No Trespassing
Images of El Morro – the photography of
Robert Rooks
Rainey Fine Art
Featuring video footage from the documentary “End of Summer – Last Days of El Morro”
A film by Ron Pastucha and Lynn Hackman
Former El Morro residents will be attending
Saturday November 3, 2007 - artist reception
6:00 – 10:00 pm
Exhibition: Nov. 3 – Nov. 30
Photographic images of El Morro
by
the mythic lore of the California dream that is changing faster all the time. A unique exhibition of photographic and visual imagery documenting the last days of El Morro.
Former El Morro residents will be in attendance to reunite and relive the
memories of the fabled seaside community of El Morro.
“I am excited to present Robert’s photographs in my gallery because of the powerful
images he was able to capture and what this show represents. I was taken in by his desire
to reunite the community of El Morro.
These pictures take us through a time when the people of El Morro had to say goodbye to the lives they once shared and to the home they loved.
“Robert talked about the show being a triangle effect where the El Morro community all
meet together to relate with the photographs, video footage, and one another.
“My passion for connecting people through art matches that of Robert’s, as his vision to
bring them home, in a sense, will be realized. Robert captured on camera those still,
tender moments of the harsh reality of those last days of having to say goodbye to home.”
Lisa Rainey
Rainey Fine Art Gallery
No Trespassing
Images of El Morro – the photography of Robert Rooks
Artist Statement:
sports photography and documentary photojournalism. In addition to being a film maker,
currently developing a feature length documentary film on Illegal Immigration.
www.RobertRooksProductions.com
The idea of doing the “No Trespassing” show came about while working on a documentary film project on El Morro.
I had the opportunity to photograph the last days of El Morro – the abandoned homes and empty lots and the people who stayed until the very last day. I always new El Morro was a special place. It became even more apparent while spending time with the residents during the last days. I realized how much this place meant to them.
I have taken photographs from the ocean at El Morro for years. It’s a place unlike any other. The cold fall mornings with the sun rising over the hills – offshore winds creating these golden plumes of water set against the black backdrop of the point. Very spiritual and inspiring. “When it finally came to an end in 2006, I realized what made El Morro such a special place. It was the people.
El Morro was a community of people who respected the ocean, each other, their lifestyle and the place they called home.” “No Trespassing” is a unique exhibition of still photography, video footage and the interaction of former residents with the imagery and with each other. The show is an opportunity to reunite and relive the memories of El Morro through photographs and video.
It’s an interesting exhibition to have people in attendance who know more about the photographs than the photographer. I captured these moments in time, yet the former residents of El Morro lived these moments every day. Some for generations.
It is a shame to see communities like El Morro disappearing from the California landscape. It is, however, an honor to be a part of an exhibition that celebrates the things that made El Morro such a great community.
Robert Rooks
October 2007
Rainey Fine Art
Balboa Peninsula
105 Palm Street
Newport Beach, CA 92661
Lisa Rainey
949-673-1382
Lisa@raineyfineart.com
www.raineyfineart.com
