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American photographer Berenice
Abbott once said, "Photography helps people to see." For
nearly a decade Evangelos Dousmanis has been helping people to
see Binghamton
University. From his unique perspective behind the camera lens,
he has shown us its faces and its places; its triumphs and its
tragedies;
its special events and its daily life. He has defined our images
and our memories. He has taken us to places when we could not go.
He has connected us to each other. He has helped us see.
Dousmanis was hired as the University photographer in January 1995,
as Binghamton was preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary. This
was a new position
created out of the recognition that capturing and preserving the
images of campus life is essential to our past and to our future.
In the nearly 10 years since he was hired, the campus has seen unprecedented
growth, not only in its physical landscape, but also in its academic
and research mission, its national stature and its community connections.
Van has been here to record it all.
In recognition of Dousmanis's contributions to shaping the
image of Binghamton University, the University Art Museum and the
Binghamton Foundation are collaborating on a special exhibit and
book of Van's photography. The exhibit is slated to open
during Homecoming Weekend, October 8-10, 2004. The 96-page hardcover
book
will include 60 color and 40 black and white photographs.
Artist's Statement
Evangelos Dousmanis
When I was a boy, my grandfather taught me the mechanics of photography.
During long hours spent in the darkened bathroom of our apartment
in the projects, he showed me the magic. We watched together as
images emerged from a blank page. I remember the smell of chemicals
and the sound of constantly running water. Magic.
My mother taught me the social impact of photography, its power
to influence and bear witness. She would assign me exercises in
seeing — holding my hand as she moved me inches left or right
and asked, "Do you see?"
During undergraduate study at Binghamton University, Cinema Chair
Ralph Hocking encouraged "thoughtful vision." He described
photography as a tool of personal exploration; a litigious vision
for deeper understanding. I was encouraged to make my camera a
bridge between self and society. Twenty years as a photojournalist
honed my understanding of the power of photography and the responsibility
of the photographer.
A shape, a shadow, an emotion caught forever in time to be deciphered
by the viewer. Photography is a powerful communicator, reinforcing
society's perception of itself. A cultural negotiator and
barometer of our values; it is our mirror.
During my years at Binghamton University, I found through my camera
a microcosm of our culture that I tried faithfully to capture with
all its complexities and dreams. Digital imaging has replaced the
smell of chemicals and the sound of running water, but photography
is still magic. And I hope this collection of photos taken over
the past 10 years will give readers the opportunity to share some
of the magic I found at Binghamton University.
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