By Jaime Herriott
MURFRESSBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee State University held a lecture for the exhibition "Cuba, Two Visions" by photographers Betancourt and Griffiths in The Bragg Building on Nov. 16, with a reception following in The Baldwin Photographic Gallery.
Jose Betancourt , a Cuban native and a photography professor at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, presented his series called “Cuba: Reconstructing Memories.” Through his work, he shared a meaningful message behind his inspiration: his symbolic memories of his family.
Photo by Jaime Herriott
Meg Griffiths, a photography professor at the University of South Carolina, shared her journey to Cuba with a very moving series called “Casa de fruta y pan.” Griffith’s motivation for the series came from her grandmother, who gave her the inspiration to travel to Cuba and capture what she called “private meets public”.
Everyone in the room followed every word that Betancourt had to say about his childhood journey. He shared how he came to America on a freedom flight from Cuba, and most importantly about the trunk of photos that he found in his aunt's attic. He came to the U.S. at the age of 5 and has always wanted to return to his native country. Creating this series was his way of bringing his heritage to life.
Betancourt’s form of art was not through the lens of a camera, His works feature collages of family photos and cyanotypes that he created through his emotional attachment towards each subject and how it connected to him in his life. Each piece had an artistic touch to it, from cyanotypes being stitched together to using his daughter in a photo to reconnect with himself as a child.
Photo by Jaime Herriott
“I made this collage of faces, of people I knew from my past to help me put together my childhood and show who I am,” said Betancourt as he spoke highly about his piece called “Identity”.
Griffith’s work spoke for itself. She began with photos of her grandmother from 1946 and added in famous quotes from influences such as Dorothea Lange. Her research and love of the Cuban country took her on a trip with 200 rolls of 120-film where she spent months shooting the everyday life of those that surrounded her.
“I love to photograph everyday life, in people's homes of what we ate and where we would sleep; Griffiths said. "Cuba was stuck in the 1950’s.”
Photo by Jaime Herriott
Tom Jimison, a photography professor at MTSU and the curator for the Baldwin Photographic Gallery, brought in Betancourt and Griffiths for this remarkable night had by all with a reception to follow. To obtain more information about the exhibition and the artists future endeavors go to www.theleadingedgemtsu.com.
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