A New Leaf: a juried exhibition
As springtime drew near and more light fills our days, photographers were invited to submit images that represent “A New Leaf” We welcomed a spectrum of literal and symbolic expressions. As nature reawakens, a new political administration gets underway and a dreadful pandemic comes under control, we asked for your idea of a world renewed.
Jurors: Elin Spring & Suzanne Révy
As the new year began the Rhode Island Center for Photographic Arts launched a call for entries to address the theme, A New Leaf for an exhibition that looked forward not back. This Call for photography was open to all styles and photographic processes and juried by Elin Spring and Suzanne Révy, editors of What Will You Remember? publishing views, reviews, interviews and listings focussing on contemporary photography.
A New Leaf includes work from: Morgan Anderson, Philip Bagley, Sylvia Bandyke, Sharon Bibeault, Jeremy Blair, David Blow, Amy Broderick, Angela Brown, Bill Clark, Mark Coggins, Marcy Cohen, Michael Corthell, Barbara Crane, Donna Dagott, Rebecca Finley, Sahra Forbes, Kristie Gardiner, Beverly Gardner, Carole Glauber, Bill Gore, Stefan Hagen, Margot Hartford, Rohina Hoffman, Bonnie Jaffe, Marc Jaffe, Michael Joseph, Lauren Kalita, Deborah Kaplan, Coco McCabe, Katherine McVety, Ralph Mercer, Wendy Ploger, Amy Ragus, Lisa Redburn, Gail Samuelson, Carmen Scheafer, Lev L Spiro, Robert Stratton, Jacqui Turner & Heather Wasaff.
A New Leaf Jurors’ Statement: – Elin Spring & Suzanne Révy
Our selections for A New Leaf at the Rhode Island Center for Photographic Arts reflect our growing optimism as brighter, warmer days and an end to the pandemic come into view. While the call for entries attracted a variety of responses, we were drawn to imagery that expresses a sense of connection, renewal, and hope. Some of our selections are joyful declarations while others are muted and ephemeral. Whether elegantly descriptive or interpretive, comprised of single or multiple frames, rendered in black and white or color, we chose works that we felt possess a strong vision. A New Leaf promises to create a lively and inviting conversation on the gallery walls. We sincerely thank everyone who submitted images and offer our congratulations to the exhibiting artists. Those whose outstanding work receives our special recognition are highlighted below.
Works of Distinction & Awards:
Awards will be presented at the opening on May 20th
Fly Away by Bill Gore is infused with vibrant energy, it’s hues rising from earth tones to cerulean skies and solar yellows. Dazzling silhouetted birds in flight appear to be breaking out of a translucent box in a soaring proclamation of freedom.
Big Pink by Gail Samuelson glows with the ephemeral beauty of early springtime. The asymmetric diptych echoes light and shadow, enchanting patterns of sharp and soft focus, and a delicate vernal palette that conveys a sense of yearning.
Shadow Play by Mark Coggins abounds with a sense of adventure, discovery and companionship. The dynamic composition pits running kids against their playful shadows and corrals contrasting tones, textures and lines into a square format brimming with vitality.
Honorable Mentions:
Water Tapestry Triptych: Armonioso by Lisa Redburn layers the textures on a pond surface with reflections from above in a lyrical ensemble. In muted pastel hues, the shapes and contours in multiple frames create an internal dance and another between real and inferred worlds that emanate possibility.
The Pristine Christine by Michael Joseph triptych of Polaroids expresses the ultimate in revitalization, from one being into another. In this forthright, close-up metamorphosis from a weary, smoke-obscured man to an entirely different exuberant and audacious woman, the photographer asserts the liberating effects of transformation.
Vibrations in the Brush by David Blow envisions the connection between the earth’s atomic vibrations and the larger natural world in a scintillating abstraction. Utilizing a palette of mellifluous earth tones, the photographer interweaves geometric shapes symbolizing both molecular and musical elements with an image of courting birds in a jubilant composition.
Yellow Hydrant by Margot Hartford pops with the spirit of spring. With its fresh, bright palette, clever composition and witty use of props, this image is an artful expression of joy.
About the Jurors: Elin Spring & Suzanne Révy,
Editors, What Will You Remember?
Elin Spring is Founder & Editor of What Will You Remember? and a contributing writer to other online and print magazines and exhibition catalogs. She regularly juries photography competitions, curates exhibits, and conducts portfolio reviews at national photography festivals, colleges, and museums, highlighting newly discovered work online. In 2014, her photography writing was recognized with the Scribe FOCUS Award from the Griffin Museum of Photography. Before concentrating full-time on WWYR?, for over two decades she specialized in professional portraiture in and around Boston. An active member of the Photographic Resource Center (Cambridge, MA), Griffin Museum of Photography (Winchester, MA), and Marblehead Arts Association (MA), Elin earned her bachelor’s degree from Brown University and Ph.D. in Neuroscience from University of Pennsylvania.
Suzanne Révy is a fine art photographer who creates visual diaries of her family’s life and is Associate Editor of What Will You Remember? Earning her BFA from the Pratt Institute and MFA from the New Hampshire Institute of Art, Révy has worked as Photography Editor at U.S. News & World Report and Yankee Magazine and has exhibited her work at museums and galleries throughout New England and in New York. Révy has served on the faculty of the New England School of Photography and the Institute of Art and Design at New England College. She is a Board Member of the Photographic Resource Center in Cambridge.
A New Leaf: Elin Spring & Suzanne Révy, Jurors
Reception and Awards: May 20th, 2:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Zoom Gallery Talk: tbd
Exhibition: Thursday, May 20th, thru Friday, June 11th, 2021
The RI Center for Photographic Arts, RICPA 118 N. Main St. Providence, RI 02903
Located in the heart of Providence, RICPA was founded to inspire creative development and provide opportunities to engage with the community through exhibitions, education, publication, and mutual support.
RICPA exists to create a diverse and supportive community for individuals interested in learning or working in the Photographic Arts. We strive to provide an environment conducive to the free exchange of ideas in an open and cooperative space. Members should share a passion for creating, appreciating, or learning about all forms of photo-based media. We work to provide a platform for artistic expression, that fosters dialogue and drives innovation in the photographic arts.
The Gallery at the Rhode Island Center for Photographic Arts is a member of Gallery Night Providence https://www.gallerynight.org/
Want to become a RICPA Member? Membership brings many benefits and discounts, for more information and to find the membership level that fits you, visit our website at https://www.riphotocenter.org/membership-info/ You may become a member at entry, member benefits begin immediately and run 365 days from your start date.
Questions: Contact gallery@riphotocenter.org To learn about other RICPA exhibits and programs, visit https://www.riphotocenter.org/.
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