In the late 1970s, some of the world’s top photographers made their way to a small art gallery in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Luminaries in this field, such as Bill Brandt and Bruce Barnbaum, displayed their work at the Fifth Avenue Gallery of Photography, located in the heart of the city’s art district. Sometimes, they left a few prints behind as a gift to gallery owner Jim Robertson.

Those photos joined an already impressive collection owned by Jim and his wife Nan. When the couple later moved to Dover, Tenn., the works decorated the walls of their home. But after years of privately enjoying these photographs, the Robertsons made a surprising decision. One afternoon last spring, Jim picked up the telephone and called Austin Peay State University.

APSU President Tim Hall with Jim and Nan Robertson at the opening reception

“I asked if they’d like the collection,” he said. “I thought a smaller school would probably make better use of it, and maybe display it and use it better than a larger school with greater access and resources.”

Chez Mondrian, 1926, Gelatin silver print, 9.5 x 7" taken by Andre Kertész

He wanted to donate such valuable works as original photographs by André Kertész and Ruth Bernhard, both considered among the 20th century’s leading photographers.

It was an offer that seemed too good to be true to APSU art professor Billy Renkl, but last spring, he and APSU Gallery Director Warren Greene oversaw the transportation of the collection to the University. The works will be on display next month in the APSU Trahern Gallery as part of the exhibit “Modern Light: Selections from the Jim and Nan Robertson Photography Collection.”

“We’ve never had a photography show of this magnitude,” Susan Bryant, APSU photography professor and show curator, said.

APSU Photgraphy Professor Susan Bryant discusses one of the donated prints

The exhibit opened with a reception on Oct. 5 and will run through Oct. 28, but once the show ends, the photographs will remain at Austin Peay to be used in the classroom.

King of Hearts taken by Harold Edgerton in 1970

“I’ll bring students down, lay out certain ones, let them come in and look at the prints,” Bryant said. “It’s really good for them to see in person a really good quality print that has stood the test of time.”

One of the main reasons Robertson donated his collection to APSU is he wanted the photographs to be used for teaching purposes. He briefly thought of giving the works to the University of Arizona or Vanderbilt University.

“But they have millions upon millions of dollars,” he said. “When I came here (to Tennessee), I knew Austin Peay was here thanks to your basketball team. I started inquiring a little more about the school. Finally, I picked up the phone and made a call.”

Winter in Paris by Philippe Salaun

Bryant is still amazed at the breadth of the collection now in the University’s possession. Most of the works by these photographers belong to galleries, museums and universities out west or in major cities such as New York and Chicago.

“I don’t know any university in Tennessee that has an original Kertész and Bill Brandt,” she said. “For middle America, or the South, this is probably one of the best collections I’m aware of.”

For more information on the exhibit or the photographs, contact Bryant at 931-221-7348 or .

Cracked Wallpaper taken by Thomas Reed in 1978

The Modern Light Reception Photo Gallery

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Saturday afternoon saw “Clarksville for Obama” execute their community event in participation with the nation-wide June 28th community event for the “Obama for President” campaign.

Senator Barack Obama’s approach to presidential campaigning is predicated on having small citizen groups form within their own communities and build support bases from the community level up to the national organization through social networking.

Speaking for “Clarksville for Obama,” Tyrone Taylor said:

“This grassroots organizing is at the heart of the Obama campaign. These small groups are being empowered to conduct and be responsible for the growth of this process.”

This phenomenon was in evidence Saturday as some 50 people gathered and gave voice to their reasons for joining the “Obama for President” campaign. “Clarksville for Obama” utilized social networking tactics to contact friends, associates and potentially interested persons to invite them to attend the rally event. Emails, phone calls, text messaging, postings to MySpace and Facebook were all tactics employed to make contact and encourage people to come out. By the size of the crowd, they were quite successful in their efforts.

Event spokesperson Terry McMoore told the group that the Obama campaign” is a digital campaign!” Senator Obama intends to utilize modern technology as never before, with text messaging and MySpace postings as two of the tools by which this campaign will distinguish itself from past campaigns and him from other candidates.

Despite this embracing of new technology, there are still some vestiges of more traditional campaigning. The team expects to have a central headquarters from which to conduct its concerted efforts for the November election.

JoAnn Latz, another “Clarksville for Obama” member, said with that development, volunteers are needed for phone bank calls, organizing more neighborhood gatherings, and canvassing and voter registration efforts, all of which are slated to become part of the push to November and a victory for Senator Obama. Clarksville for Obama has been recognized by the national campaign as the ‘formal’ Obama campaign organization for Clarksville and Montgomery County.

Volunteers willing to host house parties were solicited. Names were given for volunteer campaign advancement activities like staffing the soon-to-be open campaign headquarters, making phonecalls to potential supporters, local fundraising, writing articles and letters to the local media, debunking smear attempts, and just talking with co-workers and neighbors to urge their support for the Obama campaign as well.

The group watched a video of Senator Obama as part of the synchronized nation-wide rally event. Several people spoke of their reasons for supporting the Obama campaign. There was an agreed upon sentiment that, upon hearing him speak, people became convinced of his sincerity and true compassion for the concerns of everyone he encounters.

“Senator Obama is a statesman,” noted David Shelton, “He is there to represent every single man, woman and child. It doesn’t matter if you’re Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, rich or poor, middle class, working class, straight, gay, young or old. He represents for everyone.”

Jim Robertson said he came to support Senator Obama because of his concerns with health care. His wife has muscular dystrophy and when the new Medicare Prescription Bill took effect, her prescription costs shot way-y-y up. He himself has arthritis and is unable to get health insurance. He was facing a medical procedure and had sought insurance only to learn that the insurance rate quoted him was twice the cost the medical procedure itself.

Charles Moreland spoke of ‘The Unity Project,’ and the “Prayer Warriors for Obama,” which seeks to garner the power of the ‘prayer warriors’ of the Democratic Party flock, and have them pray for Senator Obama’s success in becoming president. He said “People need to realize that Christians are Democrats too, and that we also pray.” He showed the template of a brochure which will be available within a week for distribution by individuals or groups.

Debbie Boen attended wearing her “Republicans for Obama” pin. She started the group, Clarksville Freethinkers for Peace and Civil Liberties in late 2004. She said that for her it is not about what party you belong to and that Democrats, like Republicans, have to remember that we’re all in this together. She is dismayed with the smear-style tactics (like Obama/Osama) being practiced by Republicans because the tactic only makes people look stupid. She said it’s just not a basis for a good argument. These tactics are harmful to Republicans because people have come to distrust them and all those who engage in these tactics. She believes there are plenty of serious issues that demand our attention:  the environment, escalating gas and oil prices, natural resources and how we use them and “the war, the war, the war, the war.”

Disgruntled voters from all walks of our political process were urged to consider the candidacy of Senator Obama. “Clarksville” said that theirs is an outreach open to independents, Blue Dog Democrats, Reagan Democrats, compassionate conservatives disillusioned by the Republican Party and this administration, GOP faithful not in sync with their party’s positions, and anyone who has been looking for change, for the betterment of our society and our nation and has found themselves not satisfied. Voters seeking a change for a better time in America should find themselves moving to the Obama team, according to “Clarksville for Obama.”

Clarksville for Obama announced their new website will be launched within a week or ten days. For more information on the current level of activity and full color story, visit: http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2008/06/23/join-the-unite-for-change-unite-for-change-campaign

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