Adams' exhibit sheds light By Kathryn MacEwen For the Daily The words "Lux Perpetua,' early church Latin for eternal light, have often been described on earth as the ways that light filters through the cloud right after a storm. This idea present occasionally in nature is captured in Ansel Adams' work, "Mt. Williamson, in Serera Nevada." The way the sunlight streams through the clouds creating rays of light on the valley of rocks below the mountain is reminiscent of the rays that inspired humans to imagine heavenly light on earth. In Adams' photographs the idea of heavenly light is captured breathtakingly. This work, along with 15 other photographs, are currently showing at the Museum of Art. The photographs span a large portion of artist Ansel Adam's life and are all of different outdoor shots from the western United States. In these 16 photographs, along with the rays of light, other minute details are obvious to the viewer. Details such as the smallest erosion lines on the granite walls of mountains, the leaves of the trees blowing before the storm and the glassy stillness of mountain ponds are captured in such a way that can make one feel as though they are standing in the wilderness. Details are only one part of Adams' work; the contrast of light and dark also makes a dramatic impact. In the work "Tetons and the Snake River," the contrast is also quite noticeable in the snow-covered mountains against a stormy sky. Not only does the contrast in color create an artistic statement, but one of beliefs as well. The photograph "Antelope House Ruin" taken in 1942 shows an ancient Indian dwelling against a dark mountain wall. Next to the house are two wall paintings. One appears to be ancient and one modern. These two drawings, both done in white, stand out sharply against the darkness of the wall. The starkest contrast of all is the subject matter of the drawings. The ancient depiction, that of a horse, is a sharp contrast to that of a swastika. The extreme contrast shows the viewer of the ancient civilization and modern hatred. The exhibit disappoints only in that just 16 of Adams' works are gathered in this collection. Yet the amazing amount of detail and feeling in each individual picture makes up for the lack of quantity. Courtesy of University Museum of Art 'Oak Tree, Snowstorm, Yosemite National Park, California' (1948). Originally on page 5A in the 1-31-2000 issue of the Daily.