The still pipes and dusty atmosphere portray a deserted, almost bewitching feeling that pulls the viewer into a scene of peaceful quietness. Chris Dunker aimed to capture the beauty, color and legacy of Geneva Steel, and he did just that in a photographic documentary of the dismantling of this 60-year run plant.
The MOA unveils its newest exhibit today, March 17, "Dismantling Geneva Steel: Photographs by Chris Dunker" which will be on view until Nov. 1, 2008. For three years, the artist documented the dismantling of the once-thriving steel plant that employed over 60,000 employees during its existence. According to a news release, the images present the viewer with an artistic reflection on the impact of the steel works which will consist of 60 prints that follow the plant from "cold idle," the level of operation just above complete shutdown, through the demolition of the
power plant, the last major structure.
"I have a love of industrial culture and the simple designs of utility," Dunker said. "Also, I felt the need to create a documentary of the end of steel making in Utah. The document is constructed in a way to embrace a multitude of relationships. There is no agenda except document and beauty."
He said he thinks people's initial reaction to the exhibit will be "love."
"The exhibition really is a catalyst for reflection on a number of topics - local history, economics and industry," said Diana Turnbow, curator at the MOA. "The photographs are large, colorful and visceral, evoking an immediate emotional response. The text is minimal, enough to ground the viewer and open various doors of thought.
"Obviously response to the photographs will vary. Some visitors, those previously connected to the steel plant, will have a response grounded in memory. I suspect that for the students on campus, they will respond to the color scale of the objects, the industry forms and the scenes of rubble and destruction. Scenes of destruction always prompt questions and reflection. Although absent largely from the photos, there was a human cost in the demolition of the steel plant. Lives changed, loss of income, people forced to seek new employment and new ways of life."
"I think the exhibition will be somewhat of a surprise to people," said Chris Wilson, marketing and communications director at the MOA. "When you think of photographs of Geneva Steel, the first thing that would come to mind are black and white documentary photographs. The photographs are very bright, very colorful, very expressive. Most of them have almost another worldly feel to them. It almost seems like machines have taken over the world and then deteriorated."
Dunker set out to capture a legacy in the history of Utah. Many people drove by this plant year after year, seeing it through the windows of their cars and not giving it much thought. Dunker captured the life in each machine and a memory for those whose lives were changed when Geneva Steel was dismantled.
Museum of Art hours are Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m.
Copyright Brigham Young University 17 Mar 2008
