July 21, 2009
Christine Flavin's photographs of abandoned Upper Peninsula mine sites, made with hand-built pinhole and large-format zone plate cameras, transport viewers to the early days of photography. At the same time, the ghostly images are firmly based in the present, revealing what Flavin calls the "terrible beauty" of deserted and vanishing industrial sites.
Flavin will present her photography on the large screen at the Michigan Iron Industry Museum on Tuesday, Aug. 4, at 2 p.m. Her presentation - "Vanishing Horizons: Abandoned Mining Sites in the U.P." - is a companion to the gallery photographs she is currently exhibiting at the museum through Labor Day. In addition to her contemporary work, Flavin's program will trace the photographic legacy of the U.P., including historical images made by some of the region's renowned artists such as B.F. Childs and Adolph Isler.
Pinhole photography records images through a tiny hole instead of an optical lens. Light passes through the hole, resulting in softer, sometimes blurred images. The circular zone plate images seem to float in a frame of black, creating a sensation of peeking through an aperture of time at relics from an ancient civilization.
Flavin is assistant professor in the School of Art and Design at Northern Michigan University, where she teaches studio photography and the history of photography. Her work has been exhibited throughout the Midwest as well as in Seattle and Suwa, Japan.
Upcoming programs in the museum's summer lecture series include:
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Aug. 11 - "Sounding Out a Regional Dialect: Michigan's Upper Peninsula Vowel System Project" with Wil A. Rankinen, Indiana University
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Aug. 18 - "Native Americans and the Discovery of Iron Ore in Marquette County" with John Anderton, Northern Michigan University
The museum is located at 73 Forge Road, in Negaunee Township. All programs begin at 2 p.m. Admission is free. Donations are encouraged and will go to support museum education programs.
The Michigan Iron Industry Museum is one of 11 nationally accredited museums administered by the Museum Historical Center, a public, non-profit facility of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries. It overlooks the site of the Carp River Forge, a pioneer industrial site listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The recently expanded museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information about the summer program series or upcoming events, call (906) 475-7857 or visit online at www.michigan.gov/ironindustrymuseum.
The Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL) is dedicated to enriching the quality of life and strengthening the economy by providing access to information, preserving and promoting Michigan's heritage and fostering cultural creativity. In addition to the Michigan Historical Center, HAL includes the Library of Michigan, the Mackinac Island State Park Commission and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. To learn more, visit www.michigan.gov/hal
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