Margaret Sartor has good reason to be pleased with herself.
The Duke professor's most recent celebrations include a best-selling novel and the opening of yet another photo exhibit, this time on Duke's West campus. Sartor, a professor at the Center for Documentary Studies, is the creator of "Close to Home," an exhibit currently in Perkins Library. The black and white photographs are a collection of images reminiscent of her hometown.
The essence of Sartor's work is undoubtedly her childhood, spent in small-town Monroe, La. where she lived with her mother, father and four siblings. Her father was a doctor-and while her mother did not work, Sartor describes her as smart and talented.
"Monroe is a place where the '60s didn't get to town until the '70s," Sartor said, laughing. Her experience there is something which she describes in hindsight as crucial in her development as a person, recalling the town of Monroe as both comforting and confining.
"I could never really see myself leaving the South," said Sartor, who now lives with her husband and four children in Durham. "I left Monroe because I could never continue living there, but I also know that I could never bear to be too far away from it."
The collection is unique in the sense that it spans over a large period of Sartor's life. The first photograph was created in 1985-the year of her father's unexpected death, a particular turning point for Sartor.
"I have three sisters and one brother and one thing I remember from my childhood is my father photographing all of us," Sartor says. "It's partially where my interest for creating photographs began."
Her work quietly grew until she suddenly realized that it had the potential of being shown as a collective exhibit-comprising the exhibit that is now Close To Home.
Walking up and down the line of photographs in Perkins, Sartor describes her childhood town with remarkable clarity. She speaks a great deal about vulnerability and the timelessness of the South. Pointing to a black-and-white photograph of a harvested cotton field, she remarks that one could easily imagine a similar photograph being taken a hundred years ago. With genuine contemplation, Sartor describes her photographs as beautiful.
"My work never grows out of anger but a profound affection for something," said Sartor.
The vast majority of subjects in Sartor's photographs are relatives. It is why she holds a strong tie with almost every photograph. She admits that while it took her family time to become accustomed to regularly being photographed, they now value the fact that she has documented their lives.
"My work doesn't have an Olan Mills kind of beauty," Sartor said. "Nevertheless, my family has learned to appreciate it." Sartor is generous with copies of her work, adding that most of her relatives have her photographs displayed in their houses.
In terms of the photography process, Sartor likens it to dancing. "You can't think about too much," she says. "I find you have to work into it instinctively."
Regardless of her means to create, it is evident that Sartor' s talented eye and ability to capture life has led her to be very successful in her artistic career.
In terms of the success of Close to Home, Sartor simply notes that the exhibit is appealing because it highlights a unique and singular experience.
"At the same time, though, I feel that it's universal," Sartor says. "The more specific you get, the more people can relate to it. It's more real."
Close to Home is on display in Perkins Library through the end of September.
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