Exhibition #2
N.Y. Photo Curator: Global Photography Awards- 'Where Photography & Philanthropy Meet' Exhibition #2 (Click on image for larger view)
NO MORE BRAIDS by Tira Khan
FIRST PLACE
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Curator Julie Williams-Krishnan, 
www.jwkphotography.comsays, "No More Braids, by Tira Khan, shows a quiet adolescent moment after some sort of event worth dressing for.The energy of the celebration is hovering, but has been spent. We can see that there must have been a great deal of dancing in those golden leggings! I think we can all relate to that moment after our big day, when the friends have all gone home, and we are content to rest, satisfied it has been a good day. 

No More Braids is beautifully shot. The composition gives the viewer space to linger on the details - the computer by the pointing toes, the animal-print cuff, the blue and mauve open trunks - indicating what? The packing up of times gone by? Dress-up clothes for a party?

The angles of the body and the furniture and the trunks all direct our gaze, and the open space with the light on the carpet gives us time to consider this domestic moment. The colors in this image are beautiful. In the midst of the muted living room -  brown, mauve, deep green, pale blue/teal - there lies this beautiful child in shimmering golden leggings, a bright red shirt, and, a pale blue/teal braid. She is not sleeping. 


The irony of the title is not lost. The braid is resting, just like the girl. Perhaps it is contemplating its future. 

This call for entry was about vibrance - what is it about this image (and the series) that speaks to vibrance for you?"

Tira Khan says, "My series, Growing Up Girl, focuses on my daughters.
In the winning photograph I think the vibrance comes from my daughter’s energy as well as the colors associated with youth. I wonder what possessed me to paint her room that jolt of green? My daughter’s shirt is neon pink, which complements the walls in a jarring way. 

She exudes determination and as she brushes her hair — I find there is nothing softly romantic about it. It looks like she has places to go."

Curator Julie Williams-Krishnan says, "Where do you find your inspiration?"

Tira Khan says, "I tend to find inspiration in what is around me — often because that is what I have access to. I enjoy exploring the everyday lives of teenagers, my own and others. 

I admire their rawness before they become too entangled in social media and cultural norms."

Curator Julie Williams-Krishnan says, "What do you dream of photographing?"

Tira Khan says, "I would love to photograph the lives of other teenagers in an essay for a newspaper or magazine. I am also learning how to create studio portraits, which is something I’ve never done before. Usually, I tend to photograph subjects unposed in environmental portraits, but I thought it might be fun to explore portraits with subjects who actually don’t mind me photographing them."

Additional review by curator Ellen Wallenstein:
"What could be more vibrant than gold lame pants?

And a bright red teeshirt!
I enjoy this photo for it's exuberance and the way one slides into it visually from the lower right corner. From that turquoise trunk and onto the floor, not unceremoniously.

It was smart to shoot this from above. The empty space of the rug, filled with light is a perfect balance to the full use of the top and right sides of the frame. The details that make this image work are the reflections of the trunk and computer on the girl's pants. And of course the grown-out pastel ends of the eponymous braid."
www.ellenwallenstein.com

Addition review by curator Fran Forman:
"Curator Julie Williams-Krishnan’s choice of No More Braids as the first place winner is spot-on! This image, by Tira Kahn, appears quiet and unassuming at first glance, but opens up one’s senses and curiosity almost immediately.

The colors are tantalizing: the blue and green reflected in the child’s gold pants and hair, and the little rectangle of purple disappearing on the far right, the triangle of orange behind the green laptop, and the red shirt front and center…amazing.

The child’s position (is she asleep? posing? exhausted?) replicates the diagonals and triangles of the composition.

At first glance, the image feels slightly disorienting, but the placement of the figures and the precision of the geometric ‘dance’ suggest harmony and perfection. Bravo, Tira Kahn! - fran
www.franforman.com

Tira Khan says about her series, "Growing Up Girl', "I began photographing my three daughters because I wanted a portrait to hang on my living room wall. I envisioned them freshly bathed, dressed and happy, all at the same time. For me, that was an impossible trifecta. Instead, I began to photograph moments more authentic -- when my girls were wrapped in their own thoughts, oblivious to me.
I saw my photographs as a way of studying the girls in their natural habitat, as a journalist might. Not wanting to bother them, I never asked my daughters to stop what they were doing, and they didn’t seem to mind me snapping away. More likely, I was too timid to ask them to pose. Though had I asked, I’m sure they would have refused.
Over the years, people would encourage me to photograph something more important, something that mattered to the external world. But I found myself drawn to these moments when my daughters were introspective — perhaps I thought taking their photo would lead me closer to their inner world. Children and adolescents have a seriousness about them that we, as a culture, sometimes forget. I paid attention when not much was “going on.”
As the girls aged, I realized that these small moments added up to something much larger — the development of character, personality. Now, as I feel more confident, they are more confident too. We see each other head-on, unapologetic in our flaws. But we are also, at times, more wary. I hope these small moments — witnessed in these photos — show personal growth, enabling them to interact with the world beyond home and family.
As Susan Sontag says: “Photographs are really experiences captured.” I feel like these photos captured early family life and who they have become. The childhood “magic” has morphed into teen melodrama and more. It’s now a different kind of energy. We grew up together."
 
Tira Khan’s photographs focus on people, family and unguarded moments. She enjoys photographing people in settings where they feel most comfortable — often their homes and places of work. She is also interested in the temporal — how the past relates to the present, and the passage of time.

Her images are often personal, as she finds that elements of our daily lives often reflect broad, universal themes. And sometimes, the personal is political.  
Her photographs have been published in the New York Times Lens Bog, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg Businessweek. She has published work in two books: We Who March, a book on the 2017 Women’s March, and Family. Life., organized through the Alexia Foundation and Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications

She has exhibited in solo and group shows, including the Danforth Art Museum, Griffin Museum and Soho Photo Gallery. She was recently selected by Christopher Rauschenberg as one of eleven photographers in Exposure: The 22nd Annual PRC Juried Exhibition. Her portfolio, Growing Up Girl, is part of a traveling exhibit, Outspoken, which explores the idea of women and girls in American culture.  
 
 

 
N.Y. Photo Curator: Global Photography Awards- 'Where Photography & Philanthropy Meet' Exhibition #2 (Click on image for larger view)
PAUSE IN THE GARDEN by Tira Khan
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N.Y. Photo Curator: Global Photography Awards- 'Where Photography & Philanthropy Meet' Exhibition #2 (Click on image for larger view)
13TH BIRTHDAY by Tira Khan
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N.Y. Photo Curator: Global Photography Awards- 'Where Photography & Philanthropy Meet' Exhibition #2 (Click on image for larger view)
WHISTLER'S MOTHER by Rob Lorino
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Rob Lorino says, "Growing up as a queer kid in a rural area, art was my escape. 

From classical art to pop culture, I consumed art in all forms voraciously.  I loved the feeling of connectedness art brought to me – knowing that people around the world knew and saw the same pieces of art that I was just discovering, and that they were experiencing them in completely different ways than I was.  

When I began creating my own artwork, I noticed that many of my photographs borrowed elements from iconic pieces of art.  I decided to lean into this and began intentionally recreating classical pieces of art with a vibrant & queer twist.  We so often see the pain and hardships involved in being queer, but there can be so much joy in being queer as well.  

Queerness has been erased from our histories, artistically and otherwise.  Because of this I aim to celebrate both the joys and struggles of being queer in my work, while simultaneously infusing explicit queerness into the classic art canon. 

The photographs in this series recreate famous works of art, while simultaneously forcing the viewer to confront and critique patriarchal and heteronormative notions of gender and sexuality.  The universally recognizable compositions and elements I pull from classic artwork acts as an entry point for viewers to engage with these deeper themes, while the lurid color palette reflect the beauty and exuberance of queer life."

Rob (they/them/theirs pronouns) is a nonbinary Boston based photographer who primarily works in self-portraiture. 

Their photographs draw from pop culture, mythology, and beyond to craft a narrative utilizing a dramatic and punchy aesthetic.  Their work has been featured in The Boston Globe, The Improper Bostonian, Stuff Boston, and more.  Their most recent exhibit was as part of the Curated Fridge's Autumn 2017 show.  

www.roblorino.com
 
N.Y. Photo Curator: Global Photography Awards- 'Where Photography & Philanthropy Meet' Exhibition #2 (Click on image for larger view)
OPHELIA by Rob Lorino
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N.Y. Photo Curator: Global Photography Awards- 'Where Photography & Philanthropy Meet' Exhibition #2 (Click on image for larger view)
JOAN OF ARC by Rob Lorino
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N.Y. Photo Curator: Global Photography Awards- 'Where Photography & Philanthropy Meet' Exhibition #2 (Click on image for larger view)
WATERFIRE BLAZE 2 by Paul Murray
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Paul Murray says, "My photography remains a work in progress. I am very much a visual traveler who interacts with people, places, objects and ideas on a variety of levels through several planes of vision that intersect with time and space.

At those intersections, I may capture a moment and portray it with my implied perspective. The journeys to those intersections afford the opportunity to see, and perhaps become intrigued by what I am experiencing.Often the story telling aspects of the photographic art form capture my attention and motivate a series of related images. Although my perspective is predominantly reality-based, I acknowledge not only the subjective nature of what I portray in my images, but an interest in pursuing at times more abstract images.

To the extent that my images enrich the experience and vision of others, I feel that I have achieved a way of communicating that is unique to me as a photographer."

A Rhode Island native and extensive traveler, Paul is an internationally recognized color photographer and skilled journalistic writer. His expression in images, words and design reflect a blend of his lifelong interests in art, nature, technology, aviation, urban life and societal change. His approach to photography and life is to remain open, trust his instincts and discard labels that are divisive. He uses technology to increase his creative options and productivity but not to replace his vision and responsibility.

Paul is a firm believer in giving back to the community through his photography and writing. He has donated his skills to community efforts in several states including the Rhode Island National Guard.

After residing in Boston, Tokyo and Chicago, Paul returned to Jamestown, RI, several years ago. He exhibits extensively throughout the United States, has had three solo exhibits in Cuba, and has served on theboards of several art associations. As an artist, his skills have been recognized at the highest levels of achievement at the Providence Art Club, Art League Rhode Island, Mystic Museum of Art, Wickford Art Association, Plymouth Center for the Arts and the Cape Cod Art Center. 

SELECTIVE SOLO EXHIBITIONS:

2018

“Extreme Latitudes”, Galleries in Camaguey, Santiago de Cuba and Holguin, Cuba

2017

“Community”, Women’s and Infant’s Hospital, Providence, RI

2016

“Extreme Latitudes”, International School of Yacht Restoration, Newport, RI
    
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS:         

2010-18

Annual International Color Awards – Professional Division.  Four Honorable Mentions and 70 Nominations

2016

Annual International Black & White Spider Awards – Professional Division - One Nomination

Selective Juried Group Exhibitions With Awards Beyond Honorable Mention

2018

Falmouth Art Center (MA), 1st All New England Juried Photography Show – Best in Show

Bristol Art Museum - Rogers Free Library (MA), "All Creatures - Great and Small" Show – Best in Show

Bristol Art Museum - Rogers Free Library (MA), "Light and Dark" Show – First Place

Garrison Art Center (NY), PHOTOcenteric 2017, - Second Place - People

Overland Park (KS), Annual Art at the Center – Juror’s Choice

Wickford Art Association (RI), "Art of the Ocean State" Show - Juror's Award

2017

Bristol Art Museum - Rogers Free Library (MA), "Seascapes" Show - First Place

Plymouth Center for the Arts (MA), "Encounters" Show - Second Place

Hygienic Art Gallery (CT), 11th Annual Crossing Juried Exhibit - Second Place Award

Conanicut Island Art Association (RI), "Elements" Show – Third Place

New York Center for Photographic Art (NY), "Liquid 2017" Show – Juror’s Selection

2016

Bristol Art Museum - Rogers Free Library (MA), "New England's Best" Show - First Place

Bristol Art Museum - Rogers Free Library (MA), "Taking Flight" Show - First Place

311 Gallery (NC), Annual Photography Juried Show - First Place

Jacksonville Arts Center (VA), Annual Jax Juried Exhibit - First Place

Bristol Art Museum - Rogers Free Library (MA), "Close to Home" Show - Second Place

Plymouth Center for the Arts (MA), 48th Annual Juried Art Show - Second Place in Color Photography

Sohn Fine Art Gallery (MA), 5th Annual Exhibit - Third Place

IMAGO Gallery (RI), Annual Open - IFA Members Award

Attleboro Arts Museum (MA), Members' Exhibit - "8 Visions" Finalist

ACGOW (RI), Annual Regional Exhibit - Washington Trust Fine Arts Award

Warwick Museum of Art (RI), "Remember When" Show - Award of Excellence

Emerald Art Center (OR), Annual Fall Photography Show - People’s Choice

www.facebook.com/pmmurray
www.harmonicthreads.com/
 
N.Y. Photo Curator: Global Photography Awards- 'Where Photography & Philanthropy Meet' Exhibition #2 (Click on image for larger view)
JUST LOVIN' IT by Paul Murray
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N.Y. Photo Curator: Global Photography Awards- 'Where Photography & Philanthropy Meet' Exhibition #2 (Click on image for larger view)
HOPES AND DREAMS by Paul Murray
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N.Y. Photo Curator: Global Photography Awards- 'Where Photography & Philanthropy Meet' Exhibition #2 (Click on image for larger view)
PAINTED POND by Neelakantan Sunder
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Neelakantan Sunder says, "A Winchester resident for over 30 years, I have  had a lifelong interest in nature and wildlife photography. I have  photographed both locally and around the world.

I was born in and grew up India and have been fascinated by tigers since childhood. I had the opportunity to work with some of the best wildlife photographers during his visits to the Tiger Reserves.

He has had the opportunity to shoot wildlife photography in Africa, Alaska and elsewhere. I have been active in a local camera club and has led photography walks in local areas. I am a retired anesthesiologist and worked at Mass General Hospital  for 36 yrs. I continue to teach as a volunteer in various countries around the world. I haveparticipated in the Pan Mass Challenge for the last seven years. I have also been involved with the Lexington Conservation group and have done some photography for them on a voluntary basis, and some of my landscape photographs were on exhibit in Lexington throughout the month for April ,May and June 2018."
 
CAREER HIGHTLIGHTS:

May  2018        Conservation Stewards Photo Exhibit, Community Center, Lexington, MA and Lexington LibraryThrough the month of April, May and June. Five of my landscape photos are on exhibit.
May 2018  -  “Tigers in the Wild. A photographic journey with Neelakantan Sunder” at theGriffin Museum of Photography, Winchester, MA. Talk and display of photographs of Tigers in the Wild.
May 2018   “ Whipple Hill Photography Walk” in Lexington, MA. Led a group through the Whipple Hill conservation land for Spring Photgraphy
April 2018    “Conservation Stewards Photo Exhibit”  Cary Memorial Library ,Lexington, MA
April 1-30.  Five of my landscape photos on exhibit.
Jan 2018   Photo credit “Why is Ireland Green? Astronomy Ireland, p 32-33 ,Jan 2018
Article authored by Ted Alston
Nov 2017   ”Nature Photography at Whipple Hill. Led a group through the Whipple Hill conservation land on photographing in the fall
Nov 2017  Photgrapher for “TARCkey Trot” a six hour cross country race in Winchester/Lexington, MA
Nov 2014  Photo Credit  “Look up like a Viking” Astronomy Ireland, p 30-31, Nov 2014
Article by Ted Alston

Beautiful fall day In New England. The reflections of the fall colors provided the colorful canvas to the composition.
N.Y. Photo Curator: Global Photography Awards- 'Where Photography & Philanthropy Meet' Exhibition #2 (Click on image for larger view)
FASHION PARADE by Neelakantan Sunder
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Loved the expressions and the Muti ethnicity in this very creative window in a shop in Paris.