Welcome to our first photography exhibit, curated by Lauren Zaknoun.

Featuring artists:

Sara Minsky @sara_minsky⁠, Peyton Fennell @thefennellfocus⁠, Ashwaq Bakrain @ashwag_bakrain, Gabriela Manfredi @gabbymanf_⁠, Dima Assad @dima__assad⁠, Marcy Palmer @marcy_palmer⁠, Taylor Neyens⁠ @taylor_jo_neyens, Anna Grevenitis @annagrevenitis⁠, Lexi Laine @lexilainephoto⁠, Julie Derbyshire @juliederbyshire⁠, Joslyn Panasiuk @joslynpanasiuk⁠, Linnea Moody @linnea.psd⁠, Sloane Volpe @sloanevolpe⁠, Gabriella Aragon @femmepapi⁠, Buffy Davis @buffydaviscyanos⁠, Farheen Fatima @farheenay⁠, Kyrsta Shae @kyrstashae⁠, Jennifer Georgescu @jengeorgescu⁠, Logan Simons⁠ @logansimonsphoto, Anna Rotty @annarotty⁠, Maliheh Zafarnezhad @maliheh_zafarnezhad⁠, Vanessa Fischer @villainness⁠, Tayo Adekunle @tayoadekunlephotography⁠, Amy Oliver @fragilityofself

Quarantine has been an isolating, lonely experience. Even the most stalwart of introverts have begun to crumble under the weight of isolation and the divorce from life and culture. With these pressures still fresh in mind as we daringly (or foolishly) try to plunge back into pre-Coronavirus life, questions of mortality, memory, and loneliness continue to plague us. 

“I Was Here” is an exhibition of 24 female-identifying photographers from around the world. From snapshots taken via Facetime in quarantine to photos of places made hollow by the people that are no longer there, these photographers rail against the isolation inherent in the human condition while finding and preserving beauty within these empty spaces.

Photography isn’t just a means of documentation but an avenue for expression. These artists’ work push the medium of photography, leaving no stone unturned; channeling the nostalgia of instant film, the freneticism of collage, the allure of gold leaf, and much more, this group of artists use a camera not just to capture a moment in time but to paint without brushstrokes. It is natural and even necessary for humans to seek out the beauty in the banal, in the ugly and unspeakable. Though the photographers selected for this show are varied and diverse in their lived experiences, artistry, and approach to their craft, the thread of humanity binds them together. 

I strongly encourage you to visit each artist featured here to learn more about their processes and inspirations. From loosening the shackles of suburban existence to keeping in step with death, the full wealth of these artists is worth experiencing. Please follow them on their social media accounts and join them on their own artistic journeys.

Lauren Zaknoun

Click on the images to be directed to the artists’ websites

A note from the curator:

It was such an honor to go through these entries. I was humbled by all of the stories the applicants shared with me and it was difficult to pare down the pool to just a handful.

It is, perhaps, too emotional to admit that many of these artists were selected not with a theme or a vision in mind, but because of a particular comfort and commiseration they offered me as a viewer. At its core, art is about finding comfort. Whether that comfort is derived from beauty or familiarity, the images most moving to me were the pointed attempts at railing against the hands that we are dealt, against internal and external forces that seek to dehumanize. Though we often gravitate towards high-polish images of influencers scrubbed of pores, these womxn don’t shy away from the uncomfortable or the unflattering. Alternative processes from cyanotypes to photo compositing also drew me in, separating themselves from the ultra-gloss that is so coveted in the photography world. 

It’s easy to get lost in our own struggles. And so, I’d like to thank every artist who opened the door into their world and let us lean in the doorway to look upon their struggles, passions, and fears.