1/01/2006 11:02:00 PM|||David M. F. Schankula|||

Lexicon Project's 2005 Commitment to Lexington Comes to an End
by Brad Dickerson / Nougat Magazine
The cast of the movie Rent asked it best in their song "Seasons of Love;" how do you measure a year? For Jonathan Rodgers, David Schankula, Marcie Crim, and Richie Wireman, the members of the Lexicon Project, the answer was with photographic representation. Over the course of 2005, they have used a mobile studio, as well as individual scouting, to record the residents of Lexington in various degrees of action, be it at functions like the Beaux Arts Ball, the CD release party for the band Sexual Disaster Quartet, or hanging out at bars like The Dame. According to the official website, the Lexicon Project is, "an attempt to discover community, enrich community, and embrace community," no small task for a city that boasts a population of more than a quarter of a million people. Rodgers sums his group's mission statement up more simply; "how do you do justice to 300,000 people?"

Another task of no less importance is how to do justice to the four individuals comprising a much smaller community, albeit a community built on friendship, mutual respect, hard work, and a great sense of pride in the city in which they live. Over rounds of beer, coffee, and corn oysters (a Ramsey's delicacy), this author gained a better understanding of the mission behind the Lexicon Project, those who made that mission a reality, and what the future has in store.

The seeds for the project were laid back in 1996, when Rodgers and Schankula became friends after meeting their sophomore year at Henry Clay High School, a friendship which only grew while working together at Schumann's Click Clinic. Life eventually took them in two different directions. Rodgers went on to attend Vanderbilt University, serving as photo editor for the campus' magazine and yearbook. His passion for photography took him across the globe to countries like Africa, Haiti, and even Uganda, where he covered the AIDS epidemic for a Vanderbilt professor and saw many of the photos eventually published in various journals and periodicals. His experiences in foreign lands served as a learning experience for the Lexicon Project.

"I was learning how to interact with, engage, and photograph people who were as foreign to me as I was to them," he said. "I think being genuine and true to what you are photographing is something people can feel and are then more willing to involve you in their lives."

Schankula found his way to New York, where in 2000 he received an internship position with documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, the man responsible for both the Oscar-winning Bowling for Columbine and the box-office and cultural phenomenon Fahrenheit 9/11. During his tenure, one that is still on-going, Schankula worked on doing research for the two films, maintained a website, and traveled with Moore to London, where the director performed a one-man show. When asked to describe his boss, Schankula referred to him as someone who, "relentlessly tries to get his message across."

It was nearly two years ago that Rodgers and Schankula began having phone discussions about starting a small newspaper once Schankula relocated back to Lexington. Around the time these ideas started to circulate between the two, several other local weekly periodicals began popping up on news stands, creating an environment of stiff competition where it was unlikely all would prevail. Soon, the idea of using pictures to highlight Lexington's vibrant and unique community was hit upon, and the remaining members of the Lexicon Project were rounded out.

An avid local actress who has performed at the Actor's Guild, the Lexington Shakespeare Festival, and the Balagula Theater, not to mention a writer, and photographer, Crim also became introduced to the project through meeting Rodgers. Over the growth of their relationship, which eventually blossomed into a romance, Crim became immersed in the possibilities photography offered in showcasing aspects of the city she had previously not been aware of, such as the mosque on Georgetown Road and local Native American celebrations. She also had the chance to showcase events that often flew under the radar of Lexington's more mainstream media outlets.

"The main press won't touch things that happen at The Dame or The Loft," Crim said.

A late arrival to the project, Wireman has been a professional photographer for the past seven years. During this time, he submitted some of his work to Rodgers and Schankula, as well as displayed it on his website, richiewireman.com. Finally, in February, he gave the two a photo to be displayed at a gallery hop and was then asked to come aboard. For Wireman, the Lexicon Project served as an opportunity for him to step out of his comfort zone, which was nature photography, and begin doing shots of people interacting with others.

"I enjoyed being able to go out, cover an event, and tell a story," he said.

The "story" being told by the Lexicon Project has been that of one city during a particular year. With the year being 2005, national events were hard to ignore. During their monthly meetings, the members tossed around the idea of using the theme, "a city during a time of war." It turned out to be a controversial one, with some of the group worried about how that idea would impact their goal of showing the community in action. Their fears were that some Lexington residents would see the group as trying to promote a hidden political agenda and not be comfortable having themselves photographed. For Schankula, the project had always been about, "finding a way to take in the American life in a non-confrontational way."

While many in Lexington welcomed the idea of posing, others were initially apprehensive toward the strangers who were suddenly sticking a camera in their face while out in public. As Rodgers put it, "people view the camera as a weapon."

Crim backed up this sentiment when she said that, "people are apprehensive of looking unattractive in pictures."

Through talking to them all, the members of the Lexicon Project revealed that the public's biggest fear was the possibility of their head winding up on the picture of a naked body. In an era where identity theft is quickly becoming a grave threat, their fears may have had some basis, even though it sounds like a problem usually reserved for celebrities on the caliber of a Brad or Angelina.

Fortunately, these doubters turned out to be in the minority, as most in the city were very supportive of the efforts put forth by the Lexicon Project. The group received donations throughout the year from individuals and local churches, such as the House of Prayer for All Nations on Limestone. It is a place the group members all looked back on with fond memories resulting from the kindness and warm welcome they received while shooting there. Rodgers saw their generous contributions as, "a thank you for coming and spending time with us."

"The best expression of community," Schankula said, "was organizations making you feel absolutely welcome."

Through their efforts of spreading the notion of community, the Lexicon Project also helped in giving voice to those who might have otherwise been lost in the shuffle. The Operation Phototivity campaign was started to introduce photography to groups who might not have been exposed to it. The project successfully educated young children and members of Lexington's Latino population on proper camera use and how to take that knowledge and use it to shoot photos of their own communities. Currently, the group is trying to push through their proposal for Operation Phototivity: Displaced. The idea behind this campaign is to put cameras in the hands of members of Lexington's displaced, or homeless, population and those residents who recently moved into the area as a result of losing everything during the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina. Through their photos, it would provide an idea of what life could be like for someone if they were to suddenly find themselves stripped of everything they have.

"It gives them an opportunity to participate in this project, which is what the project's about," said Wireman.

As 2005 heads for a close, the members of the Lexicon Project will be celebrating their hard work in style. Starting at 9 p.m. on New Year's Eve at the Downtown Arts Center, doors will be open to the public to join the group in welcoming in 2006. Ticket prices will be $15 at the door and $10 for students. The event promises to be a great one, as entertainment will be provided by both DJs and local band The Parlour Boys. Plus, all photos shot by the group members will be on display for all to see. It will be another chance for the group to promote what they have tried to do all along with this project, strengthening the bonds of community.

For Crim, the highlight of this endeavor was seeing, "relationships forged through the project. People who have met at mobile studios are now dating. Plus, lots of contacts have been made through meetings and events."

Wireman has been grateful for how the project helped him grow as both a photographer and as a Lexington resident. "Looking at the community, I've learned more about myself and my place in [it]."

Schankula hopes it will serve as a catalyst for others to get involved, no matter how. "We're all working towards the same thing and that's belonging to a place. I want people to act on their impulse of doing something and being a part of a community."

As the project comes to an end, the members have begun looking to the future. Plans for 2006 include possibly delving into the realm of politics, with major focus going into the mayoral race. There are also plans for taking all the photos shot this year and creating a book which will serve as a look at one particular year in the life of a city. Through the use of photography, the Lexicon Project successfully told a story of community in middle America, a story not crafted with words, but with fantastic images. For Rodgers, photography was never simply about snapping one's picture, but about, "interacting and engaging your subject."

Through their photos, their art, this group has engaged this city all year.

|||113617492647577987|||The Measure of a Community