Exhibition No. 11 @ SPAO and CONTACT Festival

Under the motto “Vision. Content. Craft.” showed the SCHOOL OF THE PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS: OTTAWA (SPAO) in “Exhibition No. 11” various photographic works by SPAO first year, graduating students and artists in residence. This year's exhibition focused on historic and contemporary photographic processes and tools.

Unfortunately, the exhibition was just on for a short time (April 22 - 29, 2016), but it will travel to Toronto, to the 2016 International Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival. Actually, the exhibition was to be packed up shortly after I left – I took the very last chance to see it here in Ottawa.

These were my favorites (a very personal selection – so please go to CONTACT and judge yourself):

Christine Fitzgerald's “Threatened” Series at SPAO, April 2016. Copyright by the artist.

Christine Fitzgerald's “Threatened” Series caught my eye right away. She uses the fascinating nineteenth-century collodion process. The soft, brownish tones and imperfections of the process resonate with the subject matter of distinction of threatened species.

Joyce Crago's portraits at SPAO. Copyright by the artist.

Also outstanding were the large-scale portraits by photographer Joyce Crago of strong women in politics, like e.g. Catherine McKenna. Straightforward, honest and unprettified.

In SPAO's hallway, a small wall was reserved for Richard Robesco as Artist-in-Residence who is – according to his own words – stylistically inspired by the Düsseldorf School painters and photographers. His “Revelations” series of windows photographed at the Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain, is fascinating. (Unfortunately, I couldn't get a good image of his works, so check out his web site: www.richardrobesco.com.)

Some works by first year students at SPAO, April 2016.

On the opposite wall hang some of the works of first year students. My favourite piece: a self-portrait by Michael Kuby where the photographer can be seen in a mirror, taking the picture of a woman in the room at the back (here the photo on far right side). I love the play with perspectives, and the visual signature of the photographer as participator and creator of the shot.

A wonderful show!

Exhibition installation "Exhibition No. 11" at SPAO.

Jason Clifford Champagne: photographic portraits collage. Copyright by the artist.

Facts:
Exhibition No. 11
April 22 - 29, 2016
SPAO, 168 Dalhousie Street, Ottawa;

and during the 2016 International Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival, May 4 (Vernissage @ 4-7pm) to May 18, 2016 at the Arta Gallery, Distillery District, 14 Distillery Lane, Toronto, ON.

Featured Artists Works: 
Jason Champagne, Joyce Crago, Christine Fitzgerald, Genevieve Labbe, Katy Lopez, Rey Martin, Judy Morris Dupont, Austin Wing, Hannah Evans, Mel Harris, Andrew Macartney, Matthew McIlkenny, Michael Kuby, Danni-Rae Mistaken Chief, Neeko Paluzzi, Adelita Rose, Christian Villemaire, Glenn Bloodworth, Richard Robesco