Curating towards Antiracism and Representation
Annie Shutz
February March, time/day TBD
Annie Schutz and Wesley Lapointe approached Six Feet back in September with an idea for a curated gallery “dedicated to images of the ongoing fight for Black Lives, and the many forms it takes. We want this gallery to show manifestations of this fight that go beyond those which have become cliches in the BLM coverage. Black pain, anti-cop demonstration, anti-trump demonstration, arrests, violence. These images, while not unique to the past few months, paint a sensational picture of these protests. We’d like to paint a more holistic picture. Art, food, life, dance, music, community, and love have all been present in these protests.”
In our conversations around the subject, it was clear that this curatorial process should center the lived experiences and perspectives of BIPOC photographers, while acknowledging how the white gaze has affected depictions of BIPOC trauma throughout photography’s problematic history. Racism and the culture of white supremacy creates boundaries but also leaves space for transformation - this collaborative effort will endeavor to unpack and respond to this duality.
Curating Towards Antiracism and Representation is a curatorial working group focused on discussing the framework of antiracist curation within art and material culture and responding to this with a call for entry, a transparent curatorial process, and a curated gallery. We will host guest presenters, supply resources for further self-education, and are interested in seeking collaboration and engagement with photographers of all backgrounds and identities, while centering the experiences and images of BIPOC.
Wesley Lapointe
Annie (she/her) is a Black photojournalist from Utah who is studying at Portland State University and is the photo editor of the Uni's publication, Vanguard. She photographs sports, news, and life and is Finishing her senior year at Portland State University, completing Interdisciplinary Studies for an Arts & Letters degree, with minors in Film Studies and Communications.
Wesley (he/him) is a white man from Maine living in Portland, OR, freelancing in documentary and commercial photography and studying journalism at the University of Oregon. “I'm trying to engage with this movement by recognizing the racism around me and in me (photographically and otherwise) and taking steps towards collaboration and honesty to chip away at harmful power dynamics.”
lydia (she/they/y’all), is a white, ethnically Jewish, queer Appalachian originally from Boston. An artist, educator, and curator of art + archives, lydia is a co-founder of Six Feet, founder and director of Engaging Collections, and a passionate advocate for art as an agent for transformative justice.
Please register with the link below and consider supporting our facilitators with a donation. We will prioritize registration from people who are not currently attending a “boundaries” focused practice group, but please email us atinfo@sixfeet.photography so that we can place you on a waiting list for any available spaces.
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