Guggenheim Foundation Announces 100th Class of Fellows: 198 Trailblazing Artists and Scholars Across 53 Fields; including Nina Berman for Photography

 Via The Guggenheim Foundation

April 15, 2025

The Guggenheim Foundation’s 100th Class of Fellows Taps 198 Trailblazing Artists and Scholars Across 53 Fields; including Nina Berman for Photography, Columbia University in the City of New York, New York, NY. Berman's Fellowship will allow her to continue her important series "Acknowledgment of Danger ", examining the toxic legacy and continued environmental impact of US military activities on the American landscape from native lands to national forests, from major rivers to the skies above. 

(New York, NY--April 15, 2025) -- The Board of Trustees of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation announced today their appointment of the 100th class of Guggenheim Fellows, including 198 distinguished individuals working across 53 disciplines. Chosen through a rigorous application and peer review process from a pool of nearly 3,500 applicants, the Class of 2025 Guggenheim Fellows was tapped based on both prior career achievement and exceptional promise. As established in 1925 by founder Senator Simon Guggenheim, each Fellow receives a monetary stipend to pursue independent work at the highest level under “the freest possible conditions.”

The 100th class of Fellows is part of the Guggenheim Foundation’s yearlong celebration marking a century of transformative impact on American intellectual and cultural life. In addition to appointing its newest class, the Foundation also launches a refreshed brand identity and website this month and will present a special exhibit later this year in collaboration with The New York Historical, highlighting rarely-seen treasures from its vast archive.

“At a time when intellectual life is under attack, the Guggenheim Fellowship celebrates a century of support for the lives and work of visionary scientists, scholars, writers, and artists,” said Edward Hirsch, award-winning poet and President of the Guggenheim Foundation. “We believe that these creative thinkers can take on the challenges we all face today and guide our society towards a better and more hopeful future.”

In all, 53 scholarly disciplines and artistic fields, 83 academic institutions, 32 US states and the District of Columbia, and two Canadian provinces are represented in the 2025 class, who range in age from 32 to 79. More than a third of the 100th class of Fellows do not hold a full-time affiliation with a college or university. Many Fellows’ projects directly respond to timely themes and issues such as climate change, Indigenous studies, identity, democracy and politics, incarceration, and the evolving purpose of community. Since its founding in 1925, the Guggenheim Foundation has awarded over $400 million in fellowships to more than 19,000 Fellows.

A selection of Nina Berman's work will be included in our presentation at the 2025 Photography Show Presented by AIPAD at the Park Avenue Armory, April 23-27, 2025

Monroe Gallery Announces Representation of Tracy Barbutes Instantly Iconic Photograph of Upside Down Flag Protest At Yosemite National Park

 April 10, 2025

Monroe Gallery Announces Representation of Tracy Barbutes Instantly Iconic Photograph of Upside Down Flag Protest At Yosemite National Park

©Tracy Barbutes

An upside-down American flag hangs from El Capitan near Yosemite National Park’s Horsetail Falls to protest the thousands of federal job cuts made by President Donald Trump’s administration, February 22, 2025

On February 22, 2025 – almost exactly 80 years to the day after Joe Rosenthal’s Iwo Jima Photograph - Tracy Barbutes photographed an inverted American flag — historically used as a sign of distress — off the side of El Capitan, a towering rock formation in Yosemite National Park, hung to protest the Trump administration’s cuts to the National Park Service. Hundreds of visitors had gathered to photograph an annual phenomenon in the park known as firefall, when the setting sun causes a seasonal waterfall on El Capitan to glow orange. One spectator commented: “I feel like our national parks are national treasures, and they need to be protected, as does our democracy. It was a call to action and a call for hope.”

"Heading to Yosemite that Saturday, I had been told there might be some form of protest at El Capitan (Tu-tok-ah-nu-lah), the park’s iconic 3,000-foot granite monolith.

 There were unconfirmed reports that at least one recently-fired park employee would rappel with an American flag to protest his firing, as well as to protest the thousands of federal jobs lost due to the Trump administration/Elon Musk DOGE cuts. 

 The event would likely happen near Horsetail Fall, during “firefall” – a natural phenomenon that draws thousands of spectators each February. 

 I stood under El Cap, something I’ve done hundreds of times, and as I documented the unfurling of that upside down American flag, an act signaling distress, I couldn’t help but think of the paradox of the overall situation as we were gathered on colonized Indigenous land. 

 There wasn’t an immediate or overwhelming reaction from the crowd, though there was no missing the event. While intent on capturing a series of images, I was mindful that I was documenting a bold, courageous, historic act.

 It wasn’t until later that night and the next morning as the image went viral that I began to understand what those actions, and the image, meant. Did Nate Vance, the fired park employee behind the flag protest, and his cohorts, shake people out of a collective stupor and spark a movement of resistance." --  Tracy Barbutes

Barbutes is a photojournalist, writer, and wildfire photographer based near Yosemite.

This photograph will be on exhibit in the Monroe Gallery booth C8 at The Photography Show presented by the Association of International Photography Art Dealers (AIPAD)

Bing Guan Photograph Headlines NY Times Article "Columbia Campus Occupation Could Have Ended Without Police, Report Says"

 Via The New York Times

April 2, 2025

Guan's photograph was originally published in the NY Times May 1, 2024 edition.

Bing Guan

New York Police officers in riot gear enter Hamilton Hall at Columbia University, New York, May 1, 2024

Columbia University’s move to use police force to clear demonstrators from a campus building last spring could potentially have been avoided, as some students were urgently asking if they could leave voluntarily, according to a report released Tuesday by the university’s senate. --full article

Monroe Gallery will exhibit this photograph and other examples of Guan’s work at the 2025 Photography Show presented by AIPAD in booth #C8, April 23 – 27 at The Park Avenue Armory in New York City.

Ryan Vizzions Photographer Inspired by Atlanta’s Legacy and Activism

 Via Discover Atlanta

March 28, 2025

 

 Ryan Vizzions describes Atlanta as a uniquely diverse melting pot shaped by its history. He credits Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the city’s role as a hub for African Americans during segregation as foundational to its identity. This legacy, he says, makes Atlanta exceptional not only in the South but across the entire country as well.

Photography as a Purposeful Journey

Ryan captured this photo during the procession of civil rights activist John Lewis. 

(Photo by Ryan Vizzions)

Vizzions’ photography began as a personal outlet but evolved into a passion for storytelling. Over the years, he embraced various forms, from photojournalism to architectural and street photography. He views his work as a medium for raising awareness and documenting social movements.

Standing Rock and Activism

This photo from Standing Rock is one of the most influential in Ryan’s career.

(Photo by Ryan Vizzions)

One of the defining moments in Vizzions’ career was his documentation of the Standing Rock protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Inspired by a haunting resemblance to the Civil Rights era, he felt compelled to witness the movement firsthand. What began as a spontaneous trip turned into a six-month immersion, during which he lived at the camp and captured some of the most recognized images of the movement.

Honoring Atlanta’s Modern-Day Leaders

This is one of Ryan’s final images for Colors of Atlanta.

(Photo by Ryan Vizzions)

Vizzions chose to highlight contemporary changemakers for his Atlanta-focused project for “Colors of Atlanta.” He selected civil rights attorney and activist Gerald Griggs, president of the Georgia NAACP. Vizzions first met Griggs during the Black Lives Matter protests in Atlanta and later during the Ahmaud Arbery murder trial. Impressed by Griggs’ relentless advocacy in the courtroom and on the ground, Vizzions wanted to create a powerful portrait that Griggs and his family could be proud of.

Auburn Avenue: Connecting Past, Present and Future

Vizzions selected Auburn Avenue, a historic street in Atlanta, as the backdrop for his photograph. Known as Black Wall Street, Auburn Avenue holds deep cultural significance. It was home to jazz legends at the Royal Peacock and the pulpit of Dr. King at Ebenezer Baptist Church. Vizzions sought to intertwine Atlanta’s rich past with its present and future.

Stepping Beyond Photojournalism

Ryan captured the image in Auburn Avenue. (Photo by Andrew Clark)

Although Vizzions’ background is rooted in documentary and photojournalism, this project pushed him into the editorial realm. Initially nervous, he quickly found his rhythm, collaborating with Griggs to create powerful, meaningful images. He expressed pride in the final result, seeing the work as a collective achievement.

Atlanta’s Influence on his Art

Vizzions draws continuous inspiration from Atlanta. For him, photographing Atlanta is more than capturing its skyline; it’s about preserving the spirit of its people, honoring its leaders and ensuring that its legacy endures.

Learn more about other talented photographers featured on “Colors of Atlanta” and watch the TV series.

Introducing the 2025 World Press Photo Contest winners

 Via World Press Photo

March 27, 2025

 

Reflections from the ​​2025 Contest global jury (With Nina Berman)

 Chosen from nearly 60,000 entries by 3,778 photographers from 141 countries, the award-winning images are those of struggle and defiance, but also of human connection and courage – visually stunning work that draws you deeper into stories behind the news. This enriching selection of the world’s best photojournalism and documentary photography was chosen by an independent international jury based on their visual quality, storytelling approach, and commitment to diverse representation.

"My hope is that tomorrow’s lawyers, reporters, and policymakers will be affected and moved by these images, and that perhaps they will strike a chord in some of today’s 11-year-olds, who, having forged the beginning of a relationship with them, will continue their life journey knowing that pictures, and the stories they tell, matter.

We made our choices with an eye on the final mix: as much as a World Press Photo Contest award is an immense recognition for photographers, often working under difficult circumstances, it is also a recap of the world’s major events. Yet, what we have here is just a partial overview. Not all the events that were topical in 2024 were covered by the photos submitted, but the jury selected images, I believe, fully aware of their power, and of the legitimacy that the award would lend them." – Lucy Conticello, director of Photography, Le Monde, and 2025 Contest global jury chair

Full collection of awarded photos and stories here.

Monroe Gallery of Photography Announces Representation of Ron Haviv

March 24, 2025

Ron Haviv

Young displaced girls from Darfur, Sudan leave a camp to gather firewood for their families. The US government declared the war in Darfur a genocide. Darfur, Sudan 2005

Santa Fe, NM - Monroe Gallery of Photography is honored to announce exclusive representation of acclaimed photographer Ron Haviv for fine art print sales.

Ron Haviv is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker and an award-winning photojournalist. He co-founded VII Photo Agency and The VII Foundation, where he currently serves as a director. He is dedicated to documenting conflict and raising awareness about human rights issues around the globe. 

Haviv has produced an unflinching record of the injustices of war covering over 25 conflicts, and his photography has had singular impact. His work in the Balkans, which spanned over a decade of conflict, was used as evidence to indict and convict war criminals at the international tribunal in The Hague. President George H.W Bush cited Haviv’s chilling photographs documenting paramilitary violence in Panama as one of the reasons for the 1989 American intervention. His work is in the collections of numerous museums and he has produced five monographs. He also has provided expert analysis and commentary on current events for the media including opinion pieces for the Washington Post and The New York Times and spoken at TEDx along with numerous other lectures at Universities and conferences.

Monroe Gallery will exhibit several examples of Ron Haviv’s work at the 2025 Photography Show presented by AIPAD in booth #C8, April 23 – 27 at The Park Avenue Armory in New York City.

Monroe Gallery of Photography was founded by Sidney S. Monroe and Michelle A. Monroe in 2001. The gallery specializes in photography that embodies the universal understanding and importance of photojournalism. Monroe Gallery was the recipient of the 2010 Alfred Eisenstaedt Award for Excellence in Photojournalism.

 

NY Times: How Eric Adams Lost New York Features Photographs by Ashley Gilbertson

 Via The New York Times

March 8, 2025

By Matt Flegenheimer and Dana Rubinstein

Photographs by Ashley Gilbertson

He promised law and order. Instead, his scandal-ridden mayoralty became a symbol — and engine — of the city’s chaos. --full article here

At a Black History Month celebration at Gracie Mansion, Adams said some people were disposable matches and others were flames worth protecting. Photograph by Ashley Gilbertson/NY Times

Winona LaDuke: DAPL Pipeline Lawsuit Against Greenpeace Aims to Silence Indigenous Protests, Too

 

Via Democracy Now!

As the oil company Energy Transfer sues Greenpeace over the 2016 Standing Rock protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline, we speak with Indigenous activist Winona LaDuke, who took part in that historic uprising. LaDuke is an enrolled member of the Mississippi Band of Anishinaabe who lives and works on the White Earth Nation Reservation and was among the thousands of people who joined the protests in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to protect water and Indigenous lands in North Dakota. She highlights the close links between North Dakota’s government and Energy Transfer and says that while the lawsuit targets Greenpeace, Indigenous water and land defenders are also on trial. “North Dakota has really been trying to squash any kind of resistance,” says LaDuke. “If they can try to shut down Greenpeace, they’re going to shut down everybody.”

Media petition North Dakota Supreme Court for expanded access to Greenpeace trial

A Tough Start for Greenpeace in Court Fight With Pipeline Giant

A new show at the Rijksmuseum tries to make sense of the US with ‘American Photography’; includes Nina Berman's "Marine Wedding"

 

March 1, 2025

Via The Financial Times

"Nina Berman’s “Marine Wedding” chronicles the marriage in 2006 of mutilated Iraq War veteran Tyler Ziegel, a plastic dome replacing his broken skull, and his childhood sweetheart Renee Kline. The bride appears grief-stricken, the couple divorced within a year and Ziegel died at 30 from an overdose.

The first such major survey in a European museum, American Photography, drawn from the Rijksmuseum’s eclectic collection plus well-targeted loans, is timely, launched as Europe struggles to understand Trumpian America. Installed thematically — “Face to Face”, “At Home”, “On the Road”, “Selling Points”, “Death and Disaster” — it records how the camera has eyed the country in reportage, advertisements, protest posters, family and amateur snapshots, photo-booth strips, memorabilia." --Full article here

Photo exhibition "A brief guide to investigating war crimes"

 

Via Stereosis

Photo exhibition "A brief guide to investigating war crimes"

The non-profit journalism organization iMEdD (incubator for Media Education and Development) presents the photo exhibition "A Brief Guide to Investigating War Crimes", curated by award-winning photojournalist and director of the VII Foundation, Ron Haviv and the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN).

The exhibition features photographs from the GIJN Guide for journalists on war crimes investigation, with the participation of VII photographers, offering a compelling visual narrative on conflicts, war crimes and their consequences. Through these images, the exhibition highlights the importance of investigative journalism, human rights research and legal documentation in reporting the truth. 

The exhibition will be hosted at Stereosis, Thessaloniki, from 7 to 20 March 2025. 

The opening will take place on Friday, March 7 at 20:00 and admission will be free. 

In the context of the exhibition, the educational pillar of iMEdD, Ideas Zone, organizes two parallel events:

Drawing on his experience in more than 25 conflicts, including his work in the Balkans used to convict war criminals in The Hague, Haviv will share knowledge on war crimes documentation, best practices for ethical reporting, and the role of visual evidence in legal liability. Participants will gain practical skills and a deeper understanding of the responsibility involved in recording history through the lens.

Date and time: Saturday 8 March 2025, 11:00-13:00 (Duration: 120')

Lecture by Ron Haviv | "Testimony 1989-2024"

A dynamic retrospective of conflicts from Central America and the Balkans to the Arab Spring and Ukraine. Through short films and personal reflections, Haviv explores the role of the photographer, the consequences of war and the responsibility of being a martyr.

Date & Time: Sunday 9 March 2025, 11:00-13:00 (Duration: 120')

Admission is free. Due to limited seats, the workshop will be on a first-come, first-served basis and the lecture will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

Loving Moments

Via The Albuquerque Journal

February 23, 2024

By Logan Royce Beitmen Journal Staff Writer 

Monroe Gallery of Photography presents Grey Villet’s tender images of the couple who legalized interracial love

Sixty years ago, Life Magazine photographer Grey Villet photographed Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial married couple who had been arrested and convicted under Virginia’s anti-miscegenation laws. The Lovings were eventually vindicated in 1967 by the U.S. Supreme Court in Loving v. Virginia, a landmark civil rights decision that legalized interracial marriage and paved the way for same-sex marriage decades later. 

But in 1965, when Villet photographed them, the Lovings were still weary from their yearslong legal battle and publicity-shy due to threats of lynching. 

Villet’s photographs of the couple, on view at the Monroe Gallery of Photography in Santa Fe through April 13, show them engaged in everyday domestic activities. As the late photographer’s wife, Barbara Villet, wrote in a New York Times essay, these photographs humanized the Lovings and showed that they were “a quintessentially ordinary couple extraordinarily in love with each other.” 

“Emotional content always mattered most to Grey in his work and pursuit of images ‘as real as real could get.’ It’s what gives his take on the Loving family its intimacy and strength,” she wrote. “Unlike many other celebrated photographers, he avoided posing his subjects, refused to manipulate the action and simply waited patiently for telling moments to emerge, in the belief that reality would supply more truth than any imposition of his own ego.” Villet was famous for his spending many days with his subjects and shooting only with available light and a hand-held long lens, which allowed him to disappear into the background. Even the Lovings, who were quiet, private people, felt comfortable enough in his presence to reveal their intimate lives.

In addition to challenging racist ideas, Villet’s photographs of the Lovings challenged notions of gender and class, as well.

In some of his photographs, including one where Mildred is mending Richard’s shirt button and one where Richard is reclining with his head in her lap, Mildred is positioned higher in the frame than her husband, whereas in most art directed photographs and films of that era, women were traditionally positioned lower. Villet’s authentic slice-of-life images subverted the prevailing gender hierarchy. 

His tender images also challenge stereotypes about working-class masculinity. As Barbara Villet wrote in the Times essay, her husband’s portraits of Richard Loving, in particular, revealed “the face of a laborer who, despite the macho exterior, is a sensitive man.” 

Monroe Gallery’s “Loving” gives viewers the opportunity to reflect on this unlikely, history-making couple 60 years after Villet first photographed them.

‘LOVING’ By Grey Villet 

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; through April 13 

WHERE: Monroe Gallery of Photography, 112 Don Gaspar Ave., Santa Fe 

HOW MUCH: Free, monroegallery.com

As watchdogs, journalists deserve protection

 The Santa Fe New Mexican

February 11, 2025

A bill designed to offer greater protection to journalists — however they do their reporting — will get its first hearing Tuesday in the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee.

Sponsored by Rep. Sarah Silva, D-Las Cruces, House Bill 153, or the Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying Act, proposes an update to New Mexico’s current shield law to cover the many ways reporters operate today. House Speaker Javier Martínez and Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth are co-sponsoring the legislation.

A shield law is designed to protect journalists’ sources and communications, important in a world where powerful forces seek to intimidate reporters and stop them from doing their jobs.

The role of journalism — which has been part of The Santa Fe New Mexican’s 175-year legacy — is to be the public’s watchdog, to pay attention to accountability stories on behalf of the public. Shield laws effectively are in the public’s behalf.

Importantly, the legislation expands the definition of what a journalist is, taking into account how reporting takes place today.

A journalist might be a reporter for an established newspaper, a TV or radio station, a podcaster, an online news site, or an independent citizen covering the local school board in small-town New Mexico. These journalists deserve protection, a sentiment approved by the New Mexico Press Association, which voted to support this legislation Monday.

The communications of journalists also deserve to be kept confidential, so Silva’s bill would shield emails, for example, from state snooping. It is a comprehensive piece of legislation, put together after much research and consultation with experts.

Silva’s bill is similar to federal legislation that died in Congress in 2024, the federal PRESS Act. That law was modeled after regulations put in place by the U.S. Department of Justice under former President Joe Biden. Then-President-elect Donald Trump, however, told congressional Republicans to stop the federal PRESS Act. That leaves it to states to offer protections to reporters.

According to attorney Charles K. Purcell, New Mexico has had a law concerning a reporter’s privilege on the books, with an updated statute adopted in 1973. Purcell is an expert on the shield law in New Mexico and worked with Silva on drafting this legislation.

The New Mexico Supreme Court held the current law unconstitutional to the extent it regulated procedures in state court with its own rule of evidence. The current shield law and Silva’s legislation only will apply to proceedings in the legislative and executive branches.

Should there be an impeachment hearing in the House of Representatives, for example, a reporter’s notes naming a source could not become fodder in the proceedings. Similarly, attempts by agencies under the governor’s purview would be stymied if they targeted whistleblowers.

Despite ruling that the shield law does not apply to court proceedings, the New Mexico Supreme Court does have its own press shield rule, adopted in 1982. Journalists’ sources are protected in local and state courts — and Silva is in conversations with the Supreme Court to update that rule.

In a national atmosphere where journalists remain under attack by everyone from the president on down, ensuring reporters can work without fear of reprisal is important.

As Silva pointed out when she announced her legislation: “We see examples at the federal level of government chipping away at journalists’ ability to do their jobs by pursuing the identities of unnamed sources and deterring whistleblowing.

The integrity of unnamed sources is critical to journalists fulfilling their role as watchdogs in our society. I want to ensure New Mexico safeguards the integrity of journalism.”

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

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.

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

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)

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.

New Documentary “Overturned,” with photography by Gallery photographer Ashley Gilbertson and edited by Julie Winokur of Talking Eyes Media

 Via Health Care Un-Covered

December 16, 2024

Watch the New Mini Documentary "Overturned" by Wendell Potter

"Health insurance is the biggest scam in the history of the United States of America."

Read on Substack

HEALTH CARE un-covered published previously, for eight grueling months, Jennifer Braunagel endured debilitating pain from rheumatoid arthritis while her insurance company, Aetna, denied coverage for Actemra, the only medication that offered hope. Her struggles were both emotional and physical – confronting endless roadblocks like prior authorization and step therapy, tactics big health insurers like Aetna, Cigna and UnitedHealth use to cut costs at patients’ expense.



Braunagel’s breakthrough came through a startup called Claimable, which uses AI to streamline and supercharge the appeals process. By leveraging data from similar cases and highlighting violations of insurance guidelines, Claimable crafted an appeal that succeeded where traditional methods failed. Within days Braunagel’s insurer was forced to cover her medicine. The results were life-changing — Braunagel experienced dramatic relief after her first infusion.

This mini documentary, “Overturned,” with photography by Ashley Gilbertson and edited by Julie Winokur of Talking Eyes Media, features Braunagel’s story, her arthritis clinic’s tireless advocacy, and interviews with other patients, who are navigating systemic health care barriers and denials by big health insurers.