2011 New England Photography Biennial
Every two years, the Danforth Museum of Art celebrates contemporary photography through a highly selective exhibition of photographers who live or work in New England. 74 photographs were selected from 1055 images submitted by 211 photographers. The resulting exhibition represents a cross section of some of the most exciting and innovative photography being created today by both established and emerging artists.
Juror George Slade, former Curator and Program Manager of the Photographic Resource Center, Boston, was a discerning juror. Mindful that we are living at a time in which artists are able to construct many levels of reality through the magic of Photoshop, Slade chose four single works for their consideration of “the phenomena of reflections, layers, and complex visions,” rewarded by his encounter with images that boasted “no manipulation, taken as seen,” in a world “still densely wondrous enough to mystify and entrance without digital enhancement.”
However, the bulk of the exhibition displays work in complimentary pairs, which allowed Slade to make comparisons between “form, content and spirit.” Guided by a pursuit of quality and his desire to provide a snapshot of accomplished work being done at this moment in time, Slade remarks that he “sought evidence of seeing deeper, of photography used to extend knowledge, awareness, and curiosity. In short, he was drawn to images that were compelling—able to “reflect ideas, take chances, and use photography’s unique syntax to investigate and learn from the
material world.”