Ricky Cox Lecture – Early Floyd Photographs

September 19, 6:30 PM, McConnell Library, Radford University

The Old Church Gallery’s 2023 exhibit of Floyd County photographs, Kindly Mirrors: The Photography of Richard “Dick” Shank & Gertrue Vest Shank is now on view at McConnell Library’s Andrew Ross Gallery at Radford University. On Sept. 19, Ricky Cox will speak on the bread and depth of this wondrous portfolio of local scenes which looks back on Floyd County life through the lens of thirty, large-format prints taken by the Shanks between 1912 and 1917. The original camera was a gift to Gertrue from her brother Cleo, possibly before her 1913 marriage to Dick. During this time period, the introduction of the inexpensive Kodak Brownie box camera made photography a popular pastime nationwide, although amateur photographers were still uncommon in Floyd County. The Shanks created their own darkroom to develop their detailed prints.