The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience on Tuesday announced it is extending Kate Medley’s photography exhibit “Thank You Please Come Again: How Gas Stations Feed and Fuel the American South” through June 21.

 

“Thank You Please Come Again” features 25 photographs from Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida and the Carolinas. It opened Feb. 22 and was originally scheduled to close May 24. It proved so popular that The MAX decided to give those who haven’t seen it another chance – and allow those who have already experienced it to take a second, or third, look and share it with friends.

 

Jackson, Mississippi native and national photojournalist Kate Medley drew the photographs from her award-winning book of the same title. Over 10 years of traveling and covering the South, she visited some 150 gas station grills, buffets and quick marts, many of which served as hubs for their rural communities.

She focused on people – individuals and families, locals and travelers, farmers and townspeople, proprietors and customers, with faces that tell the stories of their lives.

 

During the exhibit, The MAX hosted Medley for a week-long artist-in-residence program, allowing her to create new pieces, direct workshops, and teach area students about photojournalism and the study of cultures and folklore. Nearly 500 students from Meridian Community College, Meridian Public School District, Lauderdale County School District and Newton Municipal School District attended hands-on workshops led by Medley, learning about her career path as a photojournalist.

 

“Kate Medley’s images present us with one of the greatest gifts an artist can bestow: a fresh, even startling look at something familiar,” said Penny Kemp, The MAX’s president and CEO. “We feel the charm of places that we normally pass through quickly without paying much attention. We look into the eyes of strangers and feel instant connections. Perhaps the next time we stop somewhere for gas and a quick bite, we might strike up a conversation, feel that connection in person and head back out on the road with a smile.”

 

For information about “Thank You Please Come Again” and upcoming events at The MAX, visit msarts.org.