Begin Anywhere: Paths of Mentorship and Collaboration

exhibition catalog for SF Camerawork
essay by Justine Kurland
designed with Amanda Boe, McNair Evans, and Kevin Kunishi

From the introduction by Heather Snider:
This publication is both a companion to the SF Camerawork exhibition Begin Anywhere and a creative playbook of visual collaboration. It is intended as both a catalyst for collaboration and as a simple record of art making that happened at a certain point in time, within a network of relationships. Begin Anywhere began as a proposal by three photographers to present their work within the context of mentorship, which has been integral to their development as artists. SF Camerawork, with a mission to support emerging artists, embraced the project from its inception. At a moment in which time may perhaps be our most precious commodity, artists making time to support and mentor one another is a fundamental, sustainable path forward. A selection of recent work by Amanda Boe, McNair Evans, and Kevin Kunishi is presented here along with their thoughts on their mentorship experience. Accompanying their work are two collaborative projects with their mentors—Jason Fulford, Todd Hido, Mark Mahaney, Mike Smith, and Alec Soth. The first project is a version of the Exquisite Corpse parlor game, popularized 100 years ago by European Surrealist artists. The second, a play on the pop culture word search puzzle, translates letters of the artists’ names into photographic prompts depicting visual intersections between the artists and their work. The resulting work provides both a nod to history and a nudge toward the future, ideally repeatable by anyone with an inclination to playfully engage the creative process.

6.5 x 9.25 inches
96 pages