Houston art museums and 107 other spaces are celebrating photo-based art with 145 exhibits as part of Fotofest 2008 China, the 12th International Biennial of Photography and Photo-related Art, March 7 – April 20, 2008 in Houston, Texas.
Fotofest 2008 focuses on one of the most compelling cultural, political, and economic phenomena of the contemporary world – China and its transformation.
Although the theme of Fotofest is China, Prairie View professors Clarence Talley Sr. and Ann Johnson, along with other local artists, were each given the opportunity to take part with an open theme.
Talley and Johnson’s exhibition is of over 40 photos combined from their visit to Africa in 2005. One of Talley’s featured photos “Feet of Gold” is of an elder in the Aseseeso tribe in Ghana. “His shoes are made of actual gold leaf,” says Talley.
During their 21-day stay in Ghana, the tribe put on a program for their visitors and adorned each with a kinta cloth garment, and also named Dr. Lauretta Byars the queen mother.
Byars is vice president for institutional relations and public service at Prairie View A&M University.
Aseseeso has been named by Prairie View’s Mayor Jackson, the sister city of Prairie View.
The Aseseeso entourage is scheduled to make a visit to Prairie View, Friday, April 11th.
Departing from most contemporary art programs on China, the 2008 Fotofest exhibitions and programs present both historical and contemporary work.
The historical component features three exhibitions showing works from 1934 – 1975 that have never before been shown outside of China.
Seven contemporary programs and exhibitions present work from the late 1980s to 2008 – classical and mixed media work by Chinese artists addressing religion, ethnicity, gender, urban transformation, identity, globalization, and history.
All the exhibitions are by Chinese artists working in mainland China. Much of the work presented is the first time to be seen outside of China.
Don’t miss out because the next FotoFest Houston will not happen until 2010.