Standing Still: Studio Portraits from the Upper Peninsula
August 6 – November 2, 2024
This historic photographic exhibition features local legends, friends, neighbors, and everyday heroes of the past. Gestures, expressions, clothing, props, and backdrops reveal rich narratives about the subjects, photographers, and the times.
The portraits were taken in Upper Peninsula photo studios between 1890 and 1910 by photographers including Charles Cole and Brainard F. Childs at Childs Art Gallery in Marquette and Ishpeming; John William Nara at Nara Studio in Calumet; Gustav A. Werner at Werner Studio in Marquette and Ishpeming; and Theodore Sexton at Sexton Studio in Garden.
Jack Deo was born in Detroit and grew up in Dearborn, Michigan. He credits his mother’s love of antiquing and his next-door neighbor, the tintype photographer at Greenfield Village, with his love of photography.
In 1973, Deo enrolled in NMU and began photographing the Upper Peninsula. He graduated in 1975, but he hasn’t stopped taking pictures and collecting images of the UP. From 1978 to 2013, Deo owned and operated Superior View Photography in Marquette. In 1978, Jack acquired the original negatives and camera equipment from the Child’s Art Gallery. The Child’s Studio operated from 1868 to 1978, making it one of the oldest and largest studios in the region.
Jack Deo lives and works in Marquette, Michigan. He offers talks on various subjects and even gives 3D slideshows. His award-winning work has appeared in numerous books and magazines. Deo continues to work with his archive to provide images for display, advertising, book, and magazine use. To see a selection of photos in his collection, visit viewsofthepast.com.
Thank you to Jack Deo for providing photos, titles, and historical information for this exhibition. All photos are courtesy of the Jack Deo Collection.
