The Fence

By Suzanne Révy

What is the purpose of public spaces and the art in those spaces? A New England common can be used for a picnic on the 4th of July, a fall fair, and perhaps most importantly, a place where citizens can peaceably assemble or protest. Typically, these open spaces are dotted with monuments to war heroes, commemorating the weighty sacrifices that were made in our attempt to form a more perfect union. In some regions of our country, monuments that elevate those generals who fought for the failed ideals of the Confederacy pour salt into the wound of slavery and have prompted a renewed urgency for public art to be sensitive and inclusive. How can public art engage us in a deeper understanding of history and politics, science and cultures? One answer can be found in the summer installation of Photoville’s The Fence, currently on view in downtown Winchester, Massachusetts through August 24th, 2020.

Map of The Fence installation in downtown Winchester, MA courtesy of the Griffin Museum of Photography.

In years past, The Fence was displayed in long, continuous segments, first along Boston’s Greenway and later in the SOWA arts district. The current iteration presents smaller installations throughout Winchester’s walkable downtown district. Each part brings three to four artists together in an “X” pattern that visitors can walk around, and then take a short walk to the next installation. The breadth of subjects in this 8th edition of The Fence showcases photography’s unique ability to embrace divergent cultural experiences, sparking a visitor experience that ranges from joy to pathos to wonder.

Ed Kashi, Children play around an impromptu bonfire in The Fountain, a Loyalist housing estate in Londonderry, Northern Ireland on August 11, 1989, courtesy of the artist and Photoville’s The Fence.

Matt Eich “Butta’s Funeral” from the series Sin and Salvation in Baptist Town courtesy of the artist and Photoville’s The Fence.

Nicky Hamilton from the series Take me Away, courtesy of the artist and Photoville’s The Fence.

Raul Ariano “Lenna and Dong Fang, Beijing” from the series LGBT in China, courtesy of the artist and Photoville’s The Fence.

Ed Kashi’s dynamic photojournalistic work made in Protestant communities of Northern Ireland during “the troubles” of the 1980’s offers a thought-provoking contrast to Matt Eich’s striking Sin and Salvation in Baptist Town, which grapples with the legacy of racism and segregation in Mississippi. Though not quite as politically charged, Nick Hamilton’s Take Me Away uses dry wit to explore class and culture in Britain through the microcosm of a Chinese takeout restaurant waiting area, while Raul Ariano offers an intimate and touching portrayal of the LGBTQ community in China. In two examples of lighter documentary projects, visitors can join in the joy of play with Tim Smith’s enchanting Huttterites Playing and Laurie Swope’s wistful black and white embrace of childhood in Before Self-Conscience. 

Tim Smith from the series Hutterites Playing, installation view. (Photographed by Suzanne Révy)

Laurie Swope, from the series Before Self-Consciousness installation view. (Photographed by Suzanne Révy)

Bremner Benedict “Montezuma’s Well, Verde Valley, Arizona” from the series Hidden Waters/Desert Springs, courtesy of the artist and Photoville’s The Fence.

Jose Snook “Odonata sp, skeletal laurel leaves, curled poplar leaf and skeletal sycamore leaf” from the series Mimesis, courtesy of the artist and Photoville’s The Fence.

The installation highlights a multitude of photographic techniques, including constructed and conceptual works that address salient current issues. Bremner Benedict mixes sepia and color imagery to emphasize threats to the natural well springs she photographs in western states while Jose Snook manipulates dried leaves into the shape of insects in Mimesis to imagine the evolutionary changes camouflaged insects use to adapt to environmental change. Etinosa Yvonne’s It’s All In My Head employs multiple exposures to reflect coping mechanisms of victims of Nigerian terrorism. 

Etinosa Yvonne, “Hajara Abubaker, 24” from the series It’s all in my Head, courtesy of the artist and Photoville’s The Fence.

Gregory Jundanian, from the series The Spoken Word, installation view. (Photograph by Suzanne Révy).

Tira Khan from the series Pattern Repeats, installation view. (Photographed by Suzanne Révy).

Each year, The Fence issues a worldwide call for photographic submissions, utilizing a jury of editors, curators, gallerists and photographers to select work for installation in several cities throughout north America. In addition to this national exhibition, each city includes its own regional selections, and it is a special treat to see local photographers’ work represented in Winchester. Susan Lapides’ portraits of growing girls bearing lobsters in Crustaceans alongside Tira Khan’s layered Patterns Repeat, Greg Jundanian’s playful pean to image and text in The Spoken Word, Kristen Joy Emack’s lovingly seen Cousins, Nancy Grace Horton’s biting, humorous Ms. Behavior and  Tamar Granovsky’s study of the Salton Sea in the series Siren Song  affirm that New England enjoys a thriving community of photographers. Best of all, after months of lockdown, we can visit an actual photographic exhibition that permits easy social distancing. The Fence is an exhilarating experience and infinitely more enriching than another clichéd sculpture of a general atop his horse. 

Susan Lapides from the series Crustaceans, installation view. (Photographed by Suzanne Révy)

Kristen Joy Emack from the series Cousins installation view. (Photographed by Suzanne Révy)

Nancy Grace Horton from the series Ms. Behavior, installation view. (Photographed by Suzanne Révy).

Tamar Granovsky from the series Siren Song installation view. (Photographed by Suzanne Révy)

For more information:

https://fence.photoville.com/artists/