Luck o’ the Irish

Former professor turned artist

By Rachael McCombs
Courier Staff

Dustin Morrow has made quite the name for himself from doing everything from traveling to Ireland, making short films and even making time to win an Emmy.

Last Thursday, Jan. 19, Monmouth College had the opportunity to see some of this artist and filmmaker’s work as Morrow showed some of his award-winning photographs and short films from his trip to Ireland in the library’s Barnes Electronic Classroom.

Morrow’s exhibition of photographs will continue on display through Feb. 10 in the Len G. Everett Gallery, located in the Hewes Library , where the gallery is open to the public.

Morrow decided to do this exhibition because he is really interested in Ireland and enjoys making films.

His digital movies have been shown around the world and have won numerous awards, including an Emmy from the academic division of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

What is it like to win an Emmy? Morrow said, “It was very cool, they flew me out and I got to wine and dine in Beverly Hills. It was a fun time.”

“The main purpose of this exhibition is to try and say something about a tourist vision versus everyday reality,” said Morrow.

The photographs in his exhibit explore the politics of representation through a series of images that question what Morrow calls “the tourist vision of Ireland’s landscape.”

According to Morrow the title, “Stealing Ireland,” came from looking outside the lens of a camera and looking outside Irish life.

The photographs on display range from sceneries to people on the streets to people dancing in Ireland.

Each photograph has a green tint to put more of an effect on the look of Ireland. Whatever the photograph, they make Ireland look wonderful.

Morrow, who was born and raised in a rural central Illinois community, received an M.F.A. degree from the department of cinema and comparative literature at the University of Iowa.

He currently serves as a visiting assistant professor of art at Temple University, where he teaches courses in media production and theory.

“The best part of my job is getting to work with students, traveling and getting paid to be a scholar. It is very beautiful and philosophical,” said Morrow.