"Dunes & Dreams: A Portrait of White Sands National Park," a collection of photography by Emmitt Booher, will be exhibited at the Branigan Cultural Center from Sept. 6 through Oct. 19, 2024.
Booher’s photographs capture the gypsum dunes at White Sands National Park. An opening reception for the exhibit, with Booher in attendance, will take place at 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6. Admission to both the reception and the exhibit is free.
Frequently photographed in sweeping panoramic views, Booher seeks to present a more intimate portrayal of the gypsum dunefields through his photographs. Created over a five-year period, Booher explored the constraints of a square photograph format while capturing the ethereal quality and subtle tones of the white sands.
Booher spent his early life living and working on a small ranch in New Mexico, which instilled in him an appreciation for the landscape, history, and people of New Mexico. After moving to Mesilla 34 years ago, he was drawn to the gypsum dunes at White Sands National Park and has been photographing them ever since.
“These photographs reflect an introspective and intimate observation of this environment and as a metaphor of our world today,” said Booher. “They invite the observer to take pause, to absorb the fragile landscape and explore the diversity of this complex ecosystem.”
The Branigan Cultural Center is located at 501 N. Main St., open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday. There is no admission charge. The museum is accessible from Roadrunner Transit Route 1, Stop 1. For more information, visit the Las Cruces Museum online or call (575) 541-2154.