Photo exhibit examines, documents meaning of 'home'

Fri, February 5, 2010 |

A Valparaiso University senior art major has documented the meaning of the American home in a photography exhibit opening Feb. 8.

"When someone has lived in a home for a long time – more than 30 years – it becomes a reflection of the person who lives in it," said Adam Jackson, of Hobart. "The pictures, the objects, everything that has accumulated over time creates a work of art with deep connections to the personality and life of the owner."

Jackson's 22 photo exhibit "...where the heart is..." includes photos from his own grandparents' homes and will be on display from Feb. 8 to April 2 in the Strimbu Gallery of Photography on the second floor of the Valpo Center for the Arts (http://www.valpo.edu/vuca).

"The name comes from the phrase everyone knows, 'home is where the heart is,' " said Jackson. "I hope that those who see the photos can find a familiarity with the objects in the homes of their own family, and possibly even see a common meaning."

Jackson said he modeled his exhibit after the collections "Personal Spaces: Details of American Homes" by photographer Susan Carr, documenting the interiors of homes of people who have lived in the same place for at least 40 years.

The exhibit is free and the Strimbu Gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.