George Shiras III charted a distinct path. He was an unexpected image maker championing Progressive ideals at the turn of the 20th century. Shiras and his art helped spark the modern American wildlife conservation movement with fellow outdoorsmen, including Theodore Roosevelt.

“Jacklight + Deerton” refers to Shiras’ early work in the 1890s made entirely at night. Jacklighting — an Indigenous hunting method adapted by settlers in which a sudden beam of light is used to stun animals — offered a clear target and unfair advantage. It is a metaphor for western expansion.

Deerton was a new train stop near Lake Superior not far from Shiras’ cabin. It was the furthest extent of civilization in the wilds of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula at that time.

The imposition of both the railroad and the camera on nature are hallmarks of modernization and technological disruption still unfolding.

JACKLIGHT + DEERTON George Shiras III Wildlife Prints runs from 11.12.25 - 1.15.26