By Hope Smith

A young man from Montana has been using his hands to show people what he sees without legs.

Kevin Connolly was born with a sporadic birth defect that left him legless.  His preferred method of transportation these days is not a wheelchair, but another four-wheeled vehicle — a skateboard.

Connolly travels the globe photographing the world as he sees it from his skateboard and capturing the way people see him.  And when he’s not skating, he’s skiing  professionally.

“Despite all his apparent disabilities he is a world-renowned photographer and Olympic skier,” said Aubrey Collier, Student Activities Board’s director of cultural arts.

Collier, who helps organize the changing exhibits in the Student Center’s Rasdall Gallery, contacted Connolly last semester to invite him to speak on campus.  Wednesday he will discuss his life as a photographer and skier and tell the story behind his “Rolling Exhibition,” which will be on display in the Rasdall Gallery until Dec. 3.

His photos show the often-bewildered looks of the people he passes on his trips down the streets of cities of various cultures and pique the curiosity of on-lookers.  Men, women and children of all ages and ethnicities all seem to give Connolly similar looks as he rolls by, which he finds to be an interesting social phenomenon according to his artist statement.  A businessman from East Asia, a Muslim woman leading small children down a sidewalk and an infant in a stroller all have similar reactions, according to the statement.

“Kevin is extremely friendly and mobile, so I would expect a lively presentation,” Collier said.  “Kevin’s story is amazing.”

Connolly will also be discussing his new book, “Double Take: A Memoir,” which covers his childhood, college experience, travels and thoughts.  “Double Take” features many of the photos from the “Rolling Exhibition.”