various departments. Unfortunately, the cliché about a picture and how many words it is worth apparently hasn’t been repeated often enough for the authors of these “think pieces.”
It takes an exceptional essay to capture the mood, let alone the theme, of an average photograph. Most of these pictures are far above average, while the essays seem somewhat hollow and trite.
These minor qualms aside, the exhibition provides a memorable survey of the length and breadth of human hope. A reminder that hope can be found in the smallest and most common of events — from a wedding cake being delivered to a group of inner- city youth playing sandlot baseball — is an inspiration not to be overlooked. Contemporary Americana hasn’t looked so promising since the days of Norman Rockwell and, in these times of crisis, may not look as cheery for years to come. To miss out on Hope Photographs during its brief stay at the McMullen would be a crime.
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