This February at the Honors College, I found myself face to face with strangers. And although none could directly speak to me, I was able to learn much from them about compassion, forgiveness, transformation, and peace. These strangers were featured on 60 3’ by 7’upright panels displayed throughout the Honors College in a stunningly intimate exhibit. This was all a part of John Noltner’s vision, one that aimed to help rediscover humanity in a divided world through rich storytelling and compelling portraits.
The Honors College hosted the award-winning photographer and peace activist behind the multimedia arts project, A Peace of My Mind / American Stories, which invites viewers to explore the common humanity that connects us all by asking one simple question, “What does peace mean to you?”
For Noltner, what started as a small personal project morphed into a strong catalyst for community conversations around the country about service, civic duty, and social justice. Ten years in, he travels the world interviewing and photographing people from all walks of life: Holocaust survivors, refugees, artists, former prisoners, teachers, immigrants, veterans, and many others. Everyone showcased has a unique perspective and story to share, and Noltner propels that sharing through his mobile exhibit. From schools and businesses to civic and faith organizations, all of these groups have hosted his exhibits and invited their communities to engage with the work.
When asked about having college students as the audience for the exhibit, Noltner said, “I love this environment because people are already asking questions. People are engaged.” He finds the university setting exciting and interesting, noting that he always comes away with new ideas.
As for the medium for his work, Noltner highlights that photography has always been his way of exploring the world, and so when he wants to explore ideas he often does so by photographing people who are engaged with those ideas. From an artistic standpoint, Noltner said he loves the idea of an exhibit where viewers can stand face-to-face and examine people while reading their stories.
During his visit, Noltner spoke with Honors College first-year students currently taking our mission course, the Forum. Among the key messages he shared during plenary were to listen to difficult realities, look for solutions, stay at the table when the work gets hard, try again after failure, and practice forgiveness.
Noltner and Nirav Patel, Director of Experiential Learning who oversees the Forum, worked closely together to formulate two meaningful and contextual prompts for our students to choose from during the smaller weekly Forum sections—they were asked to write about a time when they bridged a divide or a moment they found unexpected courage. Their reflections, combined with their own compelling portraits taken by Noltner, will be on exhibit at the Honors College for the duration of the semester. This fall, a more permanent exhibit will be in place.
Viewing Noltner’s exhibit and creating their own reflections has left students to examine new questions as they consider the kind of world they want to live in.
Visit the online gallery of student reflections.
A Peace of My Mind is a multimedia arts project created by award-winning photographer John Noltner, that uses portraits and personal stories to bridge divides and encourage dialogue around important issues. Through exhibits, workshops, lectures and onsite studios, A Peace of My Mind leads transformative experiences that help a polarized world rediscover the common humanity that connects us. A gifted storyteller, Noltner has worked on four continents, gathering stories of human courage, grace, and resilience. He has produced projects for national magazines, Fortune 500 companies, and non-profit organizations. A Peace of My Mind reflects his belief that art and storytelling can help individuals, organizations and communities articulate their deepest values and encourage action toward building social capital and community connections.