You know what a pinhole camera is, right? It's a lensless, lightproof box. Light reflected from an object projects an inverted image through a tiny aperture, and that image can be captured inside the box, on photographic film. Fine-art photographer
Abelardo Morell became famous by transforming individual rooms in his house into large-scale pinhole cameras — he blacked out the windows, and images captured from outside were projected on the interior walls through small circular openings. He documented the results with a traditional camera. At first glance, the photos are like haunting double exposures, until you realize that an external scene wraps around the walls and furniture in three dimensions, creating a striking relationship between interior and exterior. Today, the Photography Society of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art presents a lecture by Morell at 6 p.m. in the Atkins Auditorium (4525 Oak, 816-751-1278). The lecture is free, but tickets are required — call 816-751-1278 or see
nelson-atkins.org.
Thu., Feb. 25, 6 p.m., 2010
