Kauai Now : Comment period extended for draft bill to update Indian Arts and Crafts Act

Apr 15, 2023 By Admin in Native

April 15, 2023, 12:00 PM HST

Kolo Mountain Wood Crafts. (Marla Walters)

The deadline for comment submission to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs about the discussion draft of the Amendments to Respect Traditional Indigenous Skill and Talent Act of 2023, called the ARTIST Act, has been extended to May 19, 2023.

Comments may be submitted to [email protected].

The new act would update the Indian Arts and Crafts Act to support creative economies and strengthen enforcement of current law and protections against counterfeit competition for Native artists and their works.

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Comments will be used to further inform the legislative process and serve as a resource for future discussions on updating the Indian Arts and Crafts Act.

The Committee will hold a virtual listening session, “The ARTIST Act: Updating the Indian Arts and Crafts Act,” about the discussion draft on April 26 at 2:30 p.m. ET.

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Beyond Hollywood: Exploring the Art and Culture Scene in California

Apr 14, 2023 By Admin in Native

California’s Art Festivals: A Showcase of Creativity

Art festivals throughout California offer a fantastic opportunity for locals and visitors alike to engage with the state’s thriving creative community. These events often showcase a wide range of artistic disciplines, from visual arts to music, dance, and theater, and serve as a testament to California’s rich and varied artistic landscape.

One of the state’s most prominent art festivals is the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which has grown into a global phenomenon since its inception in 1999. More than just a music festival, Coachella also features large-scale art installations and sculptures, created by both renowned and emerging artists from around the world. Similarly, the Burning Man festival, though held in Nevada, has deep roots in California’s countercultural and artistic communities, serving as a platform for radical self-expression and art.

In Northern California, the annual Sausalito Art Festival is a highly anticipated event, showcasing the works of over 260 artists from across the United States. With its picturesque location along the San Francisco Bay, the festival offers an inspiring setting for visitors to explore and purchase unique works of art, while enjoying live music, gourmet food, and wine tasting.

As we’ve discovered, the art and culture scene in California extends far beyond the confines of Hollywood. From the lively street art and galleries in various arts districts to the captivating theater, dance, and music performances found across the state, California offers a kaleidoscope of artistic experiences that cater to every taste. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, don’t miss the opportunity to immerse yourself in the Golden State’s rich cultural tapestry and celebrate the diverse expressions of creativity that make California truly unique.

Caleb Bell Named Executive Director of the Tyler Museum of Art

Apr 14, 2023 By Admin in Art World News

The Tyler Museum of Art (TMA) has announced the appointment of Caleb Bell as the museum’s next Executive Director, following the upcoming retirement of Christopher M. Leahy on June 30, 2023.

Mr. Leahy joined the museum a decade ago and brought a wealth of experience from his time working in finance and administration within art organizations. During his tenure, he improved institutional operations, grew museum membership, and achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums.

In a press release, TMA Board President Suzanne Perkins stated, “We are proud of the many strides we have made together under the direction of Chris, and he will be greatly missed. Caleb has played a key role within the organization for years, and we are excited for our future under his guidance.”

A photograph of curator and cultural worker Caleb Bell standing in front of a red brick wall.

Caleb Bell. Image courtesy of the Tyler Museum of Art.

Mr. Bell, who holds a BA in Public Relations & Advertising with a minor in Art History for the University of Texas at Tyler, began his time at TMA in early 2012 as the Public Relations & Marketing Coordinator. In 2014, when Ken Tomio stepped down as Curator,, Mr. Bell began assisting with exhibition planning, and two years later he was appointed Curator.

In addition to presenting group exhibitions, during his time as curator he has also organized an array of solo exhibitions by contemporary regional artists, including Helen Altman, Daniel Blagg, Abhidnya Ghuge, Letitia Huckaby, MANUAL, and Linda Ridgway. His latest project, Observations: Works by Melissa W. Miller, opens on Sunday, May 7. Beyond his curatorial duties, Mr. Bell has contributed to TMA’s educational and community outreach programming and has assisted with grant writing and fundraising efforts.

Outside of the scope of his work at the Tyler Museum of Art, Mr. Bell has also organized exhibitions at other institutions across Texas, including Women & Their Work in Austin, The Reading Room in Dallas, and the Longview Museum of Fine Arts. He has served as a juror for numerous exhibitions, including Craighead Green Gallery’s New Texas Talent XXVI. Additionally, Mr. Bell has assisted with public art projects at Tyler Junior College and the University of Texas at Tyler. He currently serves on the board for the Center for the Advancement and Study of Early Texas Art (CASETA).

Additionally, Mr. Bell has written for various publications, including Glasstire, Southwest Contemporary, and Texas Highways. His writings range from interviews and profiles to exhibitions reviews and close looks at singular artworks. Most recently, Mr. Bell wrote the exhibition essay for the upcoming show IN MEMORIA: Linda Blackburn + Ed Blackburn at Site131 in Dallas.

Mr. Bell told Glasstire, “It is an honor to have been selected by our board to serve as the institution’s next Executive Director. I have been with the TMA for 11 years now and look forward to many more. The museum is a special place and I want to continue to expand its presence within our community and beyond.”

He explained that in his new role, his goal is to build upon the legacy of Mr. Leahy and to continue to grow the TMA’s impact through expanding programming “to make the TMA the place people want to be.”

Ms. Perkins remarked, “Caleb has played a key role within the organization for years, and we are excited for our future under his guidance.”

Mr. Bell will step into the role of Executive Director on July 1, 2023.

Madeline Sayet performs excerpts from ‘Where We Belong’ at Kent State

Apr 14, 2023 By Admin in Native

An Evening with Madeline Sayet, an event where Madeline Sayet performed excerpts from her show “Where We Belong,” and spoke on her life and play’s impact, took place at the EZ Blackbox Theatre in the Center for Performing Arts Wednesday. Jessica Vallejo hosted the event which was compromised of 15-minute excerpts of Sayet’s show, a conversation between Sayet and Vallejo and an opportunity for questions. Before the event started, a land acknowledgment was read aloud.

Sayet is a Mohegan theatremaker named in Forbes 30 Under 30, a TED fellow, an NCAIED Native American 40 under 40, an MIT Media Lab Director’s Fellow and received the White House Champion of Change Award from former President Barack Obama. She is an assistant professor at Arizona State University in its English department and the executive director of the Yale Indigenous Performing Arts Program.

“Originally, I trained to be an actor, I grew up doing a lot of Shakespeare because that was what was available. Now I have a very complicated relationship with Shakespeare because I now recognize the systemic structures in place that means that Shakespeare is everywhere,” Sayet said. “When I got to school, my final year of undergrad, there was a course being taught in contemporary Native drama. It was completely revolutionary to me because I didn’t know Native theater existed and that comes up for a lot of different Native theater artists. Suddenly it was like these stories that resonated and were important to me and felt so deep and so connected. I shifted into directing first as a way to facilitate community spaces with other Native artists.”

Sayet’s original play, “Where We Belong,” was first performed at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London and received four out of four stars from The Chicago Tribune. Sayet’s website describes the play as “a search for belonging in a globalized world. It is at once a rich investigation into the impulses that divide and connect us as people, but it is also about a wolf that learns how to become a bird and fly.” Two excerpts from the show were performed at the event.

“When I wrote [“Where We Belong”], it was because it’s something needed to be processed that I couldn’t process any other way other than on stage,” Sayet said. “Because it was so specific, and because it was so personal people found different resonances with the story. That also helped heal other people, which wasn’t something I had foreseen or realized. And that’s ultimately why I kept telling the story was because when I would perform it, I’d get notes for people in the audience that would like that would tell me how much it meant to them.”

Jessica Vallejo, who hosted the event, is Dine, Yoeme and Xicana. She is a doula, licensed massage therapist, wellness practitioner and birth keeper who offers traditional family support at Sacred Spaces 216. She also serves as the secretary for the Committee of 500 Years of Dignity and Resistance and serves in Diversity Equity and Inclusion for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Monsters, Charge, Legion and Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse Events. Vallejo spoke on how much Sayet’s work meant to her.

“A lot of Native folks have struggled through creating an identity for themselves in this world, post-colonial,” Vallejo said. “Our community has struggled for visibility and against the backdrop of racist imagery for 100 years. We are beginning a journey and this is part of it, telling our stories and giving that visibility back to our lived experiences and the ongoing barriers that we have to access that as an identity in 2023. I’m a little emotional.”

Sayet’s “Where We Belong” is currently touring the nation produced by the Wo0lly Mammoth Theatre Company in association with the Folger Shakespeare Library, and is published by Bloomsbury.

Lex Ogilvie is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected]

A Wyoming artist picked for a national exhibit hopes her art brings back humanity and family relations

Apr 14, 2023 By Admin in Native

Last year, a group of Wyoming women passionate about art came together and formed the Wyoming Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts. By creating this committee, the group is able to nominate one upcoming Wyoming artist to the 2024 Women to Watch exhibit at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington D.C. Sarah Ortegon High Walking will be that artist. Wyoming Public Radio’s Kamila Kudelska spoke with Ortegon High Walking on what this nomination means to her and what her art hopes to express. First, they dove into her childhood.

Editor’s note: This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

Sarah Ortegon High Walking: I was born into a family of 12. My mom had six boys and six girls. I was born in Denver, Colorado. And my parents would, from the age of three, they would take me to the [Wind River Reservation]. And we spent our summers out there. And maybe from age of when I was 11, or 12, they actually would leave me with my aunt and uncle George and Shirley Enos. They would leave me to basically just play outside on the rez, with my aunt and uncle, and we stayed with them for a few months during the summer.

Kamila Kudelska: Can you tell me a little bit of how you started working in art and how that kind of came out for you?

SOHW: I don’t actually know why I started doing art. It was just a part of something that I believe was always a need to express myself. And not always having the resource of needing to actually speak my emotions. I always say that art is a quiet expression. But sometimes it can be the loudest because they say that our paintings are sometimes worth 1,000 words. I was more of a quiet person growing up. And because my dad was a preacher, I was required to be seen and not heard. And so that led to me expressing myself through art.

KK: What does it mean to you to be chosen as the Wyoming woman representative at the National Museum of Women in the Arts exhibit?

SOHW: It’s a huge honor to be chosen. It’s also very nerve wracking, because I feel like there was a reason that I was chosen, and I want to live up to the artist that I can be. I just had a baby. And so my art production has slowed down. But that doesn’t make me any less of an artist. So I think it’s going to have a profound impact on my future, not only on my present, because I think that this is going to solidify me in the art world. It’s really hard I feel sometimes for women to be taken seriously as artists, because we have to be so multifaceted. We have to work and it is the same for men, but in the capacity that we’re needed as mothers and as sisters, there’s just a lot that’s required of us. And so even throughout history, there’s not a whole lot of women artists that are recognized. But the women that were recognized were very powerful artists. And so it just means a lot to me. And I honestly think that it’s going to change the trajectory of my life.

KK: My understanding is that you already have an idea of the piece of work that you’re going to be presenting at the exhibit. Could you describe it?

SOHW: In 2013, I went and competed in Miss Native American USA. And I did not believe that I was going to win the title. But I did win the title. I was practicing in the first jingle dress that I was ever given. And I was already 23 by that time. And typically, we begin to dance when we’re two or three years old already out in the powwow circle. For me to be 23 and taking my first steps in a jingle dress, and I used that jingle dress to compete, it was just…that was also a very life changing time in my life. And so I depicted the jingle dress, and I got my inspiration through Frida Kahlo, and how she depicts herself in two separate viewpoints. But I removed my physical self and I just painted the dresses, and it looked like they’re moving, they’re just floating in movement. And the background was white. I added beadwork onto the belt areas of the two dresses that I put side by side on the painting. The dress was red, and I called it my first steps. And so I wanted to replicate that on four different panels kind of in a circular motion. The panels will be square, but it’ll be hung in a circular motion. I’ll be painting different dresses, and they will be representative of the different seasons of our life, of the different seasons of the world…winter, summer, fall, and spring. I am planning to take footage of Wyoming in its different seasons and put those videos on top of the paintings that I paint. So it’s going to show the transition of the different seasons on the paintings.

KK: I love that. Can you kind of talk about what a jingle dress is?

SOHW: So the jingle dress comes from the Anishinaabe people, which are also known as the Ojibwe people. It was a dream that came to an elder whose daughter was sick. And there are different versions of the story but this is the version I was told. So I’ll share that. And so through his vision, he saw the dress. And originally it was tobacco can lids that were used for the jingles. We use tobacco in order to pray so it’s a prayer dance, basically. So the dress can have up to 365 jingles on it representing each day of the year. Not every jingle dress is that way. There are contemporary jingle dress dancers now. And it’s a lot more fancy than what it used to be. So that’s basically what a jingle dress is. It’s a dress that you dance in and it has jingles that sound like rain when you dance. If you were to dance without a drum, it sounds like rain on a tin roof.

KK: The exhibit in D.C. has a theme, which is “New, Future, and Alternative Worlds.” So I wonder if you can describe how that theme fits with the piece of work that you just described?

SOHW: What I am relating to new and alternative worlds is the fact that we as human beings need to go back to helping one another. And, as in, like, whenever we’re talking about prayer for things or supporting one another, I think that’s something that has become lost in the digital era. Right now, I feel like when you lose contact in the physical realm of being in another’s presence, it kind of separates people from one another. I feel like if you’re to go back in time, and to see how Shoshone and Arapaho people have… previously they were on the same reservation, but traditionally, you know, enemies. But that’s not what I want to focus on. What I want to focus on, is even as a separate people, there was always a home for our people. There wasn’t this concept of money, everything was more of a natural life. And so I feel like that’s what I’m wanting to bring back to the future of who we are. Not even just Native people, but people in general. Nature could be very violent at times. But it’s also there to help support each other, like the water supports the trees, supports the birds, supports the feeding of our predators. And so it’s a continuous cycle of regeneration. And that’s one thing that I want to bring back through my artwork is going back to the humanity of who we are, going back to our family relations and to praying for one another.

Wildlife Photographer Finds ‘Croczilla,’ Largest Croc in the Florida Everglades

Apr 14, 2023 By Admin in Photography

Croczilla, a 14-foot crocodile in the Florida Everglades. Photo: Kymberly Clark.

A wildlife photographer hunting for a famous crocodile named “Croczilla” in the Florida Everglades finally had her patience pay off when she stumbled across the gigantic creature at a pond.

Photographer Kymberly Clark says she spent months looking for the well-known crocodile, keeping her eyes peeled every time she visited Everglades National Park.

She had heard from park employees and tour guides that Croczilla is seen every so often at Nine Mile Pond and that it is likely the largest crocodile in the entire park, which spans over 1.5 million acres.

After many failed attempts at spotting Croczilla in 2022 and 2023, Clark recently paid a quick visit to Nine Mile Pond on her way out of the park after another day of no luck. As she drove through the popular kayaking and canoeing area, she was surprised to find Croczilla right on the shore of the pond, basking in the sun and frequently opening its mouth to regulate its body temperature.

“The crocodile almost didn’t look real,” Clark tells PetaPixel. “Living in South Florida, I am fortunate to see amazing wildlife creatures frequently, but this crocodile sighting is in my top three herping experiences of 2023 (including an 18-foot female Burmese Python filled with eggs and an elusive Pine Snake).”

Clark stayed at the pond and photographed Croczilla for over an hour, not knowing if or when she might ever get a chance to photograph the elusive giant again. She made sure to stay at a safe distance, and one can never be sure what a wild animal will do.

“Even though American Crocodiles are extremely timid apex predators, the general rule for most alligators and crocodiles is to remain about 20 feet from them, as they can lunge 6 feet from a resting position,” Clark says.

While there are an estimated 200,000 alligators in the Everglades, crocodiles are much more rare — the population declined to around 300 decades ago and the animal was declared an endangered species in 1975, but numbers have recovered to around 2,000 to 3,000 in the present day.

“I see alligators every day in Florida, but a crocodile is a rare and extraordinary find,” Clark says. “To spot a crocodile this large makes the experience even more special because this is about the largest found in the wild in the U.S.

“In 1975, crocodiles were listed as endangered but fortunately they are successfully reproducing and are now classified as threatened. They can only be found in the southernmost part of Florida, living in brackish and salt water.

While wild crocodiles max out at a length of around 14 feet, captive crocodiles have been known to grow significantly larger.

“Male crocodiles are larger than females and can reach about 20 feet in length but rarely exceed 14 feet in the wild,” the National Park Service writes. “Breeding females are about 8 to 12 feet in length.”

“It wasn’t until I was standing next to the colossal Croczilla that I realized how small and powerless I was in comparison,” Clark tells Insider. “Looking back at all the times I tried but did not find this enormous crocodile, I have no regrets. In fact, I will continue to look for Croczilla on every trip I make to Everglades National Park.

“I love the thrill of the hunt and unexpected surprises.”

Is Your Photography Suffering From the Region-Beta Paradox? |

Apr 14, 2023 By Admin in Photography

Has your improvement trajectory in photography begun to level off? Do you find yourself feeling a little jaded and uninspired? There is a paradox that might resonate with your current situation and if it does, it holds the keys to propelling yourself forward.

In a talk I was watching recently, the speaker began discussing how often people coast when it comes to the working world. Many of us don’t want to risk our current position in an effort to secure something better and that can lead to stagnation and many other woes. To explain the problem, the speaker brought up the Region-beta paradox, and from the moment it was explained to me, I realized that it had applied perfectly to my photography in periods, and it’s likely I’m not alone.

What Is the Region-beta Paradox?

The Region-beta paradox is the phenomenon where sometimes the worse situation in the short term is better in the long term. Honestly, there is no succinct way to summarize this paradox without it being at least a little confusing! I’ll give an example: if a person was fairly unhealthy — a little overweight, lacking a little in sleep, not drinking enough water — they may be displeased with the situation, but it’s not a disaster. If, however, they had become very unhealthy — obese, rarely getting enough sleep, often dehydrated — they are more likely to come to the realization that something has to change. The working example was useful in explaining this paradox: If somebody is in a job they don’t love, they are more likely to stay in it and not seek a job they do love. Whereas, if a person’s job is awful, they are more likely to quit and look for something better.

What do these situations have in common? Sometimes the worse situation is better. It is, of course, paradoxical, but it makes so much sense. If something isn’t bad enough to warrant action, it is likely more damaging than a worse situation that does effect change. I can think of many times in my life this has been the case, including in the working world. I had a low-average-paying job in my early twenties and while I didn’t loathe the position, it wasn’t what I wanted for myself. It took three-and-a-half years for the job to begin to impact my health with how unhappy it was making me and so I figured out how to leave and pursue something I wanted. Why? Because it wasn’t quite uncomfortable enough before that point.

So, how does this apply to photography?

The Region-Beta Paradox and Photography

At first glance, this concept doesn’t marry up all that well with photography; if photography is making you uncomfortable or unhappy, don’t do it. However, this paradox also applies situations that aren’t inherently negative. In fact, the example given in Daniel Gilbert’s paper that introduced the paradox used the following: “…consider a commuter who has the habit of walking to destinations within a mile of their origin, and biking to more distant destinations. Since the bike is faster, the commuter will reach some distant locations more quickly than nearer destinations (region beta in their diagram), reversing the normal tendency to arrive later at more distant locations.” The paradox was then applied to health and many other situations.

As for photography, it applies to how the photographer is progressing in their craft. When anyone starts photography, there is that typical, exciting state we all experience when finding something new and interesting. You know you’re a complete amateur and you’re learning an awful lot very quickly, which is rewarding. This tails off naturally and then you can stagnate without conscious effort to counteract it. It is around then that the first instance of the Region-beta paradox might rear its head. For example, you might have been trying lots of new techniques and learning because you felt as if you didn’t know anything about the subject, but as your knowledge grows, you become more complacent with that, so you make less of an effort to learn. If you were trying to hit new and difficult heights with your skill level, you would push to improve, but if you’re not uncomfortable enough with your lack of knowledge, you might not. Therefore, it would be better if you were less content with your work.

My Experience of the Paradox

When I first heard of the phenomenon, I thought of two times in my own life it applied. The first was with the full-time job I wasn’t happy in, and the second was as a professional photographer, but for a completely different reason. Some readers may be aware that I have photographed watches for adverts and magazines. I have always enjoyed macro photography, and so, one day, rather out of the blue, I had the idea to look for paid work photographing watches as horology is a passion of mine. My early work was fine, albeit dull and with lots of niche mistakes, but I wanted to produce great images of these timepieces.

I could not stop in this pursuit to create memorable images. I had someone fire a flamethrower at a watch while I photographed it (pictured above), I took a watch to the edge of a glacier in a blizzard in Iceland, and I created a macro stack of a watch’s movement that consisted of over 100 images. I was desperate to show watches in a way that had rarely been done, whether that meant in a ridiculous and frankly dangerous setting, or pushing photographic techniques to see what was possible.

Honestly, looking back, this paid dividends. It wasn’t hard to find more work when I was creating the most interesting work I could possibly create and I think the reason is twofold: the images were “rare” and so more eye-catching, even if they weren’t perfect, and I was confident and proud of my work. Then, somewhere along the line, I started to plateau. Companies would send me their watches and I could create strong images of them without pushing myself. The client was happy and I — and this is the key here — wasn’t unhappy. That is, I wasn’t happy as I felt I had more to give, but I wasn’t unhappy because I was being paid to create these images consistently.

As a result, what would have been better is if either the work had dried up, leaving me stressed about replacing that income stream, or I had grown unhappy with the work I was producing. Either situation would have been worse in the short term, but ultimately better for my work. Instead, I coasted for a while until I reached the point where I was sick of the work I was creating and needed to push myself forward. Although I was eventually motivated enough to make a change, waiting for the breaking point is not the best outcome by a long chalk.

So, as photographers, we need to ask ourselves: is our photography in the Region-beta zone? Are you content with the photographs you are taking and, if you’re being honest, are you pushing yourself to create great images? If you are, then rather than waiting until you get to the point of unhappiness with the craft (which could even lead to you quitting altogether), correct your course now and act.

The Winning Photos of the 2023 Sony World Photography Awards

Apr 14, 2023 By Admin in Photography

© Edgar Martins, Portugal, Photographer of the Year, Professional Competition, Portraiture | 2023 Sony World Photography Awards

The World Photography Organization has announced the overall winners in the prestigious Sony World Photography Awards 2023 competition.

The “overall winners” announcement comes less than two months after 55 photographers earned National Awards and a month after the Professional Category finalists were unveiled.

Edgar Martins wins ‘Photographer of the Year’ with Moving Tribute to His Late Friend, Photojournalist Anton Hammerl

Acclaimed photographer, Edgar Martins of Portugal, has been named the Photographer of the Year in the Sony World Photography Awards 2023, the sixteenth edition of the massive competition.

Martins earned the top honor for his photo series Our War, which pays homage to Martins’ friend and photojournalist, the late Anton Hammerl, who was tragically killed during the Libyan Civil War in 2011 by government militia.

Frustrated by an inability to determine the remains of his deceased friend, Martins traveled to Libya. He covertly entered the country with the assistance of a smuggler. Once there, Martins realized that it would be impossible to carry out a thorough investigation of what happened to his friend, so he instead reflected on the question, “How does one tell a story when there is no witness, no testimony, no evidence, no subject?”

“In Our War Martins conjures and alludes to the absent central figure through a series of portraits of the people Hammerl had connected with and those involved in the fighting (freedom fighters or their descendants, ex-militia, local residents, Gaddafi loyalists or lookalikes, and so on). They were chosen because they either resembled him, had similar ideas and beliefs, or reminded Martins of him at different stages of their friendship. The project explores the idea of absence, of documenting, grieving, and honoring a subject as well as reflecting on the role of photography within a conflict zone. Martins’s approach is to confront these questions head-on: to embrace the idea of the fragmentary and the many contradictions and ambiguities intrinsic to war,” explains the World Photography Organization.

Martins wins a $25,000 cash prize, a collection of Sony digital imaging equipment, and a solo presentation of his work as part of next year’s Sony World Photography Awards exhibition.

“It is a huge honor to be recognized and although I am philosophical about awards and the subjective nature of someone’s choice, knowing that there were over 180,000 entries to this. Year’s Professional competition, is very humbling,” says Martins. “In this case, it is also quite an emotional experience because I get to honor my friend on a world stage and bring attention to the family’s plight to find his remains. There’s no award that has the reach of the Sony World Photography Awards.”

“Photography is so often about memory and its nature. Long-term memory is about the conscious recollection of past events and our knowledge of them — be it through direct experience or meditated through the myriad of media we use,” comments Mike Trow, Chair of the 2023 Professional competition. “Our Way by Edgar Martins has used memory and invention to give us a powerful, personal set of portraits that attempt to explain the last days of his friend, the photojournalist Anton Hammerl. His work highlights the lengths photographers will go to tell a story and create meaning; each image giving a sense of the journey Anton took without ever being explicit about how his life ended. The entire jury was fulsome in their appreciation of the work and its narrative force.”

The Professional category includes 10 categories. Martins won the first-place award in Portraiture. The winners of the nine other Professional categories are featured below.

Architecture and Design, Professional Competition

Chinese photographer Fan Li took home top honors in the “Architecture and Design” category for the photo series Cement Factory.

Creative, Professional Competition

Lee-Ann Olwage’s series The Right to Play earned the South African photographer the first prize in the “Creative” category.

Documentary, Professional Competition

For his series The Women’s Peace Movement in Congo, British photographer Hugh Kinsella Cunningham won the “Documentary” category.

Environment, Professional Competition

Two photographers won first place in the “Environment” category. Photographers Marisol Mendez (Bolivia) and Federico Kaplan (Argentina) collaborated on the winning series Miruku.

Landscape, Professional Competition

For Event Horizon, Polish photographer Kacper Kowalski rose to the top of the popular “Landscape” category.

Portfolio, Professional Competition

UK photographer James Deavin’s impressive portfolio won the “Portfolio” category.

Sport, Professional Competition

American Al Bello’s series Female Pro Baseball Player Succeeds in All Male Pro League earned first place in the Sport section.

Still Life, Professional Competition

Kechun Zhang of China took home first place for his “Still Life” series The Sky Garden.

Wildlife and Nature, Professional Competition

Rounding out the Professional categories is American photographer Corey Arnold. He earned the top prize in the “Wildlife and Nature” category for his series Cities Gone Wild.

Other Professional Winners, Professional Competition

Each Professional category also includes second and third-place winners. All winning images are available on the Sony World Photography Awards Professional competition winners website.

Open Photographer of the Year

The Open competition celebrates the power of a single image, rather than a photo series. Chosen from the 10 Open category winners, photographer Dinorah Graue Obscura (Mexico) earned the title Open Photographer of the Year for her image, Mighty Pair, that shows a pair of crested caracara birds in southern Texas.

“It is an absolute honor to receive the Open Photographer of the Year 2023 award. I am absolutely certain that this recognition will contribute to the dissemination of my work as a wildlife photographer, which aims to transmit and show people the beauty I see in nature. I believe that photography is a very powerful tool that can be used to raise awareness about the fragility of our natural world,” Graue Obscura says of her victory.

Beyond Graue Obscura’s winning image in the Natural World and Wildlife category, there are eight other Open category winners.

Architecture, Open Competition

Landscape, Open Competition

Lifestyle, Open Competition

Motion, Open Competition

Object, Open Competition

Portraiture, Open Competition

Street, Open Competition

Travel, Open Competition

Student Photographer of the Year

Chinese student, Long Jing from Yunnan Arts University, earned the title Student Photographer of the Year for his photo series Keep the Yunnan Opera. The series documents the decreasing number of performers and spectators of the traditional opera in Yunnan.

Jing’s victory earned him over $30,000 worth of Sony digital imaging equipment for his studies. His winning images will also be featured in the Sony World Photography Awards book and exhibition.

Youth Photographer of the Year

Another Chinese photographer, 17-year-old Hai Wang, has been crowned the Youth Photographer of the Year.

Wang’s winning image shows a deserted school ceremony canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wang receives a Sony digital imaging kit and global exposure for his efforts.

Sustainability Prize

Italian photographer Alessandro Cinque has been named the first-ever winner of the new Sustainability Prize for his series Atrapanieblas (Fog Nets).

The series documents an innovative solution addressing water shortages in Lima, Peru. Cinque’s series showcases “fog nets” and how they catch airborne moisture and make it usable for residents. Fog nets can collect up to 200 liters (53 gallons) of water daily.

Cinque receives a $5,000 cash prize and a presentation of his project.

The Sustainability Prize has been created in collaboration with the United Nations Foundation and Sony Pictures’ “Picture This” initiative. The program is designed to spotlight and amplify stories promoting peace and prosperity.

Latin American Professional Award

Angela Ponce of Peru has been named the Latin America Professional Award recipient for her Guardians of the Glaciers series. The series documents the Quechua community who live near the Quelccaya Ice Cap, the largest tropical glacier in the world.

Ponce’s portraits show how the locals are being affected by the ice cap’s recession. It is receding by about 60 meters (nearly 200 feet) annually.

Where to View More Winning Photos

The Sony World Photography Awards 2023 received more than 415,000 images from photographers in over 200 countries. Of these 415,000 photos, over 180,000 were entered into the Professional competition.

Selected Sony World Photography Awards finalists and winners are now on exhibit at Somerset House in London until May 1, 2023.

Each Professional category winner has additional images available to view. All winning and shortlisted photographs from the Sony World Photography Awards 2023 are available on the Sony World Photography Awards website. Users can also browse winning images dating back to the 2012 edition of the contest on the website.

Image credits: Sony World Photography Awards | All individual photographers are credited in the image captions

Kerncrest Audubon Society hosts traveling exhibit featuring 2022 photography award winners

Apr 14, 2023 By Admin in Photography

The Kerncrest Audubon Society will host the 2022 Audubon Photography Awards Traveling Exhibition at the Maturango Museum between April 19 and May 10 for three weeks only. Visitors can enjoy a display of the stunning, winning images and learn more about local birdlife in the Indian Wells Valley.

In the 13th year of the contest, winning photos, videos and honorable mentions were selected from 2,416 entrants from all 50 states, Washington D.C. and seven Canadian provinces and territories to appreciate the wonder of birds and the places they inhabit.

The Maturango Museum is located at 100 E. Las Flores Ave. and is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

For more information, call 760-375-6900 or visit Maturango.org.

The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Audubon works throughout the Americas using, science, advocacy, education and on-the-ground conservation. State programs, nature centers, chapters, and partners give Audubon an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire, and unite diverse communities in conservation action. A nonprofit conservation organization since 1905, Audubon believes in a world in which people and wildlife thrive. Learn more about how to help at www.audubon.org and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @audubonsociety.

HOST honors grandparents at Children’s Sculpture Zoo

Apr 14, 2023 By Admin in Sculpture

If you’ve ever walked around Haddonfield, you may have noticed an abundance of sculptures and art pieces along Kings Highway and around town. They are the work of the Haddonfield Outdoor Sculpture Trust (HOST), a nonprofit which oversees and arranges for the sculptures to be placed. Some are rentals, some are permanent, some rotate and […]

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Architecture and Design, Professional Competition

Creative, Professional Competition

Documentary, Professional Competition

Environment, Professional Competition

Landscape, Professional Competition

Portfolio, Professional Competition

Sport, Professional Competition

Still Life, Professional Competition

Wildlife and Nature, Professional Competition

Other Professional Winners, Professional Competition

Open Photographer of the Year

Architecture, Open Competition

Landscape, Open Competition

Lifestyle, Open Competition

Motion, Open Competition

Object, Open Competition

Portraiture, Open Competition

Street, Open Competition

Travel, Open Competition

Student Photographer of the Year

Youth Photographer of the Year

Sustainability Prize

Latin American Professional Award

Where to View More Winning Photos