We invite you to join us at 5:30 pm THIS Thursday, January 15th for a reception and comments by Todd Wetzel, Director of Purdue Convocations celebrating our new exhibition, “DOCUMERICA” in the Robert L. Ringel Gallery in Stewart Center.  

In 1971, the newly established EPA created Project DOCUMERICA (1971-1977), an initiative that commissioned outstanding photographers across America to document the state of the environment and its impact on society.  Drawing its inspiration from the depression era Farm Security Administration photography project, project photographers created a portrait of America in the early-and-mid-1970s, including expected images of smog, polluted rivers, and waste dumps.  But the photos also capture the decade’s fashions, trends, and lifestyles.

Forty years after its advent, the imagery of Project DOCUMERICA is the inspiration for “ETHEL’s Documerica,” a multimedia performance which taps the archive’s evocative potential and brings its visual and emotional impact into dialogue with the 21st century. The exhibition is presented in collaboration with Purdue Convocations, which is hosting ETHEL’s performance on January 24 along with wraparound discussions by Purdue experts on climatological and environmental issues.  

For performance tickets and more information, go to: www.convocations.org.

Hope to see you in the Galleries!