Senior Art Show: I Keep Moving to Be Stable

by Katelyn Noll '07

I Keep Moving to Be Stable, an art show by student Jordan Lebrecht ’06, opened on Monday, February 6, at APU’s Red Zone Gallery. The show features photography of Lebrecht’s travels through Europe and includes 11 photographs, six short videos, and one installation piece. The installation includes a video of cows in field in Germany, projected in a room with grass on the floor. With the dimmed lights, photography, and installation, the artist wanted to create an atmosphere similar to what he experienced. The show will be open February 6-17.

The opening reception for the show was on Tuesday night from 6-8. The gallery, which is accessible through The Wedge in Duke Academic Complex, held an almost constant stream visitors during the reception. Students, faculty, staff, and other visitors enjoyed the artwork.

George Lebrecht, grandfather of the artist and fellow photographer, enjoyed the show. “I appreciate the work,” he said. He has helped Jordan with photography projects in the past, and was excited about seeing his grandson’s art.

The concept for the show came after Lebrecht returned from his trip. While in Europe, he was not planning on taking pictures for a show. “When I take pictures, I want them to be great pictures,” he said. “When I shoot video, I shoot what I think will be a good art video.” He took approximately 1,600 pictures during his travels through Italy, Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Ireland, and chose the 11 he liked the most.

Lebrecht worked on putting the show together since October 2005. After selecting the 11 photos to include. Tyler Floren ’07, the curator, helped Lebrecht set up the show by assisting in lighting, planning the placement of the photographs, and other various tasks.

Nine of the photographs were taken in Italy, one in Switzerland, and one in Germany. Lebrecht was attracted to the antiquity of the cities he visited, and said that that very antiquity impressed on him the reminder that as old as those buildings, streets, and art pieces were, God was older, and had been sovereign then and even before.

“I find it impressive that a person can travel and make art at the same time,” said Tommy Matthews ’06. Matthews was particularly impressed with Lebrecht’s use of photography for art’s sake, rather than limiting it to a merely tourist activity.

“I believe that people can experience God simply by moving,” says Lebrecht’s artist statement. “By moving, I remain of stable mind and spirit because I am with God and experiencing His creation in a new and different way.

“I don’t really want this show to be merely aesthetic,” he said. He wanted to tell the people who see his show to know that it is not difficult to experience God. Not everyone can go to Europe, but anyone can walk around and see new things—or old things, in a new light.