Exotic Landscapes of Morocco, an exhibition at Mills Gallery, will feature photographs by Terry Olson, the original “arts instigator” in Orange County, who took still photographs of sights in the North African country while filming a documentary there last fall. | Courtesy Mills Gallery
Terry Olson, aptly dubbed “arts instigator,” doesn’t have much use for the word “retirement.” He prefers “rewirement” and is ready to debut what he’s been up to since stepping away in May 2024 after 23 years of service as the first administrator of Orange County’s Arts & Cultural Affairs Office.
Exotic Landscapes of Morocco, an exhibition at Mills Gallery set to run April 2 through May 1, will feature photographs Olson took while filming a documentary, The Call, in Morocco last summer. It marks Olson’s first local photographic exhibition since the early days of his pop-up shows at Snap! Orlando more than a decade ago.
The 73-year-old had never visited Africa prior to filming. He got involved with this trip of a lifetime due to connections he had made with the head of the Moroccan American Cultural Society of Florida through FusionFest, an annual two-day outdoor festival in downtown Orlando that was co-founded by Olson.
The Call, which is currently being submitted for consideration to film festivals around the country, explores the route of the 1975 Green March, when 350,000 citizens marched into the territory of Western Sahara to assert Morocco’s historic claim to the territory and end the colonial rule of Spain.
“It was the most incredible experience of my life,” says Olson. “I wanted to share these photographs. I want to share the warmth and hospitality of this culture, the beauty of it and the vastness of it.”
Olson got his start in photography in junior high school in Minnesota, when he exhibited his work at the county fair. Now, he’ll have at least two dozen photographs on display at Mills Gallery.
Sales will benefit the Leaders of Tomorrow, a flagship program of the Moroccan American Cultural Society of Florida designed to empower young Moroccan-American students through leadership development, mentorship and cultural exchange.
Olson says he was drawn to images, shapes, colors and relationships that were so different from his own life experience: “Whether it was the Grand Mosque in Casablanca or a little cat house, the photographs tell a story—a story that creates a world for people.”
Adds Olson: “Mills Gallery does a lot of work with people from various backgrounds and cultures. So I think it’s appropriate that I’m here with this exhibition, which is about exposure to another culture.”
Since leaving his post with the county, Olson has continued to offer his expertise as a consultant and serve on a handful of boards for local arts foundations and organizations. Mills Gallery’s Juan Pablo Santa Luna, executive director, and Boris Garbe, founder, are excited to have the original instigator contribute to the local cultural scene as an artist in his own right.
“I think this is a time where we need to think about others and how we can bring the beauty of another culture to America,” says Santa Luna. “With this exhibition, Terry is bringing cultural diplomacy. He wanted to connect the best of the culture and the flavors in Morocco with those of Orlando—and that’s what got my attention.”
Mills Gallery is located at 1650 North Mills Avenue, Orlando. For more information, visit millsgalleryorlando.com or call 855.336.3653.
