Abstract Urban Photographer Featured in Gallery Exhibition
IAC Building, New York, N.Y., a photograph by Carl Backlund, will be among the pieces on display in the exhibit “Variations: Photographs by Carl Backlund” at The University of Scranton’s Hope Horn Gallery from Sept. 12 to Oct. 8.
For Wilkes-Barre resident Carl Backlund, all things came together in New York City, where he lived and worked until his retirement in 1988. Backlund, who has no formal art training, began taking photographs as a hobby in the early 1980s. Inspired by the grand architecture of Manhattan and his love for abstract art, he focused his eye on his surroundings.
“I look for objects or scenes that have unusual form and color patterns,” said Backlund. “Sometimes I see what I want in entire images, but I may also find it in close-ups that magnify a particular aspect of an image. I also try different camera angles to transform a subject. I often find potential for these characteristics in architecture, decay, urban scenery, etc., but I am always interested in any subject that seems unusual to me.”
Backlund’s work will be on display in an exhibit titled “Variations: Photographs by Carl Backlund” at the Hope Horn Gallery in The University of Scranton’s Hyland Hall from Sept. 12 to Oct. 8. The exhibit, which will kick off the university’s 2010-2011 exhibition and program schedule, will feature a gallery lecture on Oct. 1 at 5 p.m. in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall — where Backlund will speak about his photographs and Darlene Miller-Lanning, Ph.D., director of The University of Scranton’s Hope Horn Gallery, will address the context of his work. Following the lecture, a reception will be held in the Hope Horn Gallery from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The lecture and reception are part of the city’s downtown First Friday events and are free of charge and open to the public.
“This exhibit is especially significant because it coincides with a fall semester course titled History of Photography,” added Dr. Miller-Lanning. “A community event like this adds depth to the learning experiences of our students.”
The gallery is open Sunday through Friday, from noon to 4 p.m., and on Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
For additional information, contact The University of Scranton’s Hope Horn Gallery at 941-4214.
