2017

Friday, March 24th

7:00pm

Mark Peterson: “Political Theatre” Opening Reception

Over the past two years Mark Peterson has photographed American presidential candidates as they lead rallies, meet with voters and plead for votes. He started shortly before the government shutdown in 2013 at a Tea Party rally at the US Capitol, when politicians were railing against President Obama and the Affordable Care Act”Óa show to get a sound bite into the next news cycle.

Since then Peterson has followed the political spin as it approached the November 2016 election. Donald Trump’s entrance into the race”Ótaking control of TV talking heads and making the media his press agent”Óis true political theatre. In a similar gesture, Bernie Sanders raised an arm in a power salute to waiting photographers after giving a speech in New Hampshire.

Peterson pulls back the curtain on such performances to show these politicians as they really are. Although they are in plain sight, they hide behind words and carefully arranged imagery to project their vision of America. Peterson cuts through such staging and reveals the cold, naked ambition for power.

Mark Peterson is an American photographer based in New York City. Much of his work consists of political figures and people of wealth and notoriety. He frequently uses rich color and detail. His work has been published in the New York Times Magazine, New York magazine, Fortune magazine, Time magazine, ESPN The Magazine, and Geo magazine. He has photographed major political moments in history, such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the Clinton, Dole, and George W. Bush campaigns. Recently, he has worked with such publications as GQ and MSNBC to cover events via Instagram.

LOCATION

Room 105 - North Gate Hall

Get directions to Room 105 - North Gate Hall