Since 1978, MMoA has mounted an annual, open juried exhibition dedicated entirely to the field of photography, celebrating the many different styles and techniques employed in this medium by local artists.
In light of state guidelines and as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19, Photo Show 42 is currently unavailable to visit in person as MMoA’s galleries, KTJ Studios, and staff offices are closed until further notice.

A virtual tour of this exhibition is now live on the Museum’s Facebook Page! *click here!*

A video tour of this exhibition is now live on the Museum’s YouTube page! *click here!*

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Juror: Lindsay Elgin, professional photographer employed at Brown University and RISD.
Juror’s Statement:

It is, as always, equal parts honor and pleasure to serve as a juror at the Mystic Museum of Art.

I was delighted to see not just how many folks had chosen to participate, but also how many photographers were experimenting with different approaches to the medium. There were some fantastic experiments in image manipulation (both in-camera and computer-based), in presentation, in composition, and in subject matter; the images that took these risks, and were visually and conceptually successful, are those that I highlighted for awards. It’s important to remember that experiments are essential to the practice of photography, but they are not always successful, and I would encourage everyone who submitted but either were not included in the show or did not receive an award to continue to develop their own ways of seeing.

– Lindsay Elgin, March 2020

Congratulations to our Award Winners!

Black & White:

Maggie McDonough, Cherry Blossoms at Dawn – 1st Prize

“Maggie McDonough’s Cherry Blossoms at Dawn stands as a perfect example of the power of black and white photography. The success of monochromatic images is dependent on precision in the technical details and a rock-solid composition, and we find both elements on display in this image, the high-contrast tonality allowing a fascinating visual conversation to develop between the branches and waves.”

 
Karin Forde Whittemore, The Conjuring – 2nd Prize

“Karin Forde Whittemore’s The Conjuring, with its ambiguous narrative and shifting tonality, balances a sense of the theatrical with an incredibly strong photographic eye. The use of infrared photography here is a considered choice, one that enriches the cryptic nature of the image and is performed with mastery by the photographer.”

David Eller, Steel Wolves – 3rd Prize

“David Eller’s Steel Wolves captures a wonderfully ethereal spookiness in a relatively simple image. It’s no easy feat photographing sculpture – the challenge being to make someone else’s art somehow transformative, your own. David Eller has found success here by imbuing a sense of the sinister through the use of shadow, silhouette, and point of view.”

Manipulated Image:

Josh D. Araujo, Wave Dancer – 1st Prize

“Josh D. Araujo’s Wave Dancer isn’t necessarily the type of manipulated image one expects to see in this category – in general, manipulated images take advantage of contemporary digital techniques that allow for extensive editing, collage, and the like. This image, however, is more ambiguous about the manipulation; an abundance of organic forms spliced by scattershot diagonals and a main figure in shadow result in a visually powerful yet ultimately enigmatic image.”

Linda Ouellette, Swinging with Excitement – 2nd Prize

“Linda J. Ouelette’s Swinging with Excitement caught my eye early on; I was immediately drawn to the familiar
imagery, and I was intrigued by the self-conscious references to collage and manipulation. It’s a fascinating image, with a
clever execution of the mapping of old and new.”

 

Jean M. Duffy, Falling in Time – 3rd Prize

“Jean M. Duffy’s Falling in Time impressed me at first glance with its meticulous craftsmanship and strong sense of design. The treatment of the figure is especially interesting, and creates intriguing parallels with other media.”

Un-manipulated Image:

Oliver Onorato, Les Souvenirs – 1st Prize

“I noticed Olivier Onorato’s Les Souvenirs my very first pass through the gallery. Its almost-monochromatic colors are beautifully shaken by the burst of yellow in the passer-by’s umbrella, and the interplay of shapes between the positive and negative space create a subdued but promising rhythm. Presented as small as one dares to, this unassuming print reminds us that sometimes a whisper is far more compelling than a scream.”

Robert Thomas, Public Market – 2nd Prize

“Robert Thomas’s Public Market is wholly at the other end of the spectrum: vibrant, saturated, and quite large, this image is almost pulsating with energy. It’s a bold choice in terms of the image itself and its presentation, and it’s a gamble that pays off. This image is striking at a distance, and still holds up to closer scrutiny, providing several fascinating vignettes for the viewer.”

K.C. Perry, Rome Boy – 3rd Prize

“K.C. Perry’s Rome Boy is a timeless and haunting image, one that could just as easily have been made fifty years ago. Technically polished and composed with precision, this images harnesses the visual language of some of the most compelling street photography.”

 
 
*********Click here to see the list of works accepted!*********
Download and view the Prospectus here.
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Exhibition sponsored by ABC PhotoLab.