Fri 9/6 @ noon-9PM
The Cleveland Photo Fest was founded in early 2019 by three area photographers — Herb Ascherman, Laura D’Alessandro and Jim Szudy and launched that fall.
Its inaugural year in 2019 enjoyed remarkable success for a fledgling event. It included ten exhibitions in 15 venues and helped to promote a total of 21 photography exhibitions. The 250 participants were primarily Cleveland and Ohio photographers, along with contributions from across the country, Canada, England, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates and India. It was preparing for the second edition in the fall of 2020 when Covid brought plans to a halt. Instead, it took place in the spring of 2021 with five simultaneous shows at the Bostwick Design Initiative gallery, featuring more than 200 local, regional, national and international photographers.
The Bostwick proved to be the perfect location for the festival. Its flexible multiple spaces allowed for more shows in a single location, making it easier for visitors to access. So for its fifth year, it’s again at that location, with seven shows opening this Friday. The gallery opens its doors at noon and a free evening reception happens from 6-9pm. New Sons of Erie perform at 7pm.
The clear hit of this festival is going to be CATography, a display of more than 50 photos of — you guessed it — cats. It was motivated by a prior CPF show, Going to the Dogs, which caused cat lovers to ask “When is it our turn?” That turn would be now. It’s a rebuke to Ohio Senator JD Vance’s statement about “miserable” “childless cat ladies.” Cleveland Museum of Art Curator of Photographer and owner of two cats, Barbara Tannenbaum, had the enviable job of picking the winning images. Joy, love, beauty, mischief and mystery are the key themes of this show, featuring more than three dozen images by mostly area photographers, including a grandmother and grandchild pair (photographer/filmmaker Cindy Penter and her granddaughter Charlie). Complementing that show is another of Cleveland middle schoolers’ selfies of themselves and their pets.
Three other group shows and two solo shows complete this year’s fest. Thirty area photographers took part in delivering Mayors, Managers, and Trustees: A Portrait of Cuyahoga County Officials, a project to create black-and-white images of each of the aforementioned individuals, with all but a handful of recalcitrant represented.
Another group show features self-portraits submitted by 40 artists., both local and national; and the Volunteer Appreciation Show displays the range and diversity of styles of Cleveland Photo Fest’s volunteer team.
Finally, two solo shows round out the displays: fashion/celebrity photographer Arlene Pachasa’s Pretty Intimate: Film and Fashion, and Canadian/Clevelander Daniel Hertel-Cournoyer’s EXTRUSIONS, which use photo-projection, painting and an original technique called photographic weaving. The shows will be on view throughout September on Fridays from noon-9pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from noon-5pm. Each Friday will feature special programming at 7pm. Admission and programs are all free.
2731 Prospect Ave E, Cleveland, OH 44115
2731 Prospect Ave E, Cleveland, OH 44115