Author: Meghan Siegler

New photo exhibition, book capture 21st-century life in NH

The “New Hampshire Now” statewide photographic exhibition and accompanying book could just as accurately be called “The Real New Hampshire,” with its honest and heartfelt representation of the good, the bad and the beautiful that makes up the Granite State.

The exhibition and book are the culmination of a two-year project that saw nearly 50 photographers capturing the people, places and events that make the state what it is.

“I felt that we needed to make a photographic document that reflects New Hampshire in the 21st century,” said Gary Samson, who proposed the project to the New Hampshire Society of Photographic Artists. “I was really thrilled that the NHSPA wanted to take [it on].”

The photographers all volunteered their time and covered the state’s seven regions, taking pictures of whatever they personally thought represents the real New Hampshire, in this moment.

“I was not aiming to produce a pretty picture book of New Hampshire,” Samson said. “The story here, really, is the photographers digging in.”

That, of course, meant including the pandemic. Samson said meeting in person became impossible, but it gave them the chance to extend and change the direction of the project, and to safely document the pandemic.

“There were some photographers who really dug into that,” Samson said. “Like life, the project became somewhat unpredictable.”

The project also took an interesting turn when, several months into it, the New Hampshire Historical Society offered to collaborate on it. Originally the photos were going to serve as a sort of historical document that would be archived for future generations. But the Society raised funds to publish a book and arranged for eight cultural centers around the state to host exhibitions.

Each exhibition contains images from the collection that are most relevant to that region. But Samson said there are major themes that are included in most of them, like the pandemic, the presidential election, homelessness and Black Lives Matter.

“I think the shows are pretty fair in what they represent,” he said.

Still, what you see at the show at the Millyard Museum in Manchester is not the same show as the one you’ll get up north, to the west or on the Seacoast.

“I love the bucolic countryside photos that may have come to us from Lancaster or Colebrook or even the Seacoast, but that’s not the reality of Manchester,” Manchester Historic Association Executive Director John Clayton said. “Our particular slice of the state is far more populous, beset with the problems that come with urban areas.”

Samson said there’s a whole section of the book about homelessness in Manchester, which he saw firsthand when he spent part of a day photographing the city.

“I was stunned when I saw so many tents around the courthouse and the park,” he said. “This is also an important story to tell about New Hampshire; there are a lot of people who are in desperate straits.”

Clayton said he hopes that people who come to the Millyard exhibition will look at it and be able to think about the state in greater depth.

“I think this will be an eye-opener,” he said.

Fletcher Manley, one of the project’s most prolific photographers, captured a very different piece of New Hampshire.

“I live up here in the North Country and I wanted to represent the North Country,” he said. “This is not a terribly gentrified part of the state. It’s still “fringey” … and that’s part of the appeal to a good many.”

Manley said he focused on the area’s “tremendous natural resources,” like the White Mountain range. But he also took shots of people that symbolize what it means to live in northern New Hampshire. One was of a young woman working in her garden with a young child on her back; when he saw her, he thought of an earth goddess working the soil. In the image, the little girl’s smile is as big as her mother’s.

“You can’t plan for these shots,” he said.

There’s also an image of a man who has lived up north his whole life and used to work in the paper mills. He built his own home, tills his own soil and played a big part in the grassroots effort to stop Northern Pass.

“He’s typical of the resourcefulness of the people up here,” Manley said.

Manley used his own resourcefulness to take photos that he thinks outsiders wouldn’t have been able to get.

“You really need to be of an area so you know the nooks and crannies … and whose backyards you can cross through,” Manley said.

The “New Hampshire Now” flagship exhibition is at the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord, with images that represent the state as a whole, so it includes Manley’s North Country along with the six other regions.

The Millyard Museum will host a discussion panel on the exhibit on Saturday, Oct. 9, at 11 a.m. with photographers Samson, Claudia Rippee and Mark Bolton, with Clayton moderating.

“There are many different New Hampshires, and I think people who come [here] will see there’s much more of an urban flavor to the Manchester and Merrimack Valley exhibit.”

“New Hampshire Now”

For more information about the exhibition and where to purchase the New Hampshire Now book, visit newhampshirenow.org.

Region-specific exhibitions
Belknap Mill Society, Laconia
Davidow Center for Art + Design, New London
Historical Society of Cheshire County, Keene
Millyard Museum, Manchester
Museum of the White Mountains, Plymouth
New Hampshire Historical Society, Concord
Portsmouth Historical Society, Portsmouth
Tillotson Center, Colebrook

Events
A Discussion with New Hampshire Now Photographers
Project Director Gary Samson and photographers Claudia Rippee and Mark Bolton for a panel discussion about their work on the project.
Where: Manchester Historic Association’s Millyard Museum
When: Saturday, Oct. 9, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Cost: Free and open to the public. For advanced registration, call 622-7531 or email history@manchesterhistoric.org.

New Hampshire Historical Society: New Hampshire Through the Lens of a Camera
Join a panel of photographers who participated in “New Hampshire Now” and learn more about their experiences capturing the Granite State and Granite Staters.
Where: Virtual
When: Wednesday, Oct. 13, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Cost: Free. Register through Eventbrite.com.

New Hampshire Historical Society: “More than Just a Pretty Picture”
Gary Samson and art historian Inez McDermott explore how “New Hampshire Now” fits in with other documentary photography projects in American history and discuss recurring themes that emerged during the project.
Where: New Hampshire Historical Society, Concord
When: Saturday, Oct. 16, 2 to 4 p.m.
Cost: Free with the price of admission ($7)

Featured photo: New Hampshire Now. Courtesy photo.

Granite State Comicon returns, live and in person

Watching cosplayers compete in a costume contest, meeting comics artists and taking part in learn-to-draw workshops virtually last year just wasn’t the same pop culture experience that Granite State Comicon usually offers — which is why event organizers are eager to host a live event this year.

The 18th annual Granite State Comicon is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 18, and Sunday, Sept. 19, at DoubleTree by Hilton in downtown Manchester.

“Our goal this year was just to be able to pull off an event,” said Chris Proulx of Double Midnight Comics, which puts on the event. “When we booked the hotel, we were like, let’s watch the Covid numbers and see how they go. It was looking good, and then the delta variant started creeping up.”

As of Sept. 7 there had only been a couple of artist cancellations, and Proulx said their goal is to have all the same features they’ve had in the past — Artist Alley, panels and workshops, the Fan Zone, photo ops, costume contests — while keeping everyone as safe as possible.

“Our event is very family-friendly … and we just want to make sure families feel comfortable coming,” he said.

Masks will be required for everyone over the age of 5, and activities have been spread out to allow for more spacing. Proulx said they’re also urging people to take advantage of the vaccination clinic they’ll have on site all day Saturday.

The majority of the convention, though, is gearing up to be as “back to normal” as possible. Highlights include appearances from celebrities like John Ratzenberger, probably best known for playing Cliff on Cheers, who was also a soldier in The Empire Strikes Back, among other film roles.

“He’s [also] the only voice to be in every single Pixar movie,” Proulx said. “He’ll be signing autographs and taking pictures.”

The centerpoint of GraniteCon is Artist Alley, where you get to meet dozens of comic creators, buy prints or originals, commission sketches and get collectibles signed. Among the many artists are Steve Lavigne, who created most of the officially licensedTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles artwork on merchandise in the late ’80s and early ’90s; Freddie E. Williams, who has illustrated The New York Times bestselling crossover series Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, HeMan/ThunderCats and Injustice vs. Masters of The Universe; and Keith Champagne, who has worked for DC Comics for decades on comics like Green Lantern and JSA and is currently producing the Stranger Things series of comics.

The convention’s biggest draw for kids is the Fan Zone, which houses a scaled-down version of Kids Con New England.

“It’s a really fun, interactive area,” Proulx said. “Emily [Druin, who runs the bigger Kids Con in the spring with her husband, Jeremy], runs workshops, like how to draw characters.”

On Saturday night there’s the annual costume contest, where cosplayers from all over New England will take the stage to show off their work.

“I love seeing everybody in costume,” Proulx said. “What should be neat this year … is cosplayers [are] working their masks into the costumes.”

Proulx said there’s something for everyone at Granite State Comicon.

“Comic conventions have kind of evolved over the years,” he said. “It’s become a pop culture event, so maybe you’re not into comic books but you’re probably into Game of Thrones or Walking Dead. … We embrace all fandom.”

Proulx said that they’ve already pre-sold more tickets than usual, and they’re expecting a big crowd since this is one of the few events in the region that’s taking place this year.

“I think everybody’s going to be happy to get out and experience this stuff and do it safely,” he said. “[And then] we have some big plans for 2022.”

Granite State Comicon

Where: DoubleTree by Hilton, 700 Elm St., Manchester
When: Saturday, Sept. 18, and Sunday, Sept. 19
Cost: $25 Saturday, $20 Sunday or $40 for a weekend pass. Prices do not include after-hours events. Purchasing tickets online is encouraged at granitecon.com.

Schedule Of Events

Saturday, Sept. 18

• All-day activities (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.): Tabletop gaming, Calmer Space, Covid-19 Vaccine Clinic, Kids Con Coloring and Activity Tables

• Learn to Draw Disney Characters: 10:30 to 11:15 a.m.

• Comedy Pop Culture: The Magic of Loki: 11 a.m.

• Kids Coloring Contest: 11:30 a.m. to noon

• Black Caravan Spotlight: noon to 1 p.m.

• Learn to Draw Pokemon Characters: 1 to 1:30 p.m.

• Empire Strikes Back 41st Anniversary: 1:30 to 2:40 p.m.

• Custom Action Figure Workshop: 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

• Newt and the Magic of Potter: 2 to 3 p.m.

• Storytime and Crafts with Party Palace Princesses: 2 to 2:40 p.m.

• Yoda Puppet Craft: 3 to 3:40 p.m.

• Batman Day 2021: 3 to 4 p.m.

• Comedy Pop Culture: The Magic of Loki: 4 to 5 p.m.

• Create a Comic Book: 4 to 4:40 p.m.

• Ultimate Sketch-off Championship: 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

• 11th Annual Costume Contest: 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 19

• All-day activities (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.): Tabletop gaming, Calmer Space, Kids Con Coloring and Activity Tables

• Learn to Draw Characters from Kids Comics: 10:15 to 11:30 a.m.

• Comedy Pop Culture: The Magic of Loki: 11 a.m. to noon

• Press Your Luck: GraniteCon Edition: noon to 1 p.m.

• Talkin’ Turtles – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

• Newt and the Magic of Potter: 1 to 2 p.m.

• Kids Sketch Off: 1 to 2 p.m.

• Learn to Draw Mario Brothers and Sonic the Hedgehog Characters: 1:30 to 2 p.m.

• Batman/Batgirl Puppet Craft: 2:30 to 3:15 p.m.

• Kids Costume Contest: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

• Comedy Pop Culture: The Magic of Loki: 3 to 4 p.m.

• Create a Superhero/Supervillian and Origin Story Comic: 3:40 to 4:20 p.m.

Featured photo: The Massachusetts Ghostbusters are heading to Granite State Comicon. Courtesy photo.

Currier exhibition features street-inspired ceramics

An artist who calls himself the “ghetto potter,” Roberto Lugo has brought a new vibe to the Currier Museum of Art with his street-inspired ceramics, which look like traditional pieces from afar but actually explore Lugo’s Afro-Latino heritage and hip-hop culture.

“I don’t just think about ceramic objects for their specific function but I also think about what connotations they have within culture and society,” Lugo said in an audio response to emailed questions. “I try to add to that conversation by complicating it and including figures, ideas and textiles that haven’t historically been included in that conversation.”

His exhibition, called “Te traigo mi le lo lai – I bring you my joy,” has been up since spring and runs through Sept. 26.

“I remember the first time I saw [Lugo’s work] I was surprised by it. … Instead of having cherubs and aristocrats on it, it had [things like] a hip-hop boombox,” said Samantha Cataldo, the museum’s curator of contemporary art. “You get drawn in by something you think you know and get brought to a place you weren’t expecting.”

Lugo, who lives in Philadelphia, worked closely with Cataldo to create the exhibition, which includes some of his older pieces plus work that he created specifically for the Currier show, like one of musician Bob Marley.

“Marley really embodies … creativity and peace and harmony and he has been used by people of all races to sort of symbolize peace,” Lugo said. “His music is just something that makes you feel good and it’s a celebration, which I really feel is at the forefront of this exhibition.”

That celebration is what’s behind the exhibition’s name — “I bring you my joy” represents all of the pieces of Lugo’s history, including his Puerto Rican agricultural heritage and his upbringing in urban Philly. According to Cataldo, Lugo saw a similar juxtaposition in Manchester, with the city being the biggest, most post-industrial city in a pretty rural state.

The Currier’s hope is that Lugo’s work has been able to reach a part of the population that isn’t often represented in local art.

“We do have a growing Hispanic and Latinx population so we’re really hoping people who don’t see their culture in art as much can see that in Roberto’s exhibition,” Cataldo said. “Taking the culture of ’90s hip-hop and graffiti and putting it in this completely unexpected form … it brings in a whole group of people who don’t usually see themselves in art.”

Much of Lugo’s work pays homage to people of color who have made significant impacts on culture and society.

“These are abolitionists, civil rights leaders, and yes even contemporary musicians like Tupac and Missy [Elliot],” Lugo said. “I think Tupac in particular complicated the narrative of what a hip-hop artist is supposed to be; he’s more poetic but also had a really sensitive side to what he was talking about and really focused primarily on painting a picture of life in the ghetto.”

These unexpected messages are even more pronounced because of how Lugo’s pieces are displayed.

“From the beginning we really wanted to figure out how to make my work interact with pieces from the museum’s collection,” Lugo said.

“It’s literally sitting on our works,” Cataldo said. “Historic furniture from our collection is being used to show his ceramics, like a dinner table display, [which] I think poses a lot of interesting juxtapositions for people … like a plate with Missy Elliot sitting on a 19th-century carved piece.”

Cataldo said that one of the things Lugo really wanted to do was make the work accessible to people and create the feeling that you’re in someone’s home.

“The idea is domestic,” Cataldo said. “Ceramic work rides that line — you can have a beautiful set of bowls that someone hand made but you can use them every day, but that same beautiful bowl could be in a museum.”

The exhibition also includes a “cup wall” that has transformed since the start of the show; then, it only had cups that Lugo made, and now it includes about a dozen other cups created by local ceramics artists who were invited to participate.

“Artists often trade work,” Cataldo said, “like a mug or cup — it’s small and portable but you can get a lot of expression on it.”

Cataldo said she’s heard positive feedback about the exhibition from visitors, and she herself has been enjoying its presence in the museum.

“Roberto is just so open — every time I walk through it always just feels happy and it really is just a true expression of him,” she said.

“Te traigo mi le lo lai – I bring you my joy”

Where: Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester
When: On view through Sept. 26
Cost: Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online.
More info: 669-6144, currier.org

Featured photo: Roberto Lugo at work on a ceramics piece. Photos courtesy of the Currier Museum of Art.