Embracing Place: The Bear Mountain Bridge, Jewel of the Hudson

Embracing Place: The Bear Mountain Bridge, Jewel of the Hudson

A Photographic Exhibit by Walter Rabetz

March 24^th – April 28^th

Opening Reception: Saturday, March 24^th 1-4pm

The Field Library Gallery is pleased to host a photography exhibit by Walter Rabetz as he presents his new book, entitled Embracing Place: The Bear Mountain Bridge, the Jewel of the Hudson, a project of dramatic and intuitive photos on one of the Hudson Valley’s most recognizable and beloved landmarks.  From conception to execution, the impetus for the book was Rabetz’s fascination with the bridge’s grandeur and how it served not only as a vessel of transportation, but also took on the role as a starting point to another journey.   As Rabetz explains: “The bridge seemed to be a metaphor for moving from one place to another, and it became a destination in itself for me…what began as a destination, became a doorway to embracing place: my new home in Peekskill, New York. 

“The images in this book, (and now, this show), are the result of three years of interacting, discovering, and embracing this unique place where I have come to live.  For me the bridge is the Jewel of the Hudson.  To this end, I have ventured to the bridge, under the bridge, to Fort Montgomery, to the tracks of both the passenger and freight railroads, to Anthony’s Nose, as well as to Perkins’ Tower, among other places. “

In Rabetz’s magical photos, this stately passage becomes otherworldly and takes on a persona of its own.   It gives up little secrets but invites you to discover them.  Rabetz takes you along on his passage with a magnificence and spirit that captures the essence and heart of the Hudson Highlands.

Walter Rabetz has been a fine arts photographer for over 40 years, and was the head of the Art Department at the Loomis Chaffee School in Connecticut before retiring in 2007.  His work has been exhibited in galleries in Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island, and is included in the collections at the George Eastman House, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Rhode Island School of Design Museum.  He now runs a publishing house, QTR (Quality of Time Remaining) Books with his wife Marilyn, an artist and designer, and they reside in Peekskill.

The Field Library Gallery is located on the upper, mezzanine level of the adult reading rooms, and viewing hours are the same as the Field Library open hours.  The Field Library is located at 4 Nelson Avenue, Peekskill, New York, and is wheelchair-accessible.  For further information please call Sibyl Canaan, Library Director at (914) 737-7110, or emailscanaan@wlsmail.org or visit the library's website (www.peekskill.org).