Real Photo Show with Michael Chovan-Dalton

Pradip Malde joined Michael Chovan-Dalton and Ryann Casey for a live show at the JKC Gallery to talk about his book, From Where Loss Comes, published by Charcoal Books. From Where Loss Comes is an unblinking look at how sacrifice and belonging are deeply rooted in the human experience. Sixty photographs and close to 9,000 words consider pain and suffering that is private, sacrificial, and yet rattles against values that are thought of as being inalienable — our fundamental human rights. It is a story of the root causes of female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C). Pradip, Ryann, and Michael talk about how you go about creating work that deals with such painful and personal stories and how you present that work in a respectful and caring manner. Real Photo Show is spoused by the Charcoal Book Club and their new project, Charcoal Editions. A curated, online gallery selling open edition silver gelatin prints at more reasonable prices. Listeners get 10% off their purchases through the end of 2022, just type in "realphotoshow" in the promo box at checkout at https://www.charcoaleditions.com. Pradip Malde is a photographer and professor at the University of the South, Sewanee, TN. Much of his work considers the experience of loss and how it serves as a catalyst for regeneration. He received a 2018 Guggenheim Fellowship, which resulted in his book, “From Where Loss Comes” (Charcoal, 2022) and is represented in the collections of the Museum of the Art Institute, Chicago; Princeton University Museum; Victoria & Albert Museum, London, Yale University Museum and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh, among others.

MacArthur and Guggenheim Fellowship awardee Wendy Ewald virtually visits with Michael Chovan-Dalton to talk about Wendy’s books, The Devil is Leaving His Cave, recently published by MACK and the expanded reissue of Portraits and Dreams, also published by MACK. We talk about Wendy’s interest in collaboration and how you have to let go of some of your expectations. Slideshow: https://youtu.be/h3roT2U5aWc?t=1175 https://wendyewald.com https://www.mackbooks.us/products/the-devil-is-leaving-his-cave-br-wendy-ewald?_pos=2&_sid=1e30512e0&_ss=r https://www.mackbooks.us/products/portraits-and-dreams-wendy-ewald?_pos=3&_sid=1e30512e0&_ss=r Photo Show Live is sponsored by the Charcoal Book Club https://www.charcoalbookclub.com About Wendy Ewald: For over forty years I have collaborated on photography projects with children, families, women, workers and teachers. I’ve worked in the United States, Labrador, Colombia, India, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Holland, Mexico and Tanzania. My projects start as documentary investigations and move on to probe questions of identity and cultural differences. In my work with children and women I encourage them to use cameras to look at their own lives, their families and their communities, and to make images of their fantasies and dreams. While making my own photographs in the communities, I ask my collaborators to alter my images by drawing or writing on them, challenging the concept of who actually makes the image – who is the photographer, who is the subject, who is the observer and who is the observed. My work questions the conventional definition of individual authorship and casts into doubt an artist’s intentions, power and identity. I have also created many projects with students from elementary school through college. The projects are designed as interventions as well as artistic projects. Among them are American Alphabets, a series of photo installations made with Arabic, Spanish and English speakers; On Reading, a video installation with learning disabled students, and Who Am I in This Picture, a public art installation with faculty, staff and students at Amherst College. With each situation, I use different processes and materials to shift my point of view and engage with my subjects. My work may be understood as a kind of conceptual art focused on expanding the role of esthetic discourse in pedagogy and creating a new concept of imagery that challenges the viewer to see beneath the surface of relationships.

https://youtu.be/ee3QoKxI7Nw -------- This episode with Collette Fournier can only be released as a video because Collette presented her life's work with a slideshow presentation so head on over to the Photo Show Live YouTube channel to watch Collette talk about her life in photography. Collette V. Fournier has an MFA in Visual Arts from Vermont College and a BSfrom RIT in Communications and Photographic Illustration. Born in Harlem,she grew up in Brooklyn and Queens, NY. She is the retired staff photographer from Rockland Community College and adjuncts in the Photography Department. Fournier worked as a staff photographer for The Rockland Journal-News, The Bergen Record, about...time magazine, and freelanced for The New York Post. Earlier in her career she worked in the television industry.   Fournier curated several exhibitions including a multi-sited exhibition “There is a World Through Our Eyes: Perceptions and Visions of the African American Photographer” exhibited at RCC, ACOR, Arts Alliance of Haverstraw (AAH!), Rockland Center for the Arts (ROCA) and Blue Hill in 1993 in Rockland County. Fournier has had fifteen one-woman exhibitions and participated in over forty group shows. She vigorously exhibits her photography and was the recipient of the prestigious Rockland Arts Council County Executive Award.   Fournier is an active member of Kamoinge Inc., an African American photography collective since 2001, “Timeless” was published to celebrate the Collective’s 50th year (kamoinge.com). As a Soros fellow (OSI), she documented Post Hurricane Katrina. Her award-winning documentation of “A Ripple of Thunder: Black Motorcyclists in America” was recently exhibited in Photoville Fences 9th Edition. She has written a book on her 40-year journey through photography.   Fournier’s photography work is collected in Photography Collections Preservation Project (PCCP), Social Documentary Network, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Smithsonian Institute, WDC, Finkelstein Memorial Library, Women International Archive, CA. and in private collections.

Episode Notes Just a quick update about shows coming in September at the JKC Gallery.

Riley Goodman and Michael Chovan-Dalton talk about Riley’s first monograph, From Yonder Wooded Hill published by Fall Line Press. YouTube link for artist presentation: https://youtu.be/iZTxlEnHlzU?t=1140 _From Yonder Wooded Hill _investigates what we choose to remember versus what chooses to remember us. Based in the Patapsco River Valley of Maryland and expanding to his ancestral West Virginia and North Carolina, Riley Goodman brings to life the customs and legends on which he was raised to weave a tale as old as the hills. Riley Goodman, raised in the Patapsco River Valley of Maryland, inquires folklore, American history, and humankind’s relation to the environments they inhabit in an effort to understand what endures, and how this manifests through the passage of time. Goodman juxtaposes the visual interpretation of researched, often folk-based, storytelling with archival imagery and material from his personal collections of artifact and ephemera. When combined, the work depicts a narrative that rather than noting a specific period, creates an ever-occurring understanding of history. By establishing this crafted world, Goodman invites the viewer to question tenets of authenticity, leaving the idea of ‘historical truth’ in an undisclosed middle ground. https://www.rileycgoodman.com https://www.falllinepress.com/from-yonder-wooded-hill Photo Show Live is sponsored by Charcoal Book Club https://charcoalbookclub.com

Rich-Joseph and Michael Chovan-Dalton talk about how he accidentally became a photographer and his two new books, Black Diamonds pub by Fall Line Press and Little Cities pub by Little Oak Press. See the slideshow of Rich-Joseph's work at: https://youtu.be/OcYXvfkshT8 https://facun.com Photo Show Live is sponsored by Charcoal Book Club https://charcoalbookclub.com Rich-Joseph Facun is a photographer of Indigenous Mexican and Filipino descent. His work aims to offer an authentic look into endangered, bygone, and fringe cultures—those transitions in time where places fade but people persist. The exploration of place, community and cultural identity present themselves as a common denominator in both his life and photographic endeavors. Before finding “home” in the Appalachian Foothills of southeast Ohio, Facun roamed the globe for 15 years working as a photojournalist. During that time he was sent on assignment to over a dozen countries, and for three of those years he was based in the United Arab Emirates. His photography has been commissioned by various publications, including NPR, The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, ProPublica, AARP, The Associated Press, Reuters, Vox, Adweek, Education Week, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The FADER, Frank 151, Topic, The Guardian (UK), The National (UAE), Telerama (France), The Globe and Mail (Canada) and Sueddeutsche Zeitung (Germany), among others. Additionally, Facun’s work has been recognized by Photolucida’s Critical Mass, CNN, Juxtapoz, British Journal of Photography, The Washington Post, Feature Shoot, It’s Nice That, The Image Deconstructed, The Photo Brigade, Looking At Appalachia, and Pictures of the Year International. In 2021 his first monograph Black Diamonds was released by Fall Line Press. The work is a visual exploration of the former coal mining boom towns of SE Ohio, Appalachia. Subsequently, it was highlighted by Charcoal Book Club as their “Book-Of-The-Month.” Black Diamonds is also part of the permanent collection at the Frederick and Kazuko Harris Fine Arts Library and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art’s Research Library. Presently, Facun is in the process of producing his next monograph Little Cities, slated to be released in Autumn 2022 by Little Oak Press. The work examines how both Indigenous peoples and descendants of settler colonialists inhabited and utilized the land around them. Photo Show Live is a production of Real Photo Show. ©2022 Real Photo Show

Photographer and educator, Lois Conner and I talk about her amazing life in photography, her many influences, including working at the United Nations, love of art history, and of course, her work, including Lois' most recent show, Flat Earth. It was such a pleasure to have Lois on as my former thesis instructor, friend, and 150th guest on the show. This also marks that last regular episode for a while as I contemplate the future of the show and plan for more event based episodes with the JKC Gallery. https://www.loisconner.net https://www.instagram.com/loistrueblue/ This episode is sponsored by the Charcoal Book Club, a monthly subscription service for photobook enthusiasts. Working with the most respected names in contemporary photography, Charcoal selects and delivers essential photobooks to a worldwide community of collectors. Each month, members receive a signed, first-edition monograph and an exclusive print to add to their collections. www.charcoalbookclub.com The New York-based photographer Lois Conner has been travelling the world with 7x17” banquet camera nearly half a century. Through the elongated format of her work she has explored the landscape and the temper of our times; her art is both contemporary and, due to her vision, ‘a long view’ that captures the eternal in the moment, timeless. Conner’s work is that of the artist-artisan: every aspect of her art involves the hand made combined with demanding techniques of platinum printing. In recent years she has employed digital technologies to expand the format of her work, embracing landscapes from the natural to the man-made. Her annual trips to China since 1984 have allowed her to follow the transformation of the People’s Republic and to share her unique understanding of the country’s changing urban and rural mien, as well as the vistas that inspired the country’s unique culture. Conner has been based in New York City since 1971, where she worked for the United Nations until 1984. During that time she was awarded a Bachelor in Fine Arts (photography) from the Pratt Institute and a Master’s degree from Yale University. Conner has also taught photography since, including over a decade as professor of photography at Yale University.

Part 2 of 2 of my conversations with presenters at the CatchLight Visual Storytelling Summit April 19-20, 2022 at the Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco. In this episode I speak with Dr. Tara Pixley. Tara and I talk about her presentation with Daniella Zalcman on the state of photography in 2022. We discuss the report and its findings, including the under-representation of historically marginalized communities. We also talk about what is changing and what may come next to help address the findings in the report. Lastly, Tara speaks about what it's like to both be an active professional and an educator in visual journalism. The full report and panel presentation can be found here: https://player.catchlight.io/0oyd/1/state-of-photography-cover This episode covers the following panel: STATE OF PHOTOGRAPHY, BEHIND THE NUMBERS: SURVIVAL IN A SHIFTING INDUSTRY As visuals become an increasingly important part of the global media diet, economic precarity has become commonplace for many photographers in the digital age—a key finding of both the State of Photo 2022 Report and the Visual Storyteller Field Survey, which led to the creation of the Photo Bill of Rights. What is behind this disparity, and how will image makers—including those in underrepresented groups—survive? Tara Pixley—an award-winning visual journalist, professor and co-founder of Authority Collective, an organization resourcing and amplifying women/nonbinary photographers of color—discusses these issues with CatchLight Global Fellow Daniella Zalcman, an multiple grantee documentary photographer and founder of Women Photograph, an organization which confronts the gender imbalance and inequities rampant in the photo industry. WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A PHOTOGRAPHER IN 2022? THIS IS THE STATE OF PHOTOGRAPHY REPORT. By Tara Pixley, Martin Smith-Rodden, David Campbell & Adrian Hadland The State of Photography represents the first international study of photographers that specifically looks to understand the experiences of imagemakers from historically marginalized communities in greater depth. You can scroll through the report below or download a PDF in the link. Made possible by funding from CatchLight and the Knight Foundation This episode is sponsored by the Charcoal Book Club, a monthly subscription service for photobook enthusiasts. Working with the most respected names in contemporary photography, Charcoal selects and delivers essential photobooks to a worldwide community of collectors. Each month, members receive a signed, first-edition monograph and an exclusive print to add to their collections. www.charcoalbookclub.com Tara Pixley is a visual journalist, strategic storytelling consultant and professor based in Los Angeles, with an MFA in Photography, a Ph.D. in Communication and two decades of experience as a media producer and editor for editorial, nonprofit and commercial organizations. Tara's documentary film work has screened internationally and my award-winning writing on media has been published widely in magazines, academic journals and news media trade journals. I am a 2021 IWMF NextGen Fellow, a 2020 awardee of the World Press Photo Solutions Visual Journalism Initiative and was a 2016 Visiting Fellow at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism of Harvard University, researching inequities in the photojournalism industry. Tara is co-Founder and Board Member of Authority Collective, an organization dedicated to building community and opportunity for women/nonbinary photographers of color. https://www.tarapixley.com

Part 1 of 2 of my conversations with presenters at the CatchLight Visual Storytelling Summit April 19-20, 2022 at the Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco. In part 1 I speak with Mabel Jiménez and Josué Rivas about their then upcoming presentation on who gets to tell the story and how the story is made. We preview the talk and also speak about their own work and experiences in the documentary storytelling world. The summit was recorded and will be posted at https://www.catchlight.io/2022-visual-storytelling-summit This episode covers the following panel: Photojournalism’s Ethical Question: Who Gets to Tell a Community’s Story? With Mabel Jiménez x Felix Uribe x Yesica Prado x Josué Rivas CatchLight Local Fellows Yesica Prado and Felix Uribe alongside CatchLight Local California Visual Desk Editor Mabel Jiménez and CatchLight Global Fellow Josué Rivas dive into the nuances of how to work ethically and collaboratively in communities, particularly those that are disproportionately impacted by crisis. Jiménez will also discuss her work as an SFAC Artist in Residence at SF’s COVID Command Center, which provided unique access to the city’s disaster service workers, COVID-19 response/prevention efforts and mutual aid during the crisis—enabling her to document a crisis, up close. The conversation will be moderated by CatchLight Global Fellow, Josué Rivas—Founder of INDÍGENA, Standing Strong Project, and Co-Founder of Indigenous Photograph. This episode is sponsored by the Charcoal Book Club, a monthly subscription service for photobook enthusiasts. Working with the most respected names in contemporary photography, Charcoal selects and delivers essential photobooks to a worldwide community of collectors. Each month, members receive a signed, first-edition monograph and an exclusive print to add to their collections. www.charcoalbookclub.com Mabel Jiménez (pronouns she/her) is an independent photographer and reporter based in San Francisco. Being raised in Tijuana, 15 minutes from the Mexico/U.S. border, themes of biculturalism and immigration have influenced her photographic and journalistic work. She has documented San Francisco’s Latino community since 2008 and is the former Photo Editor for El Tecolote bilingual newspaper, where she continues as a regular contributor. During her seven-year tenure in the position, she created, produced and curated a yearly group photography exhibition showcasing the newspaper’s best photojournalism. https://www.mabeljimenez.com Josué Rivas HE (Mexica/Otomi) is a creative director, visual storyteller, and educator working at the intersection of art, journalism, and social justice. His work aims to challenge the mainstream narrative about Indigenous peoples, build awareness about issues affecting Native communities across Turtle Island, and be a visual messenger for those in the shadows of our society. He is a 2017 Magnum Foundation Photography and Social Justice Fellow, founder of the Standing Strong Project, co-founder of Natives Photograph and winner of the 2018 FotoEvidence Book Award with World Press Photo. https://www.josuerivasfoto.com

Photographer Alanna Airitam and I have a fabulous conversation about how she left the corporate world, taught herself photography, and how it may have saved her life. We talk about Alanna's breakout work, The Golden Age, and the process by which anger, frustration, and responding to injustice inspires her to make beautiful and important imagery.   The Golden Age is showing at the Center for Creative Photography starting April 2022. Link below.   https://www.alannaairitam.com https://www.instagram.com/alannaairitam/ https://ccp.arizona.edu/events/3696-alanna-airitam-golden-age   This episode is sponsored by the Charcoal Book Club, a monthly subscription service for photobook enthusiasts. Working with the most respected names in contemporary photography, Charcoal selects and delivers essential photobooks to a worldwide community of collectors. Each month, members receive a signed, first-edition monograph and an exclusive print to add to their collections. www.charcoalbookclub.com   Questioning generalized stereotypes and the lack of fair representation of Black people in art spaces has led photographer Alanna Airitam to research critical historical omissions and how those contrived narratives represent and influence succeeding generations. Her portraits, self-portraits, and vanitas still life photography in series such as The Golden Age, Crossroads, White Privilege, Colonized Foods, Ghosts, and individual works such as Take a Look Inside and How to Make a Country ask the viewer to question the stories of history and heritage we were taught to believe.   Alanna was named on the 2021 Silver List as one of 47 exciting contemporary photographers to follow. She is a 2020 San Diego Art Prize winner and recipient of the 2020 Michael Reichmann Project Grant Award. Her photographs have been exhibited at Catherine Edelman Gallery in Chicago, Art Miami with Catherine Edelman, San Diego Art Institute, Pentimenti Gallery in Philadelphia, Colorado Photographic Arts Center in Denver, and Candela Gallery in Richmond, Virginia. Her work has been acquired for the Virginia Museum of Fine Art’s collection and three prints from The Golden Age were recently added to the Center for Creative Photography’s permanent collection. Airitam has been elected Board Member and led workshops and mentorships for Oakwood Arts and a Board Member for Medium Photo she was the Juror of the 2021 Black Photographers Scholarship Program for Medium Photo, and a Curator/Juror for the MFA Photography Reviews. Born in Queens, New York, Airitam now resides in Tucson, Arizona.