New portrait exhibition at Norfolk’s Chrysler Museum celebrates shipbuilders.
Joseph, Norfolk
Photos by Glen McClure
Clarke, Norfolk
Kristin, Portsmouth
Emory, Portsmouth
Eley, Newport News
Bruce, Norfolk
Since Europeans first began arriving on its shores centuries ago, the Hampton Roads region has known two constants: waves, and the people who build boats to ride upon them.
These workers—numbering nearly 65,000 today—have long been the backbone of Virginia’s coastal economy. They are also the subject of a new exhibition at the Chrysler Museum of Art. The showcase, which runs May 18 – July 16, features 21 unflinching portraits by Norfolk-based photographer Glen McClure, who spent nearly two years in the region’s shipyards for the project.
“I’ve always admired people who can work with their hands,” says McClure, whose past exhibits include a portrait series featuring the region’s watermen. “These boats wouldn’t float if it weren’t for them.”
Additional photographs in McClure’s series will be on display this summer at the Peninsula Fine Arts Center in Newport News, the Portsmouth Art and Cultural Center, and the Charles H. Taylor Arts Center in Hampton. Chrysler.org, GlenMcClure.com
Upcoming events at the Chrysler: July 6 - Aug. 27 "Having A Ball" features the hand-painted baseballs of George Sosnak. Sept. 14 - Jan. 21, 2018 "Enchanted By Glass" presents the glass designs of Parisian artist Rene Lalique.
