Lory, Peter. Peter de Lory: Short Stories. The West. August 27-October 22, 1993.

Robert B. Menschel Photography Gallery 33.  Schine Student Center, Syracuse University. Introduction by Jeffrey Hoone. Wraps, 16 pages. Includes biographical information about the artist. Like new. Summary:

Short Stories: The West (exhibited August 27–October 22, 1993) is a photographic project and exhibition catalog by American photographer Peter de Lory, presented at the Robert B. Menschel Photography Gallery (Gallery 33 at Syracuse University's Schine Student Center, published by Light Work). The catalog features an introduction by Jeffrey Hoone.

Core Themes & Subject Matter

• Mythologies of the American West: The project critically examines the overlapping historical, cultural, and physical footprints left on the Western landscape by diverse groups—including Native Americans, pioneers, homesteaders, cowboys, miners, loggers, and modern environmentalists.

• Triptych Narratives: De Lory frequently constructs his imagery as triptychs, linking past and present symbols of the West into implied "short stories" and visual metaphors. These multi-panel sequences combine landscape photography, portraits, artifacts, and modern cultural markers (e.g., road signs, neon figures, barbed wire, and military debris).

• Interplay of Nature and Human Impact: Rather than depicting an pristine, idealized wilderness, the work explores how human perception and exploitation—from mining roads and atomic bomb testing sites to tourist icons and ranching—have reshaped the physical and social landscape of the West.

• Literary Connections: The series draws inspiration from contemporary Western literature (such as the writings of Edward Abbey, Wallace Stegner, and Cormac McCarthy), blending visual storytelling with a critical, nuanced view of Western expansion, nostalgia, and modern regional realities.

Peter de Lory (b. 1948) is an American photographer known for his narrative approach to landscape, culture, and myth in the American West. Raised on Cape Cod, he began making photographs at age 16 before moving west to study, earning a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and an MFA from the University of Colorado. In 1976, he became Director of the Photography Department at the Sun Valley Center for the Arts and Humanities in Idaho, launching a career deeply focused on the evolving physical and social spaces of the region. A recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts (1979) and the California Arts Council (1990), de Lory has taught at institutions such as the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the San Francisco Art Institute. After relocating to the Pacific Northwest in 1994, he expanded his visual storytelling to include urban infrastructure and civic residencies alongside his long-standing exploration of Western landscape and memory.