Fine Line Supply Co. in Ruston will host an exhibition of black and white photography created by Dr. Markus Wobisch, Louisiana Tech University Associate Professor of Physics, this fall.
The exhibition, "It's just a shadow you're seeing that he's chasing,” takes its name from a line in Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” and features black and white photos that Wobisch created from shapes found in Louisiana Tech’s Integrated Engineering and Science Building.
Wobisch says his photography is very much connected to his work as a particle physicist, as his goal in both fields is to pare down what he sees into basic elements that may not be obvious to casual observers.
“Getting to the core of things – that's what I do as a particle physicist and as a photographer. Making sense of a whole through its constituents. Stripping off non-essential pieces to reveal the fundamental building blocks underneath. In particle physics, it means understanding macroscopic matter through interactions of elementary particles. In my photography, I strive to comprehend my environment by deconvoluting its structures into basic geometric shapes and their shadows and reflections.”
His choice to focus much of his work on the Integrated Engineering and Science Building stems from the excitement he felt when he moved his office into the building.
“The new building's beautiful architecture with its wide-open spaces had an immediate positive impact on my interactions with students simply because it encourages social exchange. We are closer together now – literally and figuratively. And because of that, the quality of my life as a physics teacher has changed in a wonderful way.
“This experience has inspired me to capture the spirit of the Integrated Engineering and Science Building by spotting its not-so-obvious details from unusual, yet telling points of view. My medium of choice is black and white photography which allows me to focus on basic shapes, their shadows, and reflections, without the distraction of color.”
The exhibition is free and will open with a reception at 6 p.m. on September 22 and run through October 22. Wobisch will give a short talk describing his work and influences at the reception.