The Lens

Northern Kentucky University's Bound and Determined is exactly that about getting photo books in the hands of students—and, when it's safe again, the public.

"What you see on the screen is nothing compared to what you see in person ," says Rachael Banks, Assistant Professor of Photography at Northern Kentucky University—and the curator of what was going to be a public-facing FotoFocus Biennial exhibition this fall. Specifically, the transformation of a small NKU gallery into a cozy, bookshop-like reading space, which she would fill with a selection of... Continue reading As Everything Goes Virtual, One Professor/Curator Doubles Down on the Physicality of Art With Photo Books

Covid-19 interrupted senior thesis shows throughout the region. Here’s how five art departments made do this spring—offering, perhaps, a taste of creative ways universities may have to again adapt in the fall.

The senior thesis show is a rite of passage for art students. It is their moment to show their work and skill—to take their art out of the classroom and to present it, in person, to the public at large. And for many, it functions as their debut into the professional art world. However, the global Covid-19... Continue reading Local Universities Honor Their Graduating Art Students Amid a Global Shutdown

Last week, three artists from the exhibition “Past as Present: Capturing and Archiving the Female Experience” headlined its opening reception. The event offered the pleasures one would expect from a FotoFocus-affiliated production: astonishing art, tasty refreshments, and a lively panel discussion featuring the artists themselves. But there was one twist. The event didn’t occur at the Contemporary Arts Center or a similar venue. Instead, it took place in the heart of the University of Cincinnati’s Clifton campus, at the DAAP Reed Gallery. FotoFocus has cultivated a rich relationship with higher education, even if that relationship sometimes gets overlooked. “Consistently, since the first Biennial in 2012,”... Continue reading FotoFocus Goes to College, or: Building Engagement with Photography by Collaborating With Higher Ed