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Exhibitions

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: Exhibitions, John Chervinsky Scholarship Award

Susan Irene Correia | Griffin State of Mind

Posted on January 14, 2022

In today’s Griffin State of Mind, we are thrilled to share our conversation with Susan Irene Correia—equine photographer whose work is devoted to capturing the spirit of the horse in her photography. As part of our E.caballus exhibition, Correia’s works include Power – Dance with Beauty, Play with Abandon, and Be Loved. To learn what gets her in the Griffin State of Mind, we asked her a few questions. 

Tell us how you first connected to the Griffin Museum. 

It’s a fairy godmother story.  At the end of a long day of reviewing portfolios for the Seacoast Camera Club, with one more to go and a long drive home Griffin Museum Executive Director and Curator Paula Tognarelli walked into the library room and reviewed my work. It ended up with an invitation to exhibit at the Griffin. I am so grateful to Paula for this introduction into the Griffin family. 

© Susan Irene Correia, Halt at X

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 try to spend some time reviewing other types of work and be inspired by their journeys and successes. I was fascinated this year by the intense creativity of Kathleen Clemons and was able to organize a local workshop for a small group of photography friends. It was a pleasure to just absorb the joy of working up-close with flowers and learning how to use certain specialty lens. It gave me greater respect for looking for the beauty in the details that I can also apply to with horses. And not to worry about horses stepping on my many times broken toes!

 

correia - peeking

© Susan Irene Correia

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

A horse is an animal of flight – integrated into their brain to survive and to do so they must be intelligent and fit. Under saddle if they are respected and asked to work as a partner they comply to accept the direction of the human hand and beautifully work as one. But the spirit of the horse always yearns for the freedom of the body to move and play. That is what inspired me with the theme of Power broken up into the three areas. But most important to me is to have the viewer give thought to our fast moving society which is reflected in the last piece of the series titled “Three Brands Too Many”.  I want the viewer to enjoy seeing their power but also reflect on their fragility. Including my present dressage horse, all of the horses that I have owned were in troubled situations prior to my intervention so I connected deeply with this horse I photographed.

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

I really love the Griffin Member Artist exhibits because its a whirlwind of incredible creativity and thought. Its so inspirational. I am obsessed with “Flight” by  Anne Piessens because it represents so clearly to me the dreams I had as a child.

girl with wing
© Anne Piessens, Flight

My [other] choice would be “Among the Aspen Trees” by Mary Aiu. It inspires me because not only does it capture the spirit of this horse but utilizes so many other sensory elements and techniques.

What is your favorite place to escape to?

That’s an easy one. Alone with my horse, to groom him, to feel the wind in my face riding him. No other thoughts can get into my mind at that time. The nicker, the nuzzling, his dependency of knowing where I am for his security – healing for me that can not be described.  

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

Tina Turner “Simply the Best”  Timeless creation and there is even a horse in it!

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

My mom who caught covid two weeks before her first vaccination was scheduled and passed many months later from post covid complications. To be sure she heard me tell her how much she was loved by all. Please get fully vaccinated and encourage others.

Filed Under: Blog, Exhibitions, Griffin State of Mind

Griffin State of Mind | Home Views – Roberta Neidigh

Posted on November 26, 2021

Roberta Neidigh grew up on a farm in the rural Midwest. Her current work “explores the ways in which we cultivate our public and private spaces”. Her exhibition Property Line looks at the visual dialogue between two plots of suburban land: “This point of contact,
on the property line, reveals communication between neighbors through landscape as
an extension of the self. There is no margin here. Are we connected or divided by the
place our land touches the land of another? How is this line drawn? In this body of
work, I explore the way we protect our boundaries by creating a buffer in a place that
has none, and how we cling more strongly to our own identity as our space nears
its edge. “

Property Line is part of the Griffin’s Home Views exhibition. You can find Roberta’s work on the walls of our Main gallery until December 5th. We asked Roberta some questions about her inspirations and artistic processes, and here is what she had to say:

1. Tell us how you first connected to the Griffin Museum.

house with pink car and line of stones

© Roberta Neidigh

Property Line was juried into the Brooklyn and Boston Fence exhibition Paula Tognarelli was one of the judges. I was then able to meet her in person at the Center Santa Fe portfolio review. I had been aware of the Griffin Museum but after meeting with Paula, I followed it more closely.

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

Recently I enjoyed reading and viewing Aline Smithson’s piece in Lenscratch on Douglas Stockdale’s work, “Middle Ground”. I was taken with his ability to see something new in the landscape while he was trapped in bumper to bumper traffic.

On a daily basis I am recording, making images of what I encounter and using these studies to further understand what it is about the person, place or thing that resonates with me.

It is a daily practice.

3. Please tell us a little about your series Property Line, and how it was conceived.

line of trees

© Roberta Neidigh

My interest in this project began close to my home while I was on walks. Soon I began scoping out other neighborhoods by car, and if I found an interesting pattern of expression or a sense of inherited design in the choice of house color or method of grooming the landscape, I would park and walk the streets. That is when the compositions started to reveal themselves.

These designs seem like a reflection of the owners’ identity, often in a charming or humorous way, and I began to see property lines as quiet visual punctuation between the statements made by each homeowner. I’d driven by many of these homes near my own for years, not really seeing them and their borders until I started exploring on foot. I discovered that we tend to edit out the property line when we observe suburban landscapes; we’re focused on our own space, mostly ignoring the place it intersects with another. Because of this, I’ve found great delight in discovering what goes mostly unseen despite being in plain sight.

My background in the fiber arts definitely influences how I see. The groomed, well cultivated landscapes I’m drawn to are made of careful arrangements of color, texture, and pattern. Where things get really interesting is when these patterns collide in the property line space. I think of the images as portraits — of place, community, and of the residents themselves.

The public self we project in our own property is often carefully cultivated, but we don’t spend nearly as much time considering how it touches our neighbor’s yard. We don’t really scrutinize the property line, and by giving it less consideration, we allow for unexpected — and often humorous — interactions to take place.

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

I would say most recently, “Spirit: Focus on Indigenous Art, Artists and Issues”, and “Balancing Cultures”, Jerry Takigawa

5. What is your favorite place to escape to?

cactus with a white flower

© Roberta Neidigh

Either the California coast or my own garden, immersing myself in the open air surrounded with my favorite plants feeds my soul. In fact I’m sitting on the protected terrace now with the heater during our first major rain storm of the season. I love experiencing a good drenching rain after so much drought. The colors and textures of my cactus and succulents with the quality of light and rain is intoxicating!

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

cactus with little red flowers

© Roberta Neidigh

I’m very interested in how we use our own outdoor spaces, no matter how small or large. In California we are facing extreme weather conditions with drought and fires taking place. For my own space I am focusing on a hybrid type of planting, drought tolerant succulents and cacti combined with California natives. There is so much to know about the land, plants, insects and wildlife and how they are all interdependent. It keeps me intellectually stimulated while engaging in physicality. It’s a perfect marriage for me. I also use photography to help me explore this environment and all it’s magical secrets.

The work of Entomologist Doug Tallamy, “Homegrown NationalPark”, is of great interest to me. It’s an initiative to create conservation corridors that provide wildlife habitats on private property across the U.S. with a goal of 20 million acres of native planting in the U.S., which represents approximately ½ of the green lawns of privately-owned properties.

And the work of artist Fritz Haeg and his book, “Edible Estates: Attack On The Front Lawn.”

The idea of restructuring the concept of the front lawn.

Filed Under: Exhibitions, Griffin State of Mind

Griffin State of Mind | Home Views – Ira Wagner

Posted on November 26, 2021

After working on Wall Street for more than 25 years, Ira Wagner began studying photography in 2008, with specific focus on the urban landscape. Currently the Executive Director of the Montclair Art Museum in Montclair, NJ, Ira has been evolving his photographic practice through various projects including Superior Apartments and Houseraising. Featured in our Home Views exhibition, Ira’s interest in urban history and design marks his Twinhouses of the Great Northeast as a powerful addition to the show. Exploring themes of a common border, the American Dream, and the human inclination to mark and delineate one’s space, Ira’s series is a must see. To learn more from Ira about his art-making practice and source of inspiration, we asked him a few questions.

Tell us how you first connected to the Griffin Museum.

I connected with the Griffin Museum through meeting Paula at Review Santa Fe in 2019.   She is a wonderful and responsive reviewer and it was a pleasure to speak with her.  I was thrilled that she had an immediate response to my project and wanted to include it in an exhibition at the Griffin.

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

Photography has been very important to me since I retired from Wall Street in 2008.  Actually, I had been interested in photography since I was young.  I delivered the newspaper in junior high school and saved my nickel and dime tips and bought my first camera.  But after retiring, I began classes at ICP in New York which led me to get an MFA degree in the Limited Residency Program at the University of Hartford, graduating in 2013.  From there, I continued working on my own projects and also taught at Monmouth University.  At the same time, I made frequent expeditions as part of my exploration of the urban landscape.   Since Covid, staying closer to home, I’ve focused on frequent walks in the woods in my neighborhood.  My experience with photography also led me to my current position as the Executive Director of the Montclair Art Museum.  Through that, I recently had the experience of looking through a large archive of prints by Joel Meyrowitz which was being offered to us as a donation – it was an incredible experience.  I’ve also been able to participate in acquisitions of photographs for the Museum’s collection.

Please tell us a little about your series, Twinhouses of the Great Northeast and how it was conceived.

I was photographing in Philadelphia as part of an exploration of the area around the Northeast Corridor rail line between New York and Washington and wandered into Northeast Philadelphia, also known as the Great Northeast.  I noticed the twinhouse structures and how each side had slight variations; I was particularly struck by one where the lawn was carefully mowed on one side but overgrown on the other.  As someone who is interested in urban history and development I began to look further into this area and this type of housing and found that it was a common form of housing built for people moving out of center city Philadelphia.  It became clear that these houses were built over an extended period of time, some pre-WW II and all the way through the 1970s.  They had varying materials, sizes and architectural styles.  I made numerous trips to the area and walked around many different neighborhoods, noticing the distinguishing characteristics of each.  I looked for the best examples of how one side contrasted with the other.  Some of my favorites include one where the entire front yard of the house is blocked by a tall hedge while on the other side, the front yard has a patio table, umbrella and chairs.  In another, a huge motorboat is parked in one of the driveways.  How people demarcate their own space is an underlying theme of this work.

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

I quite like the current exhibition A Place I Never Knew by Tira Khan.  The images create a compelling portrait of a place in which few travelers would stop.   I feel connected to that urge to photograph places like that.  I had one opportunity to travel to India and would love to spend more time photographing there.  I spent one day photographing art deco apartment buildings in Mumbai – a surprising find.  For my MFA thesis, I included art deco buildings on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx, another place that not many travelers explore!

What is your favorite place to escape to?

I don’t really have a favorite single place to escape to.  Instead, my escape is traveling some place new and getting to explore.  I like getting beyond the sights that most travelers see and find a place off the beaten track that feels like I’ve discovered the essence of the location; then I love capturing it with a photograph.

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

Visually, I love ruins of any sort.  I recently acquired the book Ruins by Koudelka which I frequently return to.  I also love the work of German photographer Ursula Schulz-Dornburg.  She has several projects focusing on ruins in the Middle East and Asia; one I particularly like is a series of photographs of a rail line built by the Germans in Saudi Arabia.   A few years ago, I used a grant from the New Jersey State Arts Council to visit the Anasazi ruins at Chaco Canyon in New Mexico.  Although it is a National Park Service site, it is quite remote with no food or services; the road to the site is unpaved.  I stayed in a rented RV and got to explore and photograph for several days – it was truly magical.

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

I would love to have had the opportunity to meet and study with the Bechers.  It was exciting for me when I first learned about their work and then all the photographers that learned from them, including one of my favorites, Elger Esser.

 

Filed Under: Exhibitions, Griffin State of Mind

Griffin State of Mind | Home Views – Joy Bush

Posted on November 19, 2021

“The series Places I Never Lived is an exploration of the way that people put their mark on the world. While photographing the facade of each house in a sleuth-like fashion, I fantasize about who lives there and what life is like on the inside. It is not spying or voyeurism. It is about imagining my life in a different place.”

Joy Bush is a fine arts photographer based in Hamden, CT. She finds that she is drawn to photographing the echoes of the presence of people rather than people themselves. Her series Places I Never Lived will be exhibited in the Main gallery as part of the Griffin’s Home Views Exhibition until December 5th. We asked Joy a few questions to get a feel of her artistic process and inspirations, and we are excited to share the answers she gave us. 

Tell us how you first connected to the Griffin Museum.

The Griffin Museum was off my radar until an art critic in my home state of Connecticut asked me what I knew about the museum. From that time forward, I stayed on top of what was going on there. Although I don’t make frequent trips given its distance from my home, I watch what is happening there and have been a member for many years.


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 always have my camera or my phone with me so that I can document an image. It is my

pine tree

© Joy Bush

practice to make a photograph every day. On my daily walks I find images that grab my attention. It’s a way of recording my life, paying attention to those things that most of us overlook, giving things a chance to be seen. This is very different from simply going out and shooting randomly. I post a daily picture to Instagram: it is a practice that keeps me aware of the world as well as a game that appeases the frustrated writer in me. Putting a title to the work
demands that I be more thoughtful about what I am doing and stretches my imagination, bringing humor and insight to the picture. Combining the images with words feels like a meditative process.

I would be hard put to name all the artists who have attracted my attention. I find them mostly on Instagram and especially through #flakphoto (Andy Adams does an amazing job of posting images of photographers). There are images that seem similar to mine and so many that aren’t. It is a great network to open your eyes to other people’s vision. Lenscratch also is a place that does an excellent job of introducing photographers to each other. A plus side of the pandemic was having access to online exhibitions and seeing the work of photographers I might have otherwise missed.


Please tell us a little about your series Places I Never Lived, and how it was conceived.

wall

© Joy Bush

The series is an exploration of the way that people put their mark on the world. While photographing the facade of each house in a covert fashion, I fantasize about who lives there and what life is like on the inside. It is not spying or voyeurism. It is about imagining my life in a different place. At the same time what draws me to these places is the echo of a human presence, even though people themselves are absent. Inevitably, a barrier exists between each house and me. Carefully groomed landscaping and fencing can block my way as completely as a cluster of trees or untrimmed hedges. This, however, only adds to the seductiveness of the place. And that only reinforces my questions: Who lives in these houses? And who would I be if I lived there?

How the series was conceived is not as simple as what I have written. It evolved from a long series of coincidences. Over many years I did a number of images of peoples’ yards paying particular attention to the landscaping. Then I started paying attention just to the shrubbery. Then to pools—in ground, above ground, children’s pools. And this was not simply a record-taking exercise; I made pictures. One day, on a walk with a friend, I saw this house that had a huge hedge around it, so tall, in fact, that all I could see from the street were two chimneys..and my heart took a leap. I knew then that a new series or direction was opening up to me. While the house is a facade, it suggests a story to me. And while I am photographing, the story more often than not begins “once upon a time.” These are real places but they transform into imaginary ones for me because I have no factual details on those people who live there.


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

I have not been to many exhibitions in person. I was delighted to see the Griffin exhibited
Isa Leshko’s “Allowed to Grow Old. I have been involved in animal rights for over 30 years
and was impressed and moved that the Griffin was giving exposure to this topic while not
compromising an aesthetic sense. While I did not see “False Food” by Jerry Takigawa in
person, I’ve been able to follow what he does to draw attention to social and environmental
issues in a completely compelling way. Again, that was an important issue that the Griffin did
not shy away from. Recently, I was able to see Lou Jones “distressed:memories.” The
mystery and fantasy work as visual realities was fascinating and multilayered.

What is your favorite place to escape to?

A tough question because the two places that come up for me are so completely

house with pool

© Joy Bush


different. New York City, absolutely. I never get tired of the city. Physically or visually or sensory wise. And the ocean..or any place near the water. The calm and the serenity. Just recently I came back from a brief trip to Maine. It was early morning and I was walking and photographing water and clouds. I turned in a circle and it felt like I was inside one of those snow globes. Three hundred and sixty degrees all around me…very few cottage or trees breaking the horizon. And I remembered hearing Sam Abell talk about a photo while he was on assignment for the National Geographic and how he spent a great deal of time getting a shot at sunset, paying attention to the setting first and then waiting for the subject. After he made his photo, he turned around and saw, as I recall the story, elephants walking across the horizon, and that was the photo that was used for publication. What I took away from this was that after making a picture, turn around, there is another, and often better, photo behind you. (No elephants on this trip—or ever—but always a picture.)

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

I wish I had an answer for this and am forcing myself to find something to write here. I
found it difficult to stay focused on reading anything other than mysteries this last year and a
half— and even that was hard for me. A song: anything by the Beatles. My friend, the folk
singer, Lara Herscovitch’s “Wingspan” keeps me moving along as does the sound of MaMuse’s
“Glorious.” Visually, well, whatever is in front of me.


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

Teji Cole books

© Joy Bush

Teju Cole. I started reading his work about photography in the New York Times years
back, and I follow his books closely. I like the way his words and images work together. While I
don’t think of myself as a talker, I would want to talk about his take on words and images used
together or near each other. I want to know what he thinks about, how he approaches his world,
how he integrates what he knows about other photographers and artists and writers and how
they influence the way he interprets his world.
Mostly, though, I think it would also be nice to just be in his presence. And be quiet. I would learn a lot.

Filed Under: Exhibitions, Griffin State of Mind

Griffin State of Mind | Home Views – Jane Szabo

Posted on November 19, 2021

“The series Somewhere Else maps an emotional route of exploration and escape. When I am here, I want to be there. Yet once I get there, I am left to wonder if this place answers or fulfills my quest.” — Jane Szabo 

Los Angeles based fine art photographer, Jane Szabo explores themes of self and identity through utilizing hand-made constructions, self-portraiture, and still life. Her latest body of work, Somewhere Else, is featured alongside ten other artists in our Home Views exhibition; exploring the spaces that we dwell literally and spiritually, Jane’s exhibition grapples with the notion of “home,” the role of family, and the impact of displacement. A beautifully nostalgic exhibition, Somewhere Else will be on display in our Main Gallery until December 5th, 2021. Hear more from Jane as she shares insight into her art-making, and her personal inspirations in our Griffin State of Mind Interview. Thank you, Jane, for speaking with us and giving us a glimpse into your photographic practice.

Tell us how you first connected to the Griffin Museum.

When I switched my artistic focus to working as a fine art photographer, I started to connect bell with thornswith a network of fellow photographers, and over time watched as several of my peers and mentors were selected for solo shows at the Griffin. This of course became a goal of my own. Over the years, I was honored to have work curated into assorted group shows at the Griffin – and having my series selected for a solo show now, as one of Paula Tognarelli’s final curatorial projects prior to her retirement, is truly an honor.   

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 am a visual person. Even if I am not actively taking pictures – I am seeing. Everything I look at is seen as colors and textures. For inspiration, I am moved by people who push the envelope, and who engage the space. Oftentimes, this means I am drawn to artists who work in installations – not limited to just photography. Artists Tara Donovan and Andy Goldworthy are fine examples of people that inspire me with their creative use of materials, and ability to make us see the tiny details.

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

photograph on checkered surfaceThough visually different from its precursor, the series Somewhere Else is a response or a continuation to the series Family Matters, which was a collection of still lifes. Family Matters was created by staging objects taken from my family home after my parents were moved to assisted living. These family objects were paired with other elements to create tension, and used metaphors to share a narrative. 

Somewhere Else is a continuation of the conversation. Once my parents were placed into assisted living, I became painfully aware of the sense of displacement they felt over losing their home. And as I travelled back and forth to see them, and on other work-related travels, I also had a longing for a place that truly felt like home. I conceived the series to address this sense of longing, and the desire to connect to familial memories.

  One really special thing about this project is that I was able to bring my mother along on some of the shoots. At age 93, I turned her into a photo assistant, and she was tasked with wrangling the gear! It was a magical time to spend together in a way we never had before.

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

Though my experience with the Griffin to date has always been from afar, the show Bullet Points that featured artists Deborah Bay, Christopher Colville, Garrett Hansen and Sabine Pearlman in 2016 really stays in my memory. I have such a discomfort with guns and violence, that it surprises me this is the exhibit I mention – but I found it powerful to see this deadly object portrayed in so many beautiful ways. 

What is your favorite place to escape to? 

Natural environments are my go-to escape place. When I travel, I head to the local wildlands. I piece of bread next to potterylove tropical jungles and rainforests, snorkeling in warm waters, exploring boggy marshes and swamps – basically any place I can immerse myself in the tall trees, greenery, and be among birds and other wildlife.

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

  Memoirs! I am drawn to memoirs where people reveal their truths, and share their vulnerabilities. This way of processing personal experiences is what I try to do with my image making.

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

This is a surprisingly difficult question for me – especially after such a long time of isolation due to the pandemic. If given the opportunity, I would love to talk with Andy Goldworthy, and lend him a pair of hands making one of his constructions in nature. But for a real sit down conversation – and I know this is cliche – but I would want to have a deep conversation with Barack Obama. I have never been a “fan” or celebrity follower, but Obama is someone who has moved me deeply with his integrity and positive outlook in spite of so many challenges. Over the last few years I have gotten more disappointed in humanity – how people are treating each other, how we treat our planet, and more. I would ask Obama how he maintains a positive outlook and remains hopeful in the face of daunting challenges. 

 

Filed Under: Exhibitions, Griffin State of Mind

Griffin State of Mind | Home Views – Brandy Trigueros

Posted on November 12, 2021

“The idea of home instantly transports me to my childhood…It is a tiny home with a massive heart, built from love and toil of parents working multiple jobs. It is my mother in the sunlight of day on her knees laying a brick walkway for my brother and I to skip along, only later to be lost to foreclosure. For me, home and the domestic space continue to be a complex set of psychological instability as well as genuine gratitude for the very roof over my head, especially when others may not even have one.” —Brandy Trigueros 

Featured in our Home Views exhibition, Brandy Trigueros’ There’s No Other Like Your Mother is a powerful exploration of the maternal subject and the domestic tradition. With photographs that explore psychological inner states in ways that are both compelling and nostalgic, Brandy’s exhibition is one we couldn’t wait to hear more about in our interview.

Tell us how you first connected to the Griffin Museum.

woman holding book

© Brandy Trigueros

I’ve been following and a huge fan of the Griffin Museum for some time so it was really lovely to be able to meet with Paula Tognarelli while in Portland for Photolucida in 2019. Paula was so generous with her time and supportive of my work, that same year she selected a piece of mine for the Center for Photographic Art’s International Juried Exhibition. It is a tremendous honor to be a part of the 2021 Home Views exhibition at the Griffin Museum that Paula beautifully curated.

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 love looking at photographs and absorb them like a sponge, whether at the local bookstore or online, photography fuels my soul. If I am personally not making pictures, I am imagining, conceiving, and note taking by way of visual sketches with my camera. I do a lot of journaling and normally have a physical paper journal with me that I write, sketch, and collage in but more recently found I haven’t been keeping it up as a daily habit as I’d like to, so on days that run away with me I use a digital journaling app called Day One and before bed I take a few minutes to write and attach an image or video to.

I recently found the playful portrait, performance, sculpture, and installation work of the German artist, Thorsten Brinkmann, who is definitely in my wheelhouse ~ so inspiring. I would love to meet him someday and scavenge junkyards together!

Please tell us a little about your series There’s No Other Like Your Mother, and how it was conceived.

When I was 29, my mother passed away suddenly, leaving a gaping hole in my heart and sense

woman with snakes on her head

© Juul Kraijer

of self, as my identity was completely interlocked with hers. This was during a time in which I was also considering becoming a mother myself. A daily ritual of journaling helped process my emotions. A riot of reoccurring ambivalent thoughts surrounding the idea of motherhood began to seep onto the page, which was a visual invitation to follow curiosity. The psychological underpinnings of my desires and ambiguities of bearing my own child provided a road map for this self-portrait series, which is a personal exploration of feminine identity and the maternal subject.

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

Living in Los Angeles I have not yet had the pleasure of visiting the Griffin Museum or the countless exceptional exhibitions in-person so I rely on the virtual programming but top of mind, I found these exhibitions particularly moving: The Disappearance of Joseph Plummer by Amani Willett, the 2018 Arnold Newman Prize Exhibition, Gray Matters, and Aline Smithson’s Self & Others.

woman with pink hat and gloves with magnifying glass held over her left eye

© Aline Smithson

What is your favorite place to escape to?

The trees, a long indulgent bath, live musical performances, and The Museum of Jurassic Technology.

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

I’ve been particularly obsessed with mushrooms – reading, thinking about, and imagining fungal bodies and their underground networks as well as Prototaxites, the giant fungi of the Devonian period. My newest logo is even influenced by mushrooms. Merlin Sheldrake’s Entangled Life is an eye-opening, informative book on fungi.

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

book with mushrooms

© DRK Videography

A seemingly difficult question because there are several influential women, such as Mary Wollstonecraft, Ada Lovelace, Virginia Woolf, and Remedios Varo but first and foremost, it would be my mother Sherryl, as there are a multitude of unanswered questions, shared laughter, and unfinished craftworks, I would give anything to sit and create and just be together.

 

Filed Under: Exhibitions, Griffin State of Mind, Uncategorized

Griffin State of Mind | Home Views – Kathleen Tunnell Handel

Posted on November 5, 2021

We are excited to bring you the Griffin State of Mind featuring Kathleen Tunnell Handel. Her work is featured in our current exhibition Home Views on the walls through December 5th, 2021. Kathleen will be part of an online panel discussion on November 10th at 7pm Eastern. We wanted to know more about Kathleen and her work, so we asked her a few questions. Here is what she had to say.

Tell us how you first connected to the Griffin Museum.

home views - tunnell handel

© Kathleen Tunnell Handel

I initially connected with the Griffin through meeting and having one of my first portfolio reviews at PhotoNola 2018 with Paula Tognarelli, the Griffin’s esteemed Executive Director and Curator. Her positive, encouraging comments and immediate connection with my work, as an emerging photographer, gave me a wonderful sense of my own possibilities in a way that I continue to build on to this day.

 

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

Photography IS my everyday life! Since I’m writing this response on Indigenous Peoples Day, I will mention the photographer who goes by the name of Ryan Vizzions and his impactful work made during his time at Standing Rock.

Please tell us a little about your project, Where the Heart Is: Portraits from Vernacular American Trailer and Mobile Home Parks, and how it was conceived.

wood pile

© Kathleen Tunnell Handel

 My ongoing project Where the Heart Is: Portraits from Vernacular American Trailer and Mobile Home Parks wasn’t so much conceived as it has continued to evolve. My curiosity has basically led me in new directions in response to experiences photographing in mobile home communities beginning in 2017. Many conversations with residents about their lives, communities, and concerns, along with my being captivated by the feelings of community and the personality on display outside of many homes, inspired my going beyond photographing to deeply researching and reaching out to residents, advocates, and scholars to collaborate with.

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

In general, I feel that the excellent quality of curation and online programming has been incredibly inspiring and supportive of a diverse range of people and is truly commendable.

What is your favorite place to escape to?

stairs pots

© Kathleen Tunnell Handel

Are we dreaming of pre and post-Covid escape or whatever we currently feel comfortable with? Escape to me implies a distance from everyday responsibilities, so I’d have to say either Utah or Kenya, and maybe be unable to leave Croatia out!

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

Given my intense focus on preparing for my first solo exhibition at the Griffin, I’d have to say my obsession is with trying to make perfect the self-published catalog of Where the Heart is with all twenty-seven of my exhibited images, a foreword by Paula Tognarelli, and my essay that dives deep into the project and includes quotes from some of the recorded oral histories that I’ve begun incorporating into the project. 

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

snow trailer park

© Kathleen Tunnell Handel

I’m fairly practical, so I’d say the new Governor of New York State – Kathy Hochul, and I’d focus on trying to amplify the voices of those working on the affordable housing crisis and tidal wave of evictions underway in our state that are universal across the country. Without housing stability, it’s almost impossible to lead a healthy, productive life and current regulations often leave out mobile and manufactured housing as a hybrid of land-lease ownership.

 

To see more of Kathleen Tunnell Handel‘s work visit her website. See her on Instagram @kathleen_tunnellhandel

Filed Under: Exhibitions, Griffin State of Mind, Uncategorized

Michael Darough | Finalist, Arnold Newman Prize

Posted on October 15, 2020

As one of Maine Media’s finalists for the 2020 Arnold Newman Award for New Directions in Portraiture, Michael Darough‘s powerful series, The Talk, is on the walls of the Griffin until October 23rd. We wanted to know more about Michael and the work, so we asked him a few questions.

md- talk

Installation view of Michael Darough‘s The Talk on the walls of the Grffin.

Tell us about what inspired the body of work? What was the first image in the series?

The Talk was inspired by the lives of different men and women that I would see on TV.  These ideas for my photographs came from conversations I have had with family and friends when I was younger and within the last few years.  The issue of systemic racial inequality, especially in regard to the criminal justice system, is not new.  It felt like an appropriate time for me to begin to visually articulate those discussions and personal thoughts.

md talk 1

© Michael Darough – Remembering Gordon, from series The Talk

I believe one of the first images in my series was Remembering Gordon.  This image was based on the photograph of Gordon or Whipped Peter, as he is commonly known, an enslaved African American man who escaped captivity in 1863.  The image depicts lash marks across Gordon’s back; his head is turned profile while his hand is positioned on his hip.  Although my photograph does not completely mirror the original material, I considered the composition and his body language when arranging my image.

Thinking about how this has been an ongoing problem in our country, I started looking at the root of this issue and how I might use historical imagery as a reference point to begin this work.  I then transitioned to contemporary figures in the news to help guide how I was photographing myself.

Did your ideas about the work change over the course of creating the images? What did you learn from creating the series?

md - talk 4

© Michael Darough, It was a Cell Phone, from series The Talk

This project went through a couple variations before arriving at the current group of images.  Conceptually, ,the idea did not change.  I knew I wanted to create work about people who were victims of excessive force.  Visually it was different at the start of the project in comparison to the photographs that are on exhibit at the Griffin Museum of Photography.   When I started taking photos, all of them were in color and focused more on objects and less on the person.  After constant re-shoots I arrived at a version that felt comfortable for the subject matter.  I think what I learned most was how to work with lighting, explore storytelling and figuring out a way to direct my viewer through subtle changes.

While all of these situations pictured in the talk are of others, the images are self-portraits. How did your sense of self change when shooting the work? 

Previously, I had explored self-portraiture in my work but those images were illustrating stories and memories from my life; these photos are addressing the lives of others.  Considering the Information surrounding my portraits, it’s frustrating.  I spend my time looking at the details surrounding the deaths of these men at the hands of law enforcement. By the time I would finish shooting and editing there would be another incident.  Sometimes during this process, I would find another individual that I overlooked.  Although I felt compelled to take on these roles and photograph myself, the cycle of violence feels frustrating.

md - talk cycle

© Michael Darough – The Cycle, N. 1 from series The Talk

What would you like us as viewers to take away from seeing The Talk? 

This systemic issue within our criminal justice system has been affecting the black community for years.  The talk is not something new, it is just a discussion that is currently being had in mainstream culture.  I want individuals to look at the work and recognize this problem and feel compelled to have the necessary and uncomfortable conversations needed to fix it.

Can you talk a bit about what being a finalist in the Newman Awards means to you?

This was a great exhibition that I am happy to be a part of.  The jurors selected a diverse group of work from talented photographers, addressing their respective content in creative ways.  I think that each of us strived to explore new ways to work with portraiture.  The imagery, while different, that emerged from our individual bodies of work came together nicely.  I’m happy that I was selected as one of the finalists for the Arnold Newman Prize.

md talk 3

© Michael Darough – Hands on Your Head, Lock Your Fingers, from series The Talk

What is next for you creatively?

I’m going to explore this idea a little further.  While I don’t see this project going on for several years, I do have a few more stories and perspectives to share.  I am hopeful that through people marching in the streets, artists addressing this issue and individuals pushing for legislation to help protect individuals, there won’t be a reason for me to make this work.  I’m not sure about all the details surrounding my next series but I do have plans to continue to pursue portraiture; probably photographing other’s, not myself.

To see more of Michael Darough‘s powerful work, log onto his website. You can follow him on Instagram @michaeldarough

Filed Under: Arthur Newman Awards, Exhibitions Tagged With: Arnold Newman Prize, black and white, current events, Griffin Exhibitions, Photographers on Photography

Ruben Salgado Escudero | Finalist, Arnold Newman Prize

Posted on October 8, 2020

The Arnold Newman Prize for New Directions in Photographic Portraiture for 2020 is on the walls of the Griffin. Today we highlight one of the finalists, Ruben Salgado Escudero. We wanted to know more about his beautiful series, Solar Portraits, so we asked him a few questions.

rse - cow

© Ruben Salgado Escudero – Mg Ko, a Shan farmer poses with his cow in Lui Pan Sone Village, Kayah State. Only 26% of Myanmar has access to electricity, at least half of whom live in cities. In rural areas, of the estimated 68,000 villages in the country, just 3,000 or so have any sort of access to power. Solar power is a viable source of energy which can rapidly improve lives overnight.

Tell us about what inspired the body of work? What was the first image in the series?

The people of rural Myanmar who mostly live without access to electricity inspired me to begin this project. When I moved there in 2013 to begin my photography career, I was stunned when traveling outside of the main cities and saw that most people had to light candles and kerosene lamps after the sun fell. The first solar portrait I took was a farmer and his cow in a rural area about 250km from Yangon, where I used to live. He told me his story of how, thanks to his small solar panel, he was able to milk his cow earlier in the day and later at night, giving him more time to spend on the field and with his family. I asked if I could take a photo of him with his favorite cow. He agreed and as it was night time, I used the only source of light that was available- his solar powered led bulb.

rse - boat

© Ruben Salgado Escudero – Cristobal Cespedes Lorenzo (51) sits on his raft while carrying coconuts across the river to his home in Copala, on the coast of Mexico’s state of Guerrero.
Cristobal and Francisco Manzanares Cagua (16) both work picking coconuts which they then sell to a company which makes coconut butter and oil.

Did your ideas about the work change over the course of creating the images? What did you learn from creating the series?

I try to have Ideas for projects flow organically, so in this case, and after working on the project for the last five years, it has become much more than a photography project. Solar Portraits has foundation support with registered non-profit (501(c)3) status for its growing social impact initiative. The series has become an educational tool, bringing workshops and creative programming to the youngest members of communities I visit, which leads to collaboration with reciprocity. Students build a simple solar lamp or solar art project, with a focus on opening the door for bright young minds to learn about themes of solar energy innovation, global citizenship, and personal empowerment.

rse - barber

© Ruben Salgado Escudero – (May 31st, 2015) Denis Okiror (30) began using solar lights at his barbershop in Kayunga in 2013, he says most of his customers prefer to visit him in the evening. Uganda has one of the lowest electrification rates in Africa. In urban areas, 55 percent of Ugandans have access to electricity, however, access drops to 10 percent in rural areas, and is only 19 percent nationwide.

Tell us about what inspired the body of work? What was the first image in the series?

This project isn’t quite finished yet. I have been working on it on and off for the last five years. I’m still excited to tell a few more stories for it and eventually make a book. At the same time, I have a couple of other projects I’m working on simultaneously in Mexico, where I have lived for three years.

rse - couple

© Ruben Salgado Escudero – Faustina Flores Carranza (68) and her husband Juan Astudillo Jesus (65) sit in their solar-lit home in San Luis Acatlan, Guerrero, Mexico. Faustina and Juan have seven children and are together since 50 years. Like many members of the Mextica Indigenous Community, they have never had access to electricity.
When asked how having solar has impacted their lives, Faustina said, ”For the first time, we are able to look at each in the eyes in our moments of intimacy.”

Can you talk a bit about what being a finalist in the Newman Awards means to you?

As an artist, anytime that your work is recognized, it gives a push of motivation. It means that all of the hard work and the risks that one takes when creating a long-term creative project is worth it because it resonates with people and especially with seasoned talented photographers like the jury panel. I’m very excited to continue the growth of the project.

You mention Solar Portraits is a 501c3. How do we find out more information about your Non Profit?

Solar Portraits has 501(c)3 status under Blue Earth Alliance, which has allowed us to receive foundation sponsorship for the educational initiative which we are continually working to expand. It is important to me that this project is more than just the documentation. The work we do with young people empowers them to look towards a better future for themselves, their community and our planet.

To see more of Ruben Salgado Escudero‘s work, log onto his website. You can also find him on Instagram. Follow him @rubensalgadoescudero

Filed Under: Arthur Newman Awards, Exhibitions Tagged With: Arnold Newman Prize, color, Griffin Artist Talks, Griffin Exhibitions, Maine Media Workshops, Photographers on Photography, Portraits, Solar Portraits

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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.

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