Museum Grand Opening | The University of Notre Dame
The Raclin Murphy Museum of Art is pictured during the grand opening week in December 2023.
The power of art
I am still reveling in the many hours I spent in the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art at Notre Dame throughout its opening weekend in November/December. For three days, I photographed a myriad of events in the new building, and I witnessed many eyes and hearts being impacted by the art within.
University of Notre Dame students enter the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art for the first time during the grand opening week in December 2023.
A University of Notre Dame student tours the Mary, Queen of Families Chapel in the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art during the grand opening weekend in December 2023.
What made this work?
Event photography often revolves around moments. With an open-ended event such as this, moments would be happening organically. This style of event photography utilizes my background in photojournalism.
A vital component of this project was a clear goal from the outset. I toured the building and met with the clients directly. We discussed the type of imagery they were looking for and the moments that might occur throughout the long weekend. Knowing what they were looking for allowed me to hone in on scenes and moments I knew would fit their goals.
Slowing down and revisiting spaces allowed me to keep working a scene to obtain an aesthetically clean image with unique compositions and layers. If I were only on for one night of the grand opening, I would have been in a rush to document everything and the quiet moments that museums curate would have been lost.
Connection with the attendees
Throughout the hours spent in the museum, I connected with the many attendees and asked them to spend time with them as they browsed the museum and the gallery spaces. This connection between the attendees and myself allowed me into moments when they were engaged with the art. The images demonstrate the attendee’s genuine interaction and leave out the staged feeling.
A University of Notre Dame student tours the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art during the grand opening weekend in December 2023.
My style of event photography
Event photography beyond the grip and grin style was gratifying for my creativity. This project allowed me to get comfortable in the space and spend time with the individuals I photographed. Sometimes, event photography can be limited in the scenes/settings and the interactions that are taking place. With the varied events over the weekend and the many opportunities to engage with the attendees, I felt myself sinking into the event photography, and I became a part of the experience. The attendees were comfortable with me in the space, and I knew what angle and layers would best serve the image.
In these moments, the most potent images from the weekend were made.
Attendees participate in a hands-on art demonstration at the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art during the grand opening weekend in December 2023.
Attendees tour the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art during the grand opening weekend in December 2023.
Attendees tour the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art during the grand opening weekend in December 2023.
