The Maude Kerns Art Center is proud to present two shows opening on Friday, April 7: “John Bauguess: A Life Through His Lens,” featuring the work of one of Oregon’s most important and talented photographers, and “Depth of Field,” showcasing photographs by members of the Eugene Darkroom Group. The public is invited to an Opening Reception on Friday, April 7, from 5 – 7 pm. Both exhibits are on view through Friday, April 28.
John Bauguess: A Life Through His Lens is organized in collaboration with the John Bauguess Estate and curated by photographer Jack Liu, a longtime friend of Bauguess. The exhibit features 65 photographs representing some of Bauguess’s most well-known themes, from images of old-time fiddlers and community celebrations to photographs documenting the destruction of the Oregon landscape by irresponsible developers. A short video about Bauguess created by Myray Reames complements the collection of exhibited photographs.
A native-born Oregonian, Bauguess followed a lifelong calling to chronicle Oregon life, including the history of the city of Eugene, and life at the University of Oregon and Lane Community College. He worked as a photographer and writer for the East Oregonian and Klamath Falls Herald and News, and his photographs were featured in many publications, including Sunset magazine and Oregon Quarterly. Bauguess partnered with author Barry Lopez for his book Of Wolves and Men, using a moderately wide-angle lens to capture intimate images of wolves in their environment.
Bauguess’s continuous search for meaningful images will be richly documented in “A Life Through His Lens.” Curator Jack Liu comments: “The interaction of humans with each other and with their environments was always a fascination for John. His work is a testament to a career defined by a singular vision and driven by personal integrity.”
A Public Celebration of Life for John Bauguess takes place at the Art Center on Sunday, April 16, from 3 - 5 pm.
A Silent Auction of special items, including signed John Bauguess photographs and images of the artist by photographers Jack Liu, Rob Wilson, and Paul Carter, will take place at the Art Center from April 7 through the Celebration of Life on April 16. All proceeds from the auction benefit the Maude Kerns Art Center.
Depth of Field: A Eugene Darkroom Group Exhibit features photographs by 12 members of the Eugene Darkroom Group (EDG), a nonprofit community darkroom based at the Maude Kerns Art Center that provides a space for both film development and silver gelatin printing. “Depth of Field” reveals the wide variety of styles and subject matter of these film photographers.
