From 2006:
I have to say THANK YOU SO much! Because of Critical Mass I have scored my first ever solo show in Washington DC at the National Academy of Sciences! It will be up from December through June. One of the Critical Mass jurors, JD Talasek (curator for the Museum) contacted me.
I am not exaggerating or being dramatic by saying that Critical Mass changed my life, for it is very true that you can make the best images in the world but they mean nothing if all they see is the inside of a box. Critical Mass has been just that for me, that tipping point that has made so much more possible, like some video game I have found the gold key and may now advance to the next level!
- Camille Seaman (book award winner)
One, the German publication PhotoNews published a portfolio of my Domesticated series in its May 2007 issue, after Anna Gripp saw my work as a juror.
And less concrete, but perhaps more ultimately helpful, when I participated in Photo Espana this year many of the reviewers I met with had already seen my work through Critical Mass and been impressed with it. Curators such as Alison Nordstrom of the George
Eastman House, Beate Cegielska from the Danish Galleri Image and Tim Wride of the No Strings Foundation were already fans of my work before I even met them!
- Amy Stein (book award winner)
I would definately recommend participation in Critical Mass. I had a number of people mention they saw my work on the CD but on top of that I was asked to participate in a group show during Photolucida's Portfolio Reviews. An LA gallery who saw the CD signed me up to do a solo show later in the year. The exposure was much more than I expected.
- Tom Chambers
I have worked with a few of the Critical Mass photographers before seeing their work as part of Critical Mass. I have since bookmarked a bunch of the artists while jurying Critical Mass, and hope an appropriate reason comes up to work with them as well.
- Paul Buckley, VP Executive Art Director, Penguin Books
Last year I introduced collectors to the work of a Critical Mass photographer and they purchased 5 pieces. I will be doing more of the same in my capacity as consultant with a special interest in supporting emerging artists, presenting the work of several outstanding Critical Mass participants to clients here in Toronto.
- P.E. Sharpe, Consultant
I am doing a solo show for Karen Glaser after seeing her work as part of Critical Mass - it is opening this fall.
- Nelson Hancock, Nelson Hancock Gallery
My Television Portraits continue to receive a positive response. Currently, one of the images from the series has been accepted into the 13th Juried Exhibition by juror Brian Clamp of Clampart in NYC as part of an exhibition at the Griffin Museum of Photography.
- Susan Lakin
I was introduced to Camille's work while serving as a judge for your online competition. I addition to including her work in this publication ("Issues in Science and Technology"), we have finalized the plan to offer Camille her first solo exhibition. The exhibition will be on view at the Keck Center of the National Academies from December 1st - February 25th, 2008 and at the National Academy of Sciences from March 1st - June 1, 2008.
Thanks for providing artists with an opportunity for exposure - I look forward to working with you again in the future.
- JD Talasek, Director of Exhibitions, The National Academies
I continue to curate an eclectic array of photography exhibitions and I am thrilled to have been able to invite two Critical Mass photographers to participate in important exhibitions here in Oregon. On a secondary note, I find it so valuable to see new work and growth from the same artists who continue to enter Critical Mass - I remember them, track their work, follow up with some of them, and have been able to make new contacts for my work as a curator.
- Cherie Hiser, Photographer/Curator
The Kresge Art Museum purchased one of Camille Seaman's large prints for it's collection. Two additional prints were purchased for personal collections. Also because of Critical Mass, I have been in touch with Donald Weber about his current Guggenheim project, part of which may fit my Steel: Hot Metal, Cold Reality project.
- Howard Bossen, Curator, Kresge Art Museum
I saw Mario Ambrosi's work at Rhubarb Rhubarb and also as part of Critical Mass - the "Body as Dream" series is currently highlighted on the lens culture website.
- Jim Casper, Editor, lens culture
After seeing work from Bonnie Fournier, Andrew Glickman, German Herrera,
Erik Palmer, and Bill Westheimer in Critical Mass 2005, we both promoted their
work to numerous colleagues for purchase and publication. We also published
their work in our new book, 'Visual Communication: Integrating Media, Art and
Technology' (a visual communication, media and visual literacy textbook which
we expect to be used by many colleges and university art and communication
departments).
Julie also published extensive portfolios of work in the journal 'Visual
Communication Quarterly' for Critical Mass participants Bonnie Fourneir,
Bill Westheimer, German Herrera, Michael Marshall, Tyagan Miller, Mariette
Allen, Sharon Seligman, Sara Terry, Don Normark and Jenny Sampson.
There are numerous other PhotoLucida and Critical Mass photographers who we are
still working to promote to galleries, publications and collectors and many who we hope
to include in subsequent editions of our book. and other publications. PhotoLucida's Portfolio Reviews and Critical Mass continue to be the best venues for us to view new, high quality photographic work in a setting where we can get to know the photographers and understand their work in depth.
- Rick Williams, Division of the Arts Chair, Lane Community College
- Julianne Newton, Visual Communication Professor, University of Oregon and
former Editor and current Board Member of Visual Communication Quarterly
I saw Gloria Baker Feinstein's work as part of Critical Mass 2006 and have scheduled an exhibition of Gloria's work in March and April 2009. Gloria will exhibit international photography with an emphasis on water and people.
- Maya Jones, Curator, White Sturgeon Art Gallery
I reviewed a couple of photographers whose work I saw through Critical Mass on The First Post website. They were very popular with our readers. They were Dorthe Alstrup and Lori Nix.
- Elaine Hake, Writer, The First Post
After viewing work for Critical Mass 2005, I included one of the artists, Fiona Aboud, to be included in a show titled "Erotic Beauty" that will open in March 2008.
- Marita Holdaway, Director, Benham Gallery
As a 2006 Critical Mass reviewer, I saw the work of Eric Hansen and Tom Chambers, and we were able to offer them exhibitions at our gallery in LA.
- Sugar Brown, Director, George Billis Gallery, L.A.
From 2005:
I would encourage photographers of all ages to participate in Critical Mass - it's an amazing opportunity. Imagine how much time and money you'd have to spend schlepping your portfolio around or sending off CD's to get 200 different curators, publishers, and gallery people to look at your work. Here, you send a few jpegs and you and the jurors are spared the awkwardness of the face-to-face response. Even if you've already had a book published, the rewards of having so many distinguished people in the field look at your work are incalculable. If there's no immediate response, you may still get contacted about shows or other opportunities down the road -- people do seem to make note of work they like for future use.
I'm really pleased I participated in Critical Mass -- I have a book coming out as a result of it, and a show this fall at The Center for Photography at Woodstock.
I plan on participating again in future years, when I have another body of work I'm ready to show.....
- Sage Sohier
Winning the Critical Mass award has been an important turning point in my career. Having my work seen and then reviewed by numerous curators and consequently having a book published has been crucial to the development of my career. Critical Mass in combination with Photolucida has opened opportunities for me that I could never have imagined.
- Louie Palu
I would certainly recommend participation in Critical Mass to any photographer if only because the exposure is so great. And I believe exposure is cumulative - the more it's out there, the better your chances of connecting.
As for results, I had some interesting comments and was offered a teaching job. That was great. Also, the process of organizing for the book awards was very instructive. My work has done very well lately, selling to a number of museums, and with several shows coming up, but all of that was not directly from Critical Mass.
- Suzanne Opton
I was truly honored to be one of the book award winners in the Critical Mass contest. But even without an award, the contest itself (that allowed gallery owners, curators, publishers and editors from around the world to become familiar with my work) was invaluable. I come into contact all the time now with people in the business that say, "Oh yes, I know your work. I was one of the reviewers for Critical Mass."
- Julie Blackmon
There were many impressive portfolios in Critical Mass 2006, and while some of the artists were familiar, viewing the entries provided a wonderful opportunity to also see some exciting artists and projects that were new to us. One of our favorite Critical Mass discoveries was Sage Sohier's imaginative series “Perfectible Worlds”. It resonated so strongly with us that we selected her for a solo show at CPW, which we presented in the fall of 2006.
- Kate Menconeri, Program Director, Center for Photography at Woodstock
There is no doubt Critical Mass helped me garner a show at the Sol Mednick Gallery for Photography at the University for the Arts in Philadelphia. I met the gallery director, Harris Fogel in Chicago and when I showed him my work he immediately recognized it from The Critical Mass CD. He said that when he saw my work on the CD, he gave it high marks and said he would definitely consider it for a show at the gallery. Because he had already seen the work on the CD, it made it easier for me to connect with him when I met him in person. Definitely worth it!.
- Dave Jordano
Critical Mass was great. I was happy to have been selected as one of the finalists. I can't connect any cold-call success stories directly to CM, as in "I saw your work in Critical Mass. How about a show?", but I know the work was seen as a result of being a finalist. "Hey, I saw this in Critical Mass" has been a common response, so it has been helpful in paving the way, I think.
One of the most valuable parts of the experience has been the CD of other photographer's work. It has introduced me to a lot of work I would not have found otherwise, and reminded me of photographers I had not thought about in awhile. I like to think that works both ways.
- Todd Deutsch
(A success story about both the Portfolio Reviews and Critical Mass):
My Story About Photolucida
I attended Photolucida conference in 2003. Among the reviewers I met, Rixon Reed of photo-eye took me on to its Photographer's Showcase in their website. After photo-eye sold many prints of mine, I was invited to become its gallery artist. Since then, it continued to sell many more prints and my self-published books. Bonni Benrubi of Bonni Benrubi Gallery in New York saw my work on photo-eye's website and asked for my actual prints for her to see. I became her gallery artist, and had a show in November, 2005. I also met Ann Pallesen of Photographic Center Northwest, who later invited me for a show at the Center in 2005.
Another reviewer I met, Anthony Bannon of George Eastman House acquired two prints of mine for the museum while reviewing my work. Among the photographers who attended Photolucida conference with me, I became a close friend with Ken Rosenthal who later had a show at Oswald Gallery in Texas. He recommended my work to the gallery while he was attending his opening reception, and the gallery offered me a show right after his show.
Last year I submitted for Photolucida's Critical Mass Award and I received its top prize of hardcover monograph publication. My first monograph will be published early next year.
A Japanese newspaper ran an article about the award and myself (which made my parents happy more than anything). Photo magazines abroad - UK, France, Romania, and Japan—have published my work since.
- Hiroshi Watanabe |
photolucida.org