by Liza Mitchell
Once time and light first conspired to capture a moment, photography grabbed ahold of history and forced it into stillness. The stunning new collection “The Camera’s Eye” is a visual road trip spanning the turn of the century through the present as part of PhotoJax 2014. The exhibit also takes us on a parallel journey through the evolution of the photographic process from vintage silver prints, Polaroid transfers and glass negatives dating back to the 1890’s.
An opening reception to benefit PhotoJax will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, January 24 at the J. Johnson Gallery, 177 4th Avenue North in Jacksonville Beach. A $10 donation will be collected at the door. The event also includes regional photography and a community response art project at Gallery 725 and the CoRK Arts District.
PHOTOJAX is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization coordinated by a small group of volunteers with a shared love of photography. The festival brings together artists, enthusiasts, collectors, dealers, educators, galleries, museums and invites the public to share in this exploration of photography. Missy Hager serves as director of the event with producers Charles Gilman and Jensen Hande.
“The Camera’s Eye” features over thirty black and white photographs were amassed from represented artists, private collections and various sales galleries to create this unique timeline of historical photography. Such prominent historical photographers as Eugene Atget, Edward Steichen, Cecil Beaton, Man Ray and Walker Evans are featured in the show. Also represented in the collection are Diane Arbus and Robert Maplethorpe along with color photographs by contemporary artists Carlos Betancourt, Candida Hofer, Cecilia Paredes, John Huggins and Liu Bolin.
PhotoJax also includes “Local Exposure,” a juried photography exhibit with works by photographers in the North Florida area. Regional works are displayed at Gallery 725, located at 725-5 Atlantic Boulevard.
Submissions received as part of the Community Response Art project will be available to the public from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, January 26 at the CoRK Arts District, 2689 Rosselle Street. Images showcasing the unique elements of Jacksonville neighborhoods ranging from architecture to the local faces and businesses will be on display throughout the day. A reception will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. and the thousands of entries received will be projected at 8 p.m.
Curators include Carolyn Brass, Aaron Levi Garvey, Saci Bu Shea and Ben Thompson with exhibits by Brass, Natalie Krick, Alexander Oyhovden and Kedgar Volta.
Follow FOLIO!