Ochosi Editions' Portraiture of the 21st Century competition

Eulalio Fabie de Silva - Mikey

Ochosi Editions' "Portraiture of the 21st Century" photo competition is being displayed at Benedictine University, from November 8 - December 30, 2014. The competition was juried by noted New York photographer Ellen Wallenstein, and features 21pieces from the US, Poland, Mexico, and El Salvador.

Appalachian portrait - Andrew Auten

Wallenstein wrote the following...
A portrait is a collaboration between photographer and subject, an agreement, if you will. An image of a person to be looked at, appreciated, connected with, preserved. A portrait doesn’t necessarily need eye contact but there is always some sort of acknowledgment shown. Awareness is key. As a juror I was interested in the many ways people interpreted the challenge.

Japan Post - Susana Veloz

In this show there is a wide gamut of approaches to portraiture. There are direct confrontations, where the subject looks at the photographer and there are those with gazes averted. There are self-portraits in imitation of religious iconography. There are re-purposed portraits that seem to be memorial images. There are several documentary–style images where the environment is key to understanding the person pictured. There is a collage using an historical image and another with many images inserted into a plastic envelope, as mail. There is no one style or kind of photography; there are many.

Jadwiga - Izabela Mieszczanska

 The range of portraits in this exhibit range from the austere to the glamorous, the quietly introspective, playful and surreal.  "Jadwiga"(above) is a wonderful portrait of a grandmother from Poland, whereas Bullet's portrait of "Michelle" careens us back to the 80's glam period.

Timothy S. Kump Bullet - Michelle

Beatrice Turner's "Doll" has that intimate experience that anyone who owns and cares for a treasured doll would understand, where as the portrait of "Mikey" at the beginning of this article reflects everyone's own uncomfortable portraits from one's past.






Beatrice K. Turner - Doll

Other portraits contain a sensuality, like John Sevigny's "Cojute"(below),

and Susana Veloz' "Collage"(below)

The sentimental and nostalgic images of Claudia Berlinski (left)

and Alejandro Moreno Alanis (right)

send us back in time to remember old friends and places left in our memories.






Yet other photos show the integrity and depth of one character, like Ryan Muldowny's "Self-portrait"(below)

Miguel Servellon - El Salvador

The gist of this show shows that portraiture takes many forms and brings to light our continuing interest in looking at ourselves and the people in our world.

 

Many Thanks to all the artists who participated in the competition.

Phillip J. Turner - Merge3

 

List of Selected Artists

Alejandro Moreno Alanis - Mexico

Andrew Auten  - Texas

Claudia Berlinski  - Ohio

Carlos Colorado – El Salvador

Eulalio  Fabie de Silva - Illinois

Timothy S. Kump - Illinois

Mary Ann Lynch – New York

Jeane McGrail - Illinois

Izabela Mieszczanska  - Poland

Ryan Muldowny - Tennessee

Miguel Servellon – El Salvador

John Sevigny - Florida

Gayle S. Stevens - Mississippi

Beatrice K. Turner - Illinois

Phillip J. Turner  - Illinois

Susana Veloz - Mexico