ValleyCAST Presents: A Conversation with The Blackstone River

About this event

Spanning 50 miles from Worcester to Providence, the Blackstone River features distinct contrasts – from urban and industrial centers to rural and natural environments, shaped by both heavy industrial use and ongoing conservation efforts. Through aerial and ground-level photography, long-time Blackstone Valley photographers James Hunt and Bob Evans showcase ecological history and diverse landscapes rarely seen by the casual observer.

Opening Reception: Thursday, November 5, 5–8 pm

On View: Monday–Friday, 9 am–4 pm November 5–December 18

Exhibition Statement

How do we relate to a river? Is it a source of recreation and food, a cause of flooding and destruction, or a block to progress? Is a river beautiful or an eyesore? Is a particular river a living entity, or a fragmented amalgamation of locations and views? Must it earn its keep, or does it have an inherent right to exist undisturbed? Rivers were once revered as sources of life. In many places over time, they came to be seen as resources to be exploited, or threats to be controlled. How we view nature is critically important in determining how we engage with the numerous environmental issues and opportunities we face. At this point in time, we seem to have more questions than answers.

Through A Conversation with the Blackstone River , we explore these questions in relation to the Blackstone River, which runs between Worcester, MA and Providence, RI. Over the course of its 50 miles, one can see radically different scenes: beauty, serenity and nature, superhighway, historical artifacts, urban problems, efforts to help the river and its surroundings – some successful, some not. It was a lifeline for the indigenous people of the region prior to colonization, and it became the resource of the Industrial Revolution beginning in 1793. The explosion of textile mills along the River created vast wealth for some and employment for many, yet was also a driving force to the growth of slavery and pervasive environmental damage. Through examining the Blackstone River directly, it is our hope that this exhibition provides opportunity for us to consider the history and futures of our relationships to all rivers, and to all of nature.

Artist Statements

James Hunt : I’ve been photographing the Blackstone River and its surroundings for the past decade. In the process, I was drawn into the problem of how we understand a river. These photographs and the accompanying film, A Brief Conversation with the Blackstone River (created in collaboration with Bob Evans) focus on one approach to the problem, gathering together representative images of the differing faces of a single river.

I’m most interested in series of images and videos that tell a story. In particular, my experience as a teacher of sustainability at Babson College has impressed upon me the importance of understanding the full story, and not limiting our understanding to one perspective; stories can be approached in many ways. In this instance, I’ve been struggling with how to simply connect the many faces of the Blackstone together, so that we can see it as a whole.

Bob Evans : Much of my work focuses on landscape photography and mankind’s impact upon the environment, and I often find myself concentrating on the human footprint through the shapes, textures, and smaller details rather than the wider view. I particularly enjoy working in monochrome which better suits my ‘industrial’ photography. Removing colour allows me to concentrate on light, tone, and composition, and brings out qualities that were less obvious when I first looked at the scene.

Fay Godwin’s approach to photographing the land has been an important influence. I share her reluctance to make the ‘chocolate box’ picture. A photograph can be attractive, but I want it to have something more: a sense of place, an atmosphere, or something that makes the viewer stop and look again. This is also exemplified by Bill Brandt, who is another major influence on my work.

I photograph subjects as I find them, without staging or rearranging the scene. The choices I make in framing and printing are my way of expressing what interested me in the first place. I work with both digital cameras and film and still enjoy the process of developing film and seeing the results. My engineering background has given me an appreciation of the technical side of photography, but getting the technique right is only part of it. What matters most to me is whether the finished photograph communicates something of what I saw and felt when I made it. In my environmental photography, these feelings usually centre on isolation and quiet decay.

About the Artists

James Hunt is a fine art environmental photographer and filmmaker in North Grafton, MA. His work has focused on the interaction between humans and nature, particularly the impact of society on the region’s water and forests. He has had solo exhibitions at ArtsWorcester, the Jewish Community Center of Worcester, ValleyCAST’s Heritage Gallery, and Babson College. His portfolios have been published in Black and White Magazine , and his work as been juried into numerous group shows, including the Small Stones Festival of the Arts in Grafton, MA, the Rhode Island Center for Photographic Arts in Providence, RI, and Photoplace Gallery in Middlebury, VT. James’ photographic training took place at the Griffin Museum of Photography, the Boston University Center for Digital Imaging Arts, and the International Center for Photography in New York. He is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and received a doctorate from the Boston University Graduate School of Management. He is also Professor Emeritus at Babson College, where he taught and wrote about talent development and sustainability. James lives in Grafton, MA with his wife Chris and their poodle Teddy.

Bob Evans is a Massachusetts-based photographer whose work explores landscape, abstraction, and storytelling through digital and traditional film photography. Originally trained as an engineer, he brings a strong sense of observation and craftsmanship to his images. Influenced by photographers such as Fay Godwin, Bill Brandt, and Henri Cartier-Bresson, Bob seeks to reveal the character and essence of a subject rather than simply record its appearance. His work has been exhibited in the United Kingdom and the United States, including solo exhibitions in New York. His photographs are permanently displayed at the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce in Whitinsville, MA, and have been published in local and national newspapers in the UK. Bob currently serves as Vice President of the Blackstone Valley Art Association.

Read the official press release.