by Caroline Gabsewics
Staff Writer
The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is so much more than the art that’s hanging on the walls. It’s the experiences and the moments people remember most.
Local photographer Ingrid Damiani and the Cummer Museum wanted to show the community that the museum, like many others around the country, offers so much more than art exhibits.
“We wanted to show the history and variety of different programs the Cummer Museum offers,” said Hope McMath, director of education for the museum. “We wanted to show people the museum’s vision.”
A small collection of Damiani’s photographs are on display at the Cummer Museum in an exhibit called, “The Cummer Is ...” until November.
Damiani has been capturing “moments and experiences” from programs and events at the Cummer Museum for the past seven years. Damiani was taking a photography class at Florida Community College at Jacksonville at the time and was asked to photograph something that “showed love in your local community” for a FUJIFilm student competition.
“Around that time I got a letter in the mail about a membership to the Cummer Museum and there was a section about Women of Vision,” said Damiani.
Women of Vision is for older women who are visually impaired, and are able to learn about art and create art themselves in a group setting.
“Ingrid called me to see if she would be able to photograph the museum’s Women of Vision program,” said McMath. “One of her photographs from the program won the competition.
“Her photographs completely blew us over.”
From there, Damiani’s relationship with the Cummer Museum began to grow.
“I loved what the Cummer Museum was trying to create in that room with those women,” said Damiani. “I like showing the connection between people and the objects around them, and that is what the Cummer tries to do.
“At the Women of Vision event I saw these moments between the women and teachers and the connection they made with each other.”
Since that first event Damiani shot, she has photographed other Cummer programs including the Very Special Arts Festival for children with mental and physical disabilities, events with the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, Hospice, and Arts & Health Care at St. Catherine’s.
“We want the general public to see why we do these programs,” said McMath. “We all get caught up in the numbers these events produce, but we wanted to find a way to capture the moments, and we are doing that through Ingrid’s photographs.”
Although Ingrid has taken hundreds of photos of people and events at the museum, McMath said the museum was also inspired to show the photos because of the looming budget cuts.
“With the city government having to face a tough decision on funding, people want to know why they should give museums money,” said McMath. “We wanted to make a statement that money coming into the museum also impacts lives.”
Damiani hasn’t been a photographer her whole life, but one wouldn’t know by looking at the quality of her work. She puts a lot of heart into her work and makes a point to become familiar with what she is photographing, she said. Damiani added that she likes her photographs to show what emotions and feelings were taking place at that time.
“I want people to know what it felt like, not just what it looked like,” she said.
Damiani prefers using natural light over a flash. Pictures may turn out darker, but that may also be indicative of that particular moment.
“We love seeing her photographs because as a staff it is more than just a documentary of events, they are really very powerful,” said McMath. “She captures the way people feel and that is important.”
McMath said the photos on display are in a perfect place where everyone walks by because there are galleries, the cafe and Art Connections all in that direction.
A few days ago McMath was showing a group of teachers around the museum and the principal stopped in her tracks when she saw Damiani’s photographs — and one photograph in particular.
“She stopped in front of the photograph that she (Damiani) took at Hospice,” said McMath. “She said, ‘you guys go to Hospice?.’
“That is what we are. We help educate people about the role that the arts plays in the community.”
McMath and the Cummer Museum have been very pleased that Damiani has been there for every moment that the Cummer Museum’s staff, their volunteers and their guests may have never seen if it wasn’t for her photographs
“Our members and supporters are so critical to us, but so are the children and adults of all abilities, races and backgrounds,” said McMath. “We want people to see that the Cummer Museum is a place to connect with each other.
“We would have never seen it (these moments), but Ingrid caught it.”