YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Photographs by Valley resident Richard Hahn are displayed in a one-person exhibition at the Butler Institute of American Art.
The exhibit, “Facades,” runs through Nov. 24. It features photographs of exteriors of buildings and structures throughout the tri-county area. Subjects include historic buildings, storefronts, murals and graffiti-covered walls – some easily recognizable, others hidden in plain sight, Hahn says.
He describes the exhibit as a photographic exploration that reaches beyond the character of a structure as established by its designer’s original intentions. “My intent is to reveal each subject’s personality as defined by its surroundings; its reaction to the sky, weather, and sunlight; its modern-day role as a ‘canvas’ for street artists, or a billboard shouting the brand of its tenant,” explains Hahn.
Hahn grew up in Youngstown. While pursuing his undergraduate degree at Youngstown State University, he worked with bands as a trumpet player and arranger. Later, as founder of Keynote Media Group, photography became an essential business component.
Pictured at top: “Monolith”: A view of the Youngstown building that once was Isaly’s headquarters.