Photo courtesy of Center for Creative Photography

Eli Reedâs photograph of an Eau Claire street at dusk is part of his contribution to the ãIndivisibleä exhibit. Reed will speak at the CCP from 1 to 4 p.m. tomorrow.

Friday September 21, 2001

Saturday marks the unprecedented gathering of "Indivisible's" nationally renowned photographers at the Center for Creative Photography. They will present and discuss their contributions to the "Indivisible" project, as well as the work's relevance to their careers.

Photographers anticipated to attend, in order of appearance, are Joan Liftin, Lucy Capehart, Lauren Greenfield, Reagan Louie, Debbie Fleming Caffery, Eli Reed and Sylvia Plachy.

Trudy Wilner Stack, curator of exhibitions and collections at the CCP and "Indivisible" project co-director, discussed the significance of the event.

"It's a great way to spend one day and get concentrated insight into what photography is and can be right now," she said. "This is two or three years of visiting artist programs packed into one day. It's like hitting a vein of gold and should be taken advantage of."

In an age of faceless globalization, antipathy and cynicism, the national documentary project "Indivisible" commemorates 12 diverse communities within the United States that defy these expectations and model successful grassroots initiatives.

Included in the "Indivisible" project is a traveling museum exhibit, currently at the CCP through Sept. 30. The exhibit is both an audio and visual experience. Photographs by 12 of America's most prestigious photographers are accompanied by interviews of community residents, recorded by well-known folklorists and journalists.

Over a period of up to six months, photographers spent 30 days with communities observing and recording a vision of local American life and extraordinary goals.

Photographer Reagan Louie, who worked with the Village of Arts and Humanities in Philadelphia, defines community as "a group of individuals who get together and determine a common destiny." The Village is an inner city arts and cultural organization working to rebuild community through creativity and education.

In his own work, as well as with the "Indivisible" project, Louie is interested in how community shapes individual identity. His reaction to the project was positive.

"I think it was a real validation to the community and their efforts," he said.

Photographer Eli Reed was deeply impressed by the Eau Claire community in South Carolina, which boasts two community initiatives: the Eau Claire Community Council and the Community of Shalom. The council inspires local activism, and Shalom creates a faith-based, biracial partnership.

Reed described his enthusiasm for "Indivisible" as it relates to his career.

"It pertains to a lot of things in my own work," he said. "I prefer doing photo essays involving communities or people who are doing things, people that are striving to be whatever they are. I admire grassroots organizations because it comes from the heart of America. It's the spirit of America."

In the Navajo Nation, photographer Lucy Capehart documented DinŽ B’' I’na', Inc. (Navajo Lifeways,) a largely matriarchal group committed to reintroducing traditional sheep practices as a way to connect spiritually with the past while building on a future.

Influenced by her anthropological background, Capehart feels privileged for the opportunity to photograph and observe the Navajo people.

Capehart commented on the value of "Indivisible" related to the Navajo.

"The project's focus is to bring something back to the community, not just to take," she said. "It'll help the group [DinŽ B’' I’na'] to have people know about them."

The groups profiled by "Indivisible" are not aided by federal government programs or charities, but are empowered from within and motivated to make changes. Issues faced by the communities are universal - such as housing, education, religion, race relations, urban decay, the environment, crime and health care, yet these communities are unique in their ability to mobilize through grassroots programs.

Stack encourages the Tucson community to visit the exhibit and photographer talks.

"On the subject of world events, if you're trying to think about what you can do, this is a way to focus on the goodness and potential of the very thing we are trying to protect," she said.