On Display June 1 through August 7, 2026
The Memorial Union Art Gallery is hosting "Critical Collection", an exhibit of work by Evan Hume that will be on display June 1 through August 7, 2026. Hume is a photographic artist who uses experimental imaging methods to alter and combine declassified material from intelligence archives. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 10am to 2pm and Sunday from 1 to 4pm. A come-and-go reception will be held on Thursday, June 11, from 6:30-8pm.
Hume's artist statement explains that this series "interrogates the hidden infrastructures of image-making that have shaped modern power. The project traces how photography has functioned simultaneously as cultural practice, visual evidence, and ideological instrument–serving both overt and covert geopolitical operations. Through experimental alteration and recontextualization, he destabilizes archival fragments, revealing the malleability of images and historical narratives. At a time of AI proliferation and heightened global tension, Critical Collection encourages viewers to look closely at remnants of once-secret imaging systems that have shaped the world and imagine what remains unseen."
Hume is an assistant professor of art and visual culture at Iowa State. He earned his BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University and his MFA from George Washington University. He has exhibited widely in solo and group exhibitions, and his work has been featured by publications such as Aperture, Financial Times, and The New York Times.
Hume has published two photography monographs with Daylight Books: Viewing Distance (2021) and Critical Collection (2025), and both are available for purchase at the Gallery.
The Memorial Union is located at 2229 Lincoln Way in Ames on the ISU campus, and paid parking is available in the ramp adjacent to the building. The Art Gallery is located on the 1st floor and has free admission.