In a time when social media feeds overflow with conflicting claims and community meetings spark heated debates about everything from education to public health, Rochester photographer Rick Swanson saw an opportunity to explore how we understand truth and knowledge. His “Photoessay: Anti-Intellectualism in Minnesota” uses a unique artistic approach – black and white photographs developed using coffee – to capture the complex ways we think and interact as a society. What started as documentation of anti-science attitudes evolved into something deeper – carefully crafted photographs that reveal the subtle ways these beliefs shape our daily lives, from coffee shop conversations to city council meetings.
After acquiring support from a SEMAC Individual Artist grant, Rick’s concept evolved into two meaningful partnerships, including a collaboration with internationally renowned poet Joe Kidd, whose narratives about conflicting perspectives on truth provided inspiration for a subset of the photographs. The project then grew into a partnership with PossAbilities, a Rochester non-profit organization supporting adults with disabilities. The artists there became active collaborators, contributing their perspectives and experiences of confronting irrational attitudes in their daily lives to Rick’s artistic narrative. For example, in one piece, an artist from PossAbilities worked with Rick to challenge the common misconception that living with a disability means being fragile – expanding the project’s examination of societal assumptions.
Rick’s project impacts then extended beyond the initial partnerships to the broader community. Rick was able to share the work with a wider audience via email updates and social media, and the choice to host the main exhibition at PossAbilities brought attention to both the artwork and the organization’s vital work in the community. Rick strengthened this connection by contributing a portion of the project funds back to PossAbilities’ mission.
The momentum continues to build, particularly as debates about science, education, and truth intensify in our community spaces and social media feeds. With more powerful images waiting to be shared, Rick is planning a photography book that will pair images with poetry to document and respond to these challenging dynamics. Through crowdfunding, he hopes to create something that not only captures these attitudes but helps facilitate constructive dialogue about how we can better understand each other despite our differences.
This project shows what can happen when artistic vision meets community support at a time when we desperately need new ways to talk about difficult subjects. Through careful observation and collaborative spirit, Rick’s work invites us all to examine how we form our beliefs and consider perspectives that often go unheard, offering a creative pathway toward mutual understanding in our divided times.
To follow Rick’s ongoing work and future projects, you can find him on Facebook and Instagram at @rpswansonphotography and @foxswanarts, where he shares his unique photographic perspectives and upcoming exhibitions.