Paper Airplanes

If you are anywhere near a map of Montana, or any state for that matter, take a look at it. What do you see? Probably the usual roads, lakes, rivers and towns. Now consider what you don’t see. Consider the places that never make it on the map, or as photojournalist Jeremy Lurgio did, look at it and consider the stories and the people behind the towns that were about to be wiped off the map altogether.

“I am excited to tell the stories of towns like Horton,” Lurgio said. “If the last man in Horton hadn’t been struck by a train in 1999, Horton may not have vanished from the Montana map. His name was Frank Hartman. He had a story and his son knows it.”

Supported by funding from Humanities Montana, Montana Arts Council, UM School of Journalism and the University Grant Program, Lurgio racked up over 7,000 miles while criss-crossing the state. In his travels, he documented the sights, sounds, stories and feelings of 18 towns: nine that would cease to exist, and nine that were spared.

Jeremy’s efforts went far beyond creating photographs of the people and places. He also captured video and audio of them telling their stories in order to create a much richer, deeper experience for the viewer. This sensory experience can be had online at a dedicated website for the project, www.lostandfoundmontana.com as well as at the RMSP Gallery from August 3 – October 30, 2012.  In the gallery, viewers will be invited to view the images and then scan related QR codes with their phones or tablets to see and hear more. In this sense, exhibit viewers will treat themselves to a mobile audio and visual tour of rarely seen locales in Montana.

This exhibit promises to not only be an opportunity to witness the fruits of Jeremy’s (extensive) labor, but to also experience a fascinating piece of Montana’s history as it is unfolding.

If you have questions about this exhibit, contact RMSP Gallery by calling 800-394-7677 or emailing rmsp@rmsp.com.  Or, contact Jeremy directly via email at jeremylurgio@gmail.com.

hint: Want a teaser of this show? You should definitely check out the trailer on the home page of the project’s website – www.lostandfoundmontana.com

LOST & FOUND MONTANA
Multimedia Exhibit by Jeremy Lurgio

Rocky Mountain School of Photography Gallery
August 3, 2012 – October 30, 2012
Gallery Hours:  Monday – Friday 8 – 5

Opening Reception
with Jeremy Lurgio
August 3, 2012  -  5 – 8 pm

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