The
Arts Council, West Midlands has agreed to increase its support in
2004 and 2005, thus enabling the festival to expand and develop
its structure and management team.
Robert
Ashby, Festival Director for the last three years, has announced
that he will be standing aside.
He
said, "The Festival Director's role now needs to be on a full-time
basis which is not an option for me. I look forward to supporting
a developing management team at Hereford as the festival continues
to grow in size and stature."
Chris
Smart, Chairman of the Trustees and acting Festival Director said,
"Robert's achievements with the Festival have been great and have
certainly put exposure on the photography map.
"However,
we are not losing the benefit of his knowledge and experience, as
he will continue to work with the management committee and trustees.
"Future
plans for exposure are very exciting, although this year's festival
is more selective, we are planning to expand the 2004 festival.
"I
am very pleased to announce that Nina Gustavsson is this year’s
Festival Curator."
Whilst
exposure 2003 is more streamlined, it continues to feature strong,
contemporary photography on human, social and cultural issues.
Paul
Wombell, Director of London’s Photographers’ Gallery, will open
this year’s event, the only annual photography festival in Britain.
Exhibitions
this year include: Finnish photographer Ari Saarto’s ‘Topography
of Fear’, about the possibilities and insecurities of space in landscape
and buildings.
Martina
Mullaney’s ‘Turn In’, an insight into the lives of homeless people
living in shelters.
Texan
photographer Nine Francois’s delightful ‘Animal Series’, how abstract
animal images can assist with children’s linguistic development
and ‘Reflections of War’, the premiere of an exhibition from four
Guardian photographers, three of who were embedded during the recent
Iraq conflict, and one who travelled with the US Marines.
exposure’s
website Print Auction will again be held, when most participating
photographers donate a print.
The
festival committee would especially like to thank Simon Norfolk,
who has very generously donated his large format ‘Afghanistan Chronotopia’
prints from last year.
Details
can shortly be found on the festival’s website at
|