The Portland Metro Photographic News

Critical Mass 2009 is still open for registration... and will remain open through July 22nd! So if you are a photographer thinking about entering, you still have until next Wednesday.

Critical Mass 2008 Book Award Winners: © Andy Freeberg, Céline Clanet, & Priya Kambli. Previous Book Award Winners include Amy Stein, Sage Sohier, Camille Seaman, Peter Van Agtmael, Hiroshi Watanabe, Donald Weber, Joni Sternbach, and Louie Palu.

Since 2004, Photolucida's Critical Mass program has been a tremendous resource for photographers trying to get their work out into the world as well as for gallerists, curators, publishers, and editors in their search for good talent. A totally unique celebration of photography, Critical Mass is a way for photographers to have their work seen by over 200 of the best professionals in the business and to help produce and receive monographs of the work that everyone agrees is great!
 
In addition, Photolucida is proud to announce that a Critical Mass Top 50 group exhibition is being planned at the Photographic Center Northwest, curated by Andy Adams, editor/publisher of Flak Photo.
 
Photolucida is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the culture of photography. For more information on Critical Mass, including the list of our 202 great jurors, please click on the link below!

Critical Mass: http://www.photolucida.org/current.php

 Thursday, April 23 through Sunday, April 26, 2009

Every other spring, the world's photographic community focuses its attention on Portland, Oregon and Photolucida.  And rightly so.  Our art-rich community becomes a magnet that attracts a worldwide group of photographic dignitaries to celebrate and share in joys of the photographic art. The not-for-profit Photolucida organization has but one mission: Increasing understanding of the world through photography.

The core portfolio review/critique activities provide emerging photographers with professional and objective evaluations of their work and invaluable insights towards improvement and career promotion.

Held at the Benson Hotel, an intensive four-day Portfolio Review lies at the heart of the festival. Reviewers are selected for their experience, involvement and commitment to advancing the work of emerging artists. The majority represent small, mid-sized and major venues or publishers devoted to photography as an artistic medium. Over the years many participants have made contacts that led directly to exhibitions, publications and the sale of their work, in addition to receiving useful critiques leading to professional refinement. This year, reviewers are attending from across the United States, Canada, China, Italy, Denmark, Lithuania and Brazil.

The participation of Portland's photographic art galleries with special exhibits and guest photographic luminaries makes Photolucida THE premier photographic event of the northwest.

The Portland Metro Photographic News will not attempt to reproduce the content of the Photolucida website.  PMPN will however actively support the organization's activities, mission and the economic benefits this prestigious event brings to the Portland community.  Here are links to specific pages in the Photolucida website that will provide valuable information to anyone interested in Photolucida as well as the activities, gallery events and photographic visionaries attending this year's celebration of photography:

• What is Photolucida?
• Portfolio Reviews - 2009 Conference
• Listing of Portland's April Photography Exhibitions
  
• Biographies of Phololucida's Board Members
• The Northwest Portfolio
• Critical Mass Competition

Whatever your interest in photography, you'll find much to fuel your passion during this week long photo-art festival.  Support the event by attending the organization's public events and the extensive exhibits and speakers brought together by the galleries of the Portland/Vancouver area.

A "Can't Miss" event for all photography lovers.

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Additional information is available on the Photolucida website.

Thursday, April 23rd:
Portfolio Walk 6:00- 9:00 p.m., Sunken Ballroom, Portland Art Museum
(160 photographers show their work in three shifts!) Free! Fun!

Friday, April 24th:
Photo Gallery walk-through with Anthony Bannon (Director, George Eastman House) 6 p.m.,
Portland Art Museum's Jibutz Center. Free, space limited to 40.
'Pictures in Pictures' lecture w/Abelardo Morell, 7 p.m., Whitsell Auditorium, $10

Saturday, April 25th:
Pearl District 'Gallery Walk': including Susan Seubert at Froelick Gallery,
Jock Sturges at Butters Gallery, Abelardo Morell and Alexis Pike at Blue Sky Gallery,
Chris Rauschenberg at Elizabeth Leach Gallery.  Artists will be there in person and galleries will stay open until 7 p.m.

Monday, April 27th:
Seminar with Raymond Meeks at Newspace Center for Photography. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

by Tom Hubbard, PMPN, April 23, 2009

 
All photos ©2009,tehubbard

New York has nothing on Portland's Photolucida.  Last night's Portfolio Walk, at the Portland Art Museum, brought together over 160 emerging photographers from around the world to show their wares and make it known that fine art photography is alive and well -- in Portland, Oregon.

The event was so large and so well attended that the porfolios had to be shown in three shifts from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.  Tables were covered with stunning images that employed virtually every photographic techique.  The atmosphere was electrified with engaging photographers who eagerly shared their techniques and passion for photography.  It was impossible not to be engergized by these aspiring photographers and the enthusiasm visible in each patron.

Here are a few images of last night's extraordinary photographic event.

Photolucida and Friday night saw a captivating walk-through of the Portland Art Museum's photo gallery led by Anthony Bannon (Director of the George Eastman House), and an entertaining and enlightening keynote address by famed photographer Abelardo Morell.

 
Portland Museum of Art Photo Gallery walk-through attendees enjoying the reflections of Anthony Bannon
Anthony Bannon, Director of the George Eastman House

 One of two known copies of Carleton Watkins' Columbia River photographic books (left) fascinated last night's attendees.

Abelardo Morell, Photolucida 2009 Keynote Speaker

The Photolucida 2009 Keynote address followed the walk-through, and was presented by noted photographer and professor of photography at the Massachusetts College of Art, Abelardo Morell.   The Whitsell Auditorium was filled with several hundred lovers of photographic art.   Morell's interests and techniques run the photographic gamut -- from exploration of the origins of photography in alternate processes to the promises held by today's digital imaging technologies.  Attendees were mesmerized and entertained by Abelardo's reflections on the artisitc path that led him from Cuba as a child to worldwide photographic prominence.  Morell's quick wit and down-home honesty delighted an audience that came hungry for photograhic insights and artistic inspiration.  From his prepared address to the candid question-and-answer session that followed, they found both in Abelardo Morell.

 
A packed house at the Portland Museum of Art's Whitsell Auditorium shows its appreciation.

If you were unable to attend last night's Keynote address and would like to meet Mr. Morell and experience his photography, he will be at the Blue Sky Gallery on Saturday, April 25th, as part of this year's Pearl District "Gallery Walk".

by Tom Hubbard, PMPN, April 25, 2009

The Photolucida Gallery Walk through the Pearl District was the beneficiary of a rainless Oregon day and an admiring photographic public.  Time seemed to be the only limiting factor as each gallery presented rare opportunities to interact with the photographic artists who not only displayed their work but graciously spent time with the art "walkers".  Here are three galleries that consumed my afternoon hours on Saturday.

Butters Gallery

The Butters Gallery is Portland's longtime showcase for the works of Jock Sturges.  Jock (with his granddaughter above right) discussed the emotional ties with his subjects that drive his photography and captivates his admirers.  "Knowing the story behind each model brings to the viewer a new dimension and personal connection to each image."

Jock updating the story behind each of his subjects to attendees who have closely followed his imagery.

 Froelick Gallery

The Froelick Gallery featured Susan Seubert.  Susan's diverse photographic interests and styles revealed the wealth of techniques she uses to express her creative vision.  The warmth of her personality and the precision she takes in her art were evident in the almost one-on-one style of her demonstration.  Susan's photographic specialties include: travel, editorial, photojournalsim, food and lifestyle photography.

Gallery "walkers" were spellbound by the demonstration and detail Susan (above) provided on how her one-of-a-kind ambrotypes are laboriously created.

Blue Sky Gallery

Blue Sky is currently exhibiting works of several photographic artists.  During Photolucida, Blue Sky is also the home of the exhibit by Photolucida's Keynote Speaker, Abelardo Morell.  Morell is shown above (right) sharing a photographic moment with our own photographic icon Stu Levy.

Also on display at Blue Sky is a commemorative exhibit of the works of Terry Toedtemeier whose recent and untimely death left a vacuum in Portland's photographic community that will not soon be filled.  Terry Toedtemeier, The Blue Sky Years, is a tribute to his vision, humor and craft as well as a "must see" for all lovers of photography.