North Gallery
Rodger A. Randle
Far Away Places
April 23 thru June 15, 2007
In
his photography exhibit Far Away Places, Rodger Randle calls his style
of shooting “cultural photography” and says he tries to
direct the attention of the viewer to particular characteristics of
a people or place. He believes that almost any photograph, closely
enough examined, will tell the whole history of human civilization.
“Photography is a way to tell stories about people and places without using words. The photography should be more than a picture. I especially like photos that can convey the mood or feeling of a scene; just the simple documentation of a place is not adequate for what I want to achieve,” said Randle.
In his experience, Randle says it is impossible to just go out and
take photos. “Instead, I can out and see if something wants to
have its picture taken.”
“Lots of times the subconscious sees things that the conscious
does not see, and I have learned to trust the subconscious when I take
pictures. Sometimes it is only when I get back to the computer and
look at the images I took that I understand what my subconscious wanted
to photograph.”
A native Tulsan who earned degrees from the University of Oklahoma
and the University of Tulsa, Randle has served in the Peace Corps,
the Oklahoma House of Representatives, the Oklahoma State Senate, as
well as serving two terms as mayor of Tulsa.
As an educator, he has taught at a number of Oklahoma colleges and
served as president of the University Center at Tulsa. Randle teaches
and offices in Tulsa, and holds the rank of Professor in the Department
of Human Relations, and also serves as Director of the Center for Studies
in Democracy and Culture at the University of Oklahoma -Tulsa.
Oklahoma
Arts Council Executive Director Betty Price said that as President
Pro Tem of the Senate, Rodger Randle was an outspoken advocate for
major public art in the Oklahoma State Capitol. “Early on,
he encouraged our Council to take an active role in commissioning paintings,
murals and sculpture by world class artists that have created beauty
and interest for thousands of tourists and school children who come
to the Capitol each year."
Sponsored by the Oklahoma Arts Council. For more information contact Scott Cowan at 405.521.2931 or scott@arts.ok.gov.
The North Gallery is located on the 1st floor of the State Capitol and open daily from 8:00-5:30.