Topics: Arts and Culture, College of Fine Arts, Muncie

February 5, 2025

Lewis Wickes Hine, American (1874-1940), Noon Hour, Muncie Wheel & Jobbing Co. Most of the Boys Were Gone Home to Dinner, 1908, gelatin silver print, Purchase: Friends of the Museum, 1996.011.000, image in the public domain.


The David Owsley Museum of Art (DOMA) at Ball State University will display People and Places 1873-2000: A Selection of Photographs from DOMA’s Collection from Feb. 20 through May 23, 2025.

The exhibition showcases 40 photographs selected by guest curator Ronn Brown, a renowned television and film industry photographer. Born in Portland, Ind., Brown pursued a photography career that led him to Hollywood.

Mr. Brown’s selections for this special exhibition include works by notable photographers Margaret Bourke-White, Imogen Cunningham, Lotte Jacobi, Philippe Halsman, and John Coplans. The show provides a historical examination of the medium of photography and demonstrates its ability to capture a subject’s personality through gesture, facial expression, and setting.

“I invite everyone to discover the museum’s photography collection as seen through the eyes of a local celebrity,” said Dr. Robert G. La France, DOMA director. “Brown’s selections not only indicate the impact that these images have on his work, but also provide a new generation of student photographers, videographers, and artists—as well as the general public—with a catalyst for creativity.”

Mr. Brown—who recently moved back to the area and resides in Muncie—adds: “I am excited to be able to share the images I have chosen from the museum’s collection. I can’t wait for the show to open on Feb. 20.”

DOMA is located at 2021 W. Riverside Ave., in Ball State’s Fine Arts Building. It is open to the public from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays and 1:30-4:30 p.m. on Saturdays. There is no admission fee.

Visit DOMA’s website for details about related programs and events, including a Feb. 20 public reception celebrating the exhibition’s opening and a chance to be photographed by Brown on March 14 and 15.