The Arizona Photography Alliance’s first exhibit opened on March’s First Friday at the FOUND:RE Phoenix Hotel.
The FOUND:RE displays art throughout the hotel. Organizations or companies can use these spaces for conference rooms or events.
According to their Facebook description, AZPA’s exhibit for First Friday was “set to showcase upwards of 50 pieces of art” by local AZPA members.
Art Curator Michael Oleskow said he was excited about displaying the fine art photography exhibit in the FOUND:RE lobby, having previously displayed it in the poolside gallery and studio.
“I was thinking the studio but then I thought, ‘Well, they are going to have more work. It’s their launch kind of as the Arizona Photography Alliance and it will give them the time to really show their work,’” said Oleskow.
The Alliance used to be a part of the Phoenix Art Museum under the name INFOCUS, as an interest group that fundraised for and toward both the museum and the group for the last eight years.
INFOCUS parted ways from the museum in 2018 after a disagreement over the handling of funds between the museum’s interest groups and the museum itself.
Vice President of AZPA, Fred Ullrich, said the new organization is still growing and establishing itself.
“We’re looking for photographers who have an interest in fine art photography, and we’re looking for non-photographers but collectors who appreciate the better parts of collecting of fine art photography,” he said. “It’s these two combinations of groups that we are going after by doing different activities. Because there was really an interest and when INFOCUS went away it sort of left a void.”
For the first public event, members of AZPA could submit their work to be displayed. With art from over 20 photographers, including himself, Ullrich feels the launch was a success.
“On First Friday we not only got people that were specifically interested in the exhibit but also the First Friday crowd, and it seemed to go very well. Any new artwork exhibited creates an interest. We had probably 150 people there,” Ullrich said.
Pieces of the exhibit are for sale, and some have already sold. Despite the different styles and subjects, Oleskow believes the exhibit somehow “fits together.”
“It’s kind of interesting for photography in that it’s different frames, different formats, some color, some black and white, said Oleskow.
The exhibit will be displayed until the end of May. AZPA is planning another event for the spring, and many more to follow.
“It’s the practice of making pictures that hooks people. What we want to do is explore that more,” Ullrich said.
Contact the reporter at ldiethel@asu.edu.
Lisa Diethelm is the Politics editor for the Downtown Devil while she studies at The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in downtown Phoenix. She grew up in California and started her journalism career in high school.
