Back when The Maven was a cub reporter (and by "cub reporter," we mean "copy editor who managed to throw a few stories together on her days off"), she had the pleasure of working with the photojournalist Bridget Besaw.Back then, a few things struck her: Bridget was a few years older and very cool — someone to look up to. She had excellent style, and in a newsroom, that counts for something. And, most important, she could shoot the hell out of pretty much anything, from bean suppers to accident scenes.
Some things never change. Though we haven't seen Bridget in years, we've followed her magazine and book work. She always approaches Maine — a state much beloved by photographers — with a fresh eye, and her 2008 documentary project "Maine Farms at Work" is no exception. An exhibit of those photographs, commissioned by Maine Farmland Trust, is on view through Aug. 8 at Frontier Cafe, Cinema and Gallery in Brunswick.
This body of work takes the viewer beyond farm stands and flowers to show the faces and determination that sustain agriculture in Maine. Yes, these images are pretty, but they're also gritty. Real.
Besaw grew up on a small farm, and, she writes, "as I spend more time on conservation issues, I am often reminded of our lost connection to the soil that sustains us." In this body of work, it is clear that she has found that connection.
For more information about the exhibit, click here. For a preview of Besaw's work, visit her Web site. Above image by Bridget Besaw.
0 comments:
Post a Comment