Golda McLellan Shows Scarred Southern Historical past In Photography Exhibit

Golda McLellan introduced her images exhibition “Sharing the Past” on the Burns-Belfry Museum and Multicultural Center on Friday, Oct. 17. The exhibition centered on the experiences of group members reacting to historic websites throughout the South.  

Two years in the past, McLellan met Castel Sweet, an assistant professor of follow in group engagement on the University of Mississippi. At the time, Sweet was main journeys known as “Sightseeing Resistance,” touring to areas of the South distinguished within the historical past of slavery within the U.S. McLellan went alongside for the trip and was impressed to create a solo exhibit of photographs.

“I just started taking photos,” McLellan mentioned. “Everybody was really encouraging, and it’s kind of blossomed into this over the two years. When Castel approached me about doing a solo show here, I just said, ‘Heck yes.’”

With the exhibit arrange within the middle of the church, the viewers was allowed to maneuver across the space whereas additionally sampling the bigger, everlasting historical past exhibit of the church itself. 

The choice of photographs allowed for pure, emotional responses. They had been additionally grouped by a sequence of eight questions: 

What does it imply to return to a spot that remembers you? What journeys introduced individuals to this second? How do we stock historical past once we transfer collectively? Who as soon as stood right here, and what did they see? What tales will youngsters inform after they’re older about historical past? What does it imply to share a narrative, not simply inform it? How do each day acts of creating maintain a group? What echoes linger in buildings?

McLellan spoke on the query of “What does it mean to share a story, not just tell it?” She talked about that these photographs had been taken on the annual “Behind the Big House” exhibit in Holly Springs, Miss., the place the lives of enslaved individuals are interpreted in a day of remembrance. 

McLellan’s favourite photographs, nonetheless, had been taken along with her expertise documenting “What journeys brought people to this moment?”

“(On one of the trips) we were joined by a group from Illinois,” McLellan mentioned. “So, it was really neat to have people outside of Mississippi come see everything.”

She pointed to a relative of Elwood Higginbottom, one of many lynching victims in Lafayette County, as certainly one of her favourite images. She then pointed to a girl overcome with emotion — one of many guests from Illinois. 

“But my favorite photo in this section,” McLellan mentioned whereas pointing to the photograph of the lady from Illinois. “She’s just … stunning and statuesque.” 

McLellan argues that we should always not solely hear tales however learn them, too, as a result of they supply methods of interacting with the previous, reckoning with it and respecting the legacies of those who have come earlier than us.

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