Noted Photographer to Speak at Penn on March 13
William Penn University
A photographer whose career has been dedicated to documenting the changing American landscape will talk about his work during a public presentation in Oskaloosa.
“An Evening with David Plowden” will be held Wednesday, March 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the atrium of the Musco Technology Center on the William Penn University campus. The event is free and open to the public.
The presentation is the first to be held as part of a new pilot program between WPU and Humanities Iowa to bring speakers and events to south central Iowa.
“I have been beset with a sense of urgency to record those parts of our heritage which seem to be receding as quickly as the view from the rear of a speeding train,” the 80-year-old Plowden once said. “I fear that we are eradicating the evidence of our past accomplishments so quickly that in time we may well lose the sense of who we are.”
Plowden’s photographs of Iowa, taken over a half century period, are currently featured in a new book, “David Plowden’s Iowa”. Published by Humanities Iowa, the book contains more than 70 pages of photographs depicting images that are uniquely Iowan. From landscapes to country stores, Plowden’s mastery of the visual image documents the best of Iowa heritage.
“No one has photographed America as has David Plowden. He is one of the great artists of our time,” David McCullough, author and historian, once said.
“An Evening with David Plowden” is presented with support from Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Helen J. and Keith S. Noah Speakers Fund at William Penn University. Copies of “David Plowden’s Iowa” will be available for sale at a reception after the event, with a portion of the proceeds to go to William Penn University to support future programs of this kind.
William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa offers both post-secondary and adult education programs. Founded by Quakers in 1873, Penn strives to provide a vibrant learning community where all students grow intellectually, socially, and spiritually through academic, creative and athletic pursuits.
