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      • John Chervinsky Emerging Photographer Scholarship
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Exhibitions

Matt Siber | Griffin State of Mind

Posted on March 18, 2023

Matt Siber‘s Collective Consciousness looks at the way we imbue preconceived notions of what the object holds, and how we re-envision that object in a new context. His work was on view as part of My Favorite Things at Lafayette City Center, downtown Boston.

chairs on a a table with bird
© Matt Siber

What in your background do you believe had the biggest impact on your personal style and choices

I grew up in a scientific family that had a strong appreciation for art. My father and grandfather were both serious amateur photographers and they encouraged me as a kid to learn how to use a camera. Photography was my entry point into the art world and I have them to thank for that.

My first several years as a professional photographer were spent in the commercial field. My experiences with commercial photography gave me an inside look into the persuasive and manipulative methods used by PR firms to sell a brand image. When I entered my MFA program I was inclined to use that freedom of expression to examine and criticize the world I had come from in order to better understand it. My time as a commercial photographer is directly related to my main artistic practice as an examination and criticism of advanced capitalism.

My expansion into 3D media and other forms of visual expression were significantly influenced by my teaching position at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Our Photography Department takes a very broad approach to photographic practice where we tend to de-emphasize the singular photograph as art object in place of a more holistic approach that includes a range of media and presentation methods. This is when my use of sculptural and installation approaches became integral to my work.

signs in a milk crate
© Matt Siber

If you were to describe your exhibit to someone what might you say?

The Collective Consciousness project was my way of adapting the approaches from my main practice to a subject I hadn’t addressed before. I was given this residency in the Chicago Public School system and was given free rein to make work that was distinctly mine. I am interested in complex systems, how they work, and the physical infrastructure that keeps them functioning. This led me to examine the objects within the elementary school without which the school couldn’t function. I arrange them in unexpected and often precarious ways in order to emphasize their presence and ask the viewer for their consideration. Much of the project was done in an empty school during the pandemic, adding another layer of context for the otherwise “idle” objects.

ball on chair
© Matt Siber

Could you explain your relationship to space in your photography? Additionally how does form inform your work?

When I create 3D work for exhibition I think of the pieces as having dimension and being viewed from all angles and perspectives. Much of my work ends up as a photograph, even if the subject is essentially sculptural. In these cases the camera’s flattening of space is used to my advantage as a way of fixing a gaze and locking in formal relationships within the space. In Collective Consciousness the objects needed to be returned right away, so a photograph was the only way to present the work to an audience. The assemblages were created for the camera with a single point perspective in mind. The form’s relation to the space is determined by the compression of space and the rectangular framing of a photograph. Figure and ground become fixed.

upsidedown table
© Matt Siber

What originally brought you to the Griffin?

I ended up meeting with Crista at the Filter Photo Festival in Chicago. I was looking for venues outside of Chicago to exhibit the Collective Consciousness project so I looked to the portfolio reviews at Filter to get the prints in front of some curators. I’ve known of The Griffin for a long time as a professional in the field and a former Massachusetts kid.

earth in chair
© Matt Siber

ABOUT MATT SIBER

Matt Siber is a visual artist who uses photography, digital imaging, sculpture, and installation to examine large societal systems. He is Associate Professor, Adjunct in the Photography Department at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Filed Under: Griffin State of Mind, Uncategorized, Exhibitions Tagged With: Griffin Exhibitions, Photography, color, Artist Talk, Photographers on Photography

Stephanie Shih | Griffin State of Mind

Posted on March 7, 2023

Stephanie Shih’s Asian American Still Life looks at the way we imbue preconceived notions of what the object holds, and how we re-envision that object in a new context. Her work is on view as part of My Favorite Things at Lafayette City Center, downtown Boston.

Tell us a little about yourself and your background.

I am a visual still life artist, working in the mediums of photo and motion. I’m originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, and currently live and work in Los Angeles, CA.

Tell a little about your exhibition, “Asian American Still Life.”

Asian American Still Life is an on-going series that examines the cultural richness of what’s usually considered the very Eurocentric (and painting-based) art tradition of still life. In the series, I’m pulling from my own cultural background as a Taiwanese-Chinese American as well as collaborating with other creators in the Asian diaspora to make our presences known in this venerated art tradition… and having a bit of subversive fun along the way (hopefully).

What do you find special about still life photography? What led to your decision to use it as a means to explore Asian American identity with this project?

I’ve always been more drawn to food and things and their internal lives than I have been to people! I like to “hear” the stories and histories that objects can tell. And so often in the history of the Eurocentric still life tradition, objects from other cultures get thrown in without context. I felt like it was really time to try to take back some of that narrative space and, in doing so, push the tradition forward.

What is a literary, musical or visual obsession you have at the moment?

I came across ceramicist Fujikasa Satoko’s work recently and am mind-boggled and obsessed. She makes clay come so alive that I’m in disbelief that it’s actually clay. That’s the kind of aliveness I always seek to bring to my still life arrangements!

ABOUT STEPHANIE SHIH

Stephanie Shih is a visual still life artist, known for her painterly use of shadow applied to playful perspectives on food. Shih started making photographs with her dad’s half-frame camera on childhood road trips, but only took up photography seriously later in life while in graduate school. At the time, she moonlighted as a caterer, and translating the experience of food to the visual image has been a driving through line of her work ever since.

As a second generation Taiwanese-Chinese American, Shih explores themes of cultural dynamics—belonging,alienation, appropriation, celebration—through her still life photographs. Shih’s photography has been featured in print outlets including Elle Girl Korea, 7×7, and Gastronomica, and online on Gourmet Live, Saveur, Fine Cooking, and Buzzfeed.

Shih is from the San Francisco Bay Area and currently lives in Los Angeles. When not in the studio or kitchen creating, she is a professor at University of Southern California.

Filed Under: Exhibitions, Griffin State of Mind Tagged With: Artist Talk, Photographers on Photography, Griffin Exhibitions, Photography, color

Bonnie Newman | Griffin State of Mind

Posted on February 18, 2023

Bonnie Newman’s “First Light” still hangs at WinCam, so be sure to see it before it leaves in March! To learn more about her process we asked her questions for Griffin State of Mind!

Tell us a little about your background.

Thirteen years ago, I retired from a career in higher education and nonprofit management. I love travel and have always taken snapshots that captured the beauty and special aspects of the places I visited.  And I have always found solace and spirituality in nature.  Eight years ago, I upgraded my camera, started taking photography courses, and connected with a community of photographers, all of which helped me to strengthen my skills and have fun experimenting with my photography. 

Tell a little about your recent exhibition, “First Light,” and how it was conceived.

I have a small cottage with windows on a pond on Cape Cod. Spending time there provided the opportunity to deeply notice my everchanging environment.  I was particularly captivated by the morning light on the pond.  I started taking photos from my window, my dock, and my kayak. In time, I felt I was simply recording the view, and not capturing the spirit of the area.  I discovered the feature on my DSLR camera that allowed me to combine two images in-camera, one over the other, which made it possible to create more imaginative photos.  I have since taken hundreds of multiple-exposure images that celebrate the early morning light on the pond. 

How has your approach to photography evolved since beginning the project?

My work on this project has pushed me to experiment even more, utilizing intentional camera movement, (ICM) along with multiple exposures, to create “reinvisioned” landscapes, which capture the emotion I feel in the beauty  and serenity of nature.

Has there been a Griffin Museum exhibition that has particularly engaged or moved you?

I always enjoy the exhibitions–I love seeing the many ways that photographers use the medium of photography to share their vision and what is important to them, and I gravitate to those who use experimental/out of the box techniques, and new ways of seeing nature and landscape.

What is a book, song or visual obsession you have at the moment?

I’ve had the opportunity to photograph a two-hundred-year-old historic barn that is about to be dismantled and rebuilt.  I loved documenting the many discarded, deteriorating items left there for years, and then once the items were cleared out, to notice the elements of the structure of the barn.  I particularly like the shapes, textures and shadows, the centuries-old construction techniques,  the deteriorating wood, the old birds nests, and even the invasion of ivy through the dusty broken windows.  

ABOUT BONNIE NEWMAN

Bonnie Newman is a photographer, outdoor enthusiast and avid traveler. With her camera, she experiences and captures the splendor of nature, compelling moments, and new environments. 

Newman finds inspiration in nature, whether an expansive landscape or a detail that catches her eye. She sees abstraction everywhere and is attracted to shapes, transparency, distortion and fragmentation. Her recent landscape work utilizes the techniques of transparency and reflection, double exposure, and intentional camera movement to reveal her singular vision of a scene. The resulting images vacillate between serene and edgy, offering a flight from reality combined with a hint of mystery.

Newman’s photographs have been exhibited in a solo show at the Cary Public Library in Lexington MA.  She has also exhibited at the Griffin Museum of Photography and juried in to group exhibitions at the Cambridge Art Association, Arlington Center for the Arts, Plymouth Center for the Arts, and Gallery Twist in Lexington.  

She photographs for the Brewster Conservation Trust and the Town of Lexington Conservation Department, and her photos are on display at Brewster (MA) Town Hall, and the Lexington (MA) Visitor’s Center and in private collections.

Newman has taken photography courses with Emily Belz at the Arlington Center for the Arts, Griffin Museum of Photography, and the DeCordova Museum. (2015-2020).  She participated in the Atelier 33 at the Griffin, has taken online workshops with Valda Bailey and Doug Chinnery, and  workshops on Cape Cod with Steven Koppel and Julia Cumes .

Newman lives in Lexington and Brewster MA.

She can be found at http://bonnienewmanphotography.com/

WinCam is located in Winchester, at 32 Swanton Road, Winchester, MA 01890

Filed Under: Exhibitions, Griffin State of Mind Tagged With: Photography, Photographers on Photography, Griffin Exhibitions

29th Annual Juried Members Exhibition

Posted on February 1, 2023

29th Annual Juried Members Exhibition

Juror – Lisa Volpe, Curator of Photography, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

20 April – 28 May, 2023

Artist Reception 21 April, 6.30 – 8pm

man in plastic
© Liam Hayes, Arthur Griffin Prize Winner
28th Annual Juried Exhibition

Our annual call for entry is now open for submissions from February 1st thru 28th, 2023, for all creative artists using photography as a primary medium, highlighting still images and including moving images, installation, and public works, experimental and mixed techniques for inclusion in our summer exhibition.

The Griffin Museum celebrates the craft of photography and the community it serves in its thirtieth year with our Annual Juried Members Exhibition.

We want to know what you have been up to creatively over the last 3 years.The call for this years exhibition is Under the Mask.

This call for entry invites photographers to submit work about the psychological, social, and emotional results of the last three years. We’ve all seen the photographs of masked citizens, but what transpired behind the mask? What were the aftereffects when we put our masks away? Artists are invited to submit work made since 2020….

About our Juror Lisa Volpe – Lisa Volpe is Curator, Photography at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Previously, she was the Curator of the Wichita Art Museum, held various curatorial roles at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA), and fellowships at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Cleveland Museum of Art. Her 2021 exhibition catalog, Georgia O’Keeffe, Photographer, was one of two finalists for the Association of American Publishers Prose Awards. Gordon Parks: Stokely Carmichael and Black Power, published for the 2022 exhibition, was named a “must read” by Esquire and New York Magazines.

Submission Guidelines – 

Fee – $35 for submission of up to 5 images

Submissions accepted through CaFE – https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=11390

Submission period ends March 1st, 2023 at 11:59 Mountain time.

Evaluation Criteria

The Griffin Museum invites member photographers working in all mediums, styles and schools of thought to participate. Experimental and mixed techniques are welcome. We are excited to review all forms of the photographic image, including moving image, installation and public works, experimental and mixed techniques are welcome. The members exhibition celebrates the creativity of all of our members using photography in their practice.

The number of photographs in the exhibition will be approximately 60 photographs.

Eligibility

ELIGIBILITY: This Call for Entries is open to all active member photographers. Entrants must be members of the Griffin Museum of Photography (with a current membership through April 2023). We always welcome new members as part of our family and offer a broad range of member opportunities. While some opportunities are for long distance members like our on-line classes, and programs, we want you to feel like part of our community from wherever you reside.

There is a membership level for Distance Members for those outside of New England. 

Submission Requirements

  • Must be a member of the Griffin Museum of Photography through April 30, 2023.  There is the availability to renew memberships.
  • All images must be submitted as jpeg files, sized to 1200 px on the longest dimension, (72 dpi is fine), and in Adobe RGB or sRGB color space only.
  • All entries that do not adhere to the guidelines above will be rejected.
  • Upload through the Café Portal 5 images.
  • 8 images can be submitted for members at the dual/family level ($75) or above. Do not submit 8 images if you are not a Dual/Family Member or above. We will contact you to remove 3 images from your submission if your membership is not at the Family or above levels.
  • All memberships will be verified before delivery to juror. The jurying will be anonymous.

AWARDS:

  • $1,000 Arthur Griffin Legacy Award
  • $500 Griffin Award
  • $100 Honorable Mentions (5)
  • (2) Exhibition Awards that will take place next June and July 2023.
  • (1) Director’s Prize with exhibition and catalog

A catalog of the 29th Members Juried Exhibition will be produced.

An online digital showcase from photographs not chosen by the juror will be produced and available for viewing in the Museum.

Exhibition Dates – 

April 21 – May 28, 2023

Artist Reception – April 21, 6.30 to 8pm.

Online Artist Panels highlighting Winning and Honorable Mention Artists.

  • April 27th – 7pm Eastern
  • May 4th – 7pm Eastern
  • May 16th – 7pm Eastern

TBD – Member Project(ions) – Participating members of the exhibition will have the opportunity for a slide show evening event on the Griffin Rotary Terrace.

Curator in Residence opportunity for exhibiting artists to meet with the jurors for a 30 minute portfolio review.

If selected for exhibition – 

Artwork must be framed and ready to hang. Artists will pay shipping to and from the museum.

Evaluation Criteria

The Griffin Museum invites member photographers working in all mediums, styles and schools of thought to participate. Experimental and mixed techniques are welcome. There is no theme. We are excited to review all forms of the photographic image, including moving image, installation and public works, experimental and mixed techniques are welcome. The members exhibition celebrates the creativity of all of our members using photography as an element in their practice.All entrants must use the CallForEntry (CaFE) online entry system.1.   Access the CaFE site and create a free personal account. https://www.callforentry.org/
2.   Upload your files into your CaFE portfolio with these specifications:
Image resolution:  1920 pixels (long dimension) @ 72 ppiProfile: AdobeRGB(1998).  Save file as an 8bit Jpeg. Files must not exceed 5MB.Please remove any visible names, titles, watermarks, etc.

  • 8 images can be submitted for members at the dual/family level ($75) or above. Please submit 5 images through cafe and send the remaining 3 images to photos@griffinmuseum.org – subject line Additional Submission Juried Show
  • All memberships will be verified before delivery to juror. The jurying will be anonymous.

Notification and Submission of Artwork:  All entrants will be notified of the results via email after March 15th, 2023. Check your spam or junk folders for this notice.

For invited gallery artists ONLY (online artists do not send artwork) artwork must arrive at GMP no later than Friday April 14, 2023 . Work delivered after this date will not be exhibited without prior arrangements.

The number of photographs in the exhibition will be approximately 60 photographs. There are additional opportunities for digital and public art presentations in addition to the museum exhibition throughout the course of the exhibition.

Preparing your image for exhibition
All artwork for display in the gallery must be ready-to-hang. Framed pieces can be wood or metal and in any style or profile and must be glazed, Plexiglas is preferred. Mounted prints are welcome as long as they have some hanging method. Matted but unframed work will not be displayed. Your finished piece must not exceed 30 inches on the long side and weigh less than 10 pounds, with hanging wire securely attached to the back of the frame. No saw tooth hangers. Diptych, triptych, multiple images, etc. must not exceed 30 inches combined on the long side. For the safety of your piece and our gallery visitors, no exceptions will be granted for these framing requirements.

Delivery of Art
Accepted work needs to arrive at the Griffin Museum of Photography no later than Friday, April 14, 2023 via only Federal Express, UPS or USPS. Hand deliveries are welcome during gallery hours, Tuesday – Sunday, Noon – 4:00pm.

If you ship your work please use sturdy, reusable packaging — we will use the same packaging to return the piece to you. You may use reusable fiberboard containers or sturdy cardboard boxes, with additional bubble wrap and cardboard for shock protection. Use of Styrofoam peanuts or similar loose packaging material is discouraged.

FedEx, UPS or USPS can be shipped to the Museum.  Please include a prepaid return-shipping label with additional insurance if desired for the return of your work. No cash or personal checks please. 

Prints that do not meet our requirements, arrive late or damaged, cannot be hung properly, or are deemed by the jurors and Griffin Museum of Photography to be of poor quality will be not be exhibited. While your work is in our possession, in the event of loss, damage or theft, the Griffin Museum liability is limited to replacement cost of materials only. 

A signed Exhibitor Agreement needs to accompany your work or be completed upon our receipt of the piece.

Questions? email us at photos @ griffin museum . org or call the museum during business hours Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 4pm.

Filed Under: Exhibitions, Call for Entries, Events, Uncategorized

Gail Samuelson | Griffin State of Mind

Posted on August 22, 2022

It has been a true pleasure to see Gail Samuelson‘s work on the walls of the Atelier Gallery in Winchester this month. Her exhibition, Passing Through has layers of light, color and texture all mixing with the light and beauty of the gallery. Our visitors have been deeply engaged with the work, and its implied meanings. We wanted to know more about Gail and her work. We asked her a few questions about her creative process, her attachment to the museum, and to her beautiful works, and this is what she had to say.


Tell us how you first connected to the Griffin Museum.

I first visited the Griffin in 2010 on a field trip while taking the Photography Atelier when it was still being offered through the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University. I fell in love with the space, the light, and the quirky setting next to a pond. But what excited me most was the prospect of our class showing work at the museum. It was a huge notch up from the hallways of Lesley! What I didn’t know at the time was how many good friends I’d make and the sense of community I’d find there.

I took the Photography Atelier six times, twice at Lesley University and four times at the Griffin Museum. In the Atelier, I learned how to hone in on a project via assignments about portraits, landscapes, and still lifes until something struck a chord with me.

After the Atelier, I took Emily Belz’s Topics in Photography classes “Sense of Place” and “Light and Color”. In Light and Color, I made images of light passing through my house, some of which would eventually find their way into Passing Through. Both classes had a big influence on me.

orange wall
yellow wall

Cerulean, Crimson, and Sunglow from the series Light House, © Gail Samuelson, 2021

How do you involve photography in your everyday life? Can you tell us about any images or artists that have caught your attention recently?

Mostly, I photograph the small, often fleeting, moments I notice as I go about my day, so I always have a camera with me. I like to photograph light and shadows in my house with a digital camera and when I’m exploring the landscape, I bring along a film camera (or two) because I like to shoot my landscapes with film. I have favorite spots both in Sherborn and in Orleans that I visit often; I almost always find something new to photograph or a new way to photograph.

For artists, there are so many but to name a few, I love Rinko Kawauchi’s 2010 Aperture book, “Illuminance” and the way she uses light, color, pattern, and how she sequences images. And as I’m writing this feature, I took a break to buy Barbara Bosworth’s “The Sea” from Radius books! I’ve been spending time on the cape this summer and am interested in the way the camera lens captures patterns created by the interaction of light, wind, sand, and water. I have Barbara’s first Radius book “The Meadow” and marvel at her dedication to a particular landscape. I also love all of S. Billie Mandle’s projects and I’m eager to delve into Teju Cole’s “Golden Apple of the Sun”. His kitchen images remind me of another favorite, Jan Groover.

Driftwood, from the series Passing Through © Gail Samuelson, 2019

Please tell us a little about your series Passing Through, and how it was conceived.

The series began in a rare “Aha” moment when I was studying my prints from two separate projects: one of landscapes where I live in Sherborn and on Cape Cod, and the other was Light House that had its origins in Emily’s Light and Color class. I noticed a kinship between them and started making pairs: of light and color; inside and outside; concrete and abstract.

Each pairing is a visual conversation about the interconnectedness of place, between the shelter and intimacy of being in my home and the quiet landscapes I discover outside my door. The images are from different places, but they form a consonant union. There’s a term in music, “counterpoint”, a relationship between two musical lines which are interdependent in their harmony yet independent in rhythm and melody. I love that and see a visual analogy when pairing my photographs.

Because I use different cameras for each project, my diptychs combine a square shaped landscape that I get from my film cameras, with a rectangular image of light in my house that I capture with my digital camera.

Winter Water, from Passing Through, © Gail Samuelson, 2019

Has there been a Griffin Museum exhibition that has particularly engaged or moved you?

“Leaps of Faith” was either the last or next to last exhibit at the Griffin Museum in March 2020 just before the pandemic forced the museum to close its doors to the public. The exhibit featured the work of Armani Willett, John Horvath, Walter Pickering, and Barbara Diener. It was a marvelous curation and installation, and I am drawn to how beautifully Barbara Diener layers patterns of color and light over her images.


What is your favorite place to escape to?

I live next to Rocky Narrows, a Trustees of Reservations property so when I need to “escape”, I just walk out my back door and explore the woods. It’s a restorative tonic for all the senses. I also love Maine: Rockport and its neighboring towns, home of Maine Media Workshops and a good friend of mine; and Acadia. I enjoy garden spaces, so I’ve made my reservation to visit the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay later this month.

What is a book, song or visual obsession you have at the moment?

On July 12th, we were dazzled by the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope. The telescope’s ability to register infrared wavelengths combined with its enormous mirror and pixel resolution allowed us to see light from 13.7 billion years ago, just 100 million years after the Big Bang and creation of our universe!

­­If you could be in a room with anyone to have a conversation, who would it be and what would you talk about?

­David Byrne comes to mind. I’ve always loved the Talking Heads, his 1984 movie “Stop Making Sense”, the rhythmic layering of his songs, and his idiosyncratic movements on stage. My husband and I went to see “American Utopia” in early 2020 when it was in previews at the Emerson Colonial Theater, shortly before it closed due to the pandemic.

We’d talk about how he came up with his style of movement on stage, how he goes about writing a new song, and what he’s working on now.

To see more of Gail Samuelson‘s work visit her website. You can find her on Instagram @gailsamuelsonphoto

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Exhibitions, Griffin State of Mind, Atelier Gallery

Donna Dangott | Griffin State of Mind

Posted on June 24, 2022

It is a great pleasure to showcase the words and talents of Donna Dangott. Her beautiful exhibition, Hidden in Plain View was on the Griffin Gallery’s wall in June of this year. This intricate and layered work, emotionally and visually draws you in, grabs you and holds your attention as you unveil each layer in the work. We wanted to know more about her creative process, the ideas behind this body of work, and her connection to the Griffin. This is what she had to say.

How did you first connect to the Griffin Museum?

I became acquainted with the Griffin Museum in early 2021. I was exploring what galleries and other institutions in New England that might be of interest to me for consuming their offerings, but also, to possibly exhibit my own work at some point. It was around that time I first became acquainted with Paula Tognarelli, the former director of the Griffin Museum. She had seen some of my work on exhibition at Sohn Fine Art Gallery in Lennox, MA and reached out to me. She was interested in that work and offered me some very wise and valuable advice. And she purchased a piece for her private collection too. Our paths eventually, and happily, crossed again and again. I am forever grateful for that connection. The Griffin, and current director, Crista Dix, have also grown to be important in my career and my ability to continue to learn and grow through all that they offer to our creative community. I have been fortunate to have developed several friendships across the miles with other members of this community as well. 

How do you involve photography into your everyday life?

I very rarely have a day now that does not involve photography on some level. If I am not actively working on one or more of my own projects, fulfilling an assignment or purchase of work, managing the calendar of exhibition deadlines, and taking care of other business matters on behalf of my studio practice, well then, I am otherwise spending time reading and researching, visiting exhibitions in galleries or museums, either in person or virtually, taking workshops or attending lectures, networking with other artists here in Texas or across the country, and trying to stay in touch with what is going on in photography and the broader world of visual art here and abroad. 

Are there any images or artists who have caught your attention lately?

There are too many to list here really. There are so many truly gifted visual artists, and I discover somebody new to me almost every week. I am humbled on a daily basis to be considered part of this community. I have very eccentric tastes in art and photography—ranging from very traditional to very modern or contemporary—and I enjoy all media. At the moment I am very attracted to the work of two artists—Holly Roberts and Daisy Patton– who each combine photography, collage and painting in their works. Their work is very different in their styles and subject matter, but both artist’s works resonate deeply with me. And, I aim to explore more of the mixed-media methods that they utilize and incorporate that into some of my own work. So, I find their work particularly inspiring, but also, they express their chosen narratives so beautifully and eloquently. If you are not already familiar with their work you should visit their websites. 

holly roberts wolf
© Holly Roberts   https://hollyrobertsstudio.com/  
Daisy Patton https://www.daisypatton.com

Tell a little about your recent exhibition ‘Hidden In Plain View’ and how it was conceived.

This series actually grew out of another series titled ‘In The Garden’ , and really, they overlap to some degree. It began during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic lock-down, during which I spent a concentrated period of time reflecting on personal history throughout my life, and contemplating ways that I could incorporate some of it into my visual work in a meaningful way. I was beginning to develop my skills more in photomontage and other ways to blend together various images digitally at that time too. Like many other creative folks I was also just feeling extremely vulnerable to all that was going on in our world—on many fronts. Retreating to my gardens and the natural world has always been nurturing and healing to me. I have found that working out a visual project intellectually, emotionally, and creatively is too. Over several months time I worked further on combining images of human sculptural forms with botanical motifs and developed many strong images that expressed visually how many of us survivors of childhood abuse and trauma perceive ourselves at times or how we learn to cope with our experiences. At times in our lives we literally are hiding in plain view. This series has been so well received and I have been deeply touched by the generous and thoughtful conversations shared with me by others who have seen it. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to share this work at The Griffin. The whole series that appeared at recently at The Griffin can be viewed on my website: https://www.ddangott.com/

person staring at you
© Donna Dangott – Envisioning the Garden
person eyes closed
© Donna Dangott – Dreaming of the Garden

Has there been a Griffin Museum exhibition that has particularly engaged or moved you?

I actually find most ALL of them engaging and many are indeed very moving. I applaud The Griffin for their commitment to showcasing emerging talent, as well as, those artists who have long established and illustrious careers. The exhibitions are truly rich and quite diverse. There is something to learn from each and every one of them. Living in Texas I am not able to view in person many of the exhibitions there, but I certainly do enjoy them all in a virtual format. And I tune into the artist’s talks as often as I am able. Last Summer I was in Boston for a few days and had the opportunity to view in person a couple of exhibitions that I still think about even now. One was Vaune Trachtman’s ‘Now is Always’ exhibit in the Atelier Gallery. I loved the concept of the series. The images were just magical and her photogravure prints were exquisite. And in the main gallery was the ‘Spirit: Focus on Indigenous Art, Artists and Issues’ exhibition. I found that to be a very powerful exhibition to view in person—as much for the imagery as the subject matter in general. Donna Garcia’s and Meryl McMaster’s images were particularly moving to me. 

people on a road
© Vaune Trachtman, “Strand (detail of tryptic)”
woman shaking head
© Donna Garcia, “Muscogee”

What is your favorite place to escape to?

My ‘happy place’ can usually be found outdoors on a hiking trail in some remote place or wandering along a deserted stretch of shoreline. I love to explore new landscapes as much as I enjoy returning to old, favorite territory too. I haven’t had near enough time out ‘on the trails’ these past two years due to deadlines and other demands on time, combined with some travel restrictions for one reason or another. However, I am about to embark on a 12 day journey through the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River where I will be rafting and hiking each day. The southwest desert terrain has been like my second home for 40 years. In contrast, I am spending all of September in Scotland where the environment is completely different. I very much am looking forward to that adventure too. I plan to stretch my legs and my spirit, shoot new work, sketch, write and contemplate my projects for the next many months ahead. 

What is a book, song or visual obsession you have at the moment?

I actually have very broad musical tastes. And the same goes for my reading materials. I have lately become smitten with Flamenco music. It is incredibly passionate and expressive. If you aren’t familiar with it, check out Sabicas, Stefan, and Jesse Cook. However, I am usually listening to very contemplative music by Max Richter, Phillip Glass, Olafur Arnalds, Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, among many others. At the moment I am reading Down the Great Unknown by Edward Dolnick. It is the story of “John Wesley Powell’s 1869 journey of discovery and tragedy through the Grand Canyon” as he and a handful of other men explore it for the first time. It seemed appropriate to learn more of that history for my approaching journey in the canyon. At age 64 I am still very eager for new adventures. If the spirits are willing I hope that there will be many more ahead yet in my art and the rest of my life too. 

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a conversation, who would it be and what would you talk about?

© Georgia O’Keefe

I would love to have met Georgia O’Keeffe and to spend time with her. I have always admired her fierce independence and commitment to creating not only her own exquisite and sensual art but to living life on her own terms. I would love to just walk through the desert with her and share the marvels of every stone or curve of the terrain, as well as, the expanse of the sky that goes on and on. Nobody else has captured that realm quite like she did in her work. Seeing her work in person is like a spiritual experience for me. The O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe has a wonderful collection of her works and it is well worth a visit. 

To see more of Donna Dangott’s body of work, head to her website. Find her on Instagram @ddangott

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Griffin Gallery, Exhibitions, Griffin State of Mind

Olga Merrill | Griffin State of Mind

Posted on June 17, 2022

Olga Merrill’s textured photographic work, Enigma, was on the walls of our Atelier Gallery in June 2022. We wanted to know more about her creative journey and how the work inspired her and in turn inspires us. We asked her a few questions, and this is what she had to say.

Tell us how you first connected to the Griffin Museum.

© Andre Kertesz, Distortion, image courtesy MOMA

My first connection with Griffin Museum was in July 2019 at the reception of the Juried Members Show. My husband and I came to congratulate photographers I knew and know now. I became a member after and only one thing I regretted that I did not join earlier. My works have been part of a few exhibitions, I enjoyed a lot of online events as well. My gratitude to the Griffin Museum for everything.

How do you involve photography in your everyday life? Can you tell us about any images or artists that have caught your attention recently?

I was not shooting as intensively last year as I did before. In any case photography and other media are part of my everyday life. I love to make warm tea, set up music and look through wonderful images. I recently got the first edition catalog of Andre Kertesz: The Mirror as Muse. I love studying his Distortion images now.

Please tell us a little about your series Enigma, and how it was conceived.

The concept of this series was born after I became a citizen of the USA. I still have my original citizenship as well. The duality, feeling as I am personally in between two worlds, literally and metaphorically. My “Enigma” is my interpretation of the relationship between our human existence and the Earth. 

© Olga Merrill
man looking up
© Olga Merrill, Fortitude

We all witness the endless flux of life. I invite and provoke the viewer to see deeply into what mysteries are hidden in the intimate corners of the soul. I hope that in the end, one finds answers as to what legacies will be left behind.

correia - peeking
© Susan Irene Correia

Has there been a Griffin Museum exhibition that has particularly engaged or moved you?
This year I enjoyed the exhibition ” E. caballus: The Domesticated Horse“, a wonderful group of photographers, fabulous prints and installations. The horse can be a metaphor for your world and life. A steady rhythmic horse provides riders with an opportunity to move up the scale and to accomplish new things. Take inventory of your world.  What horse are you riding?

What is your favorite place to escape to?
Escape from what and why?  Perhaps some people are trying to escape from themself thinking that they are escaping somewhere. You cannot escape from yourself.

city view from water
© Olga Merrill, Friday Night

What is a book, song or visual obsession you have at the moment?

I always love to listen to music by Jean Michel Jarre, especially when I am doing post-processing of my photos. The “Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World” by Haruki Murakami is on my table, I want to read it again.

man looking right
© Olga Merrill, Invisible Thoughts
man with weeds in eye
© Olga Merrill, The Moment

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a conversation, who would it be and what would you talk about?

If God can be called “anyone” it will be God. The topic of conversation will remain a mystery to the public.

To see more of Olga Merrill‘s work, log onto her website. You can find her on Instagram @merrill.olga

Filed Under: Griffin State of Mind, Atelier Gallery, Uncategorized, Blog, Exhibitions

Vantage Point | Griffin @ Lafayette City Center

Posted on May 5, 2022

We have a call for entry for our next exhibition at the Griffin satellite space – Lafayette City Center Place.

Call for entry is open now. Deadline for submissions is May 13th, 2022. Selections will be made by May 15th, 2022.

Please send submissions directly via email to photos (at) griffinmuseum dot org

Exhibition Dates: 21 June – 12 September, 2022

Artist Reception – 14 August, 2022 4 to 6pm

How does X mark a spot? How do we navigate our own surroundings? At what point do we walk, run or fall? Vantage Point seeks to illuminate our vision and create a point of contact to the land.

Our call for entry is looking for your vision of the landscape that surrounds us. We want to see a place, environment or space that gives context to where we find ourselves in the landscape. 

We are looking for any type of photography, traditional, digital, real or composted landscapes all showing a point of view from the earth or sky, including a point of contact, hardscape or organic path. It can be a natural or man made landscape, like a waterfall in the woods or a shack in the desert. It can be aerial views, or images created on land or sea.

If you have a video or moving images you wish to have us consider, send us a link, and we can review it for inclusion in our Moving Image online gallery.

Submission Guidelines – Submit up to 5 images

Images should be 1200 pixels on the shortest side at 72 dpi.

image naming convention – lastname_imagetitle_year (example lightyear_toInfinityandBeyond_2022)

Accepted Images should be framed in metal frames only with plexiglass glazing. Wood frames and glass will not be accepted. Framed prints sized no larger than 24 inches on the longest side.

Framed work due to be delivered to the museum by 17 June 2022.

For any additional questions please contact us.

We look forward to seeing your submission!

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Exhibitions, Call for Entries, Public Art

28th Annual Juried Members Exhibition

Posted on March 1, 2022

 

28th Annual Juried Members Exhibition

Jurors – Frances Jakubek & Iaritza Menjivar

 

7 July – 4 September, 2022

28th Annual Juried Members Exhibition. 

July 7, 2022 – September 4, 2022.

Artist Reception July 10, 2022 at 4 PM. 

© Tokie Taylor, “An Offering,” 2021 Arthur Griffin Legacy Award

A series of online artist talks celebrating the award-winning artists in the exhibition will take place during the course of the exhibition. More information below. 

Our annual call for entry is now open for submissions from March 1st thru April 15th, 2022, for all creative artists using photography as a primary medium, highlighting still images and including moving images, installation, and public works, experimental and mixed techniques for inclusion in our summer exhibition. 

The Griffin Museum celebrates the craft of photography and the community it serves in its thirtieth year with our Annual Juried Members Exhibition. Our jurors are part of the legacy of the Griffin Museum, and we are thrilled they have agreed to jury this exhibition. As former Associate Directors, Frances Jakubek and Iaritza Menjivar have a long-standing connection to the museum and its members, and we celebrate their success as they moved from the Griffin Museum to other positions working to educate the public and celebrate the art of photography in their respective career paths. 

Juror – Frances Jakubek

Frances Jakubek is an image maker, independent curator and advocate for photography. She is the Director of Bruce Silverstein Gallery in New York City, co-founder of A Yellow Rose Project, and past Associate Curator of the Griffin Museum of Photography in Winchester, Massachusetts. 

fj headshot
Frances Jakubek

Recent curatorial appointments include Open Walls for the British Journal of Photography & Les Rencontres d’Arles, The RefridgeCurator, Photo District News’s The Curator Awards and Save Art Space. She has been a guest writer for Don’t Take Pictures, Diffusion Magazine and for artist publications including Serrah Russell’s monograph tears, tears. 

Jakubek has been a panelist for the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Photography fellowships, speaker for SPE National, Washington & Lee University, and the School of Visual Arts’ Masters of Photography i3 Lecture Series. Personal works have been exhibited at The Southern Contemporary Art Gallery in Charleston, SC; Filter Space, Chicago; Camera Commons in Dover, NH; and The Hess Gallery at Pine Manor College, MA.

 

 

Juror – Iaritza Menjivar

iaritza headshot

Iaritza Menjivar, © Elias Williams

Iaritza Menjivar is currently the Events Manager of the Somerville Arts Council and assists with public art projects and grant administration. She is past Associate Director at the Griffin Museum of Photography and continues to work as a freelance photographer. Iaritza’s clients include The Washington Post, Maine Media Workshops, MIT, and LISC among others. 

For three consecutive years, Iaritza was awarded the presidential scholarship for the Advanced Mentorship Study Program in Visual-Storytelling and Documentary Projects at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center. She was also a recipient of the St. Botolph Foundation Emerging Artist Grant. Iaritza has exhibited at the Leica Gallery Boston, Modern Families at ArtsWestchester, and the Emerge-Cubes at Photoville in New York. She has been a judge panelist for the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s photography fellowships, speaker for a panel discussion at AIPAD and guest curator for The Fence.

 

Submission Guidelines – 

Fees

Standard Pricing

March 22 – April 15, 2022 Fee – $35

Submissions accepted through CaFE – https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=10001

Submission period ends April 15, 2022 at 11:59 Mountain time.

Evaluation Criteria

The Griffin Museum invites member photographers working in all mediums, styles and schools of thought to participate. Experimental and mixed techniques are welcome. There is no theme. We are excited to review all forms of the photographic image, including moving image, installation and public works, experimental and mixed techniques are welcome. The members exhibition celebrates the creativity of all of our members using photography in their practice. 

The number of photographs in the exhibition will be approximately 60 photographs.

Eligibility

ELIGIBILITY: This Call for Entries is open to all active member photographers. Entrants must be members of the Griffin Museum of Photography (with a current membership through April 2022). We do not advocate for members to join the museum just for this juried opportunity only. We always welcome new members as part of our family and offer a broad range of member opportunities. While some opportunities are for long distance members like our on-line classes, and programs, we want you to feel like part of our community from wherever you reside. 

There is a membership level for Distance Members for those outside of New England. 

Submission Requirements

  • Must be a member of the Griffin Museum of Photography through April 30, 2022. There is the availability to renew memberships.
  • All images must be submitted as jpeg files, sized to 1920 px on the longest dimension, (72 dpi), and in Adobe RGB or sRGB color space only.
  • Upload through the Café Portal 5 images.
  • 8 images can be submitted for members at the dual/family level ($75) or above. Do not submit 8 images if you are not a Dual/Family Member or above. We will contact you to remove 3 images from your submission if your membership is not at the Family or above levels.
  • All memberships will be verified before delivery to juror. The jurying will be anonymous.

AWARDS:

  • $1,000 Arthur Griffin Legacy Award
  • $500 Griffin Award
  • $100 Honorable Mentions (5)
  • (4) Exhibition Awards that will take place next June and July 2023.
  • (1) Director’s Prize with exhibition and catalog
  • (1) Purchase Prize for Griffin Contemporary Collection

A catalog of the 28th Juried Exhibition will be produced. 

An online digital showcase from photographs not chosen by the juror will be produced and available for viewing in the Museum.

Exhibition Dates – 

July 7, 2022 – September 4, 2022.

Artist Reception – July 10, 2022 at 4 PM.

Online Artist Panels highlighting Winning and Honorable Mention Artists.

  • July 21st – 7pm Eastern
  • August 3rd – 7pm Eastern
  • August 18th – 7pm Eastern

TBD – Member Project(ions) – Participating members of the exhibition will have the opportunity for an outdoor slide show evening event on the Griffin Rotary Terrace. 

Curator in Residence opportunity for exhibiting artists to meet with the jurors for a 30 minute portfolio review. 

If selected for exhibition – 

Artwork must be framed and ready to hang. Artists will pay shipping to and from the museum. Artwork can be available for sale. The Griffin would retain 35% of the sale price as a commission for the sale. 

Evaluation Criteria

The Griffin Museum invites member photographers working in all mediums, styles and schools of thought to participate. Experimental and mixed techniques are welcome. There is no theme. We are excited to review all forms of the photographic image, including moving image, installation and public works, experimental and mixed techniques are welcome. The members exhibition celebrates the creativity of all of our members using photography as an element in their practice. 

The number of photographs in the exhibition will be approximately 60 photographs. There are additional opportunities for digital and public art presentations in addition to the museum exhibition throughout the course of the exhibition.

Submission Requirements

  • Must be a member of the Griffin Museum of Photography through April 30, 2022. There is the availability to renew memberships.
  • All images must be submitted as jpeg files.
  • All entries that do not adhere to the guidelines above will be rejected.
  • Upload through the Café Portal 5 images.

All entrants must use the CallForEntry (CaFE) online entry system.

1.   Access the CaFE site and create a free personal account. https://www.callforentry.org/
2.   Upload your files into your CaFE portfolio with these specifications:
Image resolution:  1920 pixels (long dimension) @ 72 ppi

Profile: AdobeRGB(1998).  Save file as an 8bit Jpeg. Files must not exceed 5MB.

Please remove any visible names, titles, watermarks, etc.

  • 8 images can be submitted for members at the dual/family level ($75) or above. Please submit 5 images through cafe and send the remaining 3 images to photos@griffinmuseum.org – subject line Additional Submission Juried Show
  • All memberships will be verified before delivery to juror. The jurying will be anonymous.

Notification and Submission of Artwork:  All entrants will be notified of the results via email after May 16, 2022. Check your spam or junk folders for this notice.

For invited gallery artists ONLY (online artists do not send artwork) artwork must arrive at GMP no later than Friday, July 1, 2022. Work delivered after this date will not be exhibited without prior arrangement. 

Preparing your image for exhibition
All artwork for display in the gallery must be ready-to-hang. Framed pieces can be wood or metal and in any style or profile and must be glazed with acrylic Plexiglas is preferred. Mounted prints are welcome as long as they have some hanging method. Matted but unframed work will not be displayed. Your finished piece must not exceed 30 inches on the long side and weigh less than 10 pounds, with hanging wire securely attached to the back of the frame. No saw tooth hangers. Diptych, triptych, multiple images, etc. must not exceed 30 inches combined on the long side. For the safety of your piece and our gallery visitors, no exceptions will be granted for these framing requirements.

Delivery of Art
Accepted work needs to arrive at the Griffin Museum of Photography no later than Friday, July 1, 2022 via only Federal Express, UPS or USPS. Hand deliveries are welcome during gallery hours, Tuesday – Sunday, Noon – 4:00pm.

If you ship your work please use sturdy, reusable packaging — we will use the same packaging to return the piece to you. You may use reusable fiberboard containers or sturdy cardboard boxes, with additional bubble wrap and cardboard for shock protection. Use of Styrofoam peanuts or similar loose packaging material is not allowed and the piece will not be unpacked or exhibited.
 
FedEx, UPS or USPS can be shipped to the Museum.  Please include a prepaid return-shipping label with additional insurance if desired for the return of your work. No cash or personal checks please. 

Prints that do not meet our requirements, arrive late or damaged, cannot be hung properly, or are deemed by the jurors and CPA to be of poor quality will be not be exhibited. While your work is in our possession, in the event of loss, damage or theft, CPA’s liability is limited to replacement cost of materials only. 

A signed Exhibitor Agreement needs to accompany your work or be completed upon our receipt of the piece.

About the Griffin Museum

The Griffin Museum of Photography was founded in 1992 to provide a forum for the exhibition of both historic and contemporary photography. The Museum houses three galleries dedicated solely to the exploration of photographic arts: The Main Gallery, which features rotating exhibits from some of the world’s leading photographers, the Atelier Gallery and Griffin Gallery dedicated to showcasing the works of prominent, up-and-coming artists. The Griffin is also home to the extensive archives of museum founder and world-renowned photojournalist Arthur Griffin. The Griffin Museum of Photography also maintains 2 additional satellite galleries: Lafayette City Center Passageway in Boston Downtown Crossing, in Winchester @WinCam at Winchester Community Access and Media. For more on the Griffin Museum of Photography, visit www.griffinmuseum.org.

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Call for Entries, Online Exhibitions, Public Art, Exhibitions Tagged With: Members Juried Show

John Chervinsky Emerging Photographer Scholarship Award Winner | Justin Michael Emmanuel

Posted on January 18, 2022

© Justin Michael Emanuel, Celeste

The John Chervinsky Emerging Photographer Scholarship 2022

The Griffin Museum of Photography is pleased to announce the winner of the 2021 John Chervinsky Emerging Photographer Scholarship, Justin Michael Emmanuel. His series A Facefull of Mangos captivated this years jury to earn him a monetary award, an upcoming exhibition and artist talk at the Griffin Museum as well as a volume from the collection of photographer John Chervinsky.

Now in its sixth year, over 171 photographers submitted applications to be considered for the scholarship. The jurors, Tricia Capello, Bruce Myren and Connie and Jerry Rosenthal have selected Justin Michael Emmanuel as the 2021 recipient of the John Chervinsky Emerging Photographer Scholarship.

  • Allyson and Alex
    © Justin Michael Emmanuel, Allyson & Alex
  • cowrie shell jme
    © Justin Michael Emmanuel, Cowrie Shell
  • jme darien and granny
    © Justin Michael Emmanuel, Darien & Granny
  • jme sisters
    © Justin Michael Emmanuel, Sisters

About A Facefull of Mangos –

With this photographic series, I present to the viewer a resistance to systemic racism and also a window into understanding what makes us human. I hope that by showing imagery of touch, warmth, laughter, and love, I may begin to unravel and break down any preconceived notions or ideas that do not give resonance to those qualities in regards to Blackness in the mind of the viewer. I am desperately attempting to declare my own humanity and have it recognized by others. By showing the gentle side of our human nature I am hopeful that the viewers will recognize their own familial behaviors and interactions, thus bridging gaps that are set by race, ethnicity, nationality, culture, and economic social-political forces. This work desires to deconstruct and challenge the mainstream historical imagery that has described Blackness in a light that wasn’t its own. I hope that the importance of these images are not only determined by what they express visually or culturally but also by the fact that they are documents of the human capacity to care for and feel empathy towards one another. Most importantly, the purpose of this work is to create empathy among people by showing the human aptitude to love. In the Bible, it is said that at the tower of Babel, God, frustrated and threatened by the power of human cooperation, fractured our language so that we could no longer understand each other and work together. And while an ancient story that reverberates with myth, the essence of this still rings true. That when we work together, not even the heavens will be the limit of our greatness. That God himself will pale in comparison to the vastness of our achievements. If only we could work together, we could become so much more. It is as the writer Eric Williams once said, “Together we aspire, together we achieve.” – JME

About Justin Michael Emmanuel –

Born in Hartford, CT, in 1995, Justin-Michael Emmanuel is a mixed media artist that primarily uses photography and the written word to explore ideas of family, love, and blackness. Justin was first exposed to photography in 2015 during his time at Hampshire College where he received both the David E. Smith and Elaine Mayes fellowship awards for his photographic work on Afrofuturism. He then completed a master of fine arts degree at the University of Hartford Art School in 2021 where he also won the Stanley Fellman Award for his graduate thesis work A Facefull of Mangos. Photographs from that series have been included in group exhibitions at the Chrysler Museum of Art, The Center for Photographers of Color, and the Joseloff Gallery. Justin currently resides in Quincy, MA, where he continues to make photographs that critically engage with his community. By using the camera to show our human aptitude to love, Justin hopes that his photographs will help give people the tools they need to shape the world around them.

We look forward to showcasing the work of Mr. Emmanuel in 2022, and are excited to watch his progress and an artist and visionary in the field of photography.

About the John Chervinsky Emerging Photographer Scholarship –

Photographer John Chervinsky, whose work explored the concept of time, passed away in December of 2015, following a typically resolute battle with pancreatic cancer. The modesty and unassuming character John conveyed in life belies the extent to which he will be missed, not only by his family and friends, but also by the entire photographic community of which he was so proud to be a part.  The John Chervinsky Emerging Photographer Scholarship was announced in June 2016 to recognize, encourage and reward photographers with the potential to create a body of work and sustain solo exhibitions. Awarded annually, the Scholarship provides recipients with a monetary award, an exhibition of their work at the Griffin Museum of Photography, and a volume from John’s personal library of photography books. The Scholarship seeks to provide a watershed moment in the professional lives of emerging photographers, providing them with the support and encouragement necessary to develop, articulate and grow their own vision for photography.

We extend our gratitude and thanks to our jurors for their work in reviewing submissions and selecting our winner, and thank you to the artists who submitted their work for consideration.

Filed Under: John Chervinsky Scholarship Award, Exhibitions

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Floor Plan

Amy Rindskopf's Terra Novus

At the market, I pick each one up, pulled in by the shapes as they sit together, waiting. I feel its heft in my hand, enjoy the textures of the skin or peel, and begin to look closer and closer. The patterns on each individual surface marks them as distinct. I push further still, discovering territory unseen by the casual observer, a new land. I am like a satellite orbiting a distant planet, taking the first-ever images of this newly envisioned place.

This project started as an homage to Edward Weston’s Pepper No. 30 (I am, ironically, allergic to peppers). As I looked for my subject matter at the market, I found that I wasn’t drawn to just one single fruit or vegetable. There were so many choices, appealing to both hand and eye. I decided to print in black and white to help make the images visually more about the shapes, and not about guessing which fruit is smoothest, which vegetable is greenest.

Artistic Purpose/Intent

Artistic Purpose/Intent

Tricia Gahagan

 

Photography has been paramount in my personal path of healing from disease and

connecting with consciousness. The intention of my work is to overcome the limits of the

mind and engage the spirit. Like a Zen koan, my images are paradoxes hidden in plain

sight. They are intended to be sat with meditatively, eventually revealing greater truths

about the world and about one’s self.

 

John Chervinsky’s photography is a testament to pensive work without simple answers;

it connects by encouraging discovery and altering perspectives. I see this scholarship

as a potential to continue his legacy and evolve the boundaries of how photography can

explore the human condition.

 

Growing my artistic skill and voice as an emerging photographer is critical, I see this as

a rare opportunity to strengthen my foundation and transition towards an established

and influential future. I am thirsty to engage viewers and provide a transformative

experience through my work. I have been honing my current project and building a plan

for its complete execution. The incredible Griffin community of mentors and the

generous funds would be instrumental for its development. I deeply recognize the

hallmark moment this could be for the introduction of the work. Thank you for providing

this incredible opportunity for budding visions and artists that know they have something

greater to share with the world.

Fran Forman RSVP