Photo exhibit captures Buskirk-Chumley history

About 200 musical, dance and oratory events take place each year within the intimate, 600-square-foot Buskirk-Chumley Theater, which displayed silent films in the 1920s.

The theater now has an exhibit to commemorate its history with the performing arts.

“Two Years at Bloomington’s Community Theater,” a nonprofit exhibit, will consist of 15 photographs from seven local professional photographers from Nov. 5 to Dec. 3 in the Atrium of Bloomington City Hall.

BCT Marketing Director Maarten Bout said the opportunity to show off the theater and its role in the community came after last year’s BCT photo exhibit at Monroe Bank titled “Captivating Moments at the Historic Buskirk-Chumley Theater.”

“We thought we would move it to city hall to express the theater to a different audience — a larger audience,” Bout said. “We are showing things off in a little bit different way this time.”

That difference is evident from a number of fresh pictures from BCT photographers as well as a larger print format for the photos being displayed this year.

Ann Schertz, a Bloomington commercial location photographer, is one of the photo artists working on the upcoming exhibit. She said her experience judging past photo contests led her to volunteer her skills to the BCT.

Schertz will have two photographs included in the exhibit and said her favorite subjects to shoot are BCT community events and lectures.

“I prefer to shoot things that aren’t being covered,” Schertz said. “It’s marketing for them. I’m doing it based on what I’m willing to contribute to my community.”

Schertz added that her recent work shooting the stage production of “The Wiz” made her feel part of the culture of Bloomington.

Michael Trace, a local photographer who has been taking photos for six years, said he enjoys shooting for the BCT because of its variety of performances.

“The diversity of the events is just amazing,” Trace said. “Name another venue where you could see Henry Rollins one evening, Rocky Horror another and enjoy a local Chefs’ Challenge yet another.”

Admitting his artistic style is kind of all over the place, Trace said he has ultimately came to embrace this about his work. He has images on display in the School of Fine Arts gallery in addition to the city hall atrium exhibit.

When he’s not shooting fashion models or composing conceptual shots, he’s interested in ballet performances at the BCT.

“The dancers show emotion,” he said. “You can anticipate the moves, and it’s absolutely beautiful to watch.”

Bout added the importance of the atrium exhibit is not only to promote the photographers’ work, but also to document the history and culture the BCT brings to Bloomington.

“We want to make this asset available to everybody,” Bout said. “This is where the community gathers — this is our gathering place.”