Spotlighting 20 images by long-time student photographer, Daniel Zhang ’24. Over three years, he has documented a staggering fifty-six events, making him the most prolific student photographer we’ve ever had.
In celebration of Daniel’s recent graduation, we are very excited to share a selection of his photographs that shows his incredible skill as well as the range of the events he documented.
Words from Daniel Zhang ’24:
Reflecting on my journey as an event photographer at the Colby Museum, I am overwhelmed with a profound sense of gratitude and accomplishment. For me, attending and capturing each event went beyond mere assignments; it was a personal invitation into a vibrant world where art and community intertwine. This experience offered endless moments of inspiration and has left a significant stroke on my life at Colby.
Across the over fifty events that I have attended as a photographer, each image I’ve taken tells a unique story of discovery, wonder, or introspection. Whether I documented an artist unleashing their creativity, students fervently absorbing knowledge, or the quiet, prolonged contemplation of a viewer before a painting, the impact of these moments was palpable and varied. By photographing the animated faces of museum visitors or the intense focus of an artist leading a workshop, I’ve seen and experienced firsthand how there lie profound stories behind seemingly static artwork. This experience altered my perspective on museums. I came to see the museum not just as a repository for objects but as a living entity, pulsating with energy and potential.
This role has been immensely valuable to me, both professionally and personally. It sharpened my skills in a dynamic setting, challenging me to capture the essence of each event with creativity and precision. At the same time, it has deepened my appreciation for the arts, as I became more attuned to the nuances of visual storytelling and the critical importance of preserving these moments. As I move forward, I carry with me not only the skills and insights gained, but also a renewed commitment to exploring how art intersects with public life. These experiences at the Colby Museum have equipped me with a unique lens through which I can view the world, ensuring that every future endeavor is imbued with the same passion and curiosity that defined my time here.
Another Museum is Possible, May 2024. Hayden Merrill ’24 becomes a living statue as part of his final performance for the class TD247 Performing the Museum.Black Powers Opening Reception, April 2022. Students perform as part of the opening reception for Black Powers, an exhibition at Greene Block + Studios curated by conceptual artist Natasha Marin in collaboration with a cohort of Colby Students.Brunch with Ghetto Gastro, September 2023. Erica Wall, Lunder Institute Director, and chef Lester Walker talk to students as part of the culinary collective’s visit to Colby College.2024 Senior Exhibition Opening Reception, May 2024. Professor and Chair of Art Véronique Plesch presents the President’s Prize award to student artist Annika Hogan ’24.Fall Open House, September 2023. Elisa Germán, Lunder Curator of Works on Paper and Whistler Studies, discusses James McNeill Whistler’s printing process during a guided tour of Whistler: Streetscapes, Urban Change.You’re Speaking My Language, March 2022. Students discuss Chamrousse (1967–68) by Joan Mitchell.Fall Open House, September 2023. Penobscot artist Christiana Becker demonstrates beadworking to visitors in the exhibition Painted: Our Bodies, Hearts, and Village.Thursday Art Party, November 2024. Engagement Assistant Sheri LaVerdiere films a student acapella performance.Museum Student Advisory Board Pottery Studio, December 2021. Mira DiSilvestro ’22 creates a small ceramic work in the Mirken Education Center.You’re Speaking My Language, February 2024. Two visitors discuss Abraham Lincoln: The Man (Standing Lincoln) (1884–87) by Augustus Saint-Gaudens as part of a language learning activity.Another Museum is Possible, May 2024. Michael Lugo ’27 allows himself to be painted on as part of his final performance for the class TD247 Performing the Museum.Sarah Sockbeson Research Visit, January 2022. Carolyn Muzzy Director Jacqueline Terrassa leans in to take a closer look at a selection of baskets by Penobscot artist Sarah Sockbeson. Sockbeson was a part of the Curatorial Advisory Council for Painted: Our Bodies, Hearts, and Village and contributed a basket to the exhibition.Fall Open House, October 2021. Students chat while doing an art activity outside the museum.James (Jim) Macdonald Studio Visit, April 2022. Jim Macdonald prints an etching during a studio visit with Christine Zheng, Mirken Family Postbaccalaureate Fellow in Museum Practice.Another Museum is Possible, May 2024. Linn Cao Nguyen Phuong ’24 performs an aerobic exercise routine in the gallery as part of her final performance for the class TD247 Performing the Museum.BI225L Immunology Course Visit, November 2023. Students discuss prints by Terry Winters in the Museum’s Landay Teaching Gallery.Colby Museum Board of Governors visit the Lunder Institute Studios, October 2023. Artist-in-residence Genevieve Gaignard discusses her work with artist and Board member Theresa Secord.You’re Speaking My Language, April 2022. A student describes Faith Ringgold’s Coming to Jones Road #4: Under A Blood Red Sky (2000) for another student to blindly sketch.Colby Museum Board of Governors visit the Lunder Institute Studios, October 2023. Artist-in-residence Papay Solomon discusses his work with a group of Board members.Shabbat in The World Outside: Louise Nevelson at Midcentury, March 2024. A crowd gathers around Louise Nevelson’s sculpture Cascade (1964) during a close-looking exercise.
Daniel Zhang has worked at the Museum as a student photographer since January 2021, helping us record our public programs as well as produce content for social media. Photographing fifty-six events is a true feat! Daniel has proved himself a very talented event photographer with an incredible attention to detail. He has a unique ability to capture moments of introspection, learning, joy, and care.
From all of us at the Museum, Daniel, thank you and congratulations!
