The Gallery at Penn College

Michael Hower began working in digital photography six years ago, founded upon a fascination with abandoned buildings and landscapes. That quickly turned into a project photographing ghost towns of the Mid-Atlantic where he found the inspiration for his current body of work, Graffiti Scapes.

His quest to find landscapes and spaces consumed by graffiti began in Centralia, the Pennsylvania ghost town that sits atop a burning mine fire. The main road leading into town was buckled by the fire underneath, and decades later, people started to leave their mark.

The road is covered with colorful tags and philosophical tidbits from berm to berm, end to end, and three quarters of a mile in length. The infamous “Graffiti Highway” was born.

Hower researched more locations to find spaces covered in Pollock-like webs of graffiti, whether abandoned or not, illicit or licit. He has gone on place-seeking journeys around the Mid- Atlantic to ghost towns, skate parks, train graveyards, city alleys and wherever else graffiti dominates the landscape.

Hower’s art career began with formal training in drawing and painting. As a self-taught photographer, his work has garnered numerous awards and has been featured in over 150 exhibitions and publications around the country. He currently resides in the greater Harrisburg area with my wife and two sons.

Reception

Thursday, September 12, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Gallery talk 5:30 p.m.

Special Hours

• Closed September 1
• Special hours for Homecoming: October 4-6