Life's Work: Occupations and Identity by Maundy Mitchell

NEW HAMPTON — Life’s Work: Occupations and Identity will be on exhibit in New Hampton School’s Galletly Gallery through Jan. 31.

“Irving Penn’s photographic series 'Small Trades' captured working people of the early 1950s, in their work clothes, with the tools of their trades. In her new series 'Life’s Work,' portrait photographer Maundy Mitchell effortlessly captures the spirit of Penn’s vision and brings it into the 21st century,” said artist and author Marcia Santore. “Mitchell evokes Penn’s use of grayscale and soft light, her subjects shown full length, looking at the camera, holding their tools with the confidence of their expertise. Both series are a kind of social history, documenting the work and the workers of different times, but Mitchell has broadened the definition of 'worker' to include more types of work, librarian, chemical technician, jewelry designer, as well as women in roles Penn would not have imagined: minister, veterinarian, police officer. She honors Penn’s inspiration while expressing her own respect and appreciation for the humanity and individuality of each person.” 

Life's Work: Occupations and Identity is a series of portraits of 35 people created in Plymouth, Paris, France, London, and England over the last two years.  

Mitchell said, “I explored the work of Irving Penn by retracing many of his choices. I found points where I diverged from him. Penn felt no obligation to make his subjects look kind or attractive. Finding beauty in everyone is my personal compass. In this work, I sought not only to photograph the person, their tools and the uniform of the labor, but their dignity as well.”

Mitchell, a portrait photographer and associate level photographer with The Portrait Masters International, runs her portrait studio Maundy Mitchell Photography in Plymouth. Her work has been published in magazines, on billboards, and online both nationally and internationally. Mitchell is a member of the Professional Photographer’s Association of America, the National Association of Professional Child Photographers, the Magic Hour Foundation Photographer Network, and the Women’s Caucus for Art in New Hampshire.

The exhibit is free and open to the public. The Galletly Gallery is located on the second floor of New Hampton School's Moore Center. The gallery is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m.-noon. 

For more information, visit newhampton.org.