THURSDAY MAY 15
New England School of Photography. A Nickel and a Kopek: Black and White Photographs by Bill Franson. Reception: 7-9pm. 617-437-1868. 537 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02115. www.nesop.edu

DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park. The 2008 DeCordova Annual Exhibition. Opening Reception: 6-9pm. 781.259.8355. 51 Sandy Pond Road, Lincoln, MA 01773. www.decordova.org

Massachusetts College of Art + Design. Stories in a Black Box. Opening Reception: 7-9pm. 617-879-7333. Brant Gallery. 621 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115. www.photoemerge.com/blackbox.html

FRIDAY MAY 16
The Schoolhouse Gallery. Spring Arts Competition. Reception: 6-9pm. 508-487-4800. 494 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657. www.schoolhouseprovincetown.com

SATURDAY, MAY 17
Clark Gallery. Jim Dow Photographs. Gallery Talk & Book Signing: 2-4pm. 781-259-8303. 145 Lincoln Road, Lincoln, MA 01773. www.clarkgallery.com

Massachusetts College of Art + Design. Thesis Show III. Reception: 6-8pm. 617-267-6100. Bakalar and Paine Galleries. 621 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA. www.massart.edu

Hood Museum of Art. Black Womanhood: Images, Icons, and Ideologies of the African Body. Introductory Tour: 2pm. 603-646-2808. Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755. hoodsmuseum.dartmouth.edu

SoWa Artwalk. South End: 11-6 pm. Various locations, Boston, MA 02118. www.sowaartwalk.com

Newton Open Studios. Spring Art Tour. Open Studios: 12-6pm. 617-872-0228. Throughout Newton, MA 02460. www.newtonopenstudios.com

SUNDAY, MAY 18
Emerson College. Stories Turn Into Pattern: Senior Thesis Exhibition. Opening Reception: 1-3pm. 617-824-8329. Huret & Spector Gallery. 10 Boylston Place, 6th Floor, Boston MA, 02116. www.emerson.edu/huret

Mass Audubon Visual Arts Center. Ocean Wild: The Underwater Photography of Brian Skerry. Opening Reception: 1-5pm. Gallery Talk: 3pm. 781-821-8853. 963 Washington Street, Canton, MA 02021. www.massaudobon.org/visualarts

Griffin Museum of Photography. Senior Sunday - Louis Yanucci. Artist Talk: 3pm. 781-729-1158. 67 Shore Road, Winchester, MA 01890. www.griffinmuseum.org

SoWa Artwalk. South End: 11-6 pm. Various locations, Boston, MA 02118. www.sowaartwalk.com

FRIDAY, MAY 2

First Fridays. South End Galleries. Opening Reception: 5.30-8pm. Various locations, Boston, MA 02118.

Gallery Kayafas. Frank Gohlke. Opening Reception: 5.30-8pm. 450 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118. www.gallerykayafas.com

Boston Center for the Arts. First Fridays. Opening Receptions: 6-9pm. Artist Studios Building. 617-426-5000. 551 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02116. www.bcaonline.org

Laconia Gallery. MIND/matters. Opening Reception: 5.30-8pm. 617-670-1568. 433 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118. www.laconiagallery.org

Addison Woolley Gallery and Center for Photographic Inquiry. Nature: Subtle Sublime Surreal. Opening Reception: 5-8pm. 207-775-0678. 87 Market Street, Portland, ME 04101.

Vermont Center for Photography. A Thin Line: Photographs by Leah Mae Dyjak. Opening Reception: 5:30-8:30pm. 802-251-6051. 49 Flat Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301. www.vcphoto.org

SATURDAY, MAY 3
Cape Cod Museum of Art. Rebecca Brown: Photographs of Coney Island. Gallery Talk: 2pm. 508-385-4477. Route 6A, Dennis, MA 02638. www.ccmoa.org

Somerville Open Studios. 10th Annual Somerville Open Studios Event. Throughout Somerville: 12-6pm. 617-623-5590. Somerville, MA 02144. www.somervilleopenstudios.org

Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art. Going to the Dogs. Gala Cocktail Party, Portrait Gallery, and Live & Silent Auctions: 6-9pm. 401-454-6500. 224 Benefit Street, Providence, RI 02903. www.risdmuseum.org

Judi Rotenberg Gallery. Hello my name is piXnit. Opening Reception: 5-7pm. 617-437-1518. 30 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116. www.judirotenberg.com

SUNDAY, MAY 4
Somerville Open Studios. 10th Annual Somerville Open Studios Event. Throughout Somerville: 12-6pm. 617-623-5590. Somerville, MA 02144. www.somervilleopenstudios.org

TUESDAY, MAY 6
Nesto Gallery. Maine Women by Lauren Shaw. Opening Reception and Film Screening: 5:30-7:30pm. 617-898-1798. Milton Academy, 170 Centre Street, Milton, MA 02186. www.milton.edu

WEDNESDAY, MAY 7
Nesto Gallery. Maine Women by Lauren Shaw. Artist Talk: 9am. 617-898-1798. Milton Academy, 170 Centre Street, Milton, MA 02186. www.milton.edu

Harvard University Art Museum. Women Photographers in India. Lecture/Discussion: 6pm. 617-495-9400. Arthur M. Sackler Lecture Hall, 485 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138. www.artmuseums.harvard.edu

THURSDAY, MAY 8
The Griffin Museum of Photography. 3rd Annual Focus Awards. Reception: 7:30pm. 781-729-1158. 67 Shore Road, Winchester, MA 01890. www.griffinmuseum.org

RHYS Gallery. Judith Larsen. Opening Reception: 5-8pm. 617-357-7497. 401 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118. www.rhysgallery.com

Tufts University Art Gallery at the Aidekman Arts Center. MFA Thesis Exhibition. Artists’ Talk: 6pm. 617-627-3518. Tisch Gallery. 40R Talbot Avenue, Medford, MA 02155.

Harvard Museum of Natural History. Looking at Leaves: Photographs by Amanda Means. Member’s Preview: 6-8pm. RSVP Required. 617-495-6972. 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. www.hmnh.harvard.edu

FRIDAY, MAY 9
Brookline Arts Center. Kyoto in its Season. Photo Salon: 6:30-9:30pm. 617-738-8760. 86 Monmouth St, Brookline, MA 02446. www.brooklineartscenter.com

Fort Point Arts Community Inc. ARTWALK 2008. Open Studios: 4-7pm. 617-423-4299. 300 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210. www.fortpointarts.org

Essex Art Center. Symbols of Search: Color Photography of New Orleans homes’ detail 18 months after Hurricane Katrina. Opening Reception: 5-7pm. 978-685-2343. Main Gallery. 56 Island Street, Lawrence, MA 01840. www.essexartcenter.com

Harvard Museum of Natural History. Looking at Leaves: Photographs by Amanda Means. Gallery Talk: 3pm. RSVP Required. 617-495-2773. 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. www.hmnh.harvard.edu

Griffin Museum of Photography. Portfolio Reviews. 10-1pm. 781-729-1158. 67 Shore Road, Winchester, MA 01890. www.griffinmuseum.org

Pucker Gallery. Recent Reflections: New Photographs by Paul Cary Goldberg. Dinner/Preview: 7pm. 617-267-9473. 171 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116. www.puckergallery.com

Here in Boston, spring had sprung. Photo students from across New England are all hunkering down and burning the candle at both ends — either in the darkroom or at the ink jet printer.

Our friends at Our Daily Red, the blog of Big, Red, and Shiny, has a great run down of many of the regional senior and graduate exhibitions right here and we’ve listed a few others below. Many of these represent schools that are institutional members of the PRC - and we couldn’t be prouder.

Consider this an open post, please feel free to add other senior and graduate student exhibitions in the comments.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Art Institute of Boston
Senior photography exhibition: Laura Cashavelly, Lauren Bockow,
Kip DiVito, and Amber Vickery
AIB Gallery at 601 Newbury Street, Boston, MA
May 5 - 10, Opening: May 9, 6-8pm
&
Taking In book release event
Reception: May 16, 6-8 pm
University Hall Gallery, Porter Square, Cambridge, MA
Taking In: AIB photography exhibition
July/August, Opening, First Fridays
Laconia Gallery, 433 Harrison, Boston, MA

Massachusetts College of Art + Design
Thesis Show II
Through May 9
&
Thesis Show III
May 17-30, Opening: Saturday, May 17, 6-8 pm
MassArt Galleries, 621 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA

Maine College of Art
MFA Thesis Exhibition
Institute of Contemporary Art at MECA
May 10-25 , Opening: Saturday, May 10, 5-8pm
522 Congress Street, Portland, ME

NESOP
2008 Graduate Show
June 6-August 29, Opening: Friday, June 6, 3-5pm and 7pm-close
537 Comm. Ave, Boston, MA

Rhode Island School of Design
Graduate Thesis Exhibitions
May 18 - June 2, Opening: May 17, 6-8m
Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, RI

School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
MFA Thesis Exhibition III
Through May 18
Tisch Gallery at Tufts University Art Gallery, Medford, MA

SUNDAY, APRIL 20

Addison Gallery of American Art. Gallery Talk and Reception with Frank Gohlke and John Rohrbach. Artist Lecture: 2 pm. 978-749-4015. Phillips Academy, Andover, MA 01810.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23

Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Larry Sultan. Artist Lecture: 6 pm. Tower Auditorium. 621 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA. 617-879-7014.

The New Factographers, NF01: Union Square.  Toast Lounge, 10pm-midnight, 70 Union Square, Somerville.

The Art Gallery, UNH. Gallery Talk and Performance by Emerging artists. Lecture: 12-2 pm. 603-862-3713.

THURSDAY, APRIL 24

Khaki Gallery. Leeks & Chains. Opening Reception: Apr 26. 9 Crest Road, Wellesley, MA 02482. 781-237-1095.

Harvard Museum of Natural History. Looking at Animals. Gallery Talk and Booksigning with Henry Horenstein. Artist Lecture: 3 pm. 617-495-3045. 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. (Also Saturday)

SATURDAY, APRIL 26

Harvard Museum of Natural History. Looking at Animals. Gallery Talk and Booksigning with Henry Horenstein. Artist Lecture: 10am. 617-495-3045. 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138.

Hallmark Museum of Contemporary Photography. Stella Johnson, Al Sol. Artist Reception: 1-5 p.m. Artist’s Talk: 7:15 pm. 85 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA 01376. 413-863-0009.

The New England Institute of Art. Portfolio Show. Opening Reception 10 am-2 pm. The Holiday Inn. 1200 Beacon Street, Brookline MA. 617-232-2084.

Griffin Museum of Photography. The Photographic Life: Sam Abell. Lecture: 7 pm. 781-729-1158. 67 Shore Road, Winchester MA 01890.

Peabody Essex Museum. Wedding Ceremonies: Ethnic Symbols, Costume and Rituals. Opening festivities: 11:30 am - 5pm. 161 Essex Street, Salem, MA 01970. 978-745-9500.

SUNDAY, APRIL 13

Griffin Museum of Photography. Senior Sunday: Ellen Rennard lecture: 3pm. 781-729-1158. 67 Shore Rd. Winchester, MA 01890.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16

University Gallery at UMass Lowell. Materia Obscura/Dark Matter: Photographs of Urban Africa and the Diaspora: Kerry Stuart Coppin. Artist Talk and Reception: 3-5 pm. McGauvran Student Union, First Floor. 71 Wilder Street, Lowell, MA 01854.

The New England Institute of Art. RX: For Your Business Success. Portfolio Show: 1-5 pm. Hosted by Brookline Holiday Inn. 1200 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA 02115. 617-582.4420.

THURSDAY, APRIL 17

Iris Gallery of Fine Art Photography. Fred Collins Reception: 5:30-8 pm. 70 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114. 617-742-0061.

School of the Museum of Fine Arts. Fifth Year Exhibition 2008. Artist’s Talk: 12:30 pm. 230 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115. 617-396-3718.

Massachusetts College of Art: Sandra and David Bakalar and Stephen D. Paine Gallery. Art and Design: Thesis Show. Reception 6-8 pm. 621 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA.

FRIDAY, APRIL 18

Boston Center for the Arts. Artadia Boston 2007. Opening: 6-8 pm. 539 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02116. 617-426-5000.

Newburyport Art Association. Patricia Bashford & Robert Pyle. Reception: 7-9 pm. Hills Gallery. 65 Water Street, Newburyport, MA. 978-465-8769.

The Art Gallery, UNH. Emerging Artists. Reception: 6-8 pm. 603-862-3713.

SATURDAY, APRIL 19

Griffin Museum of Photography. Mary Virginia Swanson Workshop. 781-729-1158. 67 Shore Road, Winchester MA 01890.

Don’t forget these upcoming events. Tis the season for senior and graduate student photography exhibitions!

THURSDAY, APRIL 10

Art Institute of Boston. Senior Photography Exhibitions: Lindsay Book, John Dolan, and Taylor Hingston. Opening Reception: 5-7 pm. Gallery at University Hall. 1815 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139. 617-585-6600.

Lesley University. Word and Image Lecture: Collections and Curiosities: Rosamond Purcell, photographer, and David Barber, poet. 7 pm. 1815 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138. 617-349-8609.

Griffin Museum of Photography. Openings for Photosynthesis III, Salisbury, and Convolutions. Tour with Marla Sweeney, 6:15-7 pm; receptions, 7 - 8:30 pm. 67 Shore Road, Winchester, MA, 01890. 781-729-1158.

School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Fifth Year Exhibition. Opening reception: 5 - 8 pm. 230 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115. 617-396-3718. SMFA MFA Thesis Exhibition. Opening reception: 5:30 - 8:30 pm. Tisch and Koppleman galleries at Tufts University Art Gallery.

FRIDAY, APRIL 11

Art Institute of Boston. Senior Photography Exhibitions: Julia Bykowski, Julia Hobart, Aleigha Howland, and Ashley Sacccoach. Opening Reception: 6-8 pm. 601 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02115.

I am delighted to report that Mark Feeney, resident art, photo, and culture critic at the Boston Globe, has won the Pultizer Prize in Criticism! I just learned about the great news. Congratulations Mark! You so richly deserve it!

I am also honored to report that one of the 10 stories with which Mark was nominated and won was his review for the PRC exhibition Picture Show. You can read all of Mark Feeney’s nominated, prize-winning stories here.

This series of 10 reviews includes his musings on the photographic efforts of several PRC friends, including Kim Sichel’s aerial photography show, Arlette Kayafas’s Charles Teenie Harris show, and Abe Morell’s Mead Art Museum show. Being that we are a smaller non-profit in a largish city, I am thrilled and humbled that Mark has written about our shows so often, or even at all. You can read 5 of Mark’s reviews of PRC exhibitions here.

I so very much appreciate the time that Mark spends in understanding an exhibition and I know the artists do too. He always asks for all of the wall text and artist statements. I have long admired Mark for his insightful commentary and ability to create brilliant turns of phrases. In his writing, you can tell how much he enjoys pondering ideas of all stripes.

ize="2">Here are some excerpts below from the Boston Globe story and above, a photo by another of our favorite Globe staffers, Dominic Chavez.

From the Boston Globe, Globe writer wins Pulitzer for Criticism
By Don Aucoin, Globe Staff, April 7, 2008

Mark Feeney, an arts writer and photography reviewer for The Boston Globe, today was awarded the 2008 Pultizer Prize for criticism.

It is the 20th time the Globe has won the Pulitzer, which is considered the most prestigious award in journalism, and the second time in the past seven years that the newspaper has won the award for criticism.

Feeney, 50, won for 10 essays on visual culture that ranged from photography to painting and film. A self-described Globe “lifer” who began working at the newspaper shortly after he graduated from Harvard in 1979, Feeney noted today that the Globe has long made arts criticism a cornerstone of its identity.

“More than anything else, it’s about the paper,” he said of the Pulitzer. “There are so many people who are deserving who don’t get it. It’s a crapshoot. I’m just amazed, overwhelmed, and really, really pleased that the dice came up for me this time. But it’s not just for me. It’s for the paper.” The awards were announced this afternoon at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City. …

Feeney won the Pulitzer for 10 critical essays that suggest the fluency and brio of his writing style, and the range of interests on which he brings that style to bear. …

“The Globe has a great tradition of reviewers, not just such prior Pulitzer winners as Robert Campbell and Gail Caldwell, but so many others, going all the way back to Michael Steinberg, Robert Taylor, Richard Dyer, Margaret Manning, and several current colleagues whom I will not embarrass by naming,” said Feeney.

Feeney was born in Winchester, Mass., and raised in Reading, Mass. His mother,
Agnes, who still lives in Reading, will turn 90 on Saturday.  “I’ve been at a loss as to what to get her for a present,” Feeney said. “I guess I’m all set now.”

We hope that spring has sprung for good, because there are a lot of good reasons to get out and see some photography this week.

SUNDAY, APRIL 6

Kehler Liddell Gallery. Hank Paper + Marjorie Wolfe: Israel At 60: Time and Diversity. Reception: 2-5 pm. 873 Whalley Avenue, New Haven, CT. 06515. 203-389-9555.

MONDAY, APRIL 7

Fogg Art Museum. Light Conversations: Seminars with Contemporary Photographers. 11:30 am-12:30 .m. Mongan Center, Fogg Art Museum, 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA. 02138. 617-495-8003.

University of New Hampshire Art Gallery. Focus on Artists Film Series: The Photographers. Paul Creative Arts Center, Room A219. 30 College Road, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824. 603-862-3712.

TUESDAY, APRIL 8

Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Carolee Schneemann. Artist Lecture: 6 pm. Tower Auditorium. 621 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA. 617-879-7014.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9

The French Library Alliance Française of Boston. Bancs Publics Benches, Photographs, and Maquettes by Mitch Ryerson. Opening: 6-7:30 pm. RSVP Required. 53 Marlborough Street, Boston, MA 02116. 617-912-0400.

Massachusetts College of Art and Design. All School Show. Awards ceremony, 6-9 pm. Reception. Tower Lobby. 621 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA. 617-879-7014.

Sorry for the late weekly post, folks. There’s been some bad internet weather with our hosting provider. But we’ve persevered to bring you these updates since tomorrow is First Friday, and there’s a lot going on, something for everyone, I’m sure!

THURSDAY, APRIL 3

Photographic Resource Center at BU. Ralph Gibson Lecture. 7pm BU Photonics Center, 8 St. Mary’s Street, Boston. $10 Members/$15 Non-Members/$5 Full-time Students/Free for Students of Institutional Members. The PRC is pleased to present this re-scheduled lecture with iconic image-maker Ralph Gibson. Known for his lyrical black and white compositions, Gibson transforms the mundane into the mysterious. His formal studies of detail—the supple curve of a body, reflective objects on a café table, passers by on the street—are not only explorations of light, shadow, and contrast, but are also inquiries into metaphor and the subconscious.

Addison Woolley Gallery and Center for Photographic Inquiry. Rituous Profusion: A Celebration of Spring! Opening Reception: 5-8 pm. 87 Market Street, Portland, ME 04101.

The Cyclorama, Boston Center for the Arts. Art & Design of the 20th & 21st Centuries. Gala Preview: 5:30-9:30 pm. 539 Tremont Street, the South End.

Mount Ida College. Wild Life/Wildlife. Opening Reception and Artist’s Talk: 5-7 pm. Mount Ida College, 777 Dedham Street, Newton Centre, MA 02459.

Massachusetts College of Art and Design. 19th Annual Art Benefit Auction. Preview Reception: 6-8 pm. Stephen D. Paine & Sandra and David Bakalar Galleries, South Hall, 621 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA. 617-879-7014.

New England School of Photography. Spiritual Matter. Opening Reception: 7-9 pm. Center for Photographic Exhibitions. 537 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215. 617-437-1868.

University of Connecticut Contemporary Art Galleries Ornithology: Looking at Birds. Symposium followed by Reception: 2:30 pm. Konover Auditorium, Thomas J. Dodd Research Center. 30 Bolton Road, Storrs, CT 06269.

FRIDAY, APRIL 4 — First Fridays, South End galleries and studios, 5-8 pm.

Allston Skirt Gallery. Test Site. Reception: 5-8 pm. 65 Thayer Street, Boston, MA 02118. 617-482-3652.

Bernard Toale Gallery.Toni Pepe. Reception: 5-8 pm. 450 Harrison Street, Boston, MA 02118.

Boston Center for the Arts. First Fridays. Opening receptions: 5-9 pm. Artist Studios Building. 551 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02116.

Center for Digital Imaging and Arts at Boston University. Spring Photography Faculty Gallery Exhibit. Opening Reception: 7-9 p.m. 274 Moody Street, Waltham, MA 02453. 800-808-CDIA.

Gallery Kayafas. Judy Haberl. Reception: 5:30-8 pm. 450 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118.

Kingston Gallery. Drawing on Water: Mary Lang. Opening Reception: 5-7:30 pm. 450 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118. 617-423-4113.

Samson Projects. Adam Frelin: Winners, Factions, and Thieces. Reception: 6-8 pm. 450 Harrison Avenue, Storefront 63, Boston, MA 02118. 617-357-7177.

Dillon Gallery. Exploring The Surface. Reception: 6-8 pm.119 Ripley Road, Cohasset, Ma 02025. 781-383-2787.

Vermont Center of Photography. Ten Years Later: New Work by Past Exhibitors. Reception: 4:30-8:30 pm. 49 Flat Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301. 802-251-6051.

SATURDAY, APRIL 5

Harvard University. MODERN/AGE. Symposium. 9am-5pm. Arthur M. Sackler Museum Lecture Hall. 485 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138.

Massachusetts College of Art and Design. 19th Annual Art Benefit Auction. Auction: doors, 6, live auction 7:30 pm. Stephen D. Paine & Sandra and David Bakalar Galleries, South Hall, 621 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA. 617-879-7014.

I’ve been rabidly collecting photographs for over 30 years and my collection has ballooned to the point where most of the images are lined up against walls or in closets or under beds.

One drawback of having a large collection is that there are precious few opportunities to present it to an appreciative audience. All my friends have seen it and they do not even try to feign attention any longer. So when an opportunity to air a portion of the collection to a new public was presented, I was thrilled.

The invitation came as part of a private event hosted by Panopticon Gallery in Boston featuring Andy Grundberg. I was asked to bring a few photographs from my collection to an event where Andy could use the images as part of a conversation about collecting.

The first kafuffle was trying to figure out which images to select. The best? My favorites? The dogs? As you can see, a dog ended up as part of the final selection.

Knowing one of the other contributing collectors, and the stellar quality of his collection of vintage photographs, I chose to contribute a few of the more affordable, contemporary pieces.

The selection process behind me, the fear of public ridicule set in. Here was one of the world’s most significant voices in art criticism looking at the images I’ve collected and commenting on them. What if he broke out in loud laughter? Or worse, delivered a remarkably astute critique of the photos under the title of “What not to collect.”

The William Wegman print titled “The Duck” was selected and I thought that this would be his chance to let ‘er rip.

But to my surprise there was not a chuckle or a sneer. Instead he spoke insightfully about Wegman’s early videos, his sense of humor, and his – and others - use of the Polaroid 20×24 camera.

Perhaps I wasn’t in my underwear after all.

Andy Grundberg ponders “The Duck”.
Photograph by Shannon McDonald

Member PhotoSLAM!

Deadline for Submissions, Saturday, June 12th
Event: Thursday, June 26, 6pm
Location: The Wonder Bar. 186 Harvard Ave, Allston, MA.

The PRC will be hosting its annual PhotoSLAM! The PhotoSLAM! will be a digital slide show of ALL submitted photographs, a showcase of the work and talent within the PRC membership. Submit photos by CD or email by June 12th to cbrennan@prcboston.org attention PhotoSLAM!. We are only accepting submissions in digital format. Limit 5 images: Images must be jpegs (labeled last name and # - i.e., Brennan1, etc.), formatted for PC (please include .jpg extension) at 150 dpi/ppi, no larger than 800 pixels in either direction. All entries should include a sheet detailing name, image information (title, year, media, etc.), phone number, email, and a brief description of the work or series. You must be prepared to attend, narrate your work, and cheer on friends the night of the event!

Leslie K. Brown here. Today, almost in preparation for next Thursday’s opening of New England Survey at the PRC, I had the distinct pleasure of hearing British landscape photographer Jem Southam speak at Wellesley College’s Davis Museum. Southam’s Upton Pyne exhibition opens Wednesday evening at the Davis Museum, but today he spoke to Patricia Berman’s photohistory class. Besides myself and Bruce Myren, and Davis curator Dabney Hailey, others in attendance included Laura McPhee and her MassArt class as well as MFA curators William Stover and Karen Haas. Jem is known for his contemplative, photographic observations of a single location over many years. Upton Pyne is his 6-year study of a single pond.

Among other accomplishments, Jem was a past PRC Leopold Godowsky Jr. Color Photography Award winner. These awards are administered by the PRC and are by nomination. Jem was one of the 1992/1993 cycle winners, along with several other names you might recognize. It was great to catch up with him and Dabney graciously invited me to lunch. We ate outside at Jem’s insistence. At first I thought it would be too cold, but, true to Jem’s wonderful form and presence, I was glad to convene with nature. Jem teaches at a very unique program in the UK through the University of Plymouth/Exeter School of Art and Design (read more about the Land and Water program here, which includes scholar Liz Wells among others). I encourage you to check out the exhibition (up through June 8th) and if Jem ever speaks anywhere near you, please go, it is an incredible experience! What an amazingly sweet person to boot!

Here is a great link from the Victoria & Albert Museum on Jem Southam and two of his most recent series, Upton Pyne and the Painter’s Pool.

You can read an interview with Jem Southam here.

ABOVE IMAGE: Jem Southam enjoying the winter sun outside of the Davis Museum.

The PRC’s gallery will be closed for installation from March 17 until the 28th, but fear not, there are plenty of great art and photography things to do this week, not least among them Andy Grundberg’s lecture on collecting photographs on Thursday night. We hope to see you there.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19

List Visual Arts Center at MIT. David Claerbout Gallery Talk with Educator Mark Linga: 12:30 p.m. List Center Galleries 20 Ames Street. 617.253.4680

Boston City Hall. Figured: An exhibition showcasing four women from Jamaica Plain Open Studios.Reception: 5-6 pm. 1 City Hall Plaza, Boston, MA 02201. 617.635.4000

THURSDAY, MARCH 20

Photographic Resource Center. Andy Grundberg, “Collecting Photographs, Collecting the World” 7pm, BU’s College of General Studies, Jacob Sleeper Auditorium, 871 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston
$10 Members/$15 Non-Members/$5 Full-time Students/Free for Students of Institutional Members

FRIDAY, MARCH 21

Institute of Contemporary Art. William Yang: Shadows Reception: Friday 7:30 pm & Saturday 8 pm. 100 Northern Ave, Boston, MA 02210

SATURDAY, MARCH 22

List Visual Arts Center at MIT. David Claerbout Gallery Talk with Educator Mark Linga: 2 pm. List Center Galleries 20 Ames Street. 617.253.4680

Please join the Photographic Resource Center for 3 special events during April, May and June. These events are open to a limited number of people on a first come, first served basis. Space is limited for each of these events, so please call 617.975.0600 to reserve your place today.

You can purchase the three “Behind the Scenes” events as a package for $300 per person or you can purchase the individual events at the event price listed below.

The first “Behind the Scenes” Event
Lecture and Private Dinner Reception with Tina Barney
Thursday, April 17th, 2008
Lecture at 7pm with dinner to directly follow
The Photographic Resource Center at Boston University
832 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02215
Enjoy a private dinner reception with one of America’s most influential and respected photographers. The event will take place on Thursday, April 17 and directly follow her lecture. Limit for this event is 20 people. The price of the event is $125 per person. RSVP by April 7th.

The second “Behind the Scenes” Event
Photography at the Fogg Art Museum
Saturday, May 10, 2008 at 11am
Fogg Art Museum
32 Quincy Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
Harvard University’s Fogg Art Museum will be closing for renovations on June 30, so take advantage of this opportunity to view selections from the Fogg Art Museum’s photography collection in the Agnes Mongan Center for the Study Prints, Drawings, and Photographs. The event time will be on Saturday, May 10 from 11-12 with a talk by the Richard L. Menschel Curator of Photography, Deborah Martin Kao. Following the tour, join us at a special restaurant for lunch. The price of the event is $125 per person. Limit for this event is 15 people. RSVP by May 5th.

The third “Behind the Scenes” Event
A Private Collection Becomes Public
ISM.
Thursday, June 12, 2008 at 6:30
745 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116
ISM, a travel and leisure marketing company, is allowing a limited number of visitors to view their never-seen-before corporate collection.Guests will enjoy a guided tour with ISM’s President and CEO, Gary Leopold and enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on its roof-deck, with a spectacular view of the Back Bay. Gary has been an avid collector of photography and a member of the PRC Board of Directors. The price of the event is $100 per person. Event time will be Thursday, June 12 from 6:30 to 8:30pm. RSVP by May 31st.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19

List Visual Arts Center. David Claerbout Gallery Talk with Educator Mark Linga: 12:30 p.m. List Center Galleries 20 Ames Street. 617.253.4680. www.web.mit.edu/lvac/www/general/index.html

FRIDAY, MARCH 21

Institute of Contemporary Art. William Yang: ShadowsReception: Friday 7:30 pm &Saturday 8 pm. 100 Northern Ave, Boston, MA 02210. www.icaboston.org

SATURDAY, MARCH 22

List Visual Arts Center. David Claerbout Gallery Talk with Educator Mark Linga: 2 pm. List Center Galleries 20 Ames Street. 617.253.4680. www.web.mit.edu/lvac/www/general/index.html

MONDAY, MARCH 24

Hilton Garden Inn. Bruce Davidson Opening Reception for CIPNE Members 5:30-6:30 pm, Registration 6:30-7 pm, Speaker 7-9 pm, Book Signing 9-9:30 pm. 420 Trotten Pond Road, Waltham MA 02451.

SATURDAY, MARCH 29

Hallmark Museum of Contemporary Photography. Meditations on Simplicity: Photographs by Linda Butler. Reception: 1-5 pm. Galleries 52 and 56. 85 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA 01376. 413-863-0009. www.hmcp.org

Hallmark Museum of Contemporary Photography. Meditations on Simplicity: Photographs by Linda Butler. Illustrated Artist’s Talk: 7.30 pm. 27 Industrial Boulevard, Turners Falls, MA. 413-863-0009. www.hmcp.org

SUNDAY, MARCH 30

Tufts University Art Gallery. Voice Your Vision! Guided Tour: 2 pm. Aidekman Arts Center, 40R Talbot Avenue, Medford, MA 02155. 617.627.3518. www.ase.tufts.edu/gallery

We’re losing an hour tonight, but the photo event outlook is bright after that. Keep your drowsy eyes fully engaged by looking at lots of art and photography. As usual, Thursday presents tough choices, but the only wrong answer is to stay home and watch TV.

SUNDAY, MARCH 9

DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park. Eye Wonder Family Program. Guest Artist: Segal Patel, Young Photographers. Drop in hours: 1-3 p.m. 51 Sandy Pond Road, Lincoln, MA 01773. 781.259.3629

Gutman Library, Harvard University School of Education. Linda Haas Reception 4 -6 pm. 6 Appian Way, Harvard Square, Cambridge MA. 617.495.4225

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12

Arnold Arboretum. Changing Nature: Photographs from the Arnold Arboretum Artist talk: 6 pm. Hunnewell Building, 125 Arborway, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130. 617.524.1718

THURSDAY, MARCH 13

List Visual Arts Center at MIT. David Claerbout Gallery Talk with Curator Bill Arning 6 pm. List Center Galleries, 20 Ames Street. 617.253.4680

Cushing Martin Gallery at Stonehill College. Dress Code: Clothing as Character. Work by: Maryjean Viano Crowe, Alexandra Dooley, Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison, Leslie Schomp, and Brian White. Opening reception 5:30-7:30 pm. 320 Washington Street, Easton, MA 02357. 508.565.1755

Hyde Square Task Force, Photo Frenzy. Creative Designs by Curley Students Grand Opening: 6-7:30 pm. The Cheverus Building, 30 Sunnyside Street, Jamaica Plain. 617.524.8303

FRIDAY, MARCH 14

Harvard University Art Museums. Bauhaus Palimpsest: The Object of Discourse Opening Lecture by Barry Bergdoll, The Museum of Modern Art: Fabrication and Authorship: New Perspectives on Making at the Bauhaus. Reception to follow: 6 pm. Arthur M. Sackler Memorial Lecture Hall. 485 Broadway, Cambridge. 617.384.5224

We’ve got a big week coming up, with some tough choices to make on Thursday. Of course, we hope you choose Arno Rafael Minkkinen’s first public lecture in Boston at the PRC. Don’t forget the leap year, one extra day of February for your enjoyment, and First Fridays deferred a week to March 7th.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26

Rhode Island School of Design. Visualizing Black Culture. Lecture by Dr. Deborah Willis, Chair of Photography and Imaging Department at NYU Tisch School of the Arts: 7 pm. RISD Auditorium, 17 Canal Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02906. 401.454.6500. www.risd.edu

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28

Photographic Resource Center. Arno Rafael Minkkinen: unplugged, as always. 7pm, BU’s Photonics Center, Auditorium 206, 8 St. Mary’s Street, Boston, MA. 617-975-0600. www.prcboston.org $10 Members/$15 Non-Members/$5 Full-time Students/Free for Students of Institutional Members. [meetup]

Foster Gallery, Museum of Fine Arts Boston. SMFA Traveling Scholars. Artists’ talk by Bill Durgin, Mathew Clay Freeman and Elizabeth H. Wallace: 11 am. Avenue of the Arts, 465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115. 617-267-9300. www.mfa.org

Harvard University Art Museums. Moyra Davey: Two or Three Things I know about Her. Lecture by Catherine Lord: 6 p.m. Carpenter Center Auditorium. 24 Quincy Street. Opening Night: 7 pm. Fogg Art Museum, 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA. www.artmuseums.harvard.edu

Griffin Museum. Photographs of Immigrant Station on Ellis Island from the Social Museum of Harvard University. Gallery talk by Beth Pugliano: 7 pm. 67 Shore Road, Winchester MA 01890. 781-729-1158. www.griffinmuseum.org

We hope to see you at as many of these great events as possible!

In what I hope will be a regular feature, Boston Photography Focus recognizes fine Boston-area restaurants that have the good taste to exhibit the work of fine local photographers on their walls. After all, you can only look at your dining companion for so long. We start off this week with Rendezvous in Central Square, where photographs by Betsy Cullen grace the walls.

Rendezvous was a very welcome addition to the Cambridge scene about two years ago, replacing a sketchy Central Square Burger King with a very warm and pleasant modern Mediterranean restaurant. Owner and chef Steve Johnson likes to source top-notch local ingredients, so the menu changes monthly. When I was there in February, there was a great smoked monkfish chowder and some delicious and dainty vegetable antipasto.

© 2006 Betsy Cullen

Betsy Cullen’s dreamy black & white infrared scenes evoke summery times in soft focus and concise compositions. Some of her photos are almost panoramic in aspect ratio, giving them a majestic feeling. I didn’t see them when I dined at Rendezvous (maybe they were behind me) but I especially like Cullen’s luminous beach balls, seen in many of the pictures on her web site. So now you have two good reasons to visit Rendezvous - excellent food with local ingredients, and excellent local art on the walls.