In December of 2002, the St. Johns River State College Board of Trustees unanimously approved one of the two THCA visual arts galleries to be named in honor of Jack Mitchell.
Mitchell was the photographer for American Ballet Theater for a decade and for The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for over three decades, but is also known and recognized for his special assignment photography for The New York Times and for Dance Magazine, for which he has created 166 cover photographs.
Mitchell’s photographs have also appeared on the covers of and in Rolling Stone, The New York Times Magazine, People Magazine, Newsweek, Time, Life, Vogue, Elle, Vanity Fair, and virtually every domestic and international publication featuring photographs of arts personalities. His long list of photographic subjects has included almost every notable performing and visual artist of the second part of the twentieth century such as actors: Robin Williams, Al Pacino, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, Natalie Wood, and Gloria Swanson.
In addition, Mitchell had photographed subjects such as: Tennessee Williams, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Neil Simon, Luciano Pavarotti, Itzhak Perlman, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Alvin Ailey and Andy Warhol, to name just a few.
His work is included in four books including the recent Icons & Idols: A Photographer’s Chronicle of the Arts 1960 – 1995. Mitchell received the 2002 Dance Magazine Award in New York City, the most prestigious annual recognition in the international dance community; he is the only photographer to receive this honor.
Mitchell had a history with SJR State and Florida School of the Arts (FloArts). He had left an imprint on the young artists there through teaching during two artist residencies, working with students and faculty and presenting his work in three FloArts gallery exhibits.
This Friday, January 13th sees the return of Jack’s full collection to the gallery bearing his name. Spectators and art lovers will be able to experience and view the collection of thirty-four exquisite black and white photographs from world-renowned photographer Jack Mitchell through June, when it returns once again to the theatre’s archives.
Alongside the Jack Mitchell Collection, you can see the Art Guild of Orange Park’s diverse exhibit, “The Neighborhood,” presented in the Lee Adams Florida Artists Gallery. This exhibit will be available for public viewing through April during all regular Box Office hours and Thrasher-Horne Center events. Admission is free.
Both exhibits are generously supported by the Mary Ward Huntley Florida Artist Fund
