Photo Show: theprintspace PhotoVoice Awards shortlisted series on show in London

Brother Paul, member of the Archulettaville Commune. Zoe Childerley.

It’s been a long time since I posted here. There are many reasons for this, both personal and professional, but I am still here and have some exciting news re: work coming up that I will share in the next couple of weeks. For now, I want to share some good news regarding a photographer who I have worked with through Tri-Pod, Zoe Chiderley. Also, good luck to Jonathan Goldberg, who also attended a Tri-Pod workshop, and has a series currently showing at Brighton station commissioned for the One Planet City organised in partnership with Fotodocument and the Brighton Photo Biennial 2014.

Hippy Days Festival. © Zoe Childerley

Leon in his greenhouse, Libre Commune. © Zoe Childerley.

ZOE CHILDERLEY
Zoe will be showing work at theprintspace Photovoice Awards exhibition of shortlisted photographers running from 21 August until 1 September at theprintspace gallery in London. The overall winner will be announced next week on Thursday 20 August. The Commune series was produced during an artist residency in America. All print sales will raise funds for Photovoice.

Betsy at home, Libre Commune. © Photo Zoe Childerley.

Goats at the Shii Koeii Community. © Zoe Childerley.

Ori Gersht’s solo show This Storm is What We Call Progress opens at the Imperial War Museum London today

Still from Will You Dance For Me by Ori Gersht

I’m super happy today to report that Ori Gersht’s first solo museum show This Storm is What We Call Progress opens to the public today at the Imperial War Museum in London. I’ve yet to see the show but there’s no excuse to miss it as it runs until the end of April. See below for videos from the lovely Ori (I know him as both a friend and as a visual artist) talking in his inimitable fashion about his work.

There are also two boxed book sets available at £40 and £250, see below for details. I am just about to reserve one for myself  – the £40 one I hasten to add. Take a look at the videos below, read over for more about the show from the press release and head over to the museum. Then buy the box set – you won’t be disappointed. And, with a design by SMITH, the entire package looks like it has been both beautifully and sensitively produced.

Ori Gersht: This Storm is What We Call Progress from Photoworks on Vimeo

Artist Book: Ori Gersht from Photoworks on Vimeo

Photo News: Arts Council cuts Side Gallery but continues support of merger between Photoworks and Brighton Photo Biennial

As the Arts Council announces its funding decisions, two photography arts organisations receive very different news. While the Arts Council has axed Side Gallery in Newcastle as a revenue client in its National Portfolio, which is described in a response by the Amber Film and Photography Collective as “a profoundly stupid, culturally illiterate and illogical decision”, Photoworks and Brighton Photo Biennial announce a merger and will receive continued support. Need to look into this some more and see how Photofusion has fared…

SIDE GALLERY
The reasons for the Arts Council decision are:
1. The gallery is part of a collective and therefore doesn’t have a board;
2. The gallery needs Arts Council funding and therefore isn’t sustainable;
3. There are too many galleries dedicated to humanist documentary photography in Side’s geographical location.

“This flies in the face of the fact that the collective has continued to deliver what is unquestionably the strongest cultural legacy created in the North East over the past 40 years. Unlike many Arts organisations, its egalitarian collective governance has meant Side Gallery has never approached the Arts Council or Northern Arts for a bail-out. It is the only gallery in the country dedicated to documentary photography.”

From Amber Film and Photography Collective, ACE response: “In addition to the Arts Council’s unsustainable assessments around Governance and Finance, they make the bizarre argument that there were ‘too many strong/good applications for work in this artform and this geographic location’. Elsewhere, the assessment acknowledges that Side is ‘the only dedicated documentary photography space in the north east.’ There is in fact no other gallery in the country dedicated to the crucial narratives of humanist documentary. This uniqueness and cultural importance in Side Gallery’s work was amply made in a powerful and moving set of testimonies from internationally renowned photographers, which was attached to the National Portfolio application. Audience perception of this uniqueness, importance and value of Side Gallery’s work can always be witnessed in the copious entries in the exhibition comments books. A representative selection was attached to the application.”

“This decision is mystifying. It seems not to have taken account of the Arts Council’s acknowledged understandings or of what was written in the application and the supporting documents. It seems to be rooted in a deeply prejudiced antipathy to the principle of collective organisation that flies in the face of an unparalleled record of achievement. It is a profoundly stupid, culturally illiterate and illogical decision.”

PHOTOWORKS AND BRIGHTON PHOTO BIENNAL
“We are relieved to be receiving continued Arts Council investment under the newly established status of National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) and excited to announce the merger of Photoworks and Brighton Photo Biennial.

“Our NPO bid was as a merged organisation and we are delighted both organisations have secured a future for the next 3 years. The continued ACE investment recognises both organisations’ proven track records in promoting and celebrating excellence in photography. We now look forward to developing and delivering our bold and ambitious vision.

See Arts Council Funding decisions link.

Ian Parry Scholarship 2010 and Photoworks photography bursary calls for entries

© Maisie Crow: April watches a fight take place down the street from her home. She stayed behind the fence because she is on probation after burning down a building.

The deadlines for two competitions/bursaries are fast approaching. The British School at Rome and Photoworks are offering a residency in photography and lens-based media from April to June 2011 with a deadline in two weeks of 14 June, while you have just over a month to submit work to the Ian Parry Scholarship for photojournalists which has a deadline of Friday 2 July. The competition is open to all nationalities and doesn’t cost to enter, but you need to be under 24 or a full time photography student.

Ian Parry Scholarship 2009 winner © Maisie Crow: April peers out of her bedroom window shortly after dusk and watches other children in the neighborhood play in a nearby ball field.

For more details on both including links to previous winners’ work…