Collier Womanwithacamera 35mm Large, FotoFocus Cincinnati
Anne Collier, Woman with a Camera (35 mm, diptych), 2009. Inkjet print, 20⅜ × 24 inches. Courtesy of the artist; Anton Kern Gallery, New York; Galerie Neu, Berlin; The Modern Institute/Toby Webster Ltd., Glasgow; and Marc Foxx Gallery, Los Angeles. © Anne Collier Approved for limited use

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FotoFocus Adds Landscape Photographer Justine Kurland as Keynote Speaker

Posted on September 29, 2017

Kurland, known for portraits of fringe America, will replace Katy Grannan among Second Century symposium’s lineup of featured speakers

Cincinnati, OHFotoFocus’s Second Century: Photography, Feminism, Politics symposium, taking place at Memorial Hall on Saturday, October 7, 2017, has added Justine Kurland as one of its keynote speakers. Kurland is replacing Katy Grannan, who is no longer able to participate due to a physical injury.

Born in Warsaw, New York, Kurland is known for her photographs of utopian landscapes and of people who live on the fringes of mainstream America. Following in the photographic lineage of Robert Frank and Sally Mann, Kurland uses the road and motherhood to examine ideologies of attachment and belonging. From 2004 to 2015, Kurland and her young son, Casper, traveled across the country in a customized van, making photographs along the way. Many of these pictures are collected in her 2016 book, Highway Kind (Aperture). These photographs test the romantic sentiments of the road against the vagaries of life in America today. Kurland’s work is in the public collections of New York’s Whitney Museum, Guggenheim Museum, Museum of Modern Art, and the International Center of Photography; the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C.; and the Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal.

Kurland and fellow photographer Tabitha Soren will host a keynote conversation discussing their means and methods of representing American life through their work. Prior to the keynote, Aruna D’Souza, writer and critic, will offer a commentary on the intersection of feminism and other movements in relation to photography.  The comment and the keynote conversation will conclude the day-long symposium that addresses a range of topics revolving around feminist approaches to photography and lens-based art in today’s socio-political climate.

“We are saddened that Katy Grannan can no longer participate in this year’s symposium, and we wish her a quick recovery from her injury,” says Kevin Moore, FotoFocus Artistic Director and Curator. “Fortunately, Justine, a photographer of esteemed and equal measure, was able to step in immediately. She will provide a perspective on the American experience uniquely feminist and maternal, and one that this year’s attendees will talk about long after the symposium concludes.”

Free and open to the public, the symposium begins at 10 a.m. and will include panel discussions and speakers throughout the day. It is designed to be flexible, allowing people to attend all day or the panel of their choice. For the full schedule and the most up to date information, visit FotoFocusSymposium.org. Engage with FotoFocus on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About FotoFocus
Founded in 2010, FotoFocus is the largest, Cincinnati-based non-profit arts organization whose mission is to present the finest in contemporary photography and lens-based art. FotoFocus supports and curates artistically, intellectually, and academically rigorous exhibitions and programs that are accessible, educational, and enriching to a diverse public. The organization celebrates and champions photography as the medium of our time and aims to encourage dialogue about the world through the art of photography. Programming includes the FotoFocus Biennials, the Lecture and Visiting Artist Series, a series that has invited more than 35 internationally-renowned photographers to Cincinnati. Since its inception, FotoFocus has presented more than 300 projects, worked with over 100 partners and provided support and funding to over 150 programs. More information about FotoFocus can be found at www.FotoFocusCincinnati.org. 

Media Contact
For further information, images or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Megan Smale
O’Keeffe PR
megan@okeeffepr.com
513-221-1526

Press Release as a PDF: FotoFocus Adds Landscape Photographer Justine Kurland as Keynote Speaker