Art On Exhibition: Student Photographer Breathes New Life Into Forgotten Objects

December 11, 2024By Matthew Milotakis '25

Christian Calabro, a senior Visual Arts major, captures the essence of landscapes and objects through his photography, blending visual storytelling with his passion for the medium.

BRISTOL, R.I. - Christian Calabro finds inspiration from landscapes and objects, wanting to tell new stories of their existence. His visual storytelling approach has captured attention in the art world, where the senior Visual Arts major (Photography and Film, with a minor in Film, Animation & Video) has been featured in a variety of juried exhibitions at the Providence Art Club, Bristol Art Museum, Rockland Festival of Arts, The Meetinghouse (Tiverton, R.I.), Ridgefield Walk Book, and Ridgefield Guild of Artists.

The first-generation college student from Ridgefield, Conn., only recently found his love for photography and switched his major from Graphic Design. He credits Professor of Art Elizabeth Duffy with playing a pivotal role in helping him find his calling and serving as a mentor throughout his college career.

Messages Behind his Work:"I'm drawn to capturing moments in the dark and the rain because of the atmosphere it creates. While some of my pictures are spontaneous, I generally prefer to have a specific location in mind before I go.

One of my pieces is 'Twin Reflection,' a photo I took near the 9/11 Living Memorial at Sherwood Island in Westport, Conn. The two trees with their reflections shown in the water represent the time spent on reflecting all that was lost during the 9/11 tragedy and the trees themselves represent the growth after grieving the event itself.

Another piece is 'Seaside,' taken at the Seaside Sanatorium, a location that remained untouched for a while and is now part of a larger park in Connecticut. I'm currently working on a project where I explore different locations capturing these eerie, atmospheric scenes throughout different areas like Connecticut and Rhode Island in New England."

A selection of Christian Calabro's artworks on display at the Ridgefield Guild of Artists.

Seasoned Juried Artist:"A lot of my interest in the Juried Exhibition at the Ridgefield Guild of Artists comes down to the familiarity with it because it's in my hometown. The juror of the 47th exhibition was the museum curator at the Aldrich Museum, a well-known institution in my hometown. I was like, why not apply? I've gone there occasionally, the last time I went in person was actually for a project for an art history class."

Faculty Mentorship:"Visual Arts Professor Elizabeth Duffy has been great. She helped me throughout my decision to change my major and she's been a real inspiration for both my work and others who have been helping me [shift] into a Visual Arts major. Her Intermediate Sculpture class introduced me to different materials and complex projects, which challenged me to think differently while relating to my previous work."

Advice for Incoming Students:"Don't be afraid that you won't know what you're going to do right away. I didn't know what I wanted to do until the end of sophomore year when I switched to Visual Arts. That's when I realized I wanted to go in a more creative direction rather than sticking to one area and such. So don't be afraid to know what you're going to do; and in retrospect, I would have spent my freshman year exploring my options and seeing what interests me."