Students, from left, Aspen Thompson-Langner ’27, Allie Vidinha ’27, Ava Gebhart ‘27, and Theo Andres ’27 crowd into the Photo Booth as students, including those in AHI 250: Perspectives on Photography, taught by Professors Karen Gonzalez Rice and Christopher Steiner, visit a Photo Booth as they attend the opening of the exhibit Behind the Curtain: The Art and Photobooth Collection of Näkki Goranin Wednesday, November 13, 2024 in Shain Library. Brian Wallis presented the keynote lecture, “What is Vernacular Photography?” followed by a wine and cheese reception attended also by Näkki Goranin and the student curators. A photobooth was installed in Shain Library for the afternoon of the exhibition opening. Included in the show are over 100 photobooth portraits and related ephemera from the collection of Näkki Goranin, as well as a selection of photobooth self-portraits taken by the artist. Behind the Curtain offers a seldom seen view of one of the most prolific forms of vernacular photography - small photobooth portraits that reveal poignant moments of self-expression: love, friendship, joy, and pride. The exhibition is part of the 2024 Krane Guest Residency in Art History program, which is supported by a generous gift from Connecticut College Trustee Jonathan A. Krane ’90.
