Photographer aims to promote unity with community collage

Like many people, photographer Josh Madson felt isolated both during, and in the immediate aftermath, of the COVID-19 pandemic. The solution Madson came up with was to photograph members of the Mankato community and use them to create a community collage.

The first showing was at The Coffee Hag in 2023 and featured photos of 800 members of the Mankato community. A second showing opened Saturday at the Madison East Center, with this collage featuring over 5,000 Mankatoans.

“We all went through the pandemic together but alone, right? I felt really isolated and so I wanted to figure out a way to use my gifts, like my skill set, my craft, and just bring people together,” said Madson.

At the opening reception Saturday, crowds wandered through the hall by the main entrance at Madison East Center, many looking for their own portrait among the thousands hanging on the wall or square display columns.

“My idea was that if I get people to come and play with me and have fun and create an experiential event, people will get this memory of that, then maybe it would be fun to do, like create collages of a city,” said Madson.

As part of the reception, a video documentarian asked attendees their thoughts on the collage with many people therefore getting a chance to offer their thoughts about being part of the overall project.

Madson said he feels the project has helped build the community he feels he lost during the COVID pandemic, a loss further exacerbated through him moving to Mankato with his family at the end of the pandemic.

“I got so much. I mean I literally got community. When I moved to Mankato I didn’t know who anyone was,” said Madson.

Madson also felt Mankato was a good community to start the project in.

“Now I know so many people and I have a wonderful community. You’re a wonderful community,” said Madson.

The success of Madsons’ initial work has led him to create collages in multiple cities beyond Mankato.

Other cities where Madson intends to expand the project to include St. Peter and Minneapolis. Photography for those locations has already taken place with showings already planned according to Madson. Madson also said he has plans to further expand the project to even more municipalities including New Ulm and Duluth, among several others.

“I think we photographed about 8,000 people this year already. It’s crazy to think about,” said Madson.

Given the large number of attendees at the opening reception, it would appear Madson’s goal of creating a more united community was in fact successful.

“This collage’s existence reflects what’s possible here,” Madson is quoted as saying on a promotional poster for the Madison East Center opening.

Caption: People visiting Madison East Center in Mankato for Josh Madson’s second Community Collage on Sep. 13, 2024. (JEREMY REDLIEN/The Reporter)

Write to jeremy.redlien@gmail.com