Participate in Cleveland’s largest public photography exhibition

By ANDREA C. TURNER

The Cleveland Photo Fest, (CPF) now in its fourth year, takes place September 1-30, at Bostwick Design Art Initiative, 2731 Prospect Road in Cleveland. Its mission is to strengthen the appreciation of photography as a major force in today’s visually driven culture throughout Northeast Ohio and beyond. CPF seeks to promote worldwide “Unity Through Photography.”

The festival is not just for professional photographers; amateurs can get involved too. The public is invited to participate in the largest public photography exhibition ever held in Cleveland: The Cleveland Open Photo Show, a photography exhibition for all residents of Northeast Ohio. The fee to enter is $10 per image. All family-friendly photographs will be displayed.

On August 26 and 27, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., bring a submission and $10 to the Bostwick gallery. Have two submissions? Bring $20. No size limitations (within reason). Framed or unframed is OK. No judging, opinions, or comments will be rendered. This is a show for everyone.

On opening night, Friday, September 1, vote for a favorite image. A $100 prize will be awarded that night for the Best in Show, chosen by the public. The opening reception begins at 3 p.m., and features food, refreshments and live music.

Visual artist Suber Huang makes a presentation from 6-7 p.m. to discuss his exhibit, “See and Be Seen,” a celebration of eye-catching photographs juxtaposed with images from his inspirational work as Founding Curator of the American Society of Retina Specialists Retina Image Bank. Since its inception, the Image Bank has garnered over three million page views and has been used in over 180 countries to become the world’s largest and most comprehensive open access retina platform. His collection has been selected as a featured artist and his photography was awarded a solo exhibition at the prestigious New York Foundation of the Arts in 2021.

Photographer and activist Joan Lederer presents Friday, Sept 8, from 7-8 p.m. to discuss her exhibit, “Diary of a Congolese Asylum Seeker and His Family.” For 10 months, she has photographed a family of four Congolese who are seeking asylum in the US.

“The family has been remarkably generous in allowing me into their lives,” said Lederer. “The photos show emotions and relationships that are generalizable to all of us. And yet, what this family has gone through is something none of us should ever have to experience.”

Jimena Horta speaks on her work “Adentro (Inside)…Self Portraits” on Friday, September 15, from 7-8 p.m. of photography she captured of herself in Mexico City in 2017.

“The project is an exercise about exploring introspection and all the uncomfortable emotions and feelings along that internal process,” said Horta. “Self-portraiture was the tool I decided to use in this dialogue with myself. It became my most important instrument for self-learning. Adentro also opened the door for the mental health journey through which I had intended to walk,” she added.

The final presentation, “Nihil Omnia Audio Visual Sludge Noiseadelic” (by Jim Szudy and Shawn Slowburn) takes place Friday, September 22, from 8-9 p.m.

CPF also features work of Jon Passow, “The West…Pinhole Color Landscapes,” five large format photographs taken throughout America’s Wild West.

Finally, the Second Annual Volunteer Appreciation Show features a collection of images from all of the CPF volunteers. The closing reception is Friday, September 29, from 3-9 p.m. with a live show, food and refreshments.

CPF is sponsored by Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, Ohio Arts Council, NEO Pro Imaging, and Bostwick Design Art Initiative. Visit clevelandphotofest.org for more information.