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Public talk by RMCC’s 2015 Artist-in-Residence & Photo Contest / Exhibit
Submitted by Dr Irwin Streight, Department of English / photos by 26573 OCdt III Denice Zoretich
Photographer Chris Miner, RMCC’s 2015 artist-in-residence, defines photography as a “vehicle for memory” and “a way to share what has not been seen before.” Mr Miner presented his reflections on his year of living photographically at the College in a public talk and photo essay presented in Currie Hall on Tuesday, 28 April.
In his introduction to Mr Miner, Principal Dr Harry Kowal remarked on his generous use of his talents and abilities while at the College and in particular his “skills to teach those around him the many ways of gaining insight and perspective through the lens of a camera.”
The Principal also passed along high praise from the Director of Cadets, LCol Mark Popov, who wrote that Mr Miner “has come to every event we’ve put on his radar . . . and is completely engaged with College activities and in being a member of the team.”
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Mr Miner described his experience as a trip into the unknown, full of both curiosity and prejudgments about life at RMCC. Throughout his photo essay, Mr Miner frequently punctuated his commentary with remarks about the unfamiliarity of life at RMCC to the outside observer. Getting to know uniformed students and staff led to shedding his preconceptions and a further reflection on the purpose of photography. “The challenge of photography is to try to capture both the exterior and interior of a subject,” he explained. “No matter what our exterior is like, it is difficult to tell what is going on inside.” In a later conversation, Mr Miner reflected, “This place has taught me that we all wear a kind of uniform.”
The culminating event of Mr Miner’s appointment as RMCC’s 2015 artist-in-residence is an exhibit that features his photographs, along with a few selected works by individuals who attended workshops he presented or otherwise consulted with him. Of the 47 professionally printed and framed photographs on display—supported by the Dean of Arts, Dr Lawrence McDonough—25 are the work of Mr Miner, and date from the Bruciepalooza concert in May, 2014 to the annual February Battlefield Tour (which was graciously funded by the RMC Foundation) and a visit to the shooting range in March of this year. Mr Miner’s camera has also recorded scenes in RMCC’s engineering labs, during the training of the Sandhurst Team, and at the 2014 graduation and commissioning ceremonies.
The other photographs on display are largely selected from entries to the March On / En avant, mars! photography contest, an initiative of Public Affairs Officer, Yvette Grygoryev. Submissions to the contest via Moodle from Officer Cadets, staff, faculty, and military personnel were judged in a blind process that resulted in photos by three cadets taking the top three places.
Prize winners (Centre) Daniel James Ryan (1st), Sarah Kiervin (2nd), and Logan Michael Moore (3rd) were presented with a Commandant’s coin by Brigadier General Al Meinzinger.
Over 60 people attended the public talk and the opening of the exhibit, including about twenty townies.
The Photo op 2015 photography exhibit will be up in Baronial Hall until Friday, 8 May.
More photos by 26573 OCdt III Denice Zoretich HERE