Invitational Artist in Residence - November

The Hidden Life of Books     

My current photography project The Hidden Life of Books explores various book collections with the goal of resurrecting history that has been forgotten, erased, marginalized and censored.

The book is a simple yet complex idea that has profound influence on culture, society, and religion. It transcends time and civilization. We know how powerful books are because they often threaten the autocrat, the powerful and they go to great lengths to destroy and suppress the book. It is no surprise that the Nazi’s burned books, in doing so they attempted to burn history, knowledge and cultural icons.  The book has survived burnings, censorship, and the digital age, it continues to thrive. 

Chapter I: Lost Humanities the American Academy in Rome

Chapter II: James Weldon Johnson Foundation Archives

Chapter III: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and The Americans the British Library

Chapter IV: Queer History the Tretter Collection at The University of Minnesota

Chapter V: Banned and Burned Books the Hennepin County Public Library

Chapter VI: Who is Aemilia Bassano Lanier (work in progress)