Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon Portland Community College

Monument, Shore Acres, OR by Don Kirby

  • Title: Monument, Shore Acres, OR
  • Artist: Don Kirby
  • Medium: Gelatin silver print
  • Size: 18"h x 20"w
  • Creation date: 2000
  • Added to collection: 2019
  • Donor: Gift of Don Kirby and Bill Rhoades
  • Campus: Rock Creek
  • Location: B2/2 Math Division office rm 210H

Don Kirby has made extensive studies of caves and the effects of water on rock.  Often these subjects have been extensively explored by other photographers.  When asked about the issue, Kirby responded: "In the field, the idea is to respond to what you find and try to make some impressive statement and not worry too much about whether it has been done before. It’s something new for me at least, and something that interests me sufficiently enough for me to pursue it."  Here Kirby's sense of abstraction and composition as well as his masterful control of values have created a striking image of the sharply jagged stalagmites and the swirling, massive cavern above, looming like a thunderhead.