"I Photographed January 6. Trump’s Pardons Can’t Erase What I Saw." --Gallery Photographer Nate Gowdy

Via Columbia Journalism Review

February 4, 2025

Reflections from an independent photojournalist.

5:07:45 PM, January 6, 2021, US Capitol, Washington, DC

America loves to rebrand its sins as myth. In four years, MAGA loyalists have recast the January 6 insurrection as resurrection. (All photos by Nate Gowdy)

February 4, 2025

By Nate Gowdy

"This is why I document: America loves to rebrand its sins as myth. In four years, MAGA loyalists have rewritten January 6 from every angle. Rioters have been framed as leftists in disguise, police as “crisis actors,” the attack an FBI setup—or, more outrageously, citizens on a “normal tourist visit.” By 2025, revisionism is big business. Conservative media churns out books, podcasts, and stump speeches recasting insurrection as resurrection. But my images tell another story: they depict a nation in fracture, where well-meaning neighbors and dutiful relatives cling to their “Big Lie” with an unwavering sincerity that doesn’t just reject facts—it inoculates against them, leaving everyone vulnerable to propaganda and less capable of critical thought." 

Full article here:  I Photographed January 6. Trump’s Pardons Can’t Erase What I Saw. - Columbia Journalism Review

Artists behind Montgomery MAGA Bloody Sunday billboard: Removal a ‘clear act of censorship’

 

Via ARTnews

"We are dismayed but not surprised by the removal of this artwork,” Gottesman said in a statement to ARTnews. “This clear act of censorship underscores the urgency of For Freedoms’ mission to promote free speech and creative expression. One of our missions is to be visionary, not reactionary. This work was created nine years ago, in collaboration with artist Spider Martin, and juxtaposes his historic image with a political slogan that we hope will spark conversation, reflection and deeper thinking.

“We can disagree and dislike what others say but still support their rights to express it,” Gottesman continued. “Part of what makes America great is the freedom to express ourselves, we see this censorship as antithetical to this core freedom and to our mission as an organization.”

The billboard featured a Spider Martin photograph of state troopers staring down Black protestors during a legendary 1965 demonstration in Selma known as Bloody Sunday, during which police officers violently confronted those in attendance. Over that picture, For Freedoms placed text reading MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, a reference to a slogan associated with President Donald Trump."

Via AL.com Alabama

Artists behind Montgomery MAGA Bloody Sunday billboard: Removal a ‘clear act of censorship’

Grieve The Loss Of Local Newspapers During Photojournalism Exhibition At Milwaukee Art Museum

 

Via Forbes

January 30, 2025

Grieve The Loss Of Local Newspapers During Photojournalism Exhibition At Milwaukee Art Museum

"Between 2005 and 2023, more than 2,200 weekly newspapers have shuttered, dropping from nearly 9,000 to roughly 6,000 according to research conducted at Northwestern University. Imagine if the same statistic held true for hospitals. Newspapers care for the health of American democracy as surely as hospitals do its physical health....

Worse still, at the same time, 43,000 newspaper journalist jobs have been eliminated, nearly two-thirds! Imagine any other industry critical to American society, the American way of life, and American democracy losing two thirds of its workers in less than 20 years. There’d be congressional hearings. The president would address the nation with a bold plan to reverse the trend...

Why are politicians and the public not crying over these job losses? Because journalists–the good ones–hold the powerful to account. Politicians, corporations, the wealthy. The powerful benefit when newspapers close or reduce coverage. Citizens lose....

An exhibition on view through March 16, 2025, at the Milwaukee Art Museum demonstrates how photographers have understood and wielded the power of images to convey events. Through more than 100 objects, “True Story: Photography, Journalism, and Media,” offers a window into a bygone past of robust, objective, professional news coverage in America focused on the picture makers...

Photographs previously offered incontrovertible proof of what journalists were telling their readers. Thanks to technology, the public can no longer believe its eyes.

Filling the void left by the evisceration of newspapers has been partisan cable news commentators shrieking talking points 24/7/365, masquerading opinion as news, perspective as information, and, increasingly, social media."

True Story: Photography, Journalism, and Media at the Milwaukee Art Museum

Join the Rijksmuseum and the John Adams Institute for a special event featuring Nina Berman whose work is on view in the major exhibition on American photography.

 Via The John Adams Institute

American Photographers in conversation. In collaboration with the Rijksmuseum

Feb 09, 2025, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm,   Rijksmuseum (Auditorium), Museumstraat 1, Amsterdam

Tickets for the public event are sold out. You can still purchase tickets for the livestream via the buy tickets link here.

Join the Rijksmuseum and the John Adams Institute in welcoming photographers from the United States whose work is on view in the major exhibition on American photography. Their collective works invite us to investigate what America is, not only in the present, but also what it has been in pivotal moments since the invention of photography itself. Captured through their lenses, events, individuals and movements of national importance are brought into focus.

Following an introduction to the exhibition by curator Hans Rooseboom, photographers Bryan Schutmaat, Sarah Sense and Nina Berman will tell us more about their work. They will explore diverse aspects of the United States in conversation with the audience and moderator Clarice Gargard (Lilith Agency).

Program information

About Bryan Schutmaat: Based in Austin, Texas, Schutmaat’s work has been widely published and exhibited. His meditations on people and place picture a wide variety of contemporary issues, from poverty to climate change. He has won numerous awards, including a Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship and the Aperture Portfolio Prize, and his work has appeared in the Atlantic, New Yorker, and National Geographic, among other publications.

About Sarah Sense: Born in Sacramento, California, Sense practices what she calls photo-weaving, combining traditional Chitimacha ad Choctaw art and craft techniques with photography. Her works investigate landscapes from a Native American perspective, focusing on the colonial impacts on the climate. She is a graduate of Parsons the New School for Design, and her work has been exhibited in major galleries and museums around the world.

About Nina Berman: Nina Berman is a documentary photographer, filmmaker, journalist and educator. Her work explores American politics, militarism, environmental issues and post violence trauma.

Read, Watch, Listen: Looking for background information in advance of the event? Read Zachary Karabashliev – 18% Gray. Using trauma as an impetus to change his life, Zack sets off for New York with a vintage Nikon. Through the lens of the old camera, he starts rediscovering himself by photographing an America we rarely see. Watch Don’t Blink by photographer Robert Frank. A documentary about the groundbreaking photographer of The Americans. Listen to Simon & Garfunkel’s America. Their 1968 anthem is steeped in national mythology and has been interpreted as both exaltation and elegy.

More about the exhibition

In more than 200 works, the Rijksmuseum has gathered a major retrospective of American photography. The medium has left an indelible mark on human history, revolutionizing the way we look at the world, be it through art, news, advertising, our everyday lives, and the digital versions thereof we fashion on social media platforms like Instagram.

Live stream tickets here

Rijksmuseum moves you to The American Dream. To the real American. To unexpected recognition. The Rijksmuseum is staging the Netherlands’ first major survey exhibition of American photography.

Free screening of the acclaimed documentary "The Loving Story" February 15

 

Monroe Gallery of Photography is pleased to present a free screening of the acclaimed documentary film "The Loving Story", a simple, profound love story between one man and one woman who in and of themselves were unlikely crusaders in the fight for equity.

Saturday, February 15. Film begins promptly at 4:30. Seating is limited, RSVP essential.

In conjunction with the new exhibition "Loving", on view through April 12, 2025

Kéyah: installation by Diné artist Eugene Tapahe

 Via BYU Museum of Art

January 23, 2024

Kéyah
Our Home by Eugene Tapahe
January 24 - April 26, 2025

The land where I was raised embodies the Navajo concept of hózhó, representing harmony, beauty, and balance. --Eugene Tapahe

People, places, and eras come together in balance in this reverently spectacular installation by Diné artist Eugene Tapahe. As you traverse Kéyah, we invite you to ponder the diversity of the sands we walk upon and the unity, holiness, and healing humanity so desperately needs.  Viewers will be able to explore their relationship to the land and ruminate on how to create hózho, a Diné concept that focuses on harmonious connections of balance and beauty. 

Featured Artwork:

Eugene Tapahe, Kéyah, 2025.

Mixed Media Installation

30 x 72 x 336 inches

Courtesy of the Artist

Selections from Eugene Tapahe's “Art Heals: The Jingle Dress Project” will be displayed by Monroe Gallery during The Photography Show presented by AIPAD at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City from April 23 to 27, 2025.

David Butow Joins Projections Panel On Photographing The LA Fires

Via Projections

January 20, 2025

 

LA Fires

Mark your calendar for Wednesday and Thursday this week, January 22nd and 23rd.

With the incredible devastation going on in LA we dedicate these two evenings to our friends, family, firemen and all the folks who are volunteering to help in saving lives and starting the rebuild.

We will have highly acclaimed, award winning photographers: Mark Edward Harris, David Butow, Sean Scheidt, Ethan Swope, presenting. We have other photographers who are committed in spirit to present – to be announced.

The lineup of presenters will fluctuate as scheduling demands will dictate.

Their courage to capture these images is absolutely unbelievable.

This will to be an unforgettable night.

 

We present at 7:00 EST via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/6692503751

More here

Using this link here you can help or donate in a variety ways: https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/08/us/help-los-angeles-residents-during-unprecedented-wildfires/index.html

More of David Butow's coverage of the LA fires here and here.

The Images That Led to This Inauguration Features David Butow

 Via Columbia Journalism Review

January 20, 2025

Photojournalists on how the stories they captured reflect the American political story.

"I asked Butow about the significance of a Time cover in the broad media landscape we exist in now. “The influence of podcasters, social media influencers, people doing their own shows—I think that has really diminished the impact of legacy journalism,” he replied. “But in some ways it was a full-circle moment for me, because this is the kind of thing that got me interested in photojournalism when I was in high school.”' --full article here

David Butow's fine art prints here.

David Butow Photographs Aftermath Of Eaton Fire For CNN

 January 17, 2025

Via CNN

After the Eaton Fire, these Altadena residents return — with despair and hope — to homes in ruins

Photographs by David Butow

A neighborhood in Altadena is destroyed by the Eaton Fire. David Butow/Redux for CNN

Firefighters hose down the smoldering wreckage of a home in Altadena. Emergency crews have been surveying each home for damage and searching for any human remains. David Butow/Redux

Full article here.

Monroe Gallery Photographs In Feature On Martin Luther King Day Celebrations Across New Mexico

 Via Pasatiempo

January 17, 2025

Come together: MLK celebrations across New Mexico

Martin Luther King Jr at a rally in Detroit, 1963 Photo by Francis Miller Courtesy ©LIFE Picture Collection/Monroe Gallery of Photography

©Grey Villet: Martin Luther King at Police Headquarters, as he argued to reject bail and serve his sentence for disturbing the peace in Montgomery, Alabama, 1958  Courtesy of Monroe Gallery of Photography

As we enter a new era in American history on Monday, we would be wise to remember the following two sentences that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke in the auditorium of the University of Oslo, Norway, upon receiving his Nobel Peace Prize on December 10, 1964:

“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”

The New Mexico Martin Luther King Jr. State Commission and other related or affiliated organizations invite everyone to come together this weekend to reflect and celebrate Rev. King’s legacy of nonviolent protest and resistance, of love and unity, and to help further build on Rev. King’s dream of a “Beloved Community.” Full article here.

©Steve Schapiro: Martin Luther King, Selma March, Alabama, 1965 Courtesy of Monroe Gallery of Photography

©Grey Villet: Martin Luther King, Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, 1955 Courtesy of Monroe Gallery of Photography

details

Statewide MLK events, coordinated by the New Mexico MLK State Commission

Various times, Friday, January 17, through Monday, January 20

Albuquerque, Clovis, Santa Fe, Grants, Las Cruces, Farmington, Rio Rancho, Hobbs

Many events are free while some are ticketed and require registration

nmmlksc.org

Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio acquires two large-format prints by photographer Eugene Tapahe from his series "Art Heals: The Jingle Dress Project"

 

Santa Fe, NM - Monroe Gallery of Photography is pleased to announce that the Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio has recently acquired two large-format prints by photographer Eugene Tapahe from his series "Art Heals: The Jingle Dress Project." The prints are titled, “Solidarity, Sisterhood,” Monument Valley, Arizona, Diné, 2020, and “Four Worlds,” Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, Cayuse, Umatilla, Newe Sogobia, and Tséstho'e, 2020. 

"Solidarity, Sisterhood,” Monument Valley, Arizona, Diné, 2020

"Four Worlds,” Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, Cayuse, Umatilla, Newe Sogobia, and Tséstho'e, 2020

Eugene Tapahe is a Diné (Navajo) contemporary artist and fine art photographer from Window Rock, Arizona, currently living in Provo, Utah. From an early age, Tapahe learned the significance of respecting, preserving, and protecting what is sacred—the land, water, and nature. He combines his passion for nature and culture with his educational background in graphic design, journalism, fine arts, and landscape and portrait photography to create stunning imagery. Tapahe fell in love with photography the moment he picked up a camera and discovered his unique talent for storytelling through his art. He has a deep desire to continue photographing the lands his ancestors once walked.

“Art Heals: The Jingle Dress Project” originated from Tapahe's dream during the COVID-19 pandemic, inspiring him to unite the land and people through the Ojibwe jingle dress dance in these uncertain times of sickness and social differences. Since then, Tapahe has traveled over 25,000 miles, documenting family members dancing the healing jingle dress dance in National Parks and Monuments, honoring the places where their ancestors once lived. This project has healed Tapahe’s family and ancestors and received national and international recognition for its unifying effect on other communities.

This month, “Kéyah: Our Home” by Eugene Tapahe will be exhibited at the BYU Museum of Art from January 24 to April 26, 2025. In the spring, selections from “Art Heals: The Jingle Dress Project” will be displayed by Monroe Gallery during The Photography Show presented by AIPAD at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City from April 23 to 27, 2025.

The Toledo Museum of Art was established in 1901 to share the transformative power of art with the community. Its 37-acre campus houses more than 30,000 artworks in architecturally significant buildings. Over the past several years, the museum has been working to expand its collection of Native American works of art, both historical and contemporary.

Monroe Gallery of Photography specializes in photography at the singular intersectionality of art and journalism.

David Butow Covers Devastating Palisades Fire in California

 

Via Time: See Photos of Devastating Palisades Fire in California 

January 8, 2025

David Butow: Firefighters work during the Palisades fire on Jan. 7, 2025

Via David Butow on Instagram

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Butow (@davidbutow)

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A post shared by David Butow (@davidbutow)

Virtual Project: James Earl Carter 1924 - 2024

 

Virtual Project Exhibition

James Earl Carter Jr. (1924 - 2024) was the 39th president of the United States, serving from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, Carter served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975 and in the Georgia State Senate from 1963 to 1967. He was awarded the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for work to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development. After lying in State in Washington, DC, Carter's remains will return to Georgia on January 9, 2025 for a private service at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, where Carter taught Sunday School well into his 90s, before he's buried at the family home next to his wife, Rosalynn Carter. View the on-line exhibit here.

Ken Hawkins: Carter Wins!, 1977

WITNESS: Nate Gowdy’s Lens on January 6, 2021

 Via Spectrum Fine Art

WITNESS: Nate Gowdy’s Lens on January 6th, 2021

 

On January 20, 2017, Nate Gowdy stood at the U.S. Capitol, camera in hand, as Donald J. Trump—with right hand raised and left atop the Lincoln Bible—took the oath of office, vowing to end “American carnage.” It was an ominous prelude to a presidency that would redefine American political expression.

 Four years later, on January 6, 2021, Gowdy returned to Washington, DC, prepared to document Trump’s “Save America” rally at the Ellipse. Instead, he witnessed surreal scenes unfold: militants marching, kneeling in prayer, posing for group photos, breaking for hotdogs, rampaging against the Capitol’s sworn protectors, and leading thousands to defile the Inauguration Day stage.

 This fine art exhibition, WITNESS: Nate Gowdy’s Lens on January 6th, 2021, examines that day as a theater of chaos and conviction. Gowdy's stark, unflinching images depict the U.S. Capitol, one of democracy’s most sacred symbols, as it becomes a haunting set piece in a dystopian tableau of domestic terror—an inside job.

 Twice assaulted for being deemed "fake news," Gowdy persisted in exposing the truth. Shot on assignment for Rolling Stone, his images transcend traditional photojournalism, revealing the kinetic energy and raw emotions of insurrection: vulnerability, rage, fear, and euphoria. These are not just photographs of an event but intimate portraits of the humanity—and inhumanity—that defined it.

 Through this collection, Gowdy challenges viewers to confront the complexities of identity, power, and the fragility of democratic ideals. WITNESS invites us to reflect on the contradictions of that day, presenting the Capitol not only as a battleground but as a mirror to the nation itself. What do these images reveal about us—and what do they demand we reckon with?

In association with Monroe Gallery of Photography

Artist Reception 

Thursday January 16 // 6 - 9 p.m.

The artist will be in attendance.

1411 34th Avenue

Seattle, WA 98122

206.420.5495

Pilgrimage: Good Friday in Northern New Mexico - Workshop With Gabriela Campos

 Via Santa Fe Workshops

Of the many beautiful and complex traditions in Northern New Mexico, one of the most unique is the annual Pilgrimage to Chimayo on Good Friday. Pilgrims travel on foot—some for hundreds of miles—from Santa Fe and other starting points to El Santuario de Chimayo, a small adobe chapel nestled in the Santa Cruz Valley. The road to El Santuario is filled with decisive moments: individuals are seen silhouetted against the sky, some with crosses on their backs; families walk together; the young and the old alike complete the journey. Upon their arrival, the travelers offer prayers and ask to receive the healing powers of the site. A tradition that is said to have spanned nearly 200 years, this is one of the largest pilgrimages in all of North America.

This April, join photojournalist and native New Mexican Gabriela Campos for this truly one-of-a-kind opportunity to document the Good Friday traditions and Pilgrimage to Chimayo. With her years of experience covering this cultural touchstone, Gabriela guides you to understand and visualize the essence of these traditions. You witness and photograph the events of the weekend up close and learn best practices for approaching subjects with respect. Gabriela also shares insights from her fieldwork and covers documentary storytelling techniques such as environmental portraiture, improvising and adapting to new photographic situations, and understanding cultural perspectives.

We begin this three-day workshop by visiting El Santuario de Chimayo, where we witness the devotions of thousands who make the trip annually. The processions begin around noon and provide ample opportunities for photographing subjects, cultural and religious details, and the beauty of the landscape and architecture surrounding the chapel.

Holy Week in New Mexico is famous not only for its pilgrimage but also for its car and Lowrider culture. Every year, artists, engineers, and car enthusiasts gather in Española for their own annual celebration, including a car show and Lowrider hopping competition. Participants experience this visually rich event firsthand and have the chance to meet Lowrider artists and create meaningful portraits and photographs during the festivities.

We balance our time in the field with conversation and an image review on the Santa Fe Workshops campus. Participants receive feedback from Gabriela and their peers and discuss editing their images to form a comprehensive narrative.

Running from Thursday morning through Saturday afternoon, this workshop offers a rare opportunity to immerse yourself in a rich cultural experience and create memorable and unparalleled imagery. Join Gabriela and Santa Fe Workshops for this special program to expand your photographic skills and deepen your understanding of this unique part of the world.

To register for this in-person spring course, click here.

About Gabriela Campos

Gabriela Campos was born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Always the observer, she picked up her father’s old Pentax camera her senior year of high school and has never stopped shooting. Gabriela’s camera became a tool to explore the culture, community, and traditions she grew up amongst.

Her work ranges from daily news coverage as a staff photojournalist for the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper, to more in-depth storytelling with her imagery documenting the people, towns, and traditions of the Southwest. Gabriela’s photos have been shown nationally and belong in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Museum of American History, the New Mexico History Museum, and the Spencer Museum of Art. Her work has been published in The Guardian, The New York Times, High Country News, and numerous local and national publications. Gabriela’s photos are now shown amongst the work of some of the most influential photojournalists of the 20th and 21st centuries at the Monroe Gallery of Photography in Santa Fe.