Commemorating 100 Years of the Antiquities Act with Photography by Dr. Gene Balzer and Russ Gilbert
One hundred years ago, Theodore Roosevelt signed into law legislation to create a framework of protection for cultural heritage materials. For the first time ever, Native nations joined museums, Federal agencies, curators, and researchers in taking care of our country’s cultural legacy through stewardship efforts begun by the Antiquities Act of 1906.
Fragile Antiquities, a new exhibit opening March 4 through September 10 at the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, commemorates this last 100 years of conservation achievements on the Colorado Plateau―from looting and desecration, to preservation and finally cultural sensitivity―with seventy works by two prominent local photographers accompanied by ancient objects from the Museum’s collection.
MNA Director Robert Breunig stated, “The effects of the Antiquities Act on the natural cultural heritage of our nation has been profound. Without it, we would not be able to visit Mesa Verde, Navajo National Monument, Wupatki, Sunset Crater, and countless other places that are essential parts of our heritage. The Antiquities Act also enables institutions such as ours to protect our national patrimony. As important as the Antiquites Act is, additional legislation like the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) has opened up a conversation with Native peoples. Today, museums are working closely with tribes to insure that their interests and perspectives are incorporated in our efforts to preserve our national heritage.”
Key conservation accomplishments are chronicled through the color images of ancient dwellings by Dr. Gene Balzer and the black and white images of Russ Gilbert. Their works take us to national parks and monuments throughout this Four Corners region and celebrate the architectural legacy left by ancient peoples. For 17 years, it has been their obsession to research, study, and photograph Ancestral Pueblo sites on the Colorado Plateau. Many times they went back to a site two or three times to capture an image in a more favorable light.
In Fragile Antiquities, Native voices talk about how the Antiquities Act affects their people and their cultural heritage, alongside archaeologists describing the importance of collections for understanding ancient peoples and preserving knowledge of their cultures. This exhibit certainly raises questions about the next 100 years of collecting and keeping these materials “in perpetuity” for all citizens. Will we as a society be able to take on this responsibility and what are some of the key requirements for achieving this goal?
Dr. Balzer’s passions are photography and teaching photography, and he has found inspiration for his color photography in the landscapes and cultures of the Colorado Plateau. An ongoing interest is the documentation of ancient dwellings, using soft light and vibrant colors. All of his photographs in MNA’s Fragile Antiquities exhibit were taken with a 4 x 5 view camera, although for other projects he uses medium format, 35mm, and digital cameras.
Balzer is a professor at Northern Arizona University, where he teaches commercial photography. A sabbatical in 1993 allowed him to photograph national parks and monuments on the Colorado Plateau and study Ancestral Pueblo peoples. In 2004 he completed photo projects for Mesa Verde National Park and Navajo National Monument’s Betatakin, Kiet Siel, and Inscription House.
Black and white photographer Russ Gilbert began his career as a high school yearbook staff photographer. In 1985, he graduated from Northern Arizona University with a degree in commercial photography, starting his own business that same year.
Although commercial photography provides his living, his heart is with black and white fine art photography. In recent years, super large format cameras have been his choice of hardware, with 7 x 17 inch and 12 x 20 inch formats comprising most of his work.