embassy Events 2007 

Ambassador Ashe Speaks at Opening of III Warsaw Festival of Photography

23 March 2007

 

Ambassador Ashe Addresses the Audience (more photos)

U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Victor Ashe, helped open the III Warsaw Festival of Photography on March 22, with an address to the large opening night audience and by helping to award prizes to the winners of an international competition for Polish and American photography students.  The event at the Academy of Fine Arts’ Gallery for Media Art in Warsaw marked the beginning of the festival, in which 24 galleries will take part throughout Warsaw through May 20, and is supported by U.S. Embassy Warsaw.   

Co-curators Magdalena Durda-Dmitruk and Mariusz Dąbrowski, of the Media Arts Institute of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, also spoke at the event as did Prof. Stanisław Baj, Pro-Rector of the Academy, and Prof. Stanisłąw Wieczorek, Director of the Academy’s New Media Institute.  U.S. Embassy Warsaw has supported the festival in a variety of ways, including arranging a trip for the curators to the United States and helping to bring to Poland guest lecturers Sandra Phillips of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and Fred Ritchin of New York University.  Phillips was present at the opening and will lecture March 23 at the Cinema Hall, Academy of Fine Arts, Krakowskie Przedmieście 5.  Ritchin will lecture there on Saturday April 21.  The Inter-Continental Hotel is graciously providing accommodation for Phillips and Ritchin.

Winners of the photo competition include: Grand Prix Zuzanna Szarek, First Prize Gayle Laird *, Second Prizes – tied – Brice Bischoff * & Laura Swanson *, and Third Prize Justin Pekera *.  Receiving Honorable mention: Adam Kaczmarek, Łukasz Niewiadomski, Rafał Janus, and Agnieszka Ziobro.  Also noted for Distinction: Marcin Góralski, Bartosz Rigall, Tomasz Walczak, Jaeyoon Park *, and Will Steacy *.  (* Signifies Americans in the competition.)