THE CONVENING

October 20 & 21, 2023

  • Ross Headshot US Government

    RaMell Ross. Photo by U.S. Government

  • 01 Ross man

    RaMell Ross, Man (which is his nickname), 2019. Pigment print mounted to Dibond, 48 x 60 inches. Courtesy of the artist and Pace Gallery

  • SofS 017

    RaMell Ross, iHome, 2012. Pigment print, 36 x 46 inches. Courtesy of the artist and Pace Gallery

  • 03 Galanin Headshot Merritt Johnson

    Nicholas Galanin. Photo by Merritt Johnson

  • 04 Galanin In every language there is Land

    Nicholas Galanin, In every language there is Land / En cada lingua hay tuna Tierra, 2023. Cor-Ten steel, 30 x 30 x 15 feet (work), 21 x 36 feet (concrete pad). Photo by Nicholas Knight. Courtesy of the artist and Peter Blum Gallery, New York

  • 05 Galanin NGA22 37 Architecture of return

    Nicholas Galanin, Architecture of return, escape (National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian DC), 2022. Pigment and acrylic on deer hide, 55 x 65 inches. Photo by Jason Wyche. Courtesy of the artist and Peter Blum Gallery, New York

  • 06 Rael Headshot Minesh Bacrania Photography

    Ronald Rael. Photo by Minesh Bacrania Photography

  • 07 Rael San Fratello 3D Printed Cabin 0966

    Ronald Rael & Virginia San Fratello, Cabin of 3D Printed Curiosities, 2018. 3D printed chardonnay grape skins, ceramic, saw dust, and bio-plastic, dimensions variable. Courtesy of the artist

  • 08 Rael Teeter Totter High Res 16 9

    Ronald Rael & Virginia San Fratello, Teeter Totter Wall, 2019. Steel, paint, 800 miles. Courtesy of the artist

FotoFocus is pleased to announce its partnership with Creative Time for The Convening, a special series of public talks and performances in Cincinnati, featuring artists, critics, curators, and other distinguished guest speakers. A welcome event and performance will take place at Mecca on Friday, October 20, 2023, followed by a full day of discussions held at two venues: the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and the Contemporary Arts Center, on Saturday, October 21, 2023.

Structured loosely around three earth-based thematics—land, waterways, and trees—The Convening will bring together national and local artists, activists, and thinkers whose work considers histories of land, particularly American histories that coalesce in the Cincinnati region. Through discussions, workshops, and performances, participants will explore issues of land sovereignty, access, and stewardship as well as the histories and enduring legacies of forced migration in the United States. The Convening is a significant collaborative effort designed to discuss thinking about land-use and self-determination through contemporary art practices, including photography.

The Convening is a prelude to the forthcoming Charles Gaines’ multi-city public art project, The American Manifest, culminating in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2024. Commissioned by New York-based Creative Time with support from Cincinnati-based FotoFocus, The American Manifest is a series of monumentally-scaled works spanning multiple sites in New York City and Cincinnati, from 2022 through 2024.

The Convening is free and open to the public. Full Symposium Schedule and Symposium Participants.

Creative Time and FotoFocus are grateful to The Convening’s supporting partners:
21c Museum Hotel
Contemporary Arts Center
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
Terra Foundation for American Art
Wave Pool/Welcome Project
The Well

Press Releases (PDF)

Creative Time and FotoFocus Announce The Convening Schedule
Creative Time and FotoFocus Unite for The Convening in Cincinnati

Program Accessibility

FotoFocus is committed to providing programming that is accessible and inclusive. Qualified American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be available at The Convening, courtesy of AML-Global American Language Services and sponsored by the Ohio Arts Council. To request additional information regarding accessibility and accommodations, please email info@fotofocus.org.

Ohio Arts Council

 

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