Selectmen in the town of Wilton say a controversial photo exhibit will remain on display in the Town Hall Gallery. The exhibit features black-and-white portraits of homeless and low-income people, taken by a local photographer. The small Southern New Hampshire town found itself in the national spotlight earlier this weekend when the Selectmen tried to have the photos taken down. NHPR?s Raquel Maria Dillon reports.
The Wilton Selectmen had said they wanted the Town Hall Gallery to display typical holiday scenes during the Christmas season. But some accused them of censorship and on Wednesday, they reversed course. None of the selectmen would agree to a taped interview, but their assistant, Peggy Arn, read from a statement.
ARN :16 We thought that perhaps this exhibit would be changing prior to Xmas, and a new exhibit with the joyous theme of Xmas holiday would be appropriate. We did not and are not requesting that these pictures be removed based on their content.
Preston Heller?s portraits are stark and intimate. But his subjects ? inner city families, the elderly, and the homeless ? look dignified. Heller says the exhibit is supposed to make people think.
Heller :18 I believe photography if utilized properly can be an active force in effecting change. That?s what this show is about. It?s about having to confront this problem of homelessness and poverty, and choose, am I gonna help or am I gonna walk away?
Heller decided to make that choice a little easier. Anyone who makes a 25 dollar donation to the local Open Cupboard Food Pantry can take one of his prints home with them.
Debbie Ducharme runs the food pantry out of a local Catholic Church. She says poverty in Wilton doesn?t look like the urban poverty portrayed in Heller?s photos, but it exists just the same.
Ducharme :26 Wilton is a blue collar community. for a lot of these people a flat tire will take their budget and throw it off kilter for 6-8 weeks. So family budgets are tight! Families come in regularly whose income isn?t enough to cover their food. Emergency basis. furnace needed repair and that just couldn?t be worked into budget.
Ducharme says she?s glad the photographs will stay up.
Ducharme :09 the picture can go so many ways, it makes you thankful. For what you have. Take a moment and say, oh, there but for the grace of god goes I.
The food pantry has benefited from all the publicity. Donations have been pouring in ? at least 700 dollars at the last count. And it?s just in time for the busy season in December. Heller has set his sights on raising 2000 dollars by the time the exhibit comes down.
Heller :19 I think it worked out well. It ended up being a good civics lesson in small town politics. this illustrates the fact that art can be a catalyst for social change and raising awareness.
Peggy Arn says the staff at Town Hall is eager to get back to their regular work, now that the media circus has left town. But they?re still adjusting to the art in the lobby.
ARN :16 well, we think he?s a great photographer. We think that what he?s doing for the local pantry is a great thing. To look at them every day is a little difficult. We just try to remember why they?re there.
Wilton residents and advocates for the poor had planned to rally Monday night in support of the photos. Now that the exhibit will stay up through Christmas, they?ll meet anyway to discuss other ways to fight poverty.
For N-H-P-R, I?m RMD.
