Mark Maio: Against The Grain

Against The Grain presents a contextualized history of the “scoopers”, men of Irish descent who for nearly two centuries from 1825 to 2003 emptied the ships that transported grain to Buffalo for use in bread, beer, and other staples to feed a rapidly growing America.

The exhibition is focused on photographs captured by Mark Maio – a photographer, ophthalmic imager, educator, and inventor who was the only outsider given full access to the silos, ships, and grain-scoopers’ communities during the two decades that preceded their replacement by full automation. The images and extensive research that he conducted on industrial heritage provide a moving history of this era of the scoopers, their work, their culture, and their community.  

The exhibition’s content and production will be enhanced by oversight and under the direction of guest curator Anthony Bannon, Ph.D., Emeritus Director, Burchfield Penney Art Center and Emeritus Director, George Eastman Museum.

Mark Maio: Against the Grain is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. We gratefully acknowledge The Baird Foundation, The Margaret L. Wendt Foundation, Tony and Frances Maio, Gina and Erik O’Neill, and an Anonymous Donor for their leadership contributions. For their additional support, we gratefully acknowledge Jeannine and Daniel Mullan, the Great Lakes Foundation, and Marsha Henderson.