STOCKBRIDGE, MASS.- The Stockbridge Station Gallery is presenting “From Paris to Stockbridge, via Fukushima”, Photographs by Lionel Delevingne. Lionel Delevingne was born in Paris, France but has lived in Western Massachusetts most of his life, having come to the US in 1971 to attend Mayday demonstrations against the Vietnam War.
Much of Delevingne’s career has focused on environmental issues. Starting in 1975, he began to document the insidious and ever-present threat of nuclear power as seen in Montague, MA, Three Mile Island, PA, and in the devastating nuclear accidents of Chernobyl, Ukraine and Fukushima, Japan. The images on display represent a selection of this body of work that culminated in the publication, “To the Village Square: from Montague to Fukushima 1975-2014”.
The ‘Drylands’ series, presents photographs from a collaborative project with journalist Steve Turner which resulted in “Drylands, a Rural American Saga” published in 2011. This pictorial essay focuses on Adams County in eastern Washington, depicting the immense beauty and struggles of rural, agricultural life in the USA.
After traveling throughout the world, covering primarily environmental issues, Delevingne settled in Stockbridge, MA, as he says:
"Tending to my garden like Voltaire's Candide reflected. Any place can be the center of the world as my late friend, Father Spike of Lowell, MA told me. Stockbridge is the center of my world. While it may seem odd that a native Parisian preaches the appeal of living in a small town, I do so because I have come to appreciate the camaraderie, shared values, and personal support that a more intimate scale provides.
What better place than right here at home to probe the beauty and wonders of our natural environment? That is what absorbs me presently. I discover beauty everywhere—in water, ice, snow, and in the strength of a tree. I am busy exploring our world to expose—and share—its intricacy and fragility. Personally, I find a certain spiritual fulfillment in this pursuit. It is a great source of solace in these troubled times.”
Delevingne’s current work, taken locally during the last 5 years is being shown now for the first time. These black and white photographs focus on intimate connections with nature and are printed on archival aluminum plates, in a process that recreates the luminescence of a digital image. They offer a surreal, even mystical connection with aspects of nature. Each piece is comprised of 4 to 9 images, presented in gridded format, that envelops both subject and viewer.
The gallery proceeds of this exhibit will be shared with the Laurel Hill Association whose visionary pioneers have guided this community for 170 years and presently promises to renew its community leadership role for the future.
