Giving the invisible their due
Formerly homeless Tucsonan's photos part of UA exhibit
by LA MONICA EVERETT-HAYNES
The first time James "Trapper" Herbert loaded film into a camera was during a recent photography class to prepare for a national traveling photo exhibition.
Herbert was clumsy in the beginning, and his first prints were blurry and incoherent. With practice, Herbert, who spent many years homeless, began to communicate "the spirit" of his world, one he and exhibit sponsors say many people ignore.
"All of a sudden, I could make the camera work for me, talk for me," said Herbert, who turns 50 tomorrow.
His photos will be included in "unseenamerica" at the University of Arizona, an exhibit meant to show the lives of people who typically receive little or no recognition.
UA's Faculty Senate Task Force for Monitoring Human Rights and Labor Issues helped bring the show to Tucson. It features 20 photos by four Tucsonans and 50 others by janitors, day laborers, seniors, domestic violence survivors, low-wage workers and homeless around the nation.
"We are very open to the opportunities for collaboration because it's important for us in the building to show the campus community more than your traditional fine arts," said Chrissy Lieberman, curator of Union Gallery.
"This addresses issues people are not willing to touch or approach on a daily basis," Lieberman said.
The hope is that the public will open eyes to these community members, said Amanda Sapir, research coordinator for the Southwest Center for Economic Integrity, which helped the UA with the show.
Too often, society focuses on beautiful and powerful people, ignoring the everyday people who keep the world moving, Sapir said.
"Every single day, people are laying pavement, caring for the elders, doing construction and landscaping, moving heavy furniture, doing the difficult work," Sapir said.
"They make contributions to society, but are virtually unseen or ignored by mainstream media, boardrooms and day-to-day life."
The exhibit is a way of "lifting them up for people to see," she said. "Stereotypes are made about these folks, but the opposite is true. These are some of the hardest working folks."
Southwest Center staffers and volunteers have spent recent months teaching a five-week photography class and framing photos mailed from New York's Bread and Roses Cultural Project, the national sponsor.
Kelly Griffith, who works at the Southwest Center, taught the course and said that, over time, she grew attached to the stories behind the photos her students were taking.
"There was this true, deep desire to express themselves and to be seen and heard in a way they normally weren't able to," Griffith said.
Their expression came through access, she said.
"Having access to art is so important," she said. "They set out to tell their own stories; to say something about what's important to them and how they see the world."
Lo'Retta Santos took pictures of her cat, her house and friends, "things that mean the most to me."
It never occurred to Santos her pictures might be selected for an art showcase. She never expected recognition.
"I was surprised they came out so good and so beautiful," Santos, 44, said.
While Santos enjoyed the experience, she's not sure the public will get the message and worries the public will keep ignoring those who go unseen.
"I wish there were more chances and opportunities to do stuff like this to grab them," Santos said.
Herbert, now a deacon at Southside Presbyterian Church, is not so sure.
"Everybody looks away from a homeless person. People don't see me. Look at my clothes," said Herbert who was dressed in Nike sneakers, simple jeans, a mustard-colored button-down shirt and a faded blue cap.
Herbert said, "Unseen America? This is what I see every day."
ABOUT THE 'unseenamerica' PHOTO EXHIBIT:
The University of Arizona is hosting the national, traveling photo exhibit that features four Tucsonans.
Union Gallery, on the third floor of Student Union Memorial Center, opens tomorrow at 10 a.m.
Museum hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Michael Zweig, economics professor and director of the Center for Study of Working Class Life at New York's State University, will hold a lecture about the working class majority in the union's Kiva room on the second floor at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow.
A reception will be held at 5 p.m. tomorrow in Union Gallery and will remain through March 10. For more information, call 621-8046.
