Jim Sienkiewicz's Thoughts on a Major Photo Exhibition
Recent Academy graduate Jim Sienkiewicz attended Photo San Francisco 2006, an annual
photographic art exposition which is also one of the most important photo exhibitions for Bay Area
photographers.
He has written some thoughtful and inspiring words that all students would benefit from. If you
are a current student or alumnus and you have also had a recent meaningful experience related to
your art or to your field, please email us at case@academyart.edu and make your voice heard.
"My recent experience as a participant of the Academy of Art’s presence at the Photo San
Francisco 2006 has yielded many insights, some of which may benefit persons selected to be
showcased at the event in coming years. It is certain that all of this year’s presenters came away
with their own perceptions of the experience, but what follows is my own."
"Photo San Francisco is a 3-day event and I chose to be present for each afternoon’s exhibition.
I thought this was important as I had recently graduated and was approaching the event as an
opportunity to gain exposure as an emerging fine artist and was looking to stir up interest in my
work. I was aware that a person in a similar situation, a recent grad from another bay area art
school, had participated in last year’s Photo SF and had been shown in a gallery at 49 Geary within
a few months passing. This is an exceptional success story, but one, which encourages me as to the
event’s potential for exposure."
"By being there for the entirety of the weekend, I not only developed a thicker skin –as many
people simply walk past work they are not priory interested in or aware of- but also learned the
importance of promoting the other artists from the school. Because we were not only attempting to
generate interest in ourselves, but also in our colleagues, a stronger impression was formed than
by simply working alone. Many people were eager to learn about a person’s process or motivation for
their imagery, and having acquainted myself with each artist’s work prepared me for engaging such
questions."
"My experience was ultimately a positive one as I was able to speak to many people who were
interested in what my contemporaries and I were doing. The last day was the most beneficial as I
was approached by an art consultant and introduced to a gallery owner in Los Angeles. These
connections have already yielded a show in a couple of months and possibilities for future
exhibitions."
"The life of an artist is what you make of it and no one is better at drawing attention to your
work than you. Realize that nothing may come of your participation in Photo SF, but that is a
certainty if you do not treat it as the important opportunity it can be. At the very least it is
nice to be esteemed as representative of what the school considers its best work, and a valuable
lesson as to how exhibitions of this nature achieve realization. Good luck." ---- Jim
Sienkiewicz
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