“In both our professional and personal life, we look at hundreds if not thousands of photographs every day. Despite this constant flow of images that we all experience, I’m certainly not alone in continuing to find pictures endlessly fascinating,” said Gregory Harris, Curator of Photography at the High Museum of Art. “The critic Vince Aletti recently commented on photography’s unusual ability to capture ‘the rich, weird randomness of real life.’ It is no doubt the medium’s capacity to take what may seem commonplace and familiar and transform it into something strange and enigmatic is what continually draws us back to photographs.”
Juror of this year’s Annual Members Show at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center (CPAC), this anecdote comes from Harris’ jurors’ statement, serving as a perfect introduction to the carefully curated photographs dawning the walls of the Golden Triangle gallery. On exhibition until August 6, CPAC’s 59th Annual Juried Members‘ Show displays the random and wonderful works of local and national artists.
Photo by Shana Cruz-Thompson
For nearly 60 years, CPAC has used its Annual Members Show as a platform, supporting emerging and underrepresented voices within the photography community. Accepting submissions from both local and national artists, the exhibit displays a diverse array of artistic styles and personas.
“We usually open the call for entry around early or mid-February and that goes until April. The jurors take a look at everything and select pieces for our show,” explained Desa Beslic, Operations & Communications Manager at CPAC. “Artists can submit anything from a working series they are developing or just a collection of images they want to put into the entry. There’s no theme, no requirement of a complete portfolio. It’s really very open-ended.”
Juror Gregory Harris was challenged with the task of selecting thirty images for the exhibit.
“The array of distinctive approaches and consistently high caliber of the work submitted here are sure signs of the richness of contemporary photography. I had no shortage of stellar photographs from which to choose,” he explained in his statement.
Unlike past jurors, who typically selected thirty different images from thirty artists, Harris selected just sixteen artists to fulfill the same amount of spots. Displaying multiple pieces by certain artists, viewers gain an intricate understanding of the photographer’s style – the themes that remain constant from one photo to the next.
“The photographs gathered here coalesce around ideas, experiences, and emotions that are at first glance ordinary—the bonds of family or the beauty of the natural world—yet plumbing the depths of the quotidian offers boundless terrain for revelation and discovery. The photographers included in this exhibition masterfully ply the medium’s unique ability to draw from what may be mundane and transform it into something utterly captivating,” Harris wrote.
With two weeks remaining for this exhibit, the Annual Members Show is just one example of the non-profit’s never-ending mission to support the arts community.
“Our mission at CPAC is to support and give a space and platform to a variety of voices, including underrepresented voices. LGBTQIA+, different races, ethnicities, and ages,” said Belsic.
Showcasing seven to 10 exhibits per year, CPAC focuses on educating and supporting the artists of tomorrow. Belsic is eagerly preparing for Emerging Visions, an exhibit solely featuring work by current photography students coming later this year.
“That is always a really cool exhibit. We get to see that new perspective, that new wave of photography,” she said.
CPAC also offers a number of internships, offering a means for students to get their foot in the door of the artistic industry. But this is just the beginning for the organization. Moving to a new location within the Golden Triangle neighborhood in 2023, the 4,000 sqft space will offer an additional gallery, a dedicated classroom, and additional resources to both artists and visitors. 
Closing on August 6, CPAC’s 59th Annual Juried Members‘ Show proves to be a can’t miss for Denver art lovers, but just one of the many impressive endeavors of the non-profit organization.
The Colorado Photographic Arts Center is Denver’s only non-profit organization focusing solely on the art of photography. Their 59th Annual Juried Members‘ Show is on display until August 6. Currently located at 1070 Bannock Street, Denver, CPAC is seeking donations to create a world-class center for photography through their “Framing the Future” Campaign. For information on upcoming exhibits and internship opportunities, visit their website.
Photos by Shana Cruz-Thompson.