The Salt Institute for Documentary Studies || Exhibits

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//UPCOMING EXHIBIT

[ MARCH 2, 2012 - MAY 4, 2012 ]
FLASH FORWARD
Exhibition of The Magenta Foundation's 2011 Emerging Photographers from the United Kingdom, Canada & the United States
OPENING RECEPTION: 1st Friday, March 2nd // 5-8pm

For the past seven years, The Magenta Foundation has searched for the Emerging Photographers in the US, UK and Canada. Please join us in welcoming a fine body of work from the next generation of powerful photographers, in a variety of photographic genres.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the winners, the judges, the Magenta Foundation or to preview the Flash Forward book.

Support for Flash Forward provided toThe Magenta Foundation by TD Bank.

Thank you to our sponsor Art New England for help in bringing Flash Forward to the Salt gallery.

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//CURRENT EXHIBIT

[ DECEMBER 15, 2011 - FEBRUARY 24, 2012 ]
WHENEVER YOU'RE READY >> Maine Stories By Salt Fall 2011 Graduates in Radio + Writing + Photography + Multimedia
OPENING RECEPTION: Thursday, December 15th // 5-8pm

Join us on the evening of December 15th for a documentary extravaganza and one of our best events of the year (besides the spring show, of course)! Every nook and cranny of the Salt building will be filled with documentary goodness. Mill about, check out the gallery exhibit, stop by radio church, listen to a live reading or two, partake in some snacks, hunker down in a listening station, or check out one of many multimedia projects. No matter what you do, you're bound to find something heart warming, something funny, and most of all some of the best storytelling around. We hope to see you there!

If you happen to miss the opening, the exhibit will be up through February 24th for First Fridays and during regular gallery hours: Tuesday-Friday 12-4:30.

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//PAST EXHIBITS

crisis

[ OCTOBER 7 - DECEMBER 2, 2011 ]
MOBILE YOU >>
AN EXHIBITION OF CELL PHONE PHOTOGRAPHY + VIRTUAL TEXT
Looking for soemthing different in the world of documentary photography? We were too. So we thought we would try an exhibition of both professionals and everyday documentarians alike. On display is effectively an exhibition of collective memory -- images crafting a moment, an experience or a feeling and words snapped and shared unfiltered through facebook and cell phone text. Please join us in welcoming one of our most unique shows to date. Don't worry, we'd like to do this again. Won't you submit next time?

crisis

[ AUGUST 5 - SEPTEMBER 30, 2011 ]
CRISIS & OPPORTUNITY >> DOCUMENTING THE RECESSION
An exhibition of photographs curated by SocialDocumentary.net
OPENING RECEPTION: Friday, August 5th // 5-8pm

You won't want to miss this amazing collection of photographs featuring work by SocialDocumentary.net call for entry winner Tomasz Tomaszewski (Poland) and honorable mentions Khaled Hasan (Bangladesh), Shiho Fukada (Japan) and Michael McElroy (USA).

The exhibit will showcase four collections of images by each photographer that highlight the theme of Crisis & Opportunity during these difficult financial times, from four different locations across the globe.

"These four exhibits have given us greater insight into how the global recession is affecting individuals across our world," said Glenn Ruga, SDN Founder and Director. "The winning photographers document how the economic crisis is affecting manual labor in heavy industry in Poland, stone workers trying to survive in Bangladesh; elderly men in Japan who were day laborers but are now losing their jobs; and healthcare and the loss of the American dream."

Judges included award winning photographers Lori Grinker, Ed Kashi, Lucian Perkins, and Shahidul Alam; Craig Cohen of powerHouse Books; and Whitney Johnson, Photo Editor of the New Yorker magazine.

[ MAY 19 - JULY 29 ]
unguarded
Maine Stories in Writing + Radio + Photography + Multimedia by Salt Spring 2011 Graduates
OPENING RECEPTION: Thursday, May 19th // 5-8pm

After fifteen weeks of hard work, unguarded celebrates the work of our spring 2011 class in an exhibition of powerful and intimate Maine stories. Join us on May 19th for an opening reception and virtual story telling extravaganza. The building will be bursting at the seams with readings of the written word, radio listening pow wows, and photography + multimedia viewings. You won't want to miss it!

But if you do... the exhibit will be up through July 29th for 1st Fridays and during regular gallery hours: Tuesday-Friday 12-4:30.

Impressions

[ MARCH 04 - MAY 06 ]
pause.
photographs by David Y Lee
OPENING RECEPTION: March 4th // 5-8pm

We are so very excited to welcome back one of our most talented alums, photojournalist David Y. Lee. David has spent the past eight years following much of the U.S. political scene in Washington, D.C. while shooting for Time, Newsweek, US New & World Report, among others. After covering the 2004 Presendential Campaign, he was contracted by the U.S. Department of State to serve as Secretary Condoleezza Rice's official photographer.

When he's not following politics, David is devoted to a handful of ongoing projects that span the gamut from those awaiting organ donation in The Waiting List to musician Justin Jones struggling to make it big in The Road for Tomorrow.

For all of this work, David asks us to take pause to witness the unique moments in between that he has captured over the years, as he says, only totalling approximately one second of his life. Please stop in to see David's wonderful work. We couldn't be more proud to show it off. And check out his website as well, to see more: www.davidylee.com

[ DECEMBER 16 - FEBRUARY 25 ]
why go west
Maine Stories in Writing + Radio + Photography by Salt Fall 2010 Graduates
OPENING RECEPTION: Thursday, December 16th // 5-8pm

Join us on the evening of December 16th for a documentary extravaganza and one of our best events of the year (besides the spring show, of course)! Every nook and cranny of the Salt building will be filled with documentary goodness. Mill about, check out the gallery exhibit, stop by radio church, listen to a live reading or two, partake in some snacks, hunker down in a listening station, or check out one of many multimedia projects. No matter what you do, you're bound to find something heart warming, something funny, and most of all some of the best storytelling around. We hope to see you there!

If you happen to miss the opening, the exhibit will be up through February 18th for First Fridays and during regular gallery hours: Tuesday-Friday 12-4:30.

HEAR MORE ABOUT OPENING NIGHT:

[ OCTOBER 12 - DECEMBER 3 ]
IMPRESSIONS: Finding Truth Beyond the Facts
Photographs by Bruce Strong
OPENING RECEPTION: November 5 // 5-8pm

We are so very pleased to welcome the work of seasoned photojournalist and accomplished educator Bruce Strong to our gallery. Impressions is a compelling body of work covering the many travels and incarnations of Bruce's long, yet young, career.

Impressions is a reflection of Bruce's humility -- a willingness to learn and evolve his work, born primarily out of his role as an educator and what he believes is essential to pass on to his students. "Yes, I do my research, I make sure to understand the facts and hard data before arriving, and I think about how to convey that information visually. But it's important that we not confuse providing information with communication. A phone book objectively documents millions of accurate, verifiable, useful facts -- but it doesn't communicate. It doesn't tell a story. It doesn't move people."

In this ever changing media landscape, Bruce is on the forefront of mentoring future generations of multimedia journalists -- working closely with two recent College Photographer of the Year winners. Yet, whatever the medium, the core of what he does is something we admire most, storytelling at its best and most thoughtful. "When I come upon a scene or meet someone, what I see makes an impression not just on my intellect, but on my heart." And it is such an impression that shows in this body of work -- a rarity in this fast-paced age.

Please come by and enjoy this thoughtful exhibition for yourself -- displayed in a mix of large, beautiful prints in both color and black & white. And we invite you to leave your own impressions behind as well.

MEET BRUCE in person » Nov. 5th // 5-8pm during 1st Friday Art Walk

Bruce Strong is a multimedia storyteller and associate professor at the S.I. Newhouse School of Visual Communications at Syracuse University in New York. His life and work have taken him to more than 60 countries and to some of the best visual communications programs in the U.S. His work has been published in Time, Newsweek, US News and World Report, National Geographic and various international magazines, as well as The Orange County (Calif.) Register, where he was on staff for more than a decade.

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[ JULY 20 - OCTOBER 8 ]
SUM & PARTS » Documentary Sculpture by Keisha Luce & Photography by Salt alum Kirk Torrgrossa
OPENING RECEPTION: August 6th // 5-8pm

This time around we'd thought we'd push the bounds of "documentary and try something new -- and we couldn't think of a better exhibit to showcase than this unique combination of documentary sculpture and photography. Salt's very own Kirk Torregrossa travelled to Vietnam with friend, collaborator, and sculptor Keisha Luce to document the long term affects of Agent Orange on those living in the areas most damaged. So please join us as we take documentary 3-D with this beautiful, compelling, and extraordinary body of work.

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[ MAY 20 - JULY 9 ]
Life Unfilitered » Maine stories in radio + writing + photography by salt spring 2010 graduates
OPENING RECEPTION: May 20th // 5-8pm

Photograph by Madeleine Pryor

Join us for a documentary extravaganza and one of our best events of the year (besides the fall show, of course!). Every nook and cranny of this place will be filled with documentary goodness. Mill about, check out the gallery, stop by radio church, listen to a live reading or two, partake in some snacks, hunker down in a listening station, or check out one of many multimedia projects. No matter what you do, you're bound to find something heart warming, something funny, and most of all some of the best storytelling around. We hope to see you there!

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[ March 5 - May 7 ]
photographs by NOAH ADDIS
Sempre Jardim Edite » the story of a lost neighborhood in Sao Paulo, Brazil
OPENING RECEPTION: March 5th // 5-8

Photograph by Noah Addis

We're proud to announce our upcoming exhibit by Salt alum and award-winning photojournalist and documentary photographer Noah Addis His 15-year career has taken him around the world shooting for The New York Times, Newsweek, Time, US News & World Report, among others on everything from Christianity in Africa to the war in Iraq. Sempre Jardim Edite is the first chapter in an ongoing project about unplanned urban development, urban migration and squatter communities throughout the world.

The Jardim Edite favela (neighborhood), located at the foot of the landmark Estaiada bridge in an affluent section of Sao Paulo, Brazil, was once home to more than 550 families. Most are gone now, as the government of Sao Paulo has forced them to leave their homes to make room for a new development. "I first visited the neighborhood at the beginning of 2009. The place was still full of life then, the demolition had not begun. Men gathered around a television at a local bar, watching a football game, joking and laughing." Noah tell us.

Traditional social theory believed that urbanization would follow industrialization. However many of the worlds mega-cities, particularly those in the developing world, are undergoing massive population growth at the same time they are experiencing a loss of industrial jobs and stagnant economies. Meanwhile, due to mechanized farming, industrial-scale agribusiness, civil war, draught and countless other factors, the hardships of rural life drives many to look for opportunity in the worldÕs urban centers.

"As I got to know the residents of the Jardim Edite," Noah elaborates, "I could see the tension building in their faces, just below the surface. Some were angry, others scared because they didnÕt know if they could find a new place to live for their families."

Many of the residents of Jardim Edite came from the countryside, often from poor rural communities in the North, seeking opportunity in the bright lights of the city. They built their homes first out of scrap wood and cardboard and whatever else they could find, but over the years some of the homes have grown into reinforced concrete structures with running water and electricity. Some residents lived there for more than 30 years.

City officials have long wanted to remove the ramshackle homes and businesses that make up Jardim Edite. As part of the Favela Urbanization Project the government plans to replace the favela with a modern housing development. In late 2008, a court order sealed the fate of this tight-knit community when a state tribunal judge said the project could go forward and the occupants should be evicted.

Life in Jardim Edite changed in early 2009. The parties stopped, the wrecking crews arrived, and the community was broken. Some residents, those who were previously registered with the city as official occupants of the favela, were eligible for rent subsidies or cash payouts if they left their homes. They were eligible for even larger cash payouts if they leave the city of Sao Paulo and return to the countryside. But these payouts were often not sufficient to find suitable housing. Many residents ended up moving to other favelas, with even worse living conditions.

Government plans call for a complex of buildings with 248 two- and three-bedroom. Officials from the Secretaria Municipal de Habita‹o (Municipal Department of Housing) have denied repeated requests for interviews and information about the proposed development project.

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[ December 17 - February 26 ]
about face» Maine stories in writing + radio + photography by Salt fall 2009 graduates

Photography by Leah Schmalz

Come by and see, read, and listen to exceptional stories told by the next wave of media makers -- our very own Salt students. Enjoy a gallery of images, listening stations for audio documentaries, online blogs full of beautiful written pieces, and a variety of multimedia projects.

9 writers + 14 radio producers + 9 photographers
CAME TO SALT TO PURSUE DOCUMENTARY STORYTELLING.

:: the process ::
They spent 15 weeks making contacts, inviewing, building relationships, gathering sound, making images, critiquing, editing, work-shopping, and printing - then polishing their images, words, and sound.

:: 72 stories ::
From lunch ladies to sea urchin divers to suicide, experience intimate documentary storytelling at its best.

:: thank you ::
A special thank you to all the subjects who shared their time and stories with us. This work would not be possible without your courage. Your stories will live on in Salt's Mildred H. McEvoy Memorial Archive.

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[ October 1 - December 4 ]
More Than a Rap Sheet
[ the real stories of incarcerated women ] »
:: an exhibitition of poetry and portraits ::

OPENING NIGHT» October 1st // 5-8pm, short program at 6:30
Join us for the opening reception and live readings.

Poem excerpt by Becky McGilp [pictured] // Photography by Christine Heinz

This powerful exhibit, a project of Family Crisis Services, showcases the raw and compelling poetry of women incarcerated in Maine as well as photographs by Salt alum (and staffer) Christine Heinz.

In 2002, Family Crisis Services, a domestic violence agency, conducted a study which found that approximately 95% of incarcerated women were involved in an abusive intimate relationship or had been a victim of one in the past. Recognizing the connection between female incarceration and domestic abuse, Family Crisis Services began offering educational support groups for women at the local jail and corrections facility. More than a year ago, creative writing groups were added to their incarcerated women's program.

Because Salt's mission is to teach its students "to seek the truth and report it by producing thought-provoking documentary work," Family Crisis Services approached the school about creating an exhibit of the women's work. Christine Heinz, Director of Operations and Marketing at Salt, was excited frome the beginning of the collaboration. Also a professional photographer, she readily agreed to photograph the women for the project. "Meeting and working with the women has been a profound experience for me," says Heinz. "After having worked as a domestic violence volunteer (at Family Crisis Services and in Texas), I feel so very lucky to have two great passions of mine come together in this project."

About Family Crisis Services »
Family Crisis Services works to end domestic violence in Cumberland and Sagadahoc Counties in Maine. Founded in 1977, the agency's vision has been to change the cultural values which support and perpetuate the abuse of women. Family Crisis Services works with victims and survivors, regardless of age, race, gender, or sexual orientation, providing programs which focus on individual advocacy and safety for victims and their children. Family Crisis Services is one of only a handful of domestic violence agencies in the country that offer programs for incarcerated women.

For help or more information » www.familycrisis.org