The most familiar and yet varied sense of place may be the concept of home. And in her very own Lori-Nix way, the photographer reveals her clever interpretation of home in a series of sixteen photographs called Accidentally Kansas, which reference specific events from her childhood. She conveys a sense of home that we can all relate to in its approachable, humorous, and slightly off-the-wall way.

Last spring, I heard Nix speak about her Accidentally Kansas series, amongst a panel of “disaster photographers” telling epic tales about their exploits in the ruins of Hurricane Katrina and in the wreckage left by the Tsunami that rocked Asia in 2004. As the audience sulked lower and lower into their seats facing these depressing, though admittedly important, events and thoughts, Nix stepped up to the podium and slowly said, “I have a little different way of photographing disasters.” The mood of the room reversed completely within the first five minutes of Nix’s discussion.

Emily Ryan, Spencer Museum Office Manager

After six years of living in Kansas, I still can't get over my fear of tornadoes. I've loved Nix's photo because it puts my fears at a distance, making them seem like something that only happens in a world of make believe. As we approach the one year anniversary of the Greensburg tornado, however, it's harder to entertain that fantasy and I wonder how someone from Greensburg would respond to that image. Perhaps, as is suggested in the note from Emily Ryan referring to Nix's presentation at a panel on disaster photographers, it's just the bit of levity we need in order to smile and continue moving forward, or at least a reminder that tornadoes are a stereotype of Kansas because they've been happening for so long, and that if others have gotten through them in the past, so will folks now.
Emily Stamey
2008-05-01