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| Photographer displays blues collection in grand rapids exhibit Robert Barclay, Central Michigan University’s director of photography and videography, will showcase his collection of blues photography from Aug. 27 to Sept. 17 in Grand Rapids. The exhibit, “Robert Barclay: Blues Photography 1985-2005, ” will be at Tributary, A Bouck Brothers Studio and Gallery. The event also includes an opening reception featuring live music from Mantra Aug. 27 from 6 p.m. to midnight. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Admission is free and open to the public. “It is great to have this venue and to have my work displayed, ” said Barclay. “Many people have heard of all the blues greats, and this will be a chance to put the names with faces.” The exhibit features 30 black and white photographs of blues legends Memphis Slim, Hubert Sumlin, Doctor Ross, Johnny Clyde Copeland, Albert Collins, Junior Wells, Johnny Shines, Champion Jack Dupree and Sippie Wallace. The exhibit also includes recent color photographs from digital images. “The people in these photographs are those who have given me musical excitement for the past 30 years, ” said Barclay. “I love this style of music because people of all ages can find it appealing. It is not something you feel silly listening to when you are 50. It is about life, love and relationships.” Barclay also hosts a weekly radio show on CMU Public Radio called “Blues at the Juke Joint.” Since 1985, the “Duke of Juke, ” as Barclay is known by his listeners, has been bringing the sound of blues to people from St. Johns to Bay City to Sault Ste. Marie and beyond. For his work on “Juke Joint, ” Barclay received the “Keeping the Blues Alive” award from the Memphis-based Blues Foundation in 2004. The award honors one person in public radio each year. “This exhibit also is a great opportunity for me to meet my radio audience and also for my audience to get to see the faces of some of the best blues artists of the past 20 years, some of whom have since passed away, ” said Barclay. Barclay has been shooting blues pictures for publications such as The New York Times, Living Blues and Blues Revue since the 1980s. Many of the portrait and performance photographs in his exhibit were taken at the Chicago Blues Fest, while others were shot in his Mount Pleasant studio. This will be Barclay’s first urban photo exhibit and third exhibit overall. His previous two exhibits were both held in Mount Pleasant. The last one was in 1993. “While other people enjoy fishing or playing golf, photographing blues musicians and producing blues radio are what I enjoy doing, “said Barclay. “Both activities dovetail nicely because they bring me in contact with the musicians, and it allows me two mediums that I can share with others. “It’s amazing how my involvement with the blues for the past 20 years has already become a part of blues history, ” he said. write your comments about the article :: © 2005 Jazz News :: home page |