South Kitsap High School and Beyond, Still Life, 1985

Peter de Lory
American (born 1948)

Location: South Kitsap High School, Port Orchard

About the Artwork

South Kitsap High School and Beyond, Still Life is a montage of photographs created by artist Peter de Lory for South Kitsap High School, in southern Puget Sound. The installation comprises two panels, each containing five photographs. The images piece together to form two long still life compositions. He arranged one still life to suggest themes of travel, friendship, manners, music, literature, art, science, and technology. He arranged the other around themes of business, dancing, graduation, school spirit, and sports. He created these images by setting up the still life in his studio. He added and subtracted various props, objects and elements. de Lory notes that the images "present a playful comment on the Ideals, ideas, activities and aspirations of young people growing up. In creating this piece, I wanted to present visual metaphors that challenge the viewer (student and teacher alike) to consider issues that may be outside one's particular concerns. Above all the piece is intended to be humorous and intelligent as well as a rich visual experience."

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with South Kitsap School District.

About the Artist

Peter de Lory is a Seattle-based photographer whose work explores the landscape, narratives, and mythologies of the American West. "My work always seems to return to the ways memory and myth overlay reality, a problem perfectly matched with the camera's ability to frame the world."

De Lory received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the San Francisco Art Institute and Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Colorado. He served as Director of the Photography Department of the Sun Valley Center for the Arts and Humanities in central Idaho. He has taught photography at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, San Jose State University, the San Francisco Art Institute, and the University of New Mexico. He moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1994.

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