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PPRC Photography Projects

Because photography is a valuable component to understanding and appreciating public policy, the Public Policy Research Center inaugurated a series of special photographic exhibitions in 1978. As the Center concentrates efforts on issues of concern to the metropolitan area, the photographic displays emphasize collateral interests and have been excellent accompaniments to the overall work of the Center. The artists selected for inclusion in these exhibitions represent a broad spectrum of both established and emerging photographers, including, on occasion, students attending the University off Missouri-St. Louis.

Mel Watkin curates the PPRC Photography Project.

The PPRC Photography Project Gallery is located in on the 3rd floor, South Hall, of the Social Sciences/Business Building on the UM-St. Louis North campus. Additional photos are on exhibit in the PPRC offce, Room 362 of the Social Sciences & Business Building.

All exhibits are free and open to the public.

For more information and/or to arrange group tours, call (314) 516-5273.

 

On Exhibit Now in the PPRC Gallery

Photography Project: Mississippi Tows:
Mississippi River pilots and their crews

The story behind Mississippi Tows »Read it here

This Photography Project features pictures of life aboard barges on the Mississippi River. Most of the images selected for this exhibition reflect the beauty of the Mississippi River and the people who crew its working boats. Other photographs, however, document the gigantic scale of river operations. In many photos deckhands appear tiny against the huge locks and cargo barges they manage with apparent ease. The images were taken by staff and crew from two companies: J.B. Marine, a St. Louis dry dock and barge repair service, and AEP River Operations, a large shipping concern with offices in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

Details:

PPRC Photography Project Gallery, June 23 - August 31, 2009
(South hall, third floor, Social Science/Business Building at UMSL)
Info. 314-516-5273 • Website: http://pprc.umsl.edu
Gallery hours: daily 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.


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Cape Girardeau Public Library: June 23 - August 1, 2009
711 North Clark Street, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Info. 573-334-5279 • Website: http://capelibrary.org
Hours: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Mon.-Thurs. and 9a.m. - 5p.m. Fri. & Sat.

 

 

Recently in the PPRC Gallery:

Read the Riverfront Times article about this exhibit »click here
To read the St. Louis Suburban Journals article on the exhibit »click here.

See Point-of-View: Granite City on YouTube!
 Ron Laboray, one of the Photography Project instructors, documents the Photography Project as it documents Granite City, Illinois »View documentary.

This PPRC Photography Project was conducted in conjunction with Coordinated Youth & Human Services (CYHS) of Madison County, Illinois. CYHS is a not-for-profit social service agency serving Granite City, Madison, Venice, and surrounding communities in southwestern Illinois. CYHS was founded in 1944 in direct response to the need for delinquency services in Granite City. The Alternative Educational Program (AEP) was started in 1973 to serve students who have a demonstrated lack of success in traditional school programs.

Over a period of 10 weeks, students attending AEP’s junior high and high school focused their photographic efforts on Granite City’s historic but neglected downtown. Our weekly trips to photograph the streets, buildings and people of Granite City join the ongoing efforts by local government and business leaders to jumpstart a downtown revitalization. The images they collected will be on exhibit at the PPRC Photography Project Gallery on the UMSL campus, and in City Hall in Granite City, Illinois.

Details:

PPRC Photography Project Gallery, February 3 – March 30, 2009
(South hall, third floor, Social Science/Business Building at UMSL)
Info. 314-516-5250 • Website: http://pprc.umsl.edu
Gallery hours: daily 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Opening Reception: February 3rd, 12:00 noon to 1 p.m.
Gallery talks with Photography Project director Mel Watkin, Photography Project instructor Ron Laboray and Coordinated Youth and Human Services’ Alternative Education Program Co-Principal Patti Smith.

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City Hall Rotunda, Granite City, 1st floor:February 10 – March 26, 2009
2000 Edison Street, Granite City, Illinois 62040
Info. 618-452-6214 • Website: www.granitecity.Illinois.gov
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Opening Reception: February 10th, 5:30 - 7 p.m.
Gallery talks with student participants, Photography Project director Mel Watkin, Photography Project instructor Ron Laboray, Coordinated Youth and Human Services Executive Director Cindy Gavilsky, Alternative Education Program Co-Principal Patti Smith, Granite City Councilwoman Brenda Whitaker and Mayor Ed Hagnauer.

Also Recently in the PPRC Gallery:

Point-of-View: Cherokee Street and Benton Park West Neighborhood

The current exhibition in the PPRC Point-of-View series takes a multi-pronged approach to community photography.  The Cherokee Street and Benton Park West Neighborhood Photography Project brings together youth ages 8 to 17, as well as parents and business owners who live and work in the neighborhood.

During the project, artist Lyndsey Scott, taught photography basics to a core group of young people.  She met with them weekly at Community Arts and Media Program (C.A.M.P), on the west end of Cherokee Street.  A second component of the project engaged adults in the area. During neighborhood walks, youth from C.A.M.P. gave disposable cameras to residents and business owners and also passed along their own recently-gained knowledge of photography.  A website has been established (cherokeestreetphotos.org) participants can both view and upload Project photos.

The images they collected will be on exhibit at the PPRC Photography Project Gallery on the UMSL campus, at the Cherokee Small Business Incubator, and also in storefront windows on West Cherokee Street.

Details:

PPRC Photography Project Gallery, September 16 – October 26, 2008
(South hall, third floor, Social Science/Business Building at UMSL)
Info. 314-516-5250 • Website: http://pprc.umsl.edu
Gallery hours: daily 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Opening Reception: September 16th, noon to 1 p.m.
Featuring gallery talks with Photography Project Director Mel Watkin, instructor Lyndsey Scott, and Jean Durel of the Incarnate Word Foundation

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Cherokee Business Incubator: October 25, 2008 – January 10, 2009
2715 Cherokee Street, St. Louis, 63118

Opening Reception: Saturday, October 25 12:00 1-3 p.m.

 

Partners:
Public Policy Research Center at UMSL--Photography Project     
Incarnate Word Foundation     
Cherokee Station Business District Association
C.A.M.P (Community Arts and Media Program

 


Recently in the PPRC Photography Project Gallery:

Point-of-View: Center for Survivors of Torture and War Trauma

 

This PPRC Point-of-View exhibit features the photography of several teenage boys from a variety of countries who participate in programs through the Center for Survivors of Torture and War Trauma.  CSTWT was started in the early 1990s when St. Louis therapists began to see an increase in refugees suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. An informal coalition of service providers formed to work with clients from Afghanistan, Bosnia, Congo, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Liberia, Vietnam, and other countries experiencing unrest.

The Project began with a boisterous group of middle and high school teenaged boys, all avid soccer players who wondered what a class in photography in the middle of the summer could offer them. By the end of the Project they had learned how to use digital cameras to photograph closely cropped self-portraits, portraits of others and action shots. The portraits showed the pride students took in themselves, their families, and their multi-cultural identities. They also spent time shooting “community portraits” during a scavenger hunt in the Forest Park South East Neighborhood.  The resulting images are featured in the Point-of-View exhibit, on display in two locations.  

Details:

PPRC Photography Project Gallery
 University of Missouri - St. Louis
(South hall, third floor, Social Science/Business Building at UMSL)
Exhibit runs November 4, 2008 – January 18, 2009
Gallery hours: daily 6 a.m. to 11p.m.

Opening Reception: November 4th, noon to 1 p.m.
Reception will feature gallery talks with Photography Project director, Mel Watkin, Photography Project instructor, Chinyere E. Oteh and Center for Survivors Youth Director, Anne Farina

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MoKaBe’s
3606 Arsenal Street, Saint Louis, 63116 • Info: (314) 865-2009
Exhibit runs November 18 – December 30, 2008
Hours: Monday – Saturday 8 a.m. – 12 a.m., Sundays 9 a.m. – 12 a.m.

Opening Reception: November 18th, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Gallery talks with Photography Project director, Mel Watkin, Photography Project instructor, Chinyere E. Oteh and Center for Survivors Youth Director, Anne Farina

PPRC Photography Project featured in story in St. Louis American
The Point-of-View: Center for Survivors of Torture and War Trauma, was recently featured in a news article. Titled "Self-Portraits of Proud Refugees", the story highlghted several of the photos from the exhibit. »Download the web version of the story here.