Resilience: Stories of Women Inspiring Change Photo Exhibition & 16 Days of Activism at UWI

 Via Express Vibes

November 24, 2023

Title: Finding Freedom in the Water

© Anna Boyiazis

Kijini Primary School students learn to float, swim and perform rescues on Tuesday, October 25, 2016 in the Indian Ocean off of Mnyuni, Zanzibar.

The captivating ‘Resilience – Stories of Women Inspiring Change’ exhibition, presented by The World Press Photo Foundation and the Kingdom of the Netherlands is currently on display at The University of the West Indies (The UWI) St. Augustine Campus.

Echoing a global call for gender equality and justice, the exhibition unveils the successes and struggles of women, girls, and communities worldwide. Amidst persistent inequalities and the widespread prevalence of violence against women, these narratives captured by 17 photographers from 13 nations shed light on sexism, gender-based violence, reproductive rights, and the pursuit of equal opportunities. Each curated story signifies the evolving landscape of gender issues in the 21st century, underlining the deep impact of photojournalism.

Lecturer and Head of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies at The UWI, Dr. Sue Ann Barratt shared her thoughts on the significance of the exhibition, “Images carry multiple complex messages in a moment. It catches our eyes, minds, and hearts as we pass by. These images of RESILIENCE tell multiple stories about women’s lived experiences. And goes beyond the limit of time, space and place. These images, curated by the World Press Association and brought to us through the collaborative efforts of the IGDS, The Alma Jordan Library and our external partner, The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, bring to our attention how women live their lives as resilient, moving resilience from the realm of the abstract to the real of the real in context.”

Aligned with the festival, the ‘Resilience’ exhibition stands as an essential part of the 16 Days of Activism, intertwining with IGDS’ IGNITE ChalkBack UWI event. This event marks the culmination of the semester’s Cat Calls of UWI Project, illuminating street harassment and gender-based violence. Further, a panel discussion – Narratives of Resilience: Women Speak their Truth will also be hosted on Friday 24 November.

To register please visit https://uwi.zoom.us/…/tJIqceGoqT8iHdbTAQHoT8nLhKGY68Z-G9VM

Amidst these events, the Alma Jordan Library will proudly exhibit 36 posters and 5 stories highlighting resilient women across diverse industries throughout the Research Festival.

This collective effort signifies a steadfast commitment to global gender equality, justice, and human rights, in solidarity with the 16 Days of Activism from November 20 to December 10, culminating on Human Rights Day.

Photojournalist Ed Kashi Discusses "City of the Dead" in Cairo

 Via Sada Elbalad English

November 22, 2023

Ed Kashi

Prominent American photojournalist Ed Kashi celebrated the 30th anniversary of his "City of the Dead" project in Cairo. He opened an exhibition in Cairo to celebrate the project, in addition to having a talk about the visual storyteller's journey.

During a round table with Egyptian journalists hosted by the US Embassy in Photobia, Kashi discussed various topics related to his "City of the Dead" project, upcoming projects, especially those linked to current sociopolitical challenges, and the current trends of journalism. (click for full article).

"Great photographs do not need words but this is photojournalism. The whole, structure, the point of it is to uses images and words to communicate, especially when it comes to journalism. In the time moment we're living in; it is so critically important that I contextualize my work so that when you look at this picture as best as I've humanly been able to do you can rely on the facts. You know that this is where it happened this is what's going on the name of that person is correct their age is correct all of the things you know the circumstances around their situation are presented in an accurate way because I still believe in facts can I say it in another order." -- Ed Kashi

Ed Kashi's photographs are included in the current exhibition This Fragile Earth.

New Exhibition: This Fragile Earth Opens Friday, Nov. 24

 

Our Fragile Earth simmered into worrisome new territory this year. Two new companion exhibits feature a wide range of photographs documenting the grandeur of nature and majestic landscapes alongside images illustrating devastation caused by environmental neglect and the effects of a changing climate across our Fragile Earth. Just as photographs illustrating the transformative experiences of nature have been instrumental in promoting the cause of environmental conservation, photographs from recent climate events can raise awareness about global warming, channeling it into hope and into collective action. This exhibit informs in the hope the images motivate awareness and change. 

Opening Reception: Friday, November 24, 2023 from 5-7 pm. Several photographers will be in attendance.



Special Companion Virtual Exhibition Stephen Wilkes: This Fragile Earth Day To Night

Over the last decade, Stephen Wilkes has observed endangered species and habitats around the world, using a photographic technique that captures the passage of time, from day to night, all within a single image.

Zoom talk with Stephen Wilkes, Thursday, November 30 4:30 PM MST. Contact the Gallery for Zoom registration. View Stephen Wilkes This Fragile Earth here.

New Project "The Missiles On Our Land" investigates the human and environmental risks of a new Air Force Nuclear Missile program

 

Nina Berman: 

"This is a project I’ve been working on the last year with colleagues at Princeton and Columbia about the US nuclear arsenal and our plans to spend nearly 2$ trillion building more weapons. It will be published as a package (video, podcast, print pieces) on Scientific American and on our website missilesonourland.org on Nov 14. Like most things that concern the US military, there has been almost no public engagement around these policies and so I hope you find it informative."

View the full project here

$700,000 Settlement With LAist Reporter Includes Re-Training Of LA Sheriff’s Deputies On Press Rights

 Via LAist

November 8, 2023

The L.A. County Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved a $700,000 settlement with LAist correspondent Josie Huang, who was arrested and injured by sheriff’s deputies while covering a 2020 protest in Lynwood. The settlement includes a requirement that the L.A. County Sheriff's Department re-train deputies on the rights of journalists.

In a legal claim against the county, Huang alleged deputies detained her without legal justification and used unjustified force because she was gathering news in a public place, according to the settlement.

Huang’s arrest drew widespread criticism from elected leaders and journalism organizations at the time. Deputies had claimed she interfered with their arrest of a protester. The district attorney’s office refused to file charges and a judge later found her factually innocent.

“This settlement upholds the rights of journalists and helps ensure that what happened to me won’t happen to other reporters,” Huang said in a statement. “My arrest was traumatic, but I hope that some good can still come of this experience.”  

Click to full article

"Huang, an award-winning journalist, was leaving a news conference by then-Sheriff Alex Villanueva when she started using her phone to film a group of deputies arresting a protester. A deputy ordered her to back away.

“Without giving her time to comply, deputies aggressively tackled Huang to the ground, causing her injury,” according to a statement from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Huang suffered multiple injuries, including scrapes and bruises to her knees, ankle and face, as well as emotional distress.

In a draft complaint, her lawyers wrote that “the force used was wildly out of proportion to that needed to effectuate the arrest of Ms. Huang, who, at 5’5 and 122 lbs., was far smaller than the multiple deputies who tackled her, posed no physical threat, and had not committed any crime.”

Huang’s phone fell to the ground. Two deputies stepped on it. The phone survived and was recovered by a fellow journalist. It documented much of what happened.

“Law enforcement tried to destroy evidence rather than preserve it,” said Michael Dore of Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher. “And then the former sheriff made false claims about Ms. Huang’s reporting work that the evidence refuted.”

"We are deeply concerned by this violation of the First Amendment rights of these journalists"

 Via Associated Press: Newspaper publisher and reporter arrested and accused of revealing grand jury information

"In over 40 years of handling media law matters, Bailey said he had “never seen a reporter arrested for publishing truthful information about the existence of a grand jury subpoena.”

Committe To Protect Journalists: Alabama publisher, reporter arrested, charged with disclosing leaked information

“CPJ is outraged by the arrest of Atmore News publisher Sherry Digmon and reporter Don Fletcher and calls on local authorities to immediately drop all charges against them. They should not be prosecuted for simply doing their jobs and covering a matter of local interest, such as the allocation of school board funds,” said Katherine Jacobsen, CPJ’s U.S. and Canada program coordinator. “Journalists play a crucial role in their local communities. Arresting them creates a chilling effect and is a gross misuse of taxpayer funds.”

National Press Club: Press Club leaders condemn arrests of Alabama newspaper reporter and publisher

"Arresting journalists in response to the publication of a news article is contrary to democratic values. It should not happen anywhere in the world, and is especially concerning in the United States, where we have strong and well-established legal protections guaranteeing the freedom of the press."

Join Curator Niki Stewart on Nov. 9 for an in-depth look at the Tony Vaccaro photography exhibition American Icons: Wright & O’Keeffe

 

Via Taliesin West

American Icons: Wright & O’Keeffe

Taliesin West is the winter home and desert laboratory of Frank Lloyd Wright. The site in Scottsdale, Arizona, welcomes visitors year round through tours and programs for all ages. Since 2021, Taliesin West has offered changing exhibitions to explore during tours. From October 20, 2023 – June 3, 2024, American Icons: Wright & O’Keeffe is on display, featuring  photographs by Michael A. “Tony” Vaccaro.

In this course, exhibition curator Niki Stewart will take you on an in-depth journey into the similarities between Frank Lloyd Wright and Georgia O’Keeffe. Both legendary figures, they are typically seen in isolation. Through this exhibition, we compare and contrast the photographs, homes, and lives of these influential figures.

In these photographs — many of which have never been seen before — we see an intimate view of Wright and O’Keeffe in their homes and studios. Taken at Wright’s Wisconsin home, Taliesin, and O’Keeffe’s homes in New Mexico, Vaccaro casts an intimate lens on these well-known figures. By viewing the pictures in pairs, we begin to see all the ways Wright and O’Keeffe were similar, beyond the photographs themselves.

Thursday, November 9, 2023

10-11 am MST

Register here.

The exhibition is organized and presented at Taliesin West by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. All photographs courtesy of the Tony Vaccaro Studio and Monroe Gallery of Photography.

About the Curator Niki Stewart:

Educator, Artist, and Museum Leader

Niki Stewart is passionate advocate for arts and education.  She serves as the Vice President and Chief Learning & Engagement Officer at The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Based at Taliesin West, Wright’s winter home and desert laboratory, she oversees all public engagement programs, tours, and exhibitions at this UNESCO World Heritage site.  Her museum experience also includes leadership roles at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA), Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (Bentonville, AR), and the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art (Sarasota, FL).  Niki has also worked as an Art Educator in the public schools, as program administrator of Art Bridges, and with the Walt Disney Company. She’s a founding faculty member of the National Art Education Association’s School for Art Leaders, and a graduate of the Getty Museum Leadership Institute. She holds a BFA in Illustration from Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, FL.

The Prix Bayeux Calvados-Normandie celebrates its 30th edition, honoring the contributions of photojournalists across the globe.

 Via Blind Magazine

October 27, 2023

This year holds special significance as it anticipates the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings—witnessed by war correspondents who risked their lives to document it. (click for full article)

"The late Tony Vaccaro (1922 - 2022), one of the earliest photographers to be featured at the Baueux exhbitions, spoke with brutal honesty about his experience: "We felt like we were going someplace to die and never return. People have no idea what war is like, so I risked my life to capture the horror of it" 

Tony Vaccaro: Normandy, June, 1944

BYU Museum of Art debuts new exhibit ‘Life: Six Women Photographers’

Via The Daily Universe

Oct. 26, 2023

BYU’s Museum of Art debuted its new exhibit “Life: Six Women Photographers” earlier this month, highlighting six influential women photographers’ work from the 1930s to the 1970s.

The exhibit features the work of photojournalists Margaret Bourke-White, Hansel Mieth, Marie Hansen, Nina Leen, Martha Holmes and Lisa Larsen.

Featured within the new installation are a variety of photos, such as Marie Hansen’s photo essay showcasing the 20th century Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, and Margaret Bourke-White’s photographs depicting the impact of the American economic depression on the people of the 1930s. Photographer Nina Leen highlights the work of women and mothers, while portraits of Hollywood personalities are featured in Martha Holmes’ photos of Billy Eckstine. Hansel Mieth’s photos focus on depicting the reality of labor forces and the experiences of the general public.

BYU students, local community members and visitors now have the opportunity to visit the Museum of Art’s new exhibit and appreciate the talent of these six female photojournalist pioneers.

“I think it’s cool that we’re honoring female photographers,” Sally Bradshaw, a BYU junior, said.

Bradshaw continued to describe the photos in the exhibit as “down to earth.”

“They capture very emotional moments, it seems. It’s pretty inspirational,” BYU student Logan Berry said.

Life Magazine, which ran weekly from 1883 to 1972 and monthly from 1978 to 2000, focused on showing “The Most Iconic Photographs of All Time,” according to Life Magazine‘s website.

The “Life: Six Women Photographers” exhibit at the BYU Museum of Art gives visitors the opportunity to witness for themselves the photographs of the six featured photographers. The exhibit displays photos both published and unpublished by Life.

“It’s like a crazy cool opportunity to be able to see these things that at one point were just in a magazine but are now really important,” BYU student Katy Turner said.

Turner continued to express interest in the past and future BYU Museum of Art photography shows because of the focus on important events.

“A lot of times we try to make it a focus and like a point to remember prominent women in history or maybe women in history who were amazing but we don’t really know about,” Bradshaw said. “I think it’s really cool that BYU wants to give a space to that because we’re all about honoring amazing people.”

“Life: Six Women Photographers” was organized by the New-York Historical Society and will be on display in the BYU Museum of Art until Feb. 3, 2024.

There will be a panel discussion discussing the exhibit and photography, art history and journalism on Thursday, Oct. 26 at the Museum of Art. BYU professors and faculty members Heather Belnap, Melissa Gibbs and Paul Adams will be presenting.

Museum of Art educator Liz Donakey will also host a gallery talk regarding the exhibit on Wednesday, Nov. 29.

Students can schedule a tour of the exhibit on the Museum of Art website.

Related exhibit: The LIFE Photographers

Creating Culture: An Architect, An Artist

 Via Front Doors

October 25, 2023

Images courtesy of Tony Vaccaro Studios/The Monroe Gallery of Photography

Georgia O’Keeffe once wrote, “Nobody sees a flower — really — it is so small it takes time — we haven’t time — and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.” Through the lens of O’Keeffe’s life, this notion is evident when considering her nearly three-decades-long friendship with Frank Lloyd Wright.

The two are champions in their field — O’Keeffe’s paintings earned her the title of “Mother of American Modernism,” and Wright is still one of the most celebrated architects in the world — yet, beneath the surface of their achievements lay similarities that run deeper than their success.

Taliesin West’s newest photography exhibition, “American Icons: Wright & O’Keeffe,” explores the pair in a way that’s never been seen before. Running from Oct. 20 through June 3, the exhibit features portraits of the two shot by Tony Vaccaro for “Life Magazine.” The exhibition explores the similarities between Wright and O’Keeffe not just as artists, but as people — and friends.

“They are people that we look very closely at, not just at the artwork they made, but their life,” said Niki Stewart, Taliesin West’s vice president and chief learning and engagement officer. “We as the public don’t always do that with every artist. We sometimes really just focus on their art, but there is a public fascination with both of these figures.”

Both born in rural Wisconsin, Wright and O’Keeffe were drawn to the American Southwest. Wright sought refuge in Arizona during winters, while O’Keeffe found her artistic sanctuary in the heart of New Mexico. The pair were fans of each other’s work, and as Stewart notes, “It’s no overstatement to call them friends.”

One of many similarities was that nature inspired much of their work. O’Keeffe famously painted flowers, landscapes and animal skulls, drawing inspiration from the environment around her. Wright had the same respect for nature, once stating, “No house should ever be on a hill or on anything. It should be of the hill. Belonging to it. Hill and house should live together, each the happier for the other.”

From the 1930s until Wright’s death in 1959, the pair wrote back and forth, sent books, pamphlets and artwork, and shared ideas with each other. Notably, they only met in person once in 1942 at Taliesin, Wright’s Wisconsin home.

“I feel like that’s a story that people can really relate to today with technology,” said Stewart. “We get so close to people who don’t live where we live. We use instant messaging, FaceTime and all these other tools to get close to folks, some of whom we’ve never met.”

In 2021, Taliesin West hosted an exhibit called “Chihuly in the Desert.” The exhibit paired works of glass artist Dale Chihuly with Wright’s architecture. Following the exhibition’s success, Taliesin West knew they wanted to pair Wright’s work with another artist, this time on a smaller, more intimate scale.

While looking for photos of Wright, Stewart discovered that Tony Vaccaro had photographed Wright and O’Keeffe for “Life Magazine” years apart, and that’s when the exhibit came to life.

Michael A. “Tony” Vaccaro rose to popularity through photos he took while fighting on the front lines of World War II. Vaccaro’s post-military career focused on fashion and celebrity photography for various magazines. Vaccaro would go on to photograph Wright and O’Keeffe, among other celebrities like Sophia Loren, John F. Kennedy and Eartha Kitt. He passed away in 2022, eight days after his 100th birthday.

“After the war, he came home to the United States and started working for magazines like ‘Look’ and ‘Life’ and other magazines that were celebrating what’s good and beautiful about life,” Stewart said. “Because after the war, he decided that’s what he wanted to focus on — what makes life wonderful.”

Visitors of the exhibit can select between an audio or an in-depth guided tour. The audio tour offers a unique experience by featuring recordings of Wright himself, accompanied by some of his favorite music. The in-depth guided tour provides visitors with a more interactive experience, allowing them to engage directly with tour guides who can offer deeper insights and answer questions about the exhibit and its subjects.

“I hope visitors walk out feeling interested in connecting with others and being with other people and being inspired by the people in their lives,” Stewart said. “I think we all run into people who inspire us every day, but what we do with that is up to us. So I hope this inspires you to get connected with others and do great things together.”

The exhibition is included in paid tour admission. To learn more, visit franklloydwright.org.