RIT teams with community to shine light on famous local statue

Members of RIT’s Big Shot team partnered with the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commemoration Committee to put a well-known local statue in the spotlight.

That group, together with around 400 volunteers, created an inimitable photo of the Frederick Douglass monument that stands proudly near the Highland Bowl in Rochester’s Highland Park using the Big Shot’s “painting with light” technique. The “Shine a Light on Douglass” event on Feb. 14 celebrated the 200th birthday of the famous abolitionist who called Rochester home for 25 years.

The Big Shot is a nighttime community photography project produced by RIT’s School of Photographic Arts and Sciences (SPAS) since 1987 where strategically aimed flashlights work in tandem with long-exposure shots to generate glowing images of popular sites. While this Douglass tribute event wasn’t an official Big Shot, the same principles applied.

As nearby street lights were momentarily shut off, volunteer participants equipped with flashlights induced a light source that illuminated the monument. SPAS students Jessica Campbell and Ethan Whitecotton then took the photos.

Multiple resulting images were added to Rochester Contemporary Art Center’s (RoCo) ongoing exhibit, “No Soil Better: Art and the Living Legacy of Frederick Douglass,” on view until March 18.

The Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commemoration Committee consists of a contingent dedicated to honoring Douglass’ legacy throughout 2018. It includes individuals from RoCo and Rochester Community Television.