The Fire Inside Sem

By Rhianna Lewis ’22

For two weeks, lining the halls of the Rusty Flack Art Gallery in the KCCA were no longer various collages and paintings, but something a little more familiar. Hanging from the ceiling were 30+ pictures of some of Sem’s best athletes, with a highlight on the boy’s and girl’s wrestling team. The Fire Inside, the title of the gallery, provided a sort of “fire-esque” spark within these athletes. It represented the fierceness and pride of Sem athleticism and spirit and was an amazing addition to the gallery as well as an incredible experience for all the athletes involved.

Justin Hoch is the artist and driving force behind the project, which highlights the intensity of some of the world’s best wrestlers and coaches. With over 1,700+ images from this particular exhibit added to Hoch’s portfolio, it is becoming a “huge snapshot” for a community of athletes and the people who help the sport of wrestling immensely. The photos are portrait-style with some edits to emphasize the subjects’ eyes. This is how the exhibit was named. While this is arguably Hoch’s most well-known project, he also photographs wrestling matches, celebrities like Billy Ray Cyrus and Malala Yousafzai, and different parts of American life while he road-trips around the country.

Hoch’s time at Sem was well spent with a wide variety of athletes, coaches, and even a baby. Athletes from the soccer, field hockey, football, hockey, and lacrosse teams, were photographed for this exhibit. They will be featured in Hoch’s portfolio alongside professional athletes and coaches, like four-time World Champion winner Adeline Gray and 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Jordan Burroughs. Sophomore Ekta Arora, a member of the girl’s wrestling team, was photographed for the exhibit and says she is “very happy” to be a part of it.

While the pictures in the KCCA have been taken down, the athletes and the community will never forget the opportunity to be part of such an amazing project!