- Two European photographers are collaborating on a photography exhibit in Bloomington, Indiana.
- The exhibit will feature group portraits of Bloomington residents, showcasing the city’s unique character.
- The photographers are seeking suggestions from the community for groups to photograph.
What makes Bloomington unique? Could it be shown by a single photograph?
That’s what Jon Tonks and Roman Franc want to accomplish in late April and early May. The European professional fine-arts photographers have chosen Bloomington, Indiana, as the first U.S. city they will photograph for an exhibit to debut at Pictura Gallery.
How 2 photographers chose Bloomington for their project
Tonks is from Bath, England; Franc is from Brno, Czech Republic. They met in Houston, Texas, in 2014 at FotoFest, a convention for professional photographers. That’s where they also met David and Martha Moore of Bloomington, the owners and founders of Pictura Gallery and the FAR Center for Contemporary Arts.
Since then they’ve stayed in touch and done a few projects. “We eat fish and chips together,” quipped Franc while sitting inside Pictura Gallery on a gray February day.
In the past decade, they both have had solo exhibits at Pictura Gallery, showcasing their images shot with medium- and large-format cameras.
Tonks has had two shows at the gallery: Empire and The Men Who Would Be King. Franc has had three: Sight Lines, and the Czech group shows Velvet Generation and Never Too Close.
“We have a good, long history with both artists, and high regard for their work,” said Lisa Woodward, co-curator at Pictura Gallery in an email.
Get the appHow to access Herald-Times news anywhere with the Herald-Times app
Within the past year, Tonks and Franc decided to return to the U.S. for a joint project, photographing groups of people representing a city. What better place than Bloomington, they decided, since both had a “good sense of the community,” Franc said.
Which Bloomington groups will be photographed?
Even though they’ve both visited Bloomington before, the two recently returned to determine which groups they can photograph. They’ve met with ministers, Indiana University ballet and String Academy officials, and were excited about attending an IU women’s basketball game. Other potential groups they’re considering include roller skaters, cheerleaders, city officials — they met with Mayor Kerry Thomson — and firefighters.
They hope school officials will allow them to photograph bus drivers. Both are fascinated with yellow school buses since in Europe they don’t exist. In their home countries, students use existing transit options to get to school.
“They are just enormous,” Tonks said, adding the school buses have a “very peculiar aesthetic.”
Tonks and Franc are setting up times to visit various venues while they’re in Bloomington through Wednesday, Feb. 19.
“We are open for ideas,” Franc said. “People can get in touch with us.”
Anyone with ideas for potential photographs can contact them at info@groupscollective.com, even after they return to Europe.
When will the photographs be taken?
The duo plan to return in late April and early May to create photos of 15 to 20 groups. They’re working with Indiana University photography professor Osamu James Nakagawa, and may develop their images with his help.
Tonks said he’s worked with IU students during past trips to Bloomington and may again.
When will the photographs be on exhibit?
The images will be displayed at Pictura Gallery beginning June 6, which also is the day this year’s Fourth and Rogers Block Party happens just outside the gallery.
Since it’s the first Friday of the month, the exhibition will be part of the Gallery Walk in June.
“We’ll have prints on the walls of the gallery from all of the group portraits,” said Pictura’s Woodward. “The exhibition and the block party are free and open to the public.”
More photos:Indiana basketball vs Michigan photo gallery: Check out the action from Assembly Hall
All the people who participate in a group portrait will be invited to the opening, Woodward said. Tonks and Franc plan to make one last group picture of everyone at the block party.
The exhibit will be on display June 6 through Aug. 30.
“We’re all just so excited about it, such a fun celebration of Bloomington,” Woodward said.
Tonks and Franc aren’t sure if the exhibit will be displayed at other galleries but are hopeful. They’re also anticipating if this project is successful, they may do a similar project in another U.S. city.
Contact Carol Kugler at ckugler@heraldt.com.
