As the juror for the 12th International Combined Caucus Exhibition, I was incredibly moved by the impactful photographs and video artworks of all those who applied. The submissions spanned traditional to unconventional approaches in photography, including arresting imagery, enhancing visibility to diverse and underrepresented voices, and others challenging our perceptions of reality. It was an honor to consider the multiple perspectives and interpretations of our world through the caucuses members’ investigations. Their attention to the nature of creative expression and the human experience showcases the enduring power of the photographic image. 

While there were many worthy submissions, I selected images that contained a profound poetic and lyrical sense of the subject in real or imagined contexts. Photography is often noted for its unique capability to share the realities of the world around us. Still, for me, it was images that sparked uncertainty and ambiguity that drew me in. The evolving and diverse realms of experience and consciousness create a sense of wonder, evoking the interconnectedness of personal and sociopolitical experiences and histories. Several of the selected works engage in a creative dialogue with the medium of photography itself, considering how processes and materials are instruments to their potential. In the aggregate, the exhibition shares a connection to “New Realities,” the 2024 SPE conference theme. The interplay between the aesthetics, processes, and content provides meaningful insight into how photography shapes notions of medium, representation, narrative, and temporalities

Sama Alshaibi

Savannah Calhoun | Parabola

Julia Cartwright | Summer 2023 Solargraph UNT

Elise Kirk | Atlas

Megan Jacobs | Containment

Natcha Wongchanglaw | Untitled

Ben Levine | Kenna

Fazilat Soukhakian | Queer in Utah, Lexi & Max

Elizabeth Rose | Erratic

Gina Dabrowski | Two friends help with their makeup

Amy Davis | Number 6

Shreepad Joglekar | E183.3.J

Liz Albert | This Dream Scares Me But I Know It’s Normal

Annmarie Suglio | My Biancheria (Grandma Yolanda’s linen weaving)

RemiJin Camping | More Than A Baby Machine

Kaitlyn Jo Smith | Cicadas on My Father’s Back