Ouachita to host "More Than History, More Than Land" photography exhibit through Dec. 6
October 28, 2019
- Madison CresswellOuachita Baptist University’s Rosemary Adams Department of Art and Design and Rogers
Department of Communications are co-hosting the exhibit "More Than History, More Than
Land," photographed by Chris Ocken, through Friday, Dec. 6, in the Hammons Gallery
located in Mabee Fine Arts Center. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
Visiting Israel nine times, Ocken – a 1994 Ouachita graduate – came to appreciate
the richness and complexity of the land, which is holy to Christians, Jews and Muslims
alike. Through his photography, Ocken displays Israel as a vibrant, modern community
and home to people of many faiths, worldviews and backgrounds.
“Visitors will appreciate the feeling of moving through the cities and landscapes
pictured in Chris’ photography,” said Donnie Copeland, associate professor and chair
of the Adams Department of Art and Design. “The pictures offer a glimpse of the different
cultures of the region, their nearness to each other and their separateness.”
The multimedia portion of his exhibit is produced by Nick Burt, a 2015 Ouachita graduate,
and Kevin Barnard, a 2018 Ouachita graduate, both of whom have traveled to Israel
with Ocken.
“It’s always gratifying to see alumni who take their skills to new heights as the
years go by,” said Dr. Jeff Root, dean of Ouachita’s School of Humanities and Huckabee
School of Education and professor of communications. “Chris Ocken is a tremendously
talented photographer who served as our photo editor while a Ouachita student. Chris
has an eye for composition, as evidenced by this exhibit. His photos tell stories
and demand attention.”
Ocken has photographed around the world including Canada, the Dominican Republic,
Greece, Italy, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Vietnam, as well
as almost every state in the United States. His photographs have appeared in publications
including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsweek magazine, The Times of London and Chicago Tribune. He currently lives and works in Chicago.
“Traveling to other countries, seeing first-hand the different cultures all over our
world, is to me the most interesting thing a person can do,” Ocken said. “Even staying
in mostly Israeli-controlled areas, I got to see a lot of the different cultures and
lifestyles that make up Israel. And I could feel the texture and tension their close
proximity creates. Yet, as I struggled for perspective on their conflicts and struggles,
I also saw the best in people.
“As you look at these photographs, I hope you’ll do what I have done during my many
visits to Israel: Open your eyes, ears and hearts to truly take in the land and the
people,” Ocken added. “This is what helped me see God at work in this place, in all
its people and throughout its history.”
Ocken is an award-winning international photographer who won a Pulitzer Prize while
working with the Associated Press to cover the 1992 presidential campaign. He has
gone on to win several other national awards, and he holds a master’s degree in journalism
from the University of Missouri.
The Hammons Gallery hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, and admission is free. For more
information, contact Donnie Copeland at [email protected] or (501) 245-5559.
You Also Might Like
Recent
