Faces of Asheville: Community and Individuality are Sacred

I originally posted a blurb on ephemera about the Faces of Asheville project, but I think this portrait documentary project deserves further recognition and comment. For those who haven’t heard, Jenny G. Bowen, an Asheville-based professional photographer, is the creative force behind Faces of Asheville. She’s in the midst of taking hundreds of pictures of Ashevillians—between now and April 1, 2008—with the intent “to visually document the eclectic and outstanding friends and neighbors who make up the core...as well as the zeitgeist of Asheville.”

I recently had the pleasure of sitting for a Faces of Asheville portrait. During my half-hour photo session, Jen said she hopes to exhibit the photograph in early 2009. She still needs a few hundred more participants, so I encourage everyone in Asheville (and the surrounding area) to schedule a photo shoot with Jen as soon as possible. For more details on becoming part of this worthwhile and exciting project, visit Jen’s Web site.

When I left the photo session, Jen handed me a note with further instructions. Her note included the following thought, which I believe drives home the significance and importance of this project: “My wish is that through voicing the ideas, hopes, dreams, and fears of a wide variety of citizens we can gain a greater understanding of our city’s current status, and develop a conscious design of our future. When this documentary is looked at a century from now—people will not only see your unique portrait of individually—but they will also examine how we as a community came together during this period in Asheville history to develop the future in which we will reside. There is a great change happening in the world on so many various levels, and this is our moment to be mindful of how our city and our lives will transform and take shape during this momentous time of decision.”