'Rememoration' at the Blue Z

A woman who left behind considerable memorabilia but apparently died without friends or heirs is remembered in a series of photographs on display this month at the Blue Z Coffee House on South Main Street.

Chris Chapman, a noted film animator and photographer who moved to Newtown early this year from Los Angeles, said he was intrigued by the life of Margaret E. Lang, a retired school teacher whose belongings were found discarded by the curb in front of her home in Rochester, NY, after she died in the early 1990s.

"Her material was found by a buddy of mine on garbage night in Rochester in front of the home where she had lived," Chapman said. "She had kept letters and photos in boxes and suitcases. I still have them."

He said he studied the various memorabilia in an attempt to piece together who Lang was and what she did during the 85 years of her life.

He expressed what he discovered in a series of 40 collage-style photographs, 14 of which may be seen on the walls of the Blue Z, which showcases artwork and hosts various cultural events from time to time.

His photo display titled "Rememoration" opened at a gathering of friends and art lovers at the coffee house earlier this month.

One photo collage included a picture of Lang, along with photos of French and Belgium stamps, recalling a trip she had made to Paris and Europe.

"Margaret died the day before Valentine's Day apparently without any relatives to remember her," he said. "I tried to find out who she was and what she did before I explored that in a loose narrative in my photos."

Though Chapman, 42, works for Blue Sky Studios as a special affects animator for its Ice Age film series and other projects, he has persisted in using a Canon still camera to create his artwork.

"Many artists continue to use film and still cameras for their work," he said. "I will move into digital photography some day."

For more information on Chapman and his work, visit his website.