photo by: Atta Kim, Field Series #001, 1998 / FOTOFEST2000
FOTOFEST2008 – Exhibitions
March 7 – April 20, 2008
FotoFest is focusing on two inter-related themes:
CHINA
TRANSFORMATIONS
FotoFest’s Biennial programs examine these themes through exhibitions of historical and contemporary photography, mixed media installations. A film and video program will accompany the exhibitions as well as forums.
CHINA
At the start of the 21st century, China unquestionably has become one of the major forces in the world. It is not only transforming its own society and economy, it is also changing global economics.
There is enormous cultural and artistic energy throughout China. Despite the number of exhibits of Chinese photography that have been done by institutions outside of China in the last 15 years, it is still difficult for many good photographic artists in China to have access to outside institutions.
FotoFest forged a strong link with contemporary Chinese photography through the FOTOFEST1996 exhibition of Chinese photographer Wu Jialin, who became one of China’s best known photographers as a result of that exhibition. In the past year, FotoFest has done significant programming in China, co-sponsoring a major international portfolio review program in China for Chinese photographic artists (Meeting Place FotoFest Beijing 2006).
As part of its goal to create and maintain a platform for the discovery of important but little known artists, FotoFest will curate/commission shows on China by Chinese photographers for FOTOFEST2008.
For Participating Spaces, this theme can also be extended to work by non-Chinese photographers, work on Chinese culture(s) and Chinese communities abroad, as well as work on other China-related subjects. These works could include Chinese-American artists and other Chinese artists living abroad as well as non-Chinese artists and Chinese artists working in mainland China.
TRANSFORMATIONS
Knowing that the CHINA theme may be too restrictive for spaces interested in being part of the Biennial theme(s), we are including another theme. It much more open and can be interpreted in many ways. It is also central to what is happening in China today and what concerns many contemporary Chinese artists. FotoFest will focus one of its CHINA exhibits on works by Chinese artists relating to the theme of TRANSFORMATIONS.
The TRANFORMATIONS theme, however, is not limited or restricted to China-related work. It can be interpreted however artists and curators would like to represent it. It could related to youth and age, urban environments, physical or psychological metamorphosis, passage of time, architecture, war, technological change, and history, to name just a few areas.
Posted from FotoFest’s website
