Photo Slam 2022
Winners
May 5 - June 25
Photoworks Gallery is proud to present work by the winners of
Photo Slam 2022!
Smita Parida, Anh Tran, and Tom Wanat
Gallery Reception & Artist Talk | Friday, May 5th 6-8pm
at Glen Echo Photoworks
Smita Parida - Return of the Cicadas
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The series Return of the Cicadas was inspired by the 17-year Brood X Magicicada invasion in the summer of 2021, coinciding with the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the weather being especially conducive to long walks…with the ulterior purpose of hunting/gathering for cyanotype printing. She was able to collect over 1,000 wings and fill several gallon jars with exuviae (exoskeletons) to serve her project.
Cyanotypes are one of the earliest photographic processes, consisting of an image captured on a substrate (watercolor paper) coated with light sensitive chemicals (iron salts), exposed under UV light (sun), and developed in a water bath. The final print can then be toned and manipulated. The photograms seen here are made using both objects and digital negatives.
Smita studied photography at Columbia College, Chicago, and visual communication at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
An award-winning photographer, Smita has exhibited her work in the U.S. and abroad, including galleries in Berlin, Athens, and Barcelona. She currently has a member portfolio hosted by the Maryland Federation of Art (mdfedart.com).
www.SmitaParidaPhotography.com
Instagram: @Smita_Parida_123
Anh Tran
Anh Tran is a Vietnamese-born photographer and technologist. His first exposure to photography began at the young age after his father gave him an old Canonnet camera. He moved to the United States to pursue a higher education in technology. Anh was always interested in the intersection of technology and creativity, and so he began experimenting with photography as a hobby. While in graduate school, he worked as a professional model and food photographer for various clients. He maintained his passion for photography to inspire his youngest daughter who is interested in wildlife photography. He loved capturing the beauty of people, especially of people he met on the street and the stories behind them.
Thomas Wanat
Jökulsárlón is a glacial lagoon that borders Vatnajökull National Park in southeastern Iceland that flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Its peaceful, blue waters are speckled with icebergs as they break off from the nearby Vatnajökull Glacier in the background. Thomas Wanat enjoys processes where art and science come together. He predominately works with high-speed black and white film expressed in darkroom prints and laser-etched wood. An avid runner and cyclist, Thomas has spent numerous summers exploring the natural beauty of Iceland. Thomas studied photojournalism at The University of Iowa and currently lives in Arlington VA with his wife and two boys.
