Rogues Gallery

We should probably apologize. You’ve just walked through the door and we’re already pulling out pictures of the kids.

One of the most commonly photographed of all subjects, along with famous landmarks (and people standing in front of famous landmarks), are children. More often then not, archival photographs have a tendency to capture change, whether to the physical landscape or the people who populate it. But in the childhood photograph, no matter the age, the subject matter hasn’t really changed. Whether capturing the mundane or the ridiculous, there is a certain universality to the childhood experience. On the other hand, some aspects are most definitely a part of the Alberta experience. Lots of kids go swimming. Not too many cavort with black bears.

So enjoy your viewing of our very own Rogues Gallery. Oh, and before you ask, you might notice the visual lack of winter in the collection. We try and avoid thinking of it when we can.

This exhibit was presented in conjunction with the Archives Society of Alberta’s Archives Week (ASA), an annual event sponsored by the ASA to raise awareness of the historic documents, photographs and other records preserved by Alberta’s numerous archival institutions. A virtual exhibit highlighting images of childhood from the early 1900s to 1970s drawn from the holdings of 22 archival institutions around Alberta is available for viewing at www.archivesalberta.org. The ASA produces a calendar each year featuring selected images from the exhibit, available at the Red Deer & District Archives and archives across the province.