“If academia would let me earn a PhD in mumology, I’d be ready to defend my dissertation.”
The Evolution of MUMENTOUS
photo study art exhibit book blog cultural exhibit
aka, how a photographer became obsessed, uh, an expert on homecoming mums in Texas
MUMENTOUS is a supersized, “you can’t judge a book by its cover” journey. The idea for MUMENTOUS began a few years ago when Amy J. Schultz joined her friend Janette for a mum-making session at Nolan Catholic High School in Fort Worth, TX. The booster club was making mums to sell as a fundraiser for the marching band. As it turned out, Amy was not to be trusted with a glue gun, but she exceled at cutting ribbon in equal lengths and taking photos of what would become a life-changing experience.
Amy continued to shoot photos and seek creative guidance from artists and experts, most significantly Sara-Jayne Parsons, Director of The Art Galleries at Texas Christian University. Eventually, Amy’s growing portfolio caught the eye of Chris Hightower and the team at the Arlington Museum of Art in Arlington, TX. They invited her to serve as their inaugural Artist-in-Residence in 2019.
“When I first started, MUMENTOUS didn't have a name. It was just a path I allowed my curiosity and creativity to take.”
— Amy J. Schultz
award-winning author + photographer
Artist Statement
Amy J. Schultz seeks to unveil underlying, contradictory, and universal truths by challenging the presupposed focal point.
“My experience as the AMA Artist-in-Residence opened me to understanding a subject matter through many different mediums,” said Schultz. “It was an opportunity not only to create new works but to bring people together, amplify a diversity of perspectives, and influence perceptions. I began MUMENTOUS as a photographer; now I’m a storyteller.”
MUMENTOUS:
The Art Exhibit
The exhibition entitled MUMENTOUS: The Upsizing of a Texas Tradition debuted at the AMA in Fall 2019 and included sixty of Amy’s original photographs; five narrative stories based on real-life accounts; a mini-documentary she produced about the history of homecoming mums; an original audio installation; digital art; a live Instagram feed; and a three-dimensional installation featuring bleachers, painted astroturf, and a chain linked fence displaying over 100 homecoming mums lent to the museum by Texans from as far as 100 miles away.
The debut of MUMENTOUS: The Upsizing of a Texas Tradition garnered significant media attention due to the popularity of the subject matter, coupled with a gigantic Whataburger mum (created for the exhibit by Whataburger), and Amy’s uniquely inclusive, comprehensive, and artistic approach. The exhibition drew more visitors than any other by a Texas-based artist in the museum’s history.
MUMENTOUS: The Original Photography Collection
The Arlington Museum of Art holds the collection of Amy’s original photographs, narratives, video, and loaned mums from MUMENTOUS and manages the traveling art exhibit.
CLICK to learn how to exhibit the collection in your museum or gallery
Scroll for information about the traveling cultural heritage exhibit.
MUMENTOUS:
the Book
After the conclusion of her Artist-in-Residency, Amy continued to gather new material, conduct research, interview Texans, and shoot game-day photos. Ultimately, her book, MUMENTOUS: ORIGINAL PHOTOS AND MOSTLY-TRUE STORIES ABOUT FOOTBALL, GLUE GUNS, MOMS, AND A SUPERSIZED HIGH SCHOOL TRADITION THAT WAS BORN DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS, was published by Atmosphere Press and released on April 25, 2023.
The book is both entertaining and (in spite of the self-deprecating title) accurate, introducing readers to a cast of real-life characters who enlighten the history and heritage of homecoming mums in Texas and the United States.
“The second I made the connection between the mum tradition and the things my Mom did for us when we were kids, I saw how big the story really is. And I became a part of it.”
— Amy J. Schultz
In partnership with the Texas Lakes Trail, an initiative of the Texas Historic Commission, Amy’s research for MUMENTOUS the book has been adapted into a traveling heritage exhibit entitled, MUMENTOUS: Football, glue guns, moms, and a super-sized high school tradition born deep in the heart of Texas. The exhibit focuses on the evolution of high school football, homecoming, and mums in Texas. It also offers opportunities for conversations about the unique cultural, social, and economic factors that contribute to the Texas high school traditions.
Many of the photographs used in the TLT exhibit debuted at the Arlington Museum of Art during Amy’s tenure as Artist-in-Residence. Additional photographs are shared in partnership with the University of Texas at Arlington Libraries Special Collections in Arlington, TX.
MUMENTOUS:
the Cultural Heritage Exhibit
MUMENTOUS: The Cultural Heritage Exhibit
The Texas Lakes Trail manages the lending agreements and schedule for the MUMENTOUS cultural heritage exhibit.
CLICK to learn more + book the exhibit for your venue
“The Texas Lakes Trail is excited to add MUMENTOUS to our collection of traveling exhibits. There is just something about this topic that inspires people to share memories of their high school years. That is what I love the most about it: the shared experience.”
— Jill Campbell Jordan, Executive Director
Texas Lakes Trail Region
of the Texas Historical Commission
Meet the Homecoming Mumologist
Amy J. Schultz is an award-winning photographer and author who explores unique aspects of modern culture that hide in plain sight. Amy and her husband live in Texas with their gigantic golden retriever. When she isn’t talking about mums, Amy is writing, taking photos, working with the Arlington Museum of Art on creative projects, traveling, snort-laughing, or vacuuming up dog fur. While MUMENTOUS is Amy’s first published book, her first “books” were collections of stick figure masterpieces created by three-year-old Amy and stapled together by her mother.