#phyllis dooney

‘Just the Facts’ — Illuminating invisible lives at the 2017 LightField photo festival

“Just the Facts,” LightField’s second festival of photography and multimedia art, presents lens-based works created by six innovative and distinguished visual artists: Annu Palakunnathu Matthew, Brenda Kenneally, Phyllis Dooney, Stacy Kranitz, Zoe Strauss and Masterji.

Its theme focuses on the realities of lives largely invisible to mainstream culture, highlighting two coupled, timely issues: Working-class people who have been left behind by technology and globalization, and immigrants who have become the focus of fear and insecurity.

Anna Van Lenten, LightField’s founder, says, “This year, the art we’re exhibiting amounts to a powerful assertion of the underling realities of people who, day to day, face challenges to their dignity from within and without their communities. As well, we’re aiming to look at the ways in which the ‘realism’ in the art contains entry points to broader conversations.”

In addition to the documentary work on exhibit, “Just the Facts” will present screenings, talks and associated events, including a screening of director Manny Kirscheimer’s 2017 film “Canners” and a celebration of the work produced by the Young Photographers Workshop (YPW), a free program for teens from underserved areas in the Hudson region. According to Van Lenten, these and other events aim to “invite viewers to look past common stereotypes, to spark lively discussion and to increase insights into our shared world.”

LightField is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to showcasing the work of innovative and distinguished lens-based artists through exhibits, festivals and talks; it also offers educational photography workshops for young people. LightField’s annual festival aims to spark discussion about the aesthetic choices documentary artists make, to highlight the power of lens-based art to spotlight social issues and provide a framework for discussion and debate.

“Just the Facts,” LightField’s second festival of photography and multimedia art, runs from Aug. 12 to Sept. 30, 2017, in Hudson Hall, Hudson, N.Y. The exhibition and related events, organized by the nonprofit LightField, are free and open to all. A schedule of screenings and events are posted at Lightfield’s website.

Photos from top: Stacy Kranitz, Annu Palakunnathu Matthew, Masterji, Phyllis B. Dooney, Brenda Kenneally, Zoe Strauss