i.w. harper's forgotten

March 17th - may 7th

I.W. Harper's Forgotten was exhibited in the small North gallery as a complement to the photographic works by Philip Van Keuren. The utilization of photography tied the two together, yet the stark contrast of subject matter, presentation, and print process provided a unique storyline for each artist's work. 

"An abandoned house or building can be an eye sore to some. However, to me, something once used and loved by the family that lived there can be beautiful and sometimes haunting. In a house that has been abandoned for years, traces usually remain of the personalized touches that made the house a home. 

I try to visualize the family living in the home in the 1920's, 30's or 40's and think about how isolated some of these places really were at that time. A trip to the store could be a full day or more. Things like wallpaper were a luxury. A hot water heater was revolutionary, and you couldn't simply drive to the nearest fast food restaurant when you were hungry.

Trying to preserve at least in some small way the legacy that is left behind by these families in the places they called home is my goal. One day, the houses and buildings will be gone forever. But hopefully by documenting them in photographs they won't be completely forgotten."

- I.W. Harper