Debi Cornwall at the Filter Photo Festival

The 8th Annual Filter Photo Festival took place this past weekend in Chicago. Attracting fine art photographers from around the country, the event offered a variety of workshops, artist lectures, portfolio reviews and social programming. Participating periodically since 2010, I was again asked to take part as one of the event’s portfolio reviewers. I spent this past Sunday meeting some amazing artists, discussing various visual concepts and exploring some wonderful imagery.

The event organizers sent each reviewer a list of the photographers who had scheduled a time slot to meet with them. From the very beginning of my participation, I found this helpful. With the use of the Internet, the list offered me the opportunity to review each artist and the history of their published work—providing me a bit of insight… an extended context to review the work. During my research, I found that many of the artists had been creating work focused on human rights issues. I was intrigued since these atrocities have been my curatorial focus for the past decade.

The imagery of one artist is still seared into my mind. That is the work of Conceptual Documentary Artist [and Former Civil Rights Attorney], Debi Cornwall. Debi Cornwall’s work documents life at the Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp. Cornwall’s project, “GITMO at Home, GITMO at Play” explores the grim absurdity of life for those displaced to Guantanamo Bay after 9/11, as well as the soldiers who guard them.

Sixty-one men are currently being detained at Guantanamo Bay—many of who were cleared for release years ago. They are being held as “unprivileged belligerents.” Cornwall’s conceptual photographic documentary project is powerful but a second series of photographs titled “Beyond GITMO” is—to say the least—heart wrenching. Cornwall presents a view of the alleged terrorists after they have been cleared of charges and released. Hundreds of these men were held for years without being charged or tried. When they were released, they returned home or were displaced to foreign countries. Cornwall’s imagery presents them within their environment. She creates powerful portraits replicating the same regulations required of her while photographing at GITMO—concealing the identity of the subject. The situation is horrifyingly offensive and Cornwall’s imagery is powerfully moving.

This March, a book documenting Debi Cornwall's GITMO Bay Project will be published. You can learn more about the upcoming book release as well as the coinciding exhibitions at: debicornwall.com

I hope to see you, next year, at the 9th Annual Filter Photo Festival, which will be held again at the Millennium Knickerbocker. The dates are: September 21–24, 2017. You can learn more about the event at: filterfestival.com

Jason Bax - Filter Photo Festival

Jason Bax image
I spent Sunday reviewing photographic portfolios during the final day of the Chicago Filter Photo Festival. This was my second year as a Festival Reviewer. At last year’s event, I was introduced--and inspired by--the work of Chris Raecker, currently on exhibit in Gallery 180.

This year, the festival reviews took place at the Central Loop Hotel on Adams Street. Just as last year, the participants signed up for twenty-minute face-to-face reviews with the intention of receiving candid critiques of their work. Prior to the event, the reviewers were given the names of the participants they would be critiquing. Like a child at Christmas, I googled each of the names to sneak a glimpse at the work and to read a little about each of the artists I would be meeting. Generally, the work was good… but there were some standouts.

Just before our lunch break, a tall young man with a deep voice approached my table and introduced himself as Jason Bax. He sat down and opened his portfolio. As our conversation began, I saw a little of my younger self emerge. I was reminded of the inquisitive and fearless adventurer I was in my youth.

Through our discussion, I learned that Bax is drawn to far away places… places in the world, where life is lived in a very different way from what we know. His work focuses on the beauty of everyday life… faces, environments and textures of a culture. His images represent the soul of Nepal.

Jason Bax image

You can see more work by Jason Bax on his web site: Jasonbaxphotography.com
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Chris Raecker - Artist Talk at Gallery 180

Erin Hoyt Image
The Filter Photo Festival opened this past Wednesday with a reception at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. The current photographer on exhibition - Chris Raecker - stepped up to talk about his body of work titled "A Midnight Carnival". The exhibition continues through November 3rd. Gallery 180 is located at the corner of Lake and Wabash in Chicago's Loop.

Erin Hoyt Image
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The Opening of Filter Photo Festival at Gallery 180

The Filter Photo Festival opens tomorrow with an evening reception at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. The exhibition—presenting the photography of Chris Raecker and the sculpture of Audry Cramblit—opened on September 5th and continues through November 3rd. This second reception is scheduled for tomorrow… Wednesday, October 12 from 5-6:30. Gallery 180 is located at 180 N. Wabash in Chicago’s Loop.

Image: Chris Raecker, Time to Go

A little back ground about The Filter Photo Festival... from the web site:

Filter is an organization dedicated to producing the Midwest’s premier photography event, the annual Filter Photo Festival. The Festival’s ongoing mission is to connect emerging, mid-level, and professional photographers from across the country with gallerists, educators, curators, editors, and other elite photo professionals, focusing particularly on those of the Midwest.
Filter’s goal is to not only facilitate a dialogue between members of the burgeoning Midwestern photo community, but also to extend this dialogue beyond to the north, south, and both coasts.

The 2011 Festival will take place from October 12th-16th during Chicago Artists Month, and programming will encompass a variety of events, including workshops, lectures, tours, panel discussions, networking events, and of course the portfolio reviews that remain at the heart of the Festival. The majority of our events will take place in Chicago’s downtown Loop, a vital metropolitan area famous for its world-class cultural institutions.

We are proud to be offering private tours of both the Museum of Contemporary Photography and the Art Institute of Chicago’s respective collections, and to be working with Columbia College and the Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago to co-host some of our events.
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Where Chicago Magazine

Both of the artists currently exhibiting in Gallery 180, Audry Cramblit and Chris Raecker, have received some wonderful press for their photography and sculpture show which opened September 5th.

A few days ago, I received this wonderful digital tear sheet for a piece that "Where" Chicago published in their September issue. Above is an image of the page... following is the written content.

Dark Riders
For most of us, carnivals conjure up a rainbow of happy childhood memories, from sticky-sweet cones of pink and blue cotton candy to that first thrilling coaster ride. Photographer Chris Raecker sees something darker, as evidenced in his new exhibition A Midnight Carnival. In his striking, stark images of the annual National Cattle Congress fair in his hometown of Waterloo, Ia.—created by using day-for-night lenses and selective blurring techniques—the midway takes on a sinister air, as Ferris wheels and kiddie rides spin under surreally darkened skies. Trust us—you’ll never look at a Tilt-a-Whirl the same way again.

The Raecker / Cramblit exhibition continues through November 3rd with a second reception on Wednesday, October 12 from 5:30-7:30. The special reception—during Chicago Artists Month—will also kick off the Chicago Filter Photo Festival. Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago is located at 180 N. Wabash in Chicago's Loop. The gallery is open to the public and all work exhibited is available for purchase.

Filter Photo Festival

What a wonderful idea...

With a mission to bring fine art, commercial and documentary photographers together with some of the Midwest's top gallerists, photo editors, educators, and curators, Chicago's Filter Photo Festival will take place this October 6-10th at the Chicago Photography Center. Included in this year's event are workshops, exhibitions and lectures with world-renowned photographers. Also included is a portfolio review segment where photographers have an opportunity to meet face-to-face with educators, photo editors and curators, for feedback. The reviews are scheduled to be held on Saturday, October 9th and Sunday, October 10th from 9 am – 5 pm. Participants can sign up for either 4 or 8, twenty minute reviews to receive candid advice about their work, as well as tips for getting photographs published and exhibited.

On Sunday, October 10th, I will be participating as a reviewer.

The Filter Photo Festival will be held at The Chicago Photography Center, located at 3301 North Lincoln Avenue. Find more information on this event at chicagophoto.org
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