photolucida: November 2011

Friday, November 18, 2011

Critical Mass 2011 Book Award Finalists

This year it was extra-hard! After much deliberation over the many worthy projects, Photolucida is pleased to share the following six photographers have been selected as the book award finalists!

Daniel Beltrá
Kirk Crippens
Scott Dalton
David Ellingsen
Jennifer Hudson
Larry Louie

You will notice that type of work represented above varies quite a bit in aesthetic and intent, but has the common denominator of being strong, compelling imagery. We are happy that artists doing such varied photographic work are all supported by the Critical Mass jurors despite aesthetic definition.

We look forward to seeing their respective book proposals and selecting the Critical Mass 2011 Book Award. Check back for updates in mid-January when we will make the award announcement.

Congratulations to the above photographers!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

CM 2011 - Blue Sky Solo Exhibition Award winner is Nigel Dickinson

Photolucida is pleased to share that Blue Sky has awarded Nigel Dickinson the Solo Exhibition that will be shown at Blue Sky in April 2012. The series he submitted to Critical Mass this year, 'Smokey Mountain, Cambodia' truly wowed everyone.

Nigel is a British photographer based in Paris, and he accepted news of the award while on an assignment in Bogotá, Columbia. His work focuses on the environment, human condition, marginalized communities, sustainable development, identity and culture.

This is the second year for the Photolucida - Blue Sky exhibition award collaboration and we're excited that Nigel Dickinson's April exhibition will coincide with the second annual Portland Photo Month.

We hope you'll have the opportunity to stop by Blue Sky in April 2012 to see Nigel Dickinson's work!

Photo: Youth recycling worker with lamp, before sunrise, Smokey Mountain

Monday, November 7, 2011

Success Story - Corinne Vionnet's 'Photo Opportunities' Published!

Thanks, Corinne, for sending us this note:

My participation in Critical Mass has offered me great opportunities and has resulted in a publication with Kehrer Verlag, an exhibition at the Photo Festival in Denver, and also generated various contacts and some useful feedback from jurors. It has been a real encouragement to continue my work.

The publication of my first book on the series Photo Opportunities has happened in different steps. Critical Mass has played a key role in that publication, as Alexa Becker from Kehrer Verlag was one of the jurors and was able to see a selection of my work there first. After that, we had the chance to meet the following November at Paris Photo where I showed her prints and we were able to meet each other in person and discuss options for a book.

I would like to thank the whole team from Photolucida, and for their support to photography and photographers.

If you are lucky enough to be in Paris during Paris Photo right about now, you can attend one of Corinne Vionnet's book signings:

OFFPRINT, Friday, November 11th at 6:00pm
Book signing organized by Kehrer Verlag at Vice Versa stand

PARIS PHOTO, Grand Palais Saturday, November 12th at 4:30 pm
Book signing at - The Empty Quarter D02

Friday, November 4, 2011

Group Field Trip to Lishui International Photo Festival in China!

As we speak, a good-sized group of American curators and photographers are hanging work at the Lishui 14th International Photography Festival in China. The curatorial direction is "American Life". Yan Li and Wang Peiquan reviewed on behalf of the festival at Photolucida last spring, and many of the exhibiting participants were found at our reviews.

We are happy that many folks that have been part of Photolucida's programming are attending: photographers Jamie Gordon, Fran Forman, Noelle Swan Gilbert, Chris Churchill, Michael Kirchoff, Kirk Crippens, Ken Sklute, Andy Freeberg, Wendy Sacks, Aline Smithson...and curators Ellen Fleurov, Bob Morton, Ann Jastrab, Jennifer Schwartz, Crista Dix, Melanie McWhorter, David Bram...

We look forward to hearing your stories of cross-cultural communication, navigation of the international language of photography, the variety of interesting regional dishes sampled, and experiences visiting the Lishui WalMart!

Photo - From the 2009 Lishui Festival: Nine temples housed the exhibitions, Americans (Laura Moya, Desiree Edkins, Betsy Schneider, Sarah Wilson, Amy Miller) on the red carpet, curious spectators at Lori Vrba's exhibit.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Critical Mass 2011 - Top 50

The votes have been tallied and we're ready to announce the Top 50*. But before we do, a reminder, as we've said many times before, Critical Mass is a match-making system. It's true the list below is exciting and it's an honor to be selected, but for all those who submitted to Critical Mass 2011 and don't find your name below, your work was looked at by some of the most esteemed photography industry professionals throughout the world and good things happen, even to those who don't make the Top 50!

Now, on to the list. A hearty congratulations to the following and a huge THANK YOU to our dedicated Pre-Screeners and Jurors!

Colette Campbell-Jones

Christopher Capozziello/AEVUM

Nigel Gordon Dickinson

Philipp Scholz Rittermann

Please visit our website to see images from the Top 50 submissions. To see one image from each Top 50 photographer in person, check out the traveling exhibition that will tour the West Coast in Spring 2012. Starting in February, 2012 the exhibition will be at Photo Center NW in Seattle, then in April at Newspace Center for Photography in Portland, and concluding in May at RayKo Photo Center in San Francisco.

* Technically, we had a tie for the 50th position this year. Rather than boot someone from the list, this year's Top 50 includes 51 photographers.