CIP Photography Festival 2019

Chania International Photo festival has been created by Blank Wall Gallery. Its aim is to gather more than 300 photographers from around the world each year, turning the town of Chania into an international centre of artistic expression focusing on photography. At the same time, we aspire to make this festival the biggest photographic event, since so many international artists are exhibiting their work in Greece. The first step was made last year, when thousands of people visited the festival.
In our effort the Municipality of Chania responded favourably as a co organiser for the second time, offering the venues for the festival to be held.

The festival will take place at the Centre of the Mediterranean Architecture (CAM) in a building dating back from 1595, at the Old Harbour of Chania.
The building is known as the Grand Arsenali and was the biggest shipyard located in the Venetian port of Chania. During its lifetime it has hosted many Public Services of the Town of Chania. In 1997 started its renovation, which turned the building into one of the most important cultural centres in Crete. Some of the biggest events, which take place in Chania, are hosted in its premises.
It is easily accessible and visited by thousands of people daily.

I was first introduced to Maria, the Director of Blank Wall Gallery in Athens Greece, when two of my images were selected in the group exhibition, “Street Photography” in January 2017. One of them, to my surprise, being the featured image. Sometime after that I got an email asking whether I was interested in being a Juror for a soon to be opened Festival in Crete. I initially had to think about it, but then took up her offer and have been part of the Juror Committee for the first two years, 2018 and 2019 respectively.

http://www.blankwallgallery.com/exhibitions-street-photography-2017/

For me personally, it has been a great opportunity to see how the process works and be on the “other side of the fence” so to speak. I am just one of many Jurors with different perspectives and experience at hand to help narrow down the selected images. I have been blown away by the sheer volume of inspiring and beautiful images to view.

For this years Festival, the 12 Jurors were also exhibiting their work in a Juror’s Exhibition

Saturday 17 August 2019

Presentation of the exhibition of the members of the jury committee
Time: 18:00 – 23:00
12 members of the jury committee are exhibiting a sample of their work

Alain Schroeder # Belgium – Alexey Sorochan # Ukraine – Ben Mc Rae # Australia – Dennis Ramos # USA – Frank Van Es # Netherlands – Guy Needham # New Zealand – Heike Suhre # Netherlands – Isabella Tabacchi # Italy – James Niven # New Zealand – Markos Dolopikos # Greece – Nikos Apostolopoulos # Greece – Ron Colbroth # USA

Thank you so much Maria for your kindness, generosity and patience and for giving me this opportunity which I take with confidence and sincerity.

Kind Regards

James