Say Hello To Our New Jurors!

We wanted to take this opportunity to introduce some new faces who have joined the Critical Mass team this year! The jury, which consists of 200+ top curators, publishers, editors, and media producers every year  is one of the largest and most diverse out there. Critical Mass isn’t your typical photography competition – entering is an opportunity to get your work in front of photography professionals who can offer exhibitions, publications, and more. Of course, Photolucida does offer some wonderful awards (a solo exhibition at Blue Sky Gallery, The Rauschenberg Residency Award, the CAMPO Residency Award, and the Print Collecting Initiative), but many more opportunities are offered to artists by professionals who fall in love with their work while jurying. Check out the success stories from past photographers and jurors alike!

Critical Mass is open for entries now. Don’t miss it – the entry deadline is on the horizon! Learn more.
 
Pascale Georgiev – Atelier Éditions
 
Pascale Georgiev, FRSA, is a Québécois creative currently based between Los Angeles and London. Receiving a first degree in Fine Arts, with a studio concentration on Fibres and a minor in Art History, she’s subsequently studied journalism and forecasting, and has been a Fellow at the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) since 2016.
Having worked in independent publishing, design, culture and the arts, she has dedicated her personal work to collaborating with institutions and artists to create books and exhibits that hold thoughtful and engaging narratives. Her works include vernacular photography books, art monographs, photo and written essays, and commercial publications for fashion clients.
In 2016, she co-founded Atelier Éditions, a publishing house specializing in art monographs and archival works, including limited edition prints and curatorial projects, as well as it’s associated creative studio. She is also a founding member of the Cultural Research Institute, launching in Autumn 2018.
 
 
 
 
Ashley Stull Meyers
 
Ashley Stull Meyers is a writer, editor and curatorial collaborator. She has curated exhibitions and programming for the Wattis Institute, Eli Ridgway, the Oakland Museum of California, Newspace Center for Photography, Blue Sky Gallery and Bridge Productions. She has been in academic residency at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art in Omaha, NE and the Banff Centre in Banff, Alberta. She is currently Northwest Editor for Art Practical, and has contributing writing to Bomb Magazine, Rhizome, Arts.Black and SFAQ/NYAQ.
In October 2017, Ashley was named Director and Curator of the Art Gym and Belluschi Pavilion at Marylhurst University. 
 
 
 
 
Christy Havranek – HuffPost
 
Christy Havranek is the Photo Director at HuffPost, where she manages a team of photo editors and photographers. She has 18 years of experience in the photo business, having worked at NBCUniversal, Frommer’s Travel, Polo Ralph Lauren and Bloomsbury Publishing, among others. Recently, Christy was the juror for “Photography as Response” at the Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins, Colorado, and served as one of three jurors for the prestigious Review Santa Fe Project Launch in 2017. During Review Santa Fe, she co-presented a two-day workshop aimed to help established photographers reach the next level in the editorial space, which will run again later in 2018. She is the juror for the upcoming Lenscratch exhibit “Good Manners” and a juror for the 2018 LensCulture Street Photography Awards.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Patrick and Holly Kahn – Snap! Orlando 
 
Patrick Kahn is the Founder/Director/Curator and Holly Kahn is the Exhibitions Coordinator/Curator of Snap! Orlando. Snap! Orlando / Snap! Cultural Events is a Florida 501 (c)3 arts organization whose mission is to boldly increase the visibility and appreciation of the photographic medium as a significant cultural art form, and broaden the demographic of engaged art enthusiasts and collectors. The two galleries, Snap! Space and Snap! Downtown offer art and educational events throughout the year. Along with exhibitions with regional, national and international photographers and new media artists, the programming is highly diversified, inspired and community driven. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“I can’t tell you how big of a fan I am of your Critical Mass competition. I entered a couple of times and even if I didn’t make it to the Top 50, the feedback and the exposure was great. People (read: reviewers, potential publishers, and gallerists) often know my work from the 200 reviewers round. I experienced many times in a review (like in Paris) they would say “Yes, I know your work from Critical Mass.” The reviewer’s feedback in your email after the competition is so wonderful. Only for that feedback it’s worthwhile ton enter! So supportive! After my last entry, I made it to the Top 50. What a party! I got a publication on Slate and Il Post out of it. I couldn’t believe I was invited for Photofestiwal Lodz as well. That was such a great award! I enjoyed myself big time and felt very welcome! And I got to meet other Top 50 photographers! It was great to see Alison Nordstrom’s show with the Top 50 on the wall and do the portfolio reviews, all for free. Thank you, thank you for this invitation! Keep up this great work with Photolucida and Critical Mass! You’re one of the best in the world!”
—Vivian Keulards