April 16 photo exhibition focuses on community support
"April 16: Remembrance, Recognition, and Healing," an exhibition at the Perspective Gallery at Virginia Tech, will be on display Saturday, April 5 through Sunday, April 20.
The special exhibit honors those lost in the April 16 tragedy, and recognizes the overwhelming support of the local and worldwide community. Perspective Gallery, on the second floor of the Squires Student Center, is open to the public Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, noon to 10 p.m. The show is sponsored by University Unions and Student Activities, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs at Virginia Tech.
The exhibition features photos taken by members of the community in the weeks following the April 16 tragedy, as well as items from the university’s Prevail Archives which were sent from all over the world to support Virginia Tech. “The show seeks to honor the victims, recognize the support we received, and celebrate the strength and spirit of this community,” said Mary Tartaro, art programs coordinator and curator of the show.
Out of hundreds of submissions, 40 images by more than 25 photographers were chosen by Tartaro. Captions from the photographers, expressing their emotions at the time they took them, are included with the photos. The photos are displayed in chronological order, beginning with the Burruss Hall flag at half mast, then moving through shots of rescue vehicles and media trucks, to memorials set up on the drill field and around town.
The convocation and candlelight vigil are also represented, both in photos and DVD clips. The dedication of the memorials stones on the Drillfield is also included. The images then move on to show how the Virginia Tech community is moving forward together, with shots of the Concert for Virginia Tech, “VT Thanks You” spelled out on the Drillfield for a satellite photo, and the vigil held in support of Northern Illinois University. The items from the archives follow a similar course, providing the three dimensional aspect of the same story of overwhelming support for Virginia Tech.
Contact Gallery Director Mary Tartaro at (540) 231 4053 for more information.
