Lion’s Shadow: In Tribute to Jules Lion

Louisiana based photographers of the African diaspora are invited to submit work for consideration in Lion’s Shadow. The exhibition will be curated by Brent Lewis, and displayed at Stella Jones Gallery in conjunction with PhotoNOLA 2019.

Juror: Brent Lewis, New York Times / Diversify Photo
Deadline: Oct 20, 2019
ENTER HERE

Lion’s Shadow: In Tribute to Jules Lion is designed to highlight the vibrant work being created by African-American photographers in Louisiana. The title was chosen to honor the legacy of Jules Lion, a French-born free man of color who is recognized as the first African-American photographer. His life story exemplifies a significant intersection of black history, photo history, and New Orleans history.

In 1840, Jules Lion introduced the daguerreotype process to New Orleans in an exhibit at the St. Charles Museum. Not only was this the first documented exhibition of photographs in Louisiana, it was only the second such display of daguerreotypes in the United States. (The first had been in New York City.)

Lion opened the first daguerreotype studio in New Orleans – and one of the very first in the entire U.S. – making views of city landmarks, and portraits of individuals and families. Just one year after “the birth of photography” was announced in France, Jules Lion gave New Orleanians a new way to look at their environment and to document their lives.

In celebration of this groundbreaking and important lineage, contemporary practitioners are invited to submit photo-based images for consideration. All subject matters and styles are welcomed.

Lion’s Shadow will open with a public reception on December 7 and remain on view through December 30, 2019. There will be a juror’s talk with Brent Lewis at 2:30pm on Dec 14th.

About the Juror
Brent Lewis is a Photo Editor at The New York Times and co-founder of Diversify Photo.
Founded in 2017 by Brent Lewis and Andrea Wise, Diversify Photo is a database and community resource for photographers of color working in the U.S. They produce exhibitions and gatherings; facilitate speaking, publishing, and networking opportunities for member photographers; and advocate for greater diversity across all photography industries by creating resources for art buyers, creative directors, and photo editors to find and hire photographers of color.
In his role as photo editor at The NY Times, Brent works on the Business Desk, assigning visual coverage of technology, the economy, and the auto industry. Brent was previously a Photo Editor at The Washington Post, and the Senior Photo Editor of ESPN’s The Undefeated, where he drove the visual language of the website which is based around the intersection of sports, race, and culture. Before turning his life over to editing, he was a staff photojournalist with stints at The Denver Post, The Rockford Register Star and the Chillicothe Gazette. Brent grew up on Chicago’s South Side, and now resides outside of New York City with his wife, son and dog.

Eligibility: Submissions are open to all photographers of the African diaspora who reside in Louisiana. Submitted images must be for sale. There is no fee to apply.

About Stella Jones Gallery
Stella Jones Gallery was founded in 1996 as a venue for artists of the African diaspora to exhibit superior works of art. The gallery serves educational goals through lectures, panel discussions, intimate gallery talks and exhibitions with artists in attendance.

Stella Jones Gallery takes very seriously the responsibility of providing collectors, both private and corporate, with art that is high in aesthetic quality and strong in investment potential. The gallery is equally motivated to raise the aspirations of African American youths by providing them with a better understanding of their heritage through the visual arts.

Stella Jones Gallery endeavors to be an important site of both cultural and economic development in the local, national, and international arts community.

Exhibition Timeline
Deadline: October 20, 2019
Notification: October 25, 2019
Receipt of artwork: Nov 25, 2019
Installation of exhibition: Dec 2-5, 2019
Exhibition Dates: December 7 – 31, 2019
Opening Reception: December 7, 2019
Juror’s Talk:, December 14, 2:30pm
Take down: Dec 31, 2019

Submission Guidelines:
-Open theme.
-Photographers must reside in Louisiana.
-Submit 5-10 jpegs, from a cohesive body of work.
-Artist statement or project description is also required.
-All art submitted must be original work, created by the applicant.
-New Orleans Photo Alliance reserves the right to use selected images in web and print for exhibition related publicity purposes; NOPA will properly credit the photographers.
-Accepted works should be presented professionally, wired and ready to hang.

Submission Requirements
1. Artists must be based in Louisiana.
2. All submitted works must be for sale
3. An artist statement or project description, to be pasted into appropriate box at the beginning of entry process.
4. A portfolio of 5 to 10 images. Images can originate in any format but must be submitted digitally through an online application process.
5. Each image submitted should be in jpeg format, sized at 72 pixels per inch, and 1000 pixels on the long side. Name your files with your last name_then first name_then image title, using an underscore to separate the names. Example: Doe_Jane_Blue Moon.jpg
Please provide the title, size, medium and date for each submitted image.

The New Orleans Photo Alliance (NOPA) reserves the right to reject any delivered art that does not match the online submission, or fails to meet framing and matting requirements. Artists should pack work in REUSABLE shipping containers and refrain from using packing peanuts. Neither NOPA nor the Stella Jones Gallery are liable for any damages to artwork, or for artwork left after the closing of the exhibition.

Stella Jones Gallery
201 St Charles Ave #132,
New Orleans, LA 70170
www.stellajonesgallery.com

Questions? Email Muffin Bernstein at exhibitions@photonola.org
Please read the guidelines and application requirements thoroughly.

Shipping address:
New Orleans Photo Alliance
Attn: Muffin Bernstein
3436 Magazine Street, #134
New Orleans, LA 70115

NOPA Gallery Address:
(for hand-delivered work only)
New Orleans Photo Alliance
1111 St. Mary St.
New Orleans, LA 70130

Top image: This view of Chartres Street looks east, from St. Peter Street. On the left are the Cabildo, St. Louis Cathedral, and the Presbytere. Jackson Square appears on the right. The lithograph is based likely on a daguerreotype by Lion described in the New Orleans Bee in 1840. None of Lion’s photographs have been identified to date.