News Summary
Renowned photographers Langdon and Maude Schuyler Clay will be honored with an award from the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters for their documentary ‘Two Lives in Photography.’ Directed by Thad Lee, the film delves into their four-decade artistic partnership, showcasing a retrospective of their photography at the University of Mississippi’s Mary Buie Museum. The documentary reflects their enduring dedication to photography and its storytelling potential, featuring insights into their creative journey.
Sumner, Mississippi – Langdon and Maude Schuyler Clay, a renowned married couple of professional photographers, are set to receive a prestigious award from the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters on June 14. This accolade is in recognition of their featured documentary, “Two Lives in Photography,” directed by Thad Lee. The documentary delves into the couple’s life and extensive work, highlighting their artistic journey over more than forty years of marriage.
The documentary “Two Lives in Photography” offers viewers insight into the unique bond the Clays share while capturing a diverse range of subjects from around the globe. The film is available for viewing on YouTube, as indicated in a recent Facebook post by Maude. The documentary is a visual exploration tied to a photographic retrospective of the same name, currently on display at the Mary Buie Museum at the University of Mississippi, which serves as a testament to their enduring passion for photography.
Curated by Melanie Munns Antonelli, the retrospective features works taken by Langdon and Maude over multiple decades, including pieces created prior to their marriage. This collection encapsulates key moments of their artistic development and showcases the evolution of their photographic style.
Langdon and Maude’s journey began in 1976 when they met at the Museum of Modern Art in New York during a landmark color photography exhibition by Bill Eggleston, in which Maude interned. This meeting marked the start of not just their personal relationship but also a creative partnership that has thrived through the decades. Their photographs often reflect their surroundings and shared experiences, serving as a visual narrative of their life together.
The documentary took Thad Lee approximately three years to produce. It begins with the couple as they engage with their audience in a gallery setting, discussing the inspirations behind their work. Throughout the film, Langdon articulates the artistic journey involved in capturing a photograph, emphasizing that the act can either be instantaneous or entail a lengthy search for the ideal moment. He is particularly noted for his ability to find deep symbolism within everyday scenes, adding layers of narrative to their photographs.
Maude, on the other hand, underscores the relationship between photography and literature, asserting that each image tells its own story. Throughout her literary endeavors, prominent Mississippi writers such as Lewis Nordan, Brad Watson, and Richard Ford have contributed forewords to her published works, further indicating her impact and relevance within the broader cultural landscape.
The visual aesthetics of the documentary are elevated by the skilled cinematography of Gregory Gray and an evocative score composed by Jim “Fish” Michie. The culmination of the film resonates deeply with audiences, as Maude reflects on the couple’s unwavering dedication to their craft despite the absence of guarantees for commercial success. This sentiment reinforces the intrinsic value of their artistic pursuit, emphasizing that their work is driven by passion and commitment rather than material recognition.
As the award presentation approaches, anticipation builds for both the filmmakers and the photographers whose storied careers are encapsulated within this extraordinary film. Langdon and Maude Schuyler Clay remain notable figures in the world of photography, and their work continues to inspire new generations of artists and storytellers.
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Additional Resources
- Magnolia Tribune
- Wikipedia: Photography
- Commercial Appeal
- Google Search: Documentary Filmmaking
- MS Magazine
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Documentary Film
- Deadline
- Google News: Gene Hackman
- Literary Hub
- Google Search: Eudora Welty
- Analog Forever Magazine
- Google Scholar: Photography Techniques
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