Photography exhibit

opens at Kiesling House

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Photography is the subject of the Council for the Arts in New Ulm's latest endeavor.

Eleven area artists are taking part in the first CANU photography exhibition in recent memory

at the Kiesling House gallery beginning today.

The event is part of CANU's latest activities.

CANU Director Marianne Carlson said the council is also planning a black-and-white photography darkroom for a part of the Kiesling House basement. CANU recently expanded the Kiesling House's exhibit space to the second floor, which also makes more room for the house's gift shop.

The photography exhibition, which opens to night at 7 o'clock, groups 11 different artists from Mankato, New Ulm, Northfield, Willmar and Minnetonka. Some of them, like locals Ryan Nosbush and Zach Swenson, have shown works for CANU before. Six of the artists are making their first showings.

The show's 55 photographs represent many different kinds of photography, from black-and-white to color and from portraits to landscapes to abstracts to montages.

Carlson said photography is one of a few areas that CANU "hasn't touched in years." She said the council is also planning live music and a poetry reading at the Rhine River Arts Center in the Grand Hotel building on North Minnesota Street for Nov. 13.

The photography exhibition drew from an unusually larger area. Prospective participants were targeted by advertising placed in area newspapers.

CANU board member Ursula Christ said group shows offer a wider variety of tastes and bring more people together.

"It's good for artists to come together and raise awareness of the arts," she said.

The photography exhibition will open with a reception on tonight starting at 7 p.m. and will close Nov. 28.