Apertura-Colombia: A Survey of Colombian Photography and Video

Through May 18, 2008

Station Museum
1502 Alabama
Houston, TX 77004

The Station Museum of Contemporary Art, in conjunction with FotoFest 2008, wishes to announce the opening of APERTURA COLOMBIA, a survey of Colombian photography and video featuring 14 Colombian artists and photojournalists.

The works of art in this exhibition go beyond simple reportage or exposé. They document the events and emotional turmoil caused by terror, exclusion and loss. They demonstrate the artist’s ability to come to grips with the violent modern history of Colombia and transform this history into a positive source of truth and regeneration.

Read more at the Station Museum of Contemporary Art online.

Phantom Sightings: Art after the Chicano Movement

April 6, 2008–September 1, 2008 | Art of the Americas

Phantom Sightings: Art after the Chicano Movement is the largest exhibition of cutting-edge Chicano art ever presented at LACMA. Chicano art, traditionally described as work created by Americans of Mexican descent, was established as a politically and culturally inspired movement during the counterculture revolutions of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

This exhibition explores the more experimental tendencies within the Chicano art movement—ones oriented less toward painting and declarative polemical assertion than toward conceptual art, performance, film, photo- and media-based art, and "stealthy" artistic interventions in urban spaces. The exhibition includes approximately 125 works in all media, including painting and sculpture as well as installation, conceptual, video, performance art, and intermedia works that incorporate film, digital, and sound art.

Artists featured are photographer Christina Fernandez, who documents the poetic and “phantom” in the urban landscape; Mario Ybarra Jr., who creates performances, site-specific installations and intermedia works; the “intermedia synaesthesia” of the seminal conceptual art group Asco; and the New York-based artist Nicola Lopez, who creates dramatic installations with drawings that extend from the wall into the gallery.

Read more at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) online.

See more of Christina Fernandez's photography online at artnet.

PHOTO: Asco, Instant Mural, 1974 (printed 2007), digital print of color photograph by Harry Gamboa Jr., 30 x 40 in., (76.2 x 101.6 cm), courtesy of Harry Gamboa Jr., © Asco, photo © Harry Gamboa Jr., photo courtesy UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center Archive.

Latino Photographer Tony Rocco: True Faces of Colombia

Las Verdaderas Caras de Colombia

Artist Statement:

During these past few decades the image of Colombia as a lawless society dominated by drug lords has developed. I remember countless movies or TV shows showcasing Colombian mafiosos and their cronies (Can you say, Miami Vice?). When images of Colombia were presented it was either the extravagant hacienda of a drug lord or the poor villages or jungles where everyone else supposedly lived. A good recent example is the movie “Mr. And Mrs. Smith” where Bogotá is depicted as a tropical jungle. Bogotá is a modern metropolis of nearly 5 million people and there isn’t any jungle within hundreds of miles. I don’t blame the filmmakers, however. If they showed Bogotá the way it actually is nobody would buy it. I wouldn’t have believed it myself if I hadn’t visited Colombia, so ingrained are these mass media stereotypes.

Experiencing the beauty and diversity of Colombia and its culture for the 1st time as a 20 year-old college student completely changed my life. Previously, I had been ashamed of my heritage because of all the negativity surrounding Colombia, but after that trip I accepted and embraced it. A few years ago I began planning “True Faces of Colombia.” I realized that I had to do something to change people’s perceptions of Colombia and as a photographer I had a way to do it.

True Faces of Colombia is my attempt to present Colombians as they truly are-- to give a variety of faces to a people who have been denied them by the media. Most of my time was spent in Cali and the surrounding Departamento (state) of Valle del Cauca. Despite tough economic conditions and other challenges, Caleños are known to be the happiest and most fun loving people in Colombia. Now you have an opportunity to meet some of them and learn a little about Colombian culture as well.

I would like to thank the Independence Foundation and the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture (NALAC) for their support, without which this project and exhibition would not have been possible.

See more images from this color photography project online.

PHOTO: Abuejero Kids, Copyright Tony Rocco

Exhibit: The Black Panthers

Making Sense of History, Photography by Stephen Shames

Through May 31, 2008
Washington University
Odegaard Undergraduate Library & Learning Commons

Read more at the library's site.

Exhibit: "Remix: Indigenous Identities in the 21st Century"

The Peabody Museum at Harvard University
Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
Harvard University - 11 Divinity Avenue 02138
617.496.1027
peabody.harvard.edu

Poster by Ryan Red Corn

Exhibit: "Women of a New Tribe: A Photographic Celebration of the Black Woman"

Through May 18
Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center
Jackson, Mississippi

Read more about the show at the Clarion Ledger online.

Photographs of Signs Enforcing Racial Discrimination

Documentation by Farm Security Administration-Office of War Information Photographers

Found this illuminating collection of images - so relevant to the issues of Racism and Discrimination coming up in the national dialogue of the USA surrounding the current presidential election.

These black and white photographs bare witness to the system of segregation that was mandated all throughout American towns in the 1930's and '40s.

I liked this one in particular because unlike the "Whites Only" or "Colored Only" signs seen in the history books, this one says "POSITIVELY NO BEER SERVED TO INDIANS".

This photo makes the striking point that America's history of discrimination is not so Black and White...

Excerpt from the Library of Congress website:

"They [the photographers] were particularly encouraged to photograph billboards and signs as one indicator of such developments. Although no documentation has been found to indicate that photographers were explicitly encouraged to photograph racial discrimination signs, the collection includes a significant number of this type of image, which is rarely found in other Prints and Photographs Division collections."

See more photos in the collection online.

PHOTO: Birney, Montana. August 1941. Marion Post Wolcott, photographer. "People who came to Saturday night dance around the bar."

UNDEREXPOSED: PHOTOGRAPHS BY FRANKLYN RODGERS

The UK's National Portrait Gallery
4 April - 8 June 2008
Ondaatje Wing Main Hall. Free admission.

BLACK BRITISH ACTING TALENT CELEBRATED IN NEW PHOTOGRAPHIC SHOWCASE

The National Portrait Gallery is pleased to announce its participation in the UNDEREXPOSED arts program, part of the 4 The Record Initiative (4TR) created to highlight talent and achievement within the black British community and to bring their work to a wider audience. The main hall of the Ondaatje Wing will host a plasma screen installation, displaying dramatic portraits of thirty black British actors by photographer Franklyn Rodgers, while the wider programme will see UNDEREXPOSED events taking place at multiple sites across London from the beginning of April.

Photographed by Franklyn Rogers in atmospheric tones, bathed in reflective light, the sitters in this unique project urge an engagement with the viewer. The selection of thirty black British actors includes television legend Rudolph Walker (star of Love Thy Neighbour), Academy Award nominee Marianne Jean-Baptiste, acclaimed stage actor David Oyelowo and Idris Elba, star of HBO's new hit drama, The Wire.

Franklyn Rodgers sits at the cutting edge of contemporary photographic portraiture, bringing a unique approach and a style that is distinctly his own. He has created a diverse body of work over the last decade, spanning the arts, music, and corporate genres and including work for Polydor and National Geographic. As a recent recipient of the prestigious NESTA fellowship award, he has been able to further expand his endeavours, exploring cross-cultural identities on a global platform.

The 4 The Record Initiative was founded by actor Fraser James as a personal response to the national media debate which suggests that the absence of black role models for young people in the black British community is one reason for the rise in violence, gang culture and low achievement amongst young black adults. Drawing upon the wealth of talented black men and women in the British acting profession, Fraser James conceived of the UNDEREXPOSED programme as both a celebration of this talent and a means of inspiring young people looking for direction and guidance.

Fraser James comments: 'UNDEREXPOSED is the culmination of a long held belief of mine that there are many potential black role models, but their visibility needs to be higher. I hope this project goes some way in achieving a greater level of recognition for the wealth of talent we have in the acting profession and to inspiring the next generation of black actors in this country.'

UNDERPEXPOSED is the first in a series of projects which will take place every two years, focusing on black British talent in different areas. It has been made possible thanks to the support of Arts Council England and deciBel.

In addition to the plasma screen installation at the National Portrait Gallery from 4 April 2008, the UNDEREXPOSED programme will include a poster campaign on the London Underground provided by the Mayor of London during April and a two site installation at Peckham High Street & Commercial Way from 2 April.

The actors photographed by Franklyn Rogers for UNDEREXPOSED are: ADJOA ANDOH; EARL CAMERON; NOEL ANTHONY CLARKE; DONA CROLL; IDRIS ELBA; TREVA ETIENNE; DON GILET; DAVID HAREWOOD; FRASER JAMES; LENNIE JAMES; MARIANNE JEAN-BAPTISTE; JOCELYN JEE ESIEN; WIL JOHNSON; KWAME KWEI-ARMAH; MARTINA LAIRD; DELROY LINDO; ADRIAN LESTER; PETRA LETANG; PATRICE NAIAMBANA; WUNMI MOSAKU; DAVID OYELOWO; DIANE PARISH; HUGH QUARSHIE; MARSHA THOMASON; COLIN SALMON; EAMONN WALKER; ASHLEY WALTERS; DON WARRINGTON and ANGELA WYNTER.

PHOTO: Angela Wynter by Franklyn Rodgers, Copyright: Franklyn Rodgers

The Next Generation: JeongMee Yoon

Artist statement from the WMU Photography blog:

"This project began with my daughter. My seven-year-old daughter loves pink. She wants to wear only pink clothes and only own pink toys and objects. My daughter is not unusual. Most other little girls in the United States and South Korea love pink clothing, accessories and toys. This phenomenon seems widespread among various ethnic groups of children regardless of their cultural backgrounds. This preference is the result of cultural influences and the power of pervasive commercial advertisements such as those for Barbie and Hello Kitty. Through advertising, customers are directed to buy blue items for boys and pink for girls. Blue has become a symbol of strength and masculinity, while pink symbolizes sweetness and femininity.

To make The Pink and Blue Project series, I visited children’s rooms, where I displayed their possessions in an effort to show the viewer the extent to which children and their parents, knowingly or unknowing, are influenced by advertising and popular culture."

Personally, as a female I've had my own love/hate relationship with the color pink. Naturally I'm more attracted to earth tones, but as a teenager I too fell victim to the girl-hypnotizing color of pink. I love how the little girl in this photo is almost doll-like in her pose and just a speck amongst the garbage dump of pink items. A great theme to tackle via color photography. There's much to say here about gender stereotypes and the socialization of girls vs. boys...

See more photos from this body of work at PhotoLucida's Critical Mass Top 50 of 2007.

The Next Generation: Satomi Shirai

Photo and entry from the ArtCade Forum blog about Japanese photographer Satomi Shirai (shown left), a Hunter College MFA student.

"Her earlier photography stemmed from adjusting to a new American lifestyle while trying to keep alive her Japanese habits. This connect and disconnect between two cultures have led her into a current series where she documents the lives of young bi-racial women. For example, the woman in her above photograph is both Korean and Irish. The woman is shown in her NYC apartment which has been influenced by both of her ethnic heritages."

Exhibition: No Place - like Home. Perspectives on Migration in Europe

Opening Saturday, April 4, 2008

Argos - Werfstraat 13 - 1000 Brussels

The group exhibition No Place - like Home: Perspectives on Migration in Europe features eighteen Belgian and international artists.

Their videos, photographic works and installations take a closer look at what lies under the surface of the migration issue.

Migration is a thing of all ages. Where Europeans once colonized various continents and emigrated en masse to other lands both in and beyond their own continent, movement from the opposite direction has now taken hold.

Read more at argos online.

Lecture: “The Corroboration of That Eye: Photonarrativity and Intergenerational Memory”

Joshua L. Miller, assistant professor of English language and literature at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, will present a lecture entitled "The Corroboration of That Eye: Photonarrativity and Intergenerational Memory" on Friday, April 18 at 4 p.m. in the Gould Library Athenaeum. The lecture, part of a special week-long symposium on the acclaimed American writer and activist, James Baldwin, is free and open to the public.

Miller has researched and explored the way in which Baldwin’s work uses photography to disrupt the written narrative, by incorporating pictures and images with seemingly little relevance to his writing.

Read more at Carleton College News online.

PHOTO: James Baldwin, Copyright Anthony Barboza

Guiness World Records for Largest Photo Album

From the Associated Press:

Japanese photographer Hitomi Toyama stands by her world’s largest album ― measuring 4m X 3m, weighing 1000 kilograms ― in Hanoi, Vietnam, Tuesday. The album titled “Women of Vietnam” has secured a place in the Guinness Book of World Records and it includes more than 53 photos taken by Toyama.

PHOTO: REUTERS/Kham (VIETNAM)

The Langston Hughes African American Film Festival in Seattle

Saturday, April 20
Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center
104 17th Ave. S., Seattle

Tickets are $7 for individual screenings ($5 seniors/youth), $15 for opening/closing night film/receptions, $75 for an all-festival Langston Pass; available at www.brownpapertickets.com or the Langston Hughes box office in person or at 206-386-1177.

Get more info at the festival's website www.langstonblackfilmfest.org.

PHOTO: Danny Glover stars in "Honeydripper" - JIM SHELDON / EMERGING PICTURES

NY Times Article: "Who Are We? New Dialogue on Mixed Race"

By MIREYA NAVARRO
Published: March 31, 2008

Excerpt:

"Being accepted. Proving loyalty. Navigating the tight space between racial divides. Americans of mixed race say these are issues they have long confronted, and when Senator Barack Obama recently delivered a speech about race in Philadelphia, it rang with a special significance in their ears. They saw parallels between the path trod by Mr. Obama and their own."

Read the full article & see video at the NY Times online.

R.I.P Cambodian Photojournalist Dith Pran

Republished from ArtDaily.org:

'NEW YORK, NY.-The Cambodian-born photojournalist Dith Pran, who survived the Khmer Rouge’s genocide, died Sunday [March 30th] at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, at the age of 65.

Dith Pran was a photojournalist best known as a refugee and Cambodian Genocide survivor and was the subject of the Academy Award-winning film The Killing Fields. (He was portrayed in the movie by first-time actor Haing S. Ngor, who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance.)

In 1975, Pran and New York Times reporter Sydney Schanberg stayed behind in Cambodia to cover the fall of the capital Phnom Penh to the communist Khmer Rouge forces. Schanberg and other foreign reporters were allowed to leave, but Pran was not permitted to leave the country. When Cambodians were forced to work in forced labor camps, Pran had to endure four years of starvation and torture before finally escaping to Thailand in 1979. He coined the phrase "killing fields" to refer to the clusters of corpses and skeletal remains of victims he encountered during his 40-mile escape.His three brothers were killed back in Cambodia.

From 1980, Pran worked as a photojournalist with The New York Times in the United States. He also campaigned for recognition of the Cambodian Genocide victims. He received an Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 1998 and was founder and president of The Dith Pran Holocaust Awareness Project, Inc. He was a recipient of The International Center in New York's Award of Excellence.

Pran died on 30 March 2008, having been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer just three months earlier."

Charles "Teenie" Harris: Rhapsody in Black and White

Duke Center for Documentary Studies

Through April 9

Charles “Teenie” Harris was a chronicler of the African American community in Pittsburgh for more than forty years. As a photographer for the Pittsburgh Courier, one of the pre-eminent black newsweeklies in America, Teenie Harris traveled the alleys, workplaces, nightclubs, and ballparks of his native city with a Speed Graphic black-and-white camera in hand.

Read more online at the Duke Center for Documentary Studies.

PHOTO: Mary Louise Harris wearing a long tweed suit with polka dot blouse posed next to car on Mulford Street, Homewood, c. 1930–39. Photograph by Charles "Teenie" Harris.

Phantom Sightings: Art after the Chicano Movement

April 6, 2008–September 1, 2008 | Art of the Americas

Phantom Sightings: Art after the Chicano Movement is the largest exhibition of cutting-edge Chicano art ever presented at LACMA. Chicano art, traditionally described as work created by Americans of Mexican descent, was established as a politically and culturally inspired movement during the counterculture revolutions of the late 1960s and early 1970s. This exhibition explores the more experimental tendencies within the Chicano art movement—ones oriented less toward painting and declarative polemical assertion than toward conceptual art, performance, film, photo- and media-based art, and "stealthy" artistic interventions in urban spaces.

Read more at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art website.

2008 HMF International Film/Media Festival & Conference

New York City, December 10-14, 2008

Featuring a photographic gallery opening and exhibition, from among the world's greatest international artists and photojournalists, both to explore critical humanitarian crises and subject matter, but to raise funds for the issues themselves.

The mission of the HMF, upon its launch May 1, 2008, seeks to tap into the power of the media—film, both documentary and narrative; art and music; print, web, television, and photojournalism—and extend their influence more broadly, so that humanitarian issues are not just covered in brief articles, commercials, profiles, or soundbytes, but can be explored and given context, so that their importance is more widely known. With greater knowledge, more people in positions of authority and influence can then also be drawn in to be part of the dialogue, so that such issues are not just lamented, but perhaps some constructive and creative answers can be illuminated among those with the greatest capacity to make a difference.

To this end, the HMF will be enlisting the involvement and partnership of news agencies, journalists, filmmakers, writers, artists, international NGO's, figures in international policy, and international philanthropy--among others--to bring attention to areas of humanitarian importance and to act as a conduit among them, so that collaborations and exchanges of ideas might more easily take place.

Read more about the HMF online.