“Dull, flat and boring.” For years, South Dakota native Paul Schiller has diligently worked to dispel this uninformed description of his home state. He’s done it by taking a fresh look at a place considered a flyover state by far too many. Whether he’s pulling back to consider the wide expanse of the land, or getting up close and personal with the state’s flora, Schiller has helped to redefine the image of South Dakota and allowed viewers to share his unique perspective of this incredible place.
State of Wonder is Paul Schiller’s celebration of the state he calls home. Utilizing panoramic and macro photography to re-imagine scenes that go unnoticed by so many of the state’s residents, State of Wonder captures the remarkable diversity of South Dakota from border to border. From the rushing falls of the Big Sioux River, across the prairies that roll through the heart of the state, to the jagged landscapes of the Badlands and the serene beauty of the Black Hills, Schiller takes viewers on a journey of discovery across Dakota. He juxtaposes the state’s natural beauty with its iconic man-made landmarks, giving viewers a sense of the people who tamed this land. Schiller’s work reminds us all that South Dakota is above all a place of remarkable variety and breathtaking beauty - a literally endless wonder.
A 1969 graduate of the University of South Dakota and former photo editor of the USD Volante, Schiller is best known as a founding partner of Lawrence & Schiller, the Sioux Falls marketing firm he launched in 1976 with fellow USD grad Craig Lawrence. He followed this successful venture with “Acts of Nature”, a company created to market the outdoor photography seen in this exhibit. Schiller’s distinctive work appears in hundreds of galleries, homes and businesses across the upper Midwest.
Artist’s note: This exhibit has been photographed using both film and digital technology. The images have all been captured with either Nikon or Hasselbald Xpan photographic equipment. All the images have been printed personally by the photographer using an Epson 7900 inkjet printer and printed on Epson Ultra Smooth Art Paper. They are framed using conservation UV protect glass.