The Art Galleries at TCU proudly present The Answer is 42, featuring the work of Dick Lane, in Moudy Gallery, January 12-28, 2026. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, January 15 from 5-7pm. Dick Lane will give an artist talk in Moudy Gallery on Thursday January 22, 2026, 12-1pm. The reception and artist talk are free and open to all.

In Douglas Adams’ 1979 sci-fi comedy novel “The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,” a supercomputer called Deep Thought is programmed to find the answer to the “ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything.” Its simple answer - - 42 - - is now a legendary response to the complicated, philosophical question posed and it has been cemented in popular culture through references in TV shows such as Star Trek, Dr. Who, and The X-Files.

In celebration of his retirement from TCU, Dick Lane, Professor and Director of the School of Art, considers Deep Thought’s answer and offers his own response to the question of life through a selection of 42 artworks and objects from his practice. The Answer is 42 features historic and contemporary photographs, antique cameras, and photo-sculptures as Lane celebrates a personal wayfinding for life based on his own experiences of seeing and being in the world. Lane presents an exhibition that considers the scientific history of photography while simultaneously celebrating serendipity found in alternative creative processes that adjust our understanding of color, time and space.

For 37 years Lane has shepherded hundreds of TCU students through their studies in photography, while sharing his love of the medium and an infectious curiosity for art, science, experimentation, collecting and slow looking. Having read and been inspired by Adam’s highly acclaimed novel since he was graduate student, Lane’s selection of 42 artworks and objects challenges gallery visitors to consider that the questions we ask are sometimes more important than the answers we receive.

Artist bio: Born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1958. Dick Lane received his B.F.A. from The University of Texas, Arlington in 1983 and his M.F.A. from the University of Florida in 1985 where he studied with influential educators Evon Streetman, Jerry Uelsmann and Wallace Wilson. Upon returning to Texas after graduate school he opened up a commercial photography studio in Dallas. It was during this time that he also began part time teaching at his alma mater. When the commercial photography venture ended in1988 he picked up a larger teaching load at UTA. Dick arrived at TCU in 1989 and holds the Rank of Professor at Texas Christian University's School of Art. He has served as the Director of the School of Art for the past nine years. Dick's work has been seen in over 100 exhibitions both regionally, nationally and internationally. His work can be found in a number of public and private collections and most recently has become part of the permanent collection of the Harn Museum in Gainesville, Florida. Dick's latest work - -  “Beam Splitter: An Investigation into Seeing” – - is soon to be seen on his website and is a part of an extensive multiyear project called "The Iterated Landscape." https://dicklanephotography.com/Index.html