Title: Power House
Series: Illuminated
Location: University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
Year: 2021
Medium: Archival Pigment Photograph
Artist: Jamaica Jones
A brick power house rises into the night, its smokestacks extending into a deep blue sky while warm light pours through arched windows below. Industry shifts toward monument, the building taking on an almost cathedral-like presence after hours.
Photographed on the campus of the University of Kansas, the structure’s brick, glass, and steel hold their weight quietly. The architecture remains plainly functional, yet softened by darkness and interior glow.
From neighborhoods surrounding Mount Oread, the building is often known first by sound. The steam whistle atop the power plant — nicknamed the “Big Tooter” — carries across Lawrence with a deep, riverboat-like call, traditionally marking the end of class periods on campus. For many residents the sound drifts through the air like a distant steamboat, a familiar signal woven into the rhythm of daily life.
Built for output and efficiency, the structure becomes — briefly — a study in rhythm and illumination. Vertical stacks, arched openings, and the steady glow of light transform utility into composition.
Illuminated explores moments when structure and symbol are transformed by light. Photographed at dusk, night, or during transitional hours, the series reveals subtle shifts in atmosphere and perception. Monuments, landmarks, and working structures become quieter and more reflective, shaped as much by illumination as by material.
Photography © Jamaica Jones