"Sleeping in the City: Dreamscapes and
Other Episodes from inside the Wire” 
Street Photography Exhibition
by G. Mark Smith of Lawrence

The Hays Arts Council is pleased to host a solo exhibition by Lawrence artist, Gary Mark Smith entitled “Sleeping in the City: DreamScapes and Other Episodes form Inside the Wire (1978-2008). This collection of works will be on display at the Hays Arts Center, 112 East 11^th Street, Hays, Kansas, from November 5^th through December 6^th with an opening reception Friday, November 7^th from 7:00 – 9:00pm.

Smith will highlight his tremendous career in street photography with an artist’s lecture, free and open to the public, on Thursday, November 20^th from 7:30-8:30pm at the Hays Arts Center. In addition to exhibiting his own artwork, Smith will serve as the juror for the Hays Arts Council’s 25^th Annual Five State Photography Competition and Exhibition.

Driven from his hiding place in Kansas by a puzzling wanderlust, Smith has become one of the most highly regarded and highly decorated global street photographers in history.

Since 1982 he has faithfully lived up to his global billing by executing several extensive street photography field expeditions per year out on the streets of more than 60 countries on six continents.

Although most of these journeys focus on hunting down and capturing visually bold and intellectually stimulating candid moments at public gathering places, Gary may best be known for photographing extraordinary and sometimes violent historical streets in their times of crisis.

Initially receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from the University of Kansas, Smith went on to pursue a Master’s degree and received a Master of Arts fellowship from Purdue University. He continues to be a National Endowment for the Arts/National Endowment for the Humanities multiple grant recipient.

He is the author of three street photography books and has garnered numerous awards including American Photo Magazine National Photographer’s Career Competition winner and the American Photo Magazine International Reader’s Competition winner. His works have hung in notable exhibitions in the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Rhinelander Museum of Art, the Puchong Gallery in New York, the San Diego Art Institute and the Toledo Museum of Art.

Virginia Mecklenburg, Senior Curator: National Museum of American Art, The Smithsonian, has said of his work, “Smith’s photographs and their commentaries are powerful and dramatic. Smith’s created a terrific piece of work with remarkable people in remarkable places.”

For more information on Gary Mark Smith and descriptions of these photos, visit his website at www.streetphoto.com.