FotoFest 2010

I can’t paint or draw, but I can pick up a camera and point it at things…and so I do, with varying degrees of success.  As a (very) amateur photographer I am always on the lookout for exhibits featuring photography. FotoFest is a Houston-based international non-profit organization working in photographic arts and education. Their thirteenth FotoFest Biennial started on March 12 and will continue through April 25 at over 100 locations in and around the city. In addition to photography exhibits, the festival will feature curatorial talks, workshops, film screenings, book signing events and more.  Occurring only once every two years, the biennial is a highly-regarded and not-to-be-missed international art show.  If you are fortunate to be visiting  Houston during its run I highly recommend visiting one or more of the exhibitions.

This year’s theme is Contemporary U.S. Photography and includes four “principal exhibitions” dedicated to that theme: “Road to Nowhere?”, “Whatever Was Splendid”, “Assembly”, and “Medianation”.  A fifth exhibition (non-thematic) called “Discoveries of the Meeting Place” is a collection of works discovered at the 2008 FotoFest Biennial portfolio review.

FotoFest also champions the Literacy Through Photography school curriculum program that uses photography to help better engage students in writing and communication.

You can connect with FotoFest online via Twitter and Facebook.

Where: FotoFest Headquarters Gallery (map) and Hotel (map); Exhibits are in over 100 locations city-wide.  The eight spaces hosting Biennial Exhibitions are:

Isabella Court (map); Allen Center I and II (map); Art League Houston (map); New World Museum (map); Williams Tower Gallery (map); Winter Street Studios (map); Vine Street Studios (map)

When: FotoFest Biennial 2010 is going on now through April 25.  FotoFest operates exhibitions year-round so check their website for an ongoing schedule of events.

Tools: A list of participating spaces where Biennial exhibitions and events are being held and a Public Calendar of events.

Tickets: Many exhibits are free to the public but some require a ticket purchase ranging from $5-$7.

Photo Credit: Christina Uticone