Oxford Project

A few weeks ago, I participated in the Oxford Project. In 1984, Peter Feldstein photographed the residents of Oxford, Iowa. No poses, just simple shots of each person in front of a plain background. Twenty-one years later, Peter returned to Oxford and photographed as many of the people as he could find. He then teamed with Stephen G. Bloom, who interviewed the Oxford residents. A portion of each interview was printed between the two pictures, which was then shown on a television screen, with actors voicing the words of the Oxfordians. It's a simple project, a simple idea, and one that is profoundly moving. My part in the project was to provide the voice for four of the individuals. I recorded their words in about an hour one weekday evening. One talked about meeting Demi Moore and what a real person she was. Another spoke simply about ther deaths of his father and mother; tears welled in my eyes when I was done with that recording. The third individual showed he was horribly racist; it was hard to read those words. The last was a preacher who believed the end of the world was coming in twenty years. These are real people speaking the truth about their lives. Sometimes we get caught up in the big moments of life - war, politics, whatever - and we forget the power of the simple true words we all have within ourselves.

The Oxford Project is showing at the Johnson County Historical Society, in its new location at 860 Quarry Road in Coralville, across from the new Marriott Hotel.