Oberlin Moments

Artist Statement:

As a musician and photographer, I am intrigued by the comparison of music and photography. A musical performance is a series of moments, whereas a photograph captures just one. Producing a photograph inscribes that moment. Ultimately, both performance and image can linger in an observers mind, and in that way, they become timeless. Inspired by the music of John Cage who espoused the acceptance of unexpected occurrences in performance, I am a fan of chance and seek the unexpected when taking photographs. A great deal can be anticipated in the process of making a photo — be it adjusting camera settings and lenses or planning specific settings — but one cannot control it all. Those chance offerings add to the sublimity of the moment.

Oberlin Moments a Calendar Retrospective:

While Head of the Oberlin Conservatory Library from 1998 through 2022, I regularly took photographs of Oberlin. A decade ago, I began using selected images in desk calendars which I gave as gifts. Some of those images can be seen here. This exhibit features the passing of time with Oberlin as the focal point: a moment in the photo, seasons in a calendar, and annual changes over the decade.

A new 2024 calendar may be ordered for late December delivery.

Artist Biography:

Deborah Campana holds a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University as well as a Ph.D. from Northwestern University (both in music theory), and a master of arts in library science from the University of Chicago. Her librarianship career began at Northwestern University, but more recently she directed the Oberlin Conservatory Library overseeing staff and developing a music collection (books, music scores, sound recordings) and special collections.

A former editor of the Music Library Association’s quarterly journal, Notes, she also edited two of their monograph series: The Index and Bibliography Series, and The Basic Manual Series. Her own research on John Cage’s music, information flow, and library administration appears in articles and book chapters published by the University of Chicago, Bucknell University, Oxford University, and others. For years she performed as a member of the Chicago-based new music ensemble, Kapture, in addition to the Gamelan Ensemble of Chicago at the Chicago Field Museum.

Today Campana is immersed in taking and editing photos, and her work appears in many private collections. In addition to photography, she enjoys painting and serves on the FAVA Board of Directors. Campana lives in her home town, Amherst, Ohio.