The Oglethorpe University Museum of Art (OUMA) has announced a new exhibition celebrating the career and legacy of Al Clayton, a prolific photographer whose work captured the soul of the American South.
In addition to more than 35 photographs and contact sheets, plus various personal effects, the exhibition will feature seven never-before-exhibited pieces from Clayton’s 1990s series “Lost Things,” in which discarded objects found around Atlanta are transformed into richly composed color photographs.
On view in the museum’s Skylight Gallery will be black-and-white photographs and contact sheets portraying Atlanta’s club kids, drag performers, and LGBTQ+ community during the 1980s. A selection of Clayton’s personal belongings, including cameras, loops and other equipment, will provide further insight into his artistic process.
This exhibition was co-curated by Oglethorpe University alumnus Noah Dake ’23, a photography major, who worked alongside Museum Director Elizabeth Peterson Jennings to shape the presentation of Clayton’s work. The project offered Dake invaluable professional experience in curatorial practice and museum operations, exemplifying OUMA’s mission to involve students directly in the work of preserving and presenting art.
Taken together, the photographs provide a tender tribute to a dynamic period in Atlanta’s history and continue OUMA’s commitment to elevating the stories of underserved communities. The museum is grateful to the Clayton family for their collaboration and acknowledges the support of community partner Lost-n-Found Youth, as well as Steven Igarashi of Atlanta Pride, who facilitated the museum’s connection to the Clayton family.
The public is invited to a free opening reception on Friday, Sept. 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art. In addition, the museum will host a lecture by Jennie Clayton, daughter of the artist, on Thursday, Nov. 13, offering a personal perspective on her father’s life, work and legacy.
“Al Clayton Photography: Lost and Found” will be on view Sept. 26 at the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art.
Featured image: Al Clayton (June 14, 1934 – April 27, 2014); Charlie Brown, Queen’s Make Up, 1980s; Courtesy of Al Clayton Photography, LLC
