My photograph, Privy was selected to be part of the 2022 Governor’s Derby Exhibition arranged through the Kentucky Arts Council. On exhibit in the Capitol Rotunda of the Kentucky State Capitol from May 7 through June 1, 2022, the exhibition is part of the ongoing series of activities that celebrate the iconic Kentucky Derby.
The photograph was taken in October 2016, at the Battle of Perryville Reenactment, Perryville Battlefield, in Perryville, Kentucky – about five miles from my farm.
Here is the statement I wrote to accompany this photograph. I think the backstory is just as important as the photograph, itself.
I had never seen a Civil War reenactment until I moved to Kentucky and experienced a reenactment of the Battle of Perryville. I learned what a great medium it is to tell a historic story through sight and sound. I also discovered the meta surrealism for the reenactors to be in period character while also in the here and now of the 21st Century. The duality of remaining in character while still engaging in modern life adds unintentional consequences and humor. I wonder if the builders of outhouses back in 1862 would have dreamed that 180 years later they would continue to be used, but become transportable, mass-produced, and shared by hundreds of people (soldiers and civilians).
Steve Hoffman, 2022
(c) Steve Hoffman, 2022
Tuggle Grass Photography 