Through the lens of his camera, photojournalist Verner Reed captured dramatic moments and everyday scenes that defined life in New England in the years following World War II. A new exhibition, “A Changing World: New England in the Photographs of Verner Reed, 1950-1972,” at the New Hampshire Historical Society will be on view, free to the public, from June 18 through December 31. On loan from Historic New England (Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities), the 82 poignant and thought-provoking photographs featured in the exhibition offer a historical record and an artistic vision of New England and its people. Reed covered New England for Life magazine from 1953 to 1957. His photographs were also featured in other national magazines, such as Fortune and Time, as well as regional publications, including Yankee magazine, Vermont Life and Rhode Islander magazine. Culturally, the 1950s and 1960s were a period of real change in New England as people embraced new ideas even while holding tight to traditional customs. A booming postwar economy, suburban development and urban decline, a national highway system and widespread electrification all changed life in New England. Small farms gave way to larger agri-businesses in other regions; thousands of acres of meadows and woodlands were lost to rapidly expanding suburbs; supermarkets replaced fruit vendors and butchers; and town fairs faced competition from regional and national attractions now more accessible by automobile. “Reed’s photographs capture the people of New England in all aspects of their lives during this complex time,” said Wesley Balla, the New Hampshire Historical Society’s director of collections and exhibitions. “Through these images, compelling questions emerge, including the contrast between rural and urban life, the person-to-person directness of American politics, the growing appeal of the famous, and the continuing idealization of ‘old-time New England.'” Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30 am to 5 pm. A catalog of the exhibition will be offered for sale through the society’s museum store. The New Hampshire Historical Society is at 30 Park Street. For information, nhhistory.org, or 603-228-6688.
07 Jun 2005 / 0 Comment
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