John S. Sledge and Sheila Hagler

“An Ornament to the City: Old Mobile Ironwork”

September 15, 2008 – December 19, 2008 (First Floor Gallery)

“An Ornament to the City: Old Mobile Ironwork" is an exhibition of 16 framed photographs from the 2006 University of Georgia Press book by John S. Sledge with photography by Sheila Hagler. Through word and image, the book and the show are meant to both document and celebrate the decorative cast iron traditions that so distinguish Mobile as a Southern port city. Though much of this delicate, lacy ironwork has been lost over the years to deterioration, negligence and wartime scrap drives, a considerable amount remains to lend poetry and charm to city cemeteries, courtyards and streets.