Photojournalist to present exhibit, lecture
FOR RELEASE: Sunday, October 30, 2005
Huntington, Ind. "Photojournalist Ryan Spencer Reed will serve as guest speaker for the Huntington University Forester Lecture series on Tuesday, November 15, 2005, at 7 p.m. Reed will present Hands of a Displaced Sudan: A Cry for Compassion in the Zurcher Auditorium of the Merillat Centre for the Arts. After graduating from Calvin College in 2002, Reed made his first trip to East Africa to document the critical social issues and tragic stories that continue to unfold in Sudan, Kenya, and Chad.
I think geographically speaking, East Africa faces more issues than any other area in the world " AIDS, civil wars, all of the social issues, dealing the poverty. I really believe I could spend the rest of my life in this region of the world and never feel satisfied with my contribution. I won't let that deter me, though, Reed said.
The photojournalist will display more than 70 images of his photo-documentary in an exhibit at Huntington University's Robert E. Wilson Gallery from November 10 to December 11, 2005. An artist reception for Reed will be held in the gallery on Tuesday, November 15, 2005, from 8 to 9 p.m., following his Forester lecture.
The visual narrative of the exhibit delves into the unacceptable situations in Sudan from the perspective of those displaced and puts a human face on the Sudanese condition in a way that simple statistics never could, Reed said.
Reed, 26, believes his photos should do more than simply educate.
First and foremost, these issues are far underreported. In the culture in which we live, these issues are not popular or much talked about. My goal is to reach people who hopefully are going to respond, he said. I want to inspire young people to assimilate these issues into their issues. As a young person, this is not something that's out of reach for people " this level of contribution. It doesn't always mean going, but the photos need to serve as a catalyst for discussions beyond that. And these discussions need to take place if they're truly affecting the viewers. People need to ask, 'Where do I fall into this? Where do my gifts come into play?' Reed said.
Prints from the exhibit can be ordered during Reed's artist reception or through a Web site, www.groupm35.com/reed.
The Robert E. Wilson Gallery is open from Monday through Friday from 9 to 5 p.m., before and after all Merillat Centre for the Arts performances and by appointment. For more information, contact gallery director Rebecca Coffman at (260) 359-4272.
To obtain a high resolution copy of the photo shown on this Web page, contact Heather Barkley at hbarkley@huntington.edu or (260) 359-4171. Strict restrictions apply. The image is not to be reproduced in any way and for any reason other than to promote the exhibition.
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