_{Top photo: The entrance of the Spori Art Gallery exhibiting Michael Sherwin’s “Vanishing Points” at BYU-Idaho.}

By Darby Rees

REXBURG—Michael Sherwin, the photographer behind the “Vanishing Points” exhibit in the Spori gallery, unearths the sacred significance of a Monongahela burial site hidden beneath modern industry.  

Until February 20, Brigham Young University-Idaho students and Rexburg locals can visit the gallery and peer through the lens of Michael Sherwin’s camera. 

Sherwin’s exhibit depicts landscapes contrasting indigenous history with present-day perspectives. This duality is what drew Sherwin to the Suncrest Towne Center, one of the sites that inspired “Vanishing Points.”  

The Suncrest Towne Center—a shopping center in Morgantown, West Virginia—was built over an important archeological site along the Mississippi river, which held a Monongahela burial site and a large village.    

Sherwin shopped at the Suncrest Towne Center because of its proximity to his house but then discovered the land’s cultural significance. In an interview, he revealed more of his thoughts on the subject.   

“This proximity made me deeply conflicted about my relationship with the land I called home,” said Sherwin. “I felt a profound need to respond, leading me to pick up the camera and document the site.” 

Sherwin has a deep respect for the indigenous cultures who shaped the landscape around him and wishes to depict their overlooked presence.      

“Growing up, I was unaware of the profound indigenous presence on the land I called home,” Sherwin said. “The process of researching and creating this photographic series has been an invaluable journey of learning and reflection.” 

Sherwin takes his time to consider the historical, political, cultural and religious significance of these landscapes which surround his home and pays careful attention to how he portrays them.  

“Landscapes have the power to ground us, inspire awe and remind us of our connection to something greater, whether that’s history, culture or the natural world itself,” Sherwin said. “My hope is that this series encourages viewers to see the land not just as a backdrop to human activity, but as a sacred entity with its own story to tell.” 

Michael Sherwin often expresses the wonders of the natural world through his camera. Other examples of his work can be found at his website. 

The “Vanishing Points” exhibit is found at BYU-Idaho in the art gallery of the Jacob Spori building and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until February 20 (closed on Saturdays and Sundays).