SUNY Oswego Metro Center to feature works of Fayetteville photographer
Published
Fine art photographer Willson Cummer will display his work Oct. 29 to Jan. 20 at SUNY Oswego Metro Center in the Atrium building, 2 Clinton Square in Syracuse.
“From My Front Door: Photographs by Willson Cummer” will offer a free public reception for the artist from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, at the Metro Center, a branch campus of SUNY Oswego.
“These pictures were made within walking distance of my home in Fayetteville, New York, a suburb of Syracuse,” said Cummer, author of the blog New Landscape Photography. “I imagine my neighborhood is similar to thousands of suburbs around the world, so perhaps my meanderings will have some value for others.
“The presence of Henry David Thoreau, who detailed his neighborhood in Walden, is always with me,” Cummer explained. “I’m also returning to my roots: The first roll of film I shot, 35 years ago, was taken while delivering newspapers on foot near my home in Cayuga Heights, a suburb of Ithaca, New York.”
Cummer added, “I have always been drawn to places where the natural world intersects the manmade, so the suburb is perfect for me. I certainly enjoy the national parks in the U.S., and take joy in the majesty of a sunrise. But it seems more important to me to find inspiration in a thin layer of snow covering blacktop, a telephone pole, a wooden fence and some vinyl siding. These are my surroundings and I insist on creating images of them that intrigue me.”
The artist has had works in national juried shows; his first solo New York City show was at OK Harris. He is an alumnus of New York Foundation for the Arts’ MARK, a competitive statewide six-month program for visual artists looking for a unique opportunity for individualized focus on the professional side of their creative practice. The artist’s website is willsoncummer.com.
Hours for the SUNY Oswego Metro Center’s branch of Tyler Art Gallery are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Night and weekend hours are variable; call 315-399-4100 for more information.
Download full resolution image (2.47 MB)