2019 Gumbo final - Book - Page 19
Forever LSU
A new perspective on the beauty of LSU
niversity alumnus Michael Key's collection of landscape
photography introduces a new perspective of the beauty
all around LSU's campus. The exhibit opened in the Student
Union Art Gallery on Aug. 24 and will be open through Sept. 24.
Key graduated with a Bachelor's in Political Science and a Masters in
Marketing. Key now works as a Public Information Officer and still finds
the time to hone in his talent for photography. In Jan. 2018, Key decided
to use his developed skills to show the University in a way that he did not
experience while he was attending the school.
“I had to disassociate my personal ties to the LSU campus because I was
always looking at it in just a one-world point of view,” Key said. “I really had
to separate myself and just kind of start from scratch on how I look at LSU
because when you’re focused as a student, it’s different as an alumnus
and it’s completely different as a photographer. So it’s like going through
these separate phases as having to view LSU through a different lens."
The gallery depicts landscapes that students, teachers and visitors see
everyday in a way that many don’t notice in passing. Key said he wanted
people to see there wasn’t just one thing that defines the University –– it
is the things that you see in your day to day life that just need to be seen
from a new perspective.
“You really have to be weary of depth, the details and how you give
the viewer a sense of prospective,” Key said “That really pushed me to
look at all of these well-known LSU locations and put them in different
perspectives and just a more surrounding, open worldview and how
everything just fits together in and of itself.”
Since the beginning, Key’s main interest was landscapes and all he ever
wanted to do was to travel and take pictures of the the natural charm of
the world around him, he said. Photography wasn’t an interest of his until
his senior year and since then, he has hoped to capture the aspects of the
campus that are sometimes overlooked.
Like most students, Key said his main focus was just getting to class and
hanging out with his friends, never really taking the time to look up and
take in all the campus has to offer. Key advises students to branch out and
really get into the University’s surroundings.
“Don’t have your experiences at LSU be so defined by what you know,”
Key said. “Try different things and incorporate new things into your life that
really just enrich your experience during your time at LSU.”
Key brought his talents back to the place that he discovered his love. He
found a way to make the campus look different to people who see it every
day. Key hopes his gallery will inspire old, new and future students alike to
go out and take the time to explore the campus in their own way and really
take in the beauty of it all.
“I want to give thanks first to God for blessing me with this building and
being able to share with LSU campus,” Key said. “But more so with LSU
auxiliary services who give services like these to both current students and
alumni the opportunity to show off their art work in a formalized, gallery-set
setting that is accessible to both students present, past and beyond.”
Story // Amaya Lynch
Design //Chloe Bryars
16
17
16
17
