2013 EVENT
GUEST CURATOR // PAUL WOMBELL
Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal is delighted to announce the appointment of renown British independent curator, Paul Wombell for the 13th presentation of its biennale of contemporary photography that will take place in September 2013. For Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal 2013, Paul Wombell has proposed the theme Drone: The Automated Image around which all the exhibitions, the publication, the colloquium and other activities will be organized.
Download press release here
THEME // DRONE : THE AUTOMATED IMAGE
Drones extend the capabilities of the body in the act of looking. The eye has a fixed position on the human body, has limited vision over long distances and does not work well in reduced lighting conditions. Drones can travel to difficult and remote locations, they can see at all times even in limited light. They can be controlled remotely and be operated from a distance; they can function automatically, have artificial sensing and also convey a sense that they have an intent or agency of their own. Drones are the robots of seeing. Over the last 40 years the camera has taken on some of the same characteristics of the drone even to the extent that the camera now as a life of its own and functions more like a computer. There is no need look through the viewfinder because all the calculations for exposure and focus are automatically completed. You can set the camera to take photographs without the need to be behind the camera. With the motion detectors, remote controls, CCTV, Web cams, Google Street View and the development of robotics the camera can function without human involvement.
Drone: The Automated Image will be the first project to chart the changing relationship between the camera and the human body. It will look at how photographers and artists are choosing to use the automatic devices of the camera in its many different forms in the production of their work.
Paul Wombell
Guest Curator
Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal 2013
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Paul Wombell is an independent curator and writer on photography living in London (UK). He has been the Director of Impressions Gallery, York (1986-1994), Director of The Photographers’ Gallery, London (1994-2005) and Festival Director of the Hereford Photography Festival (2006-2007). Since 2007 he has curated exhibitions for the annual photographic festival PHotoEspaña in Madrid and starting from 2010 for FotoGrafia Festival Internazionale di Roma. Most recently, he organized the one-person exhibition Calves and Thighs: Juergen Teller (2010) and the group exhibition Bumpy Ride: The Prophecies of Photography (2010). He regularly writes for international photographic publications. He has edited six books on photography the most recent being The 70s: Photography and Everyday Life (2009) co-edited with Sergio Mah.
___________________________________________________
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS IS NOW CLOSED.
We would like to thank all the artists who submitted a project. Good luck to all!