Photographer John Harlow captures the raw essence of everyday life in his exhibit, “Take Only What You Can Carry,” at the UMF Art Gallery. His work blends documentary photography with a painterly approach, revealing the beauty within life’s complexities. Submitted photo

FARMINGTON — The University of Maine at Farmington [UMF] Art Gallery is showcasing Take Only What You Can Carry, a powerful photographic exhibit by UMF alumnus John Harlow, from Feb. 6 through March 28. Harlow’s work, deeply tied to themes of family, memory and human complexity, offers raw and intimate glimpses into everyday life.

“I don’t have a preconceived notion of how I want people to respond to my work,” Harlow said. “I think what is uncomfortable to some is comforting to others, especially if they see themselves in the work. I’d ask people to question what about it makes them uncomfortable and why, maybe it’s something they would rather ignore.”

A journey through art and community
Harlow, a 2013 graduate of UMF, has built a career blending photography, video and media work. “I started working at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture the summer after I graduated,” he said. “That place has been a huge part of my life. I’ve met and become friends with literally hundreds of artists from around the world who have all helped me develop into the artist I am today.”

His breakthrough moment came in 2018 when he was selected for the Portland Museum of Art Biennial. “That was a big deal,” he said. “It kind of solidified me as a serious artist.” Since then, his work has been exhibited in galleries across Maine, including the Union of Maine Visual Artists Gallery in Portland, New Systems Exhibitions [now 82 Parris], and the Denmark Arts Center.

The meaning behind Take Only What You Can Carry
The title of the exhibit is drawn from emergency evacuation warnings. “That phrase has always stuck with me,” Harlow said. “Some of the pieces, especially the video installation on the first floor, deal with natural disasters like flooding. But it’s also a metaphor for how much people have to handle in their daily lives.”

His inspiration comes from countless hours spent photographing Skowhegan’s working-class neighborhoods. “The work I have done is definitely about putting in the time,” he said. “Literally thousands of hours, some the result of going out intentionally and some by just living here and always keeping my camera with me.”

One particularly memorable encounter reinforced the responsibility of his work. “I was walking around and I saw this older woman carrying a bag of groceries,” he recalled. “I struck up a conversation and asked to take her photo and she said OK. Then she asked if I wanted to keep walking with her to her house and have a cup of coffee. I went with her and took a real portrait of her in her home; her dog, her living space. I realized the amount of trust I had been given, and how I really needed to honor that and be responsible with it.”

Harlow later printed the photographs and gave copies to her. “It’s not just fine art anymore; those images also exist in their family photo albums too,” he said. “After her dog died, she told me it was the only copy of a photo of him she had.”

One of those images, a woman showing him her ring, is included in the exhibit.

Photographer John Harlow stands beside his art. Harlow’s exhibit Take Only What You Can Carry is at the UMF Art Gallery. His work captures raw, intimate moments of everyday life, inviting viewers to reflect on themes of memory, resilience, and human complexity. Submitted photo

Honest documentation without exploitation
Much of Harlow’s work deals with personal and sometimes painful subject matter, yet he is deliberate in maintaining a respectful approach. “That question, how to keep my work from feeling exploitative, is at the root of what I’m doing,” he said.

For Harlow, building trust is the key to his process. “Sometimes that has to happen really quickly if I haven’t met the person before,” he said. “You really have to put them at ease. For me, it’s important to explain exactly what I’m doing in really plain language that most anyone can understand.”

His artistic influences are wide-ranging. “I’m a self-taught photographer. UMF didn’t offer photography when I went there,” he said. “In some ways that has given me a sort of raw style, but I am drawn to that aesthetic anyway.”

He cites painters and filmmakers among his influences. “I’ve been told I have a good sense for color,” he said. “I’m influenced by the painter Henry Taylor, who I met at Skowhegan. Now that I think about it, I know a lot of painters. Photographers like William Eggleston and Jim Goldberg. The filmmaker Harmony Korine. I also grew up participating in a lot of subcultures like skateboarding, punk, graffiti, and that raw documentation style is sort of embedded in me.”

From photographer to community leader
In addition to his art, Harlow serves as the director of Somerset Community TV11. “That role has really grounded me in the community,” he said. “I wouldn’t say it has influenced my photography, but it has given me a chance to be in the community, hearing about what is important to people.”

Public access television, he noted, serves a vital audience. “A lot of the people are older and rely on it for local information,” he said. “They may not be tied into social media. In that way, it has influenced me to take things a little more slowly.”

Harlow is also the president of the Wesserunsett Arts Council, a role he has held for six or seven years. “This role hasn’t particularly informed my art practice, but I do feel I have given back to the creative community by organizing projects and events,” he said.

One of his biggest initiatives was leading a mural campaign. “I had the idea, and with the help of the other board members and Saskia Reinholt’s grant-writing ability, we funded four murals in Skowhegan and Madison,” he said. “Volunteering for public art can be hard. It’s actually really thankless work for the most part.”

What’s next?
Harlow is looking ahead to new projects, including a photobook. “Even though there is a lot of work in this show, there is a lot more to see,” he said.

For aspiring photographers looking to explore personal or sensitive subject matter, he offers simple but serious advice: “It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” he said. “Carry your camera with you wherever you go. You will have to dedicate a lot of time into it. You have to live it. You really have to care about the people or subject matter when working with a sensitive topic. I think it will show if you don’t.”

He also urges young artists to be mindful of ethics. “There is a long history of people traveling to other places to do documentary work,” he said. “I don’t really care for it. I think there is a bit of a predatory nature in that dynamic, especially when someone with expensive camera gear goes to document ‘poor’ people. Speak about what is familiar to you and where you are. There’s a good chance no one else is doing it, and that will make you stand out.”

The UMF Art Gallery is located at 246 Main Street, behind the Admissions Office. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 12-4 p.m., and by appointment. For more information, contact Sarah Maline at maline@maine.edu or 207-778-1062.

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