Sometimes you get to the point when you can’t bear to continue grumbling and sitting doing nothing so it is now time for a challenge. A really big challenge. But, let’s start from the beginning.
Ever since I got serious about alternative and historical process I have noticed, with some chagrin, that nearly all the interesting events connected with them take place across the ocean. Every now and then we get to hear about exhibitions, competitions juried by real masters, new publications. And in our corner of the world…. eh. There are a few swallows, but this hardly makes for summer. And if you want to show your pictures in a group exhibition in a good gallery you still need to watch for one in the US. And since, generally speaking, I prefer to solve problems rather than to grumble about them, time has come to grab the bull by the horns.
And so here is the Then & now photographic competition that we have prepared together with the Gdańsk Gallery of Photography, part of the National Museum. A competition which, I am more than sure, will at least match those organized outside of Europe. For a number of reasons
First of all, the submissions will not be juried by a single juror as seems to be the practice nowadays. One person, no matter how competent, will never be objective. This is simple how people are. Instead we offer a jury of three; apart from my humble self there will be two fantastic experts, Mr Krzysztof Jurecki and dr hab. Witold Jurkiewicz, the founder of the faculty of unique photography.
Secondly, the sumbissions will not be juried in an electronic form, based on jpg’s sent by participants. This might make sense in the case of pure digital photography for which the digital form is the most natural one. However, I simply can’t imagine assessing, say, a gumprint or an ambrotype based on a jpg. However you look at it, these are two separate worlds and an original is an original. And yes, we have already started training our staff in handling the unique originals.
Thirdly, the exhibition is not going to be held in a local culture centre (with all due respect) or some not too well known gallery in a well known cafeteria (even though this solution has its merits), but in the National Museum, that is in one of the most prestigeous locations. And no, it is not, as sometimes happens, going to be held somewhere in the corridor or another passageway, but in the Gdańsk Gallery of Photography which will all be at our disposal. Those who have attended the earlier exhibitions there know how cool the place is.
And for icing on the cake there will be a catalogue; a real, printed one, not a pdf or a website presentation though it will surely be there too.
And now, for a little advertising:) Prints can be submitted until February 5th 2018. All pinhole and alternative photographers are warmly welcome; unless of course you want to wait for the next edition.
The rules are here: http://alternativephotographicsupplies.com/page/quot-then-amp-now-quot-competition