1st place
gold star award
Monica Frisell
united states
title
Portrait of US (working title)
This project documents how the country emerges from the pandemic and explores the divisions and similarities in culture and ideas. How are we coping, where are we heading, and how do we build a bridge across various communities? For the next three years I plan to travel the United States in a custom built mobile black and white darkroom and photo studio, to interview and photograph people along the way.
I plan to spend 2-3 months in each location. My photo studio and trailer are open to whoever wants to share their story with me. The length of stay gives me time to connect with my subjects, and explore the area. At the end of each visit I plan to celebrate the community by exhibiting portraits and interviews with a pop-up exhibit. Using large format photography the portraits are tangible objects, and they are a historical and artistic record of the residents. Each community receives a volume of images and stories as a testament to this era.
Frisell has extensive knowledge of professional color and dark room practices, and digital photography. They work predominantly in film, using medium and large format cameras.
Notable series are ‘Dispatches from a Day’ debut zine documenting the early months of the Covid lockdown, 2020. ‘Under the Long Shadow of Sugar’ addressing the complex history and ongoing contributions to global food production by the Australian farming community of migrant workers and land owners, 2019. ‘Looking Forward, Portraits from an RV’ exhibited at Black Lab Gallery, Everett, WA and SUNY Monroe College, NY, 2017. ‘Out of the Shadows- Portraits of Domestic Workers of Nepal’ 2015-2016 exhibited at the Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, and Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, Australia 2016.
Frisell has been published in numerous trade magazines such as Jazz Magazine, DownBeat, JazzTime, Fretboard Journal and PDN.
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entry description
This is a selection of portraits from a long-term project I am working on entitled "Portrait of US" (working title). This is a collection of portraits and recorded stories that will document the US today.This project documents how the country emerges from the pandemic and explores the divisions and similarities in culture and ideas. How are we coping, where are we heading, and how do we build a bridge across various communities? For the next three years I plan to travel the United States in a custom built mobile black and white darkroom and photo studio, to interview and photograph people along the way.
I plan to spend 2-3 months in each location. My photo studio and trailer are open to whoever wants to share their story with me. The length of stay gives me time to connect with my subjects, and explore the area. At the end of each visit I plan to celebrate the community by exhibiting portraits and interviews with a pop-up exhibit. Using large format photography the portraits are tangible objects, and they are a historical and artistic record of the residents. Each community receives a volume of images and stories as a testament to this era.
about the photographer
Monica Jane Frisell is an itinerant community photographer. Raised in Seattle, Frisell mostly lives on the road in a customized truck/trailer combo, equipped with a dark room, and a photo lab. They are 35 years old.Frisell has extensive knowledge of professional color and dark room practices, and digital photography. They work predominantly in film, using medium and large format cameras.
Notable series are ‘Dispatches from a Day’ debut zine documenting the early months of the Covid lockdown, 2020. ‘Under the Long Shadow of Sugar’ addressing the complex history and ongoing contributions to global food production by the Australian farming community of migrant workers and land owners, 2019. ‘Looking Forward, Portraits from an RV’ exhibited at Black Lab Gallery, Everett, WA and SUNY Monroe College, NY, 2017. ‘Out of the Shadows- Portraits of Domestic Workers of Nepal’ 2015-2016 exhibited at the Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, and Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, Australia 2016.
Frisell has been published in numerous trade magazines such as Jazz Magazine, DownBeat, JazzTime, Fretboard Journal and PDN.
back to gallery