Cawein Gallery Reopens With John Wimberley Photo Exhibition
For over five decades, John Wimberley has been known around the world for using photography to capture the human form, landscapes and Native American art.
An exhibition of Wimberley’s internationally-renowned work, featuring many images that have been rarely displayed, will be the first for Pacific University’s Kathrin Cawein Gallery of Art in the university’s newly renovated AuCoin Hall (formerly Pacific Hall). The exhibition, “Chapters,” runs from Monday, Feb. 5 to Thursday, Mar. 7 at the gallery on Pacific’s Forest Grove Campus.
An artist reception will take place on Wednesday, Mar. 6, from 1 to 4 p.m., at the gallery. Wimberley will join the reception via Zoom for discussion and a question-and-answer period.
“The Cawein Gallery is thrilled to host this exhibition by a true master of his craft, with a lifetime of experience and expertise behind him,” said Tyler Brumfield, assistant professor of art at Pacific University. “The images are arresting and powerful, capturing light and sublimity of landscape.”
A contemporary of Ansel Adams, Brett Weston and Imogen Cunningham, Wimberley is known for his technical mastery and the spiritual dimension of his imagery. His body of work includes black and white landscapes and human figures as well as abandoned mining camps and Native American art from the Western United States. Over the last 20 years, Wimberley has used digital color photography to document rock art sites in the West.
A self-taught artist, Wimberley made his first art images while serving in Vietnam in the United States Navy. Having never sought instruction in camera use or photo processing, Wimberley used books, experimentation and persistence to teach himself to expose and develop negatives and print photographs. In support of the spiritual dimension in his photography, he studies and continuously and engages in active and deep meditation.
His photographs have appeared in multiple publications and over 70 exhibitions worldwide, including a recent exhibition at the Portland Art Museum. He is the author or co-author of five books on his life and work.
In 2010, Wimberley received the Oliver Award from the American Art Rock Research Association for his book Evidence of Magic, documenting Native American petroglyphs.
The Kathrin Cawein Gallery of Art is open weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The gallery is also open by appointment by contacting Brumfield via email, brum1878@pacificu.edu.