Buffalo Native to Examine the Changing Face and Untold Stories of Buffalo and WNY
HAMBURG, N.Y. – International photojournalist Brendan Bannon and Hilbert College are collaborating on a project to document the untold and hidden stories of the region. As part of an artist-in-residence program, titled “Untold Stories,” Bannon will source stories from the Hilbert community and create daily photo essays based on those ideas. Hilbert will host a public lecture and slide show at the end of the residency on April 21 at 7 PM in Swan Auditorium. Bannon will share samples of his work from abroad and the results of the “Untold Stories” project.
Bannon is an internationally recognized photojournalist whose work regularly appears in the New York Times and other leading publications. He works for the United Nations, Doctors Without Borders, Care, UNICEF, the UN Refugee Agency, and other international aid organizations throughout Africa and the Middle East.
Bannon has taught refugee children from Syria, Somalia, Congo, Ethiopia, and Rwanda in workshops designed give them an opportunity to share their stories with the world. Professional assignments have taken him to over 30 countries worldwide where he has told stories of wildlife in peril, the impact of disease on communities, refugees and migrants, prisons, slums, urban development, and much more. His work is in demand because it goes beyond portrayal of suffering to show the vitality of communities and the courage and small victories of individuals facing incredible challenges.
“After taking care of my mother, a teacher in the Buffalo Public Schools who had multiple sclerosis, I decided to go out into the world as a photojournalist and tell the stories of people facing changes and challenges with courage and creativity,” Bannon said.
“I was informed by my mother’s struggle with a debilitating disease. While others saw someone suffering or struggling, I saw someone I loved day-by-day prove victorious rather than overwhelmed by circumstances. I saw a person winning each day with courage and grace. That experience helped me see the world more clearly and with more nuance.”
“I’m grateful for this opportunity to look at the places where I grew up. I’m curious to see how they’ve changed and excited to share what I find with Hilbert and the wider Western New York community.”
For more information and for samples of Bannon’s work go to: http://www.hilbert.edu/brendan-bannon. This webpage will be updated with Bannon’s photo essays from his time at Hilbert College.
-- www.hilbert.edu --
Hilbert College, located in suburban Hamburg, N.Y., south of Buffalo, is a private four-year college founded in 1957 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition. With nearly 1,100 students, Hilbert is a dynamic Western New York college that offers career-focused majors, including one of the top criminal justice programs in the region, and more than 50 minors and concentrations. The college’s engaging, student-centered campus community offers numerous leadership, internship, and service learning opportunities from which students launch successful careers while making positive changes in their communities. The Hilbert Blueprint promotes a well-rounded student experience over four years – starting with the Foundations Seminar in the freshman year, followed by Sophomore Service, Junior Symposium, and culminating with the Senior Capstone. Hilbert has expanded its academic offerings with the college’s first graduate programs and evening degree programs geared to adult learners.