HOUSTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 21, 2016 - FotoFest International is pleased to announce the participating artists featured in its 16th International Biennial of Photography and Mixed Media Arts, taking place March 12 – April 24, 2016 in Houston, Texas. The work of these 34 leading international artists will comprise the central exhibitions of the 2016 Biennial, exploring the Biennial theme, CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES: Looking at the Future of the Planet.

The exhibitions, and associated programs for CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES examine the dynamics of change and the potential for creative action, as seen through the work of the exhibiting artists, participating scholars, and environmental thinkers.

The artists in CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES come from nine different countries across Europe, Asia, and North and South America. Many of the artists will travel to Houston to participate in lectures, tours, and other programs during the Biennial.

FOTOFEST 2016 BIENNIAL | www.fotofest.orgFor additional media inquiries please contact: Vinod Hopson, FotoFest Press Coordinator, +1 713.223.5522 ext 26, vhopson@fotofest.orgKristin Sancken, Blue Medium Inc., +1 212.675.1800, kristin@bluemedium.com Pamela Hernandez, Blue Medium Inc., +1 212.675.1800, pamela@bluemedium.com

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Announcing the Artists and Programs for the FotoFest 2016 Biennial March 12 - April 24, 2016, Houston, Texas USA

Edward Burtynsky, Colorado River Delta #2, Near San Felipe, Baja, Mexico, 2011. Courtesy of the Artist and Nicholas Metivier Gallery, Toronto/Von Lintel Gallery, Los Angeles.

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FOTOFEST 2016 BIENNIAL ARTISTS (alphabetized by last name with country of origin)

Amy Balkin (USA)Mandy Barker (UK)Daniel Beltrá (Spain)Atul Bhalla (India)Edward Burtynsky (Canada)Barbara Ciurej and Lindsay Lochman (USA)Pedro David (Brazil)Luis Delgado-Qualtrough (Mexico/USA)Susan Derges (UK)Nigel Dickinson (UK)Dornith Doherty (USA)David Doubilet (USA)Peter Fend (USA)Roberto Fernández Ibáñez (Uruguay)Karen Glaser (USA)Gina Glover (UK)

Ingo Günther (Germany/USA)Niklas Goldbach (Gemany)Lucy Helton (UK/USA)Chris Jordan (USA)Isaac Julien (UK)David Liittschwager (USA)Pablo Lopez Luz (Mexico) Evelyn Messinger and Kim Spencer (USA)Vik Muniz (Brazil)Robert Harding Pittman (Germany/USA)Meridel Rubenstein (USA) Joel Sartore (USA)Toby Smith (UK)Jamey Stillings (USA)Martin Stupich (USA)Brad Temkin (USA)

“These are artists who have engaged the natural world and humanity’s place in that world, over many years,” says 2016 Biennial co-curator Wendy Watriss. “Many of the artworks manifest the artists’ rigorous investigations into science and philosophy.”

Featured projects address the anthropocene – climate change; industrialization and urbanization; bio-diversity; water; the use of natural and human resources; human migration; global capital, commerce and consumption; energy production; and waste.

One of the central exhibitions of the CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES Biennial is a survey of Canadian artist Edward Burtynsky and his 30 years of work on land, mining, energy, water, and the impacts of industrialization across the globe. Additionally, FotoFest is working with National Geographic on a large presentation of three of its prominent photographers, David Doubilet, David Liittschwager, and Joel Sartore, who have worked on major conservation issues for National Geographic.

The FotoFest 2016 Biennial exhibitions are co-curated by Ms. Watriss and Steven Evans with Frederick Baldwin. Ms. Watriss and Mr. Baldwin are co-founders of the 33 year-old organization. Mr. Evans is FotoFest’s Executive Director. The three curators have organized the Biennial exhibitions, as well as the associated programming, much of which will showcase the artists, and the issues explored in their artworks.

CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES: Looking at the Future of the Planet is a continuation of FotoFest’s over thirty-year commitment, to presenting a platform for art and ideas. Since the early 1990s, FotoFest has addressed important environmental issues through art: The Global Environment in 1994; Water, Celebrating Water. Looking at the Global Crisis in 2004; and The Earth in 2006.

FotoFest’s CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES exhibitions are accompanied by six weeks of associated programing, including forums and dialogues on the relationship of human society and the environment. The programs include artist talks and video presentations, film programs, concerts, artist-curator exhibition tours, and a special school curriculum developed in relation to the Biennial theme.

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Related to the 2016 Biennial theme, FotoFest is partnering with a number of arts and cultural groups including Ballroom Marfa, Marfa, Texas, and the Public Concern Foundation, who will collaborate to present Marfa Dialogues/Houston, March 24-26, 2016. In March and April, FotoFest is working with the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) Film Department at the Museum’s Brown Auditorium, and with the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital at MATCH (Midtown Arts and Theatre Center Houston) to present two series of prize-winning films addressing environmental concerns.

During the festival, FotoFest will present two concerts of contemporary classical music. With the renowned chamber music and jazz organization Da Camera, FotoFest is co-commissioning the Houston premiere of The Colorado: a Film Oratorio, a multidisciplinary film performance with live music and chorus that explores water, land and life in the Colorado River Basin. Contemporary classical music ensemble Musiqa and composer Marcus Maroney will present a new original composition of ekphrastic music inspired by individual artworks on exhibit.

FotoFest is working with prominent environmental, scientific, and academic groups including Rice University CENHS (Center for Energy and Environmental Research in the Human Sciences) and the Rice Building Workshop, Houston, to present programs on the Rice University campus.

Amy Balkin, detail from The Atmospere: A Guide, 2013-2015.Courtesy of the Artist.

Accompanying FotoFest’s central exhibitions, over 100 independently organized exhibitions at venues across the city will be a part of the FotoFest 2016 Biennial. Notable Participating Art Spaces include: the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Contemporary Art Museum, Houston; the Menil Collection; the Station Museum of Contemporary Art, Houston; and the Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston. Notable Art Spaces include Arts Brookfield, Houston; the Houston Center for Photography; Galveston Art Center; Lawndale Art Center, Houston; and Art League Houston. BOOKWith the CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES exhibitions, FotoFest is producing a hardcover book on the environment and the ways in which international artists are addressing the impact of human society on the planet. The book will feature essays by scholars and art experts alongside artists’ statements and extensive color reproductions of exhibited works. The FotoFest book is co-published with Schilt Publishing, Amsterdam, and designed by HvAD Design, New York.

ADDITIONAL PROGRAMSFotoFest’s well-known International Fine Print Auction, March 21, 2016, features over 50 artworks, including works from the North and South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

FotoFest’s International Meeting Place Portfolio Review for Artists, March 12 – March 30, 2016 is one of the most prestigious events of its kind in the world, bringing together 500 international artists, and 120 photography experts from around the world.

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Presented in conjunction with the Meeting Place is FotoFest’s Discoveries of the Meeting Place exhibition. A popular event showing some of the best work discovered at the previous Biennial portfolio review, the exhibition is a launching pad for the careers of many early and mid-career artists.

With the Meeting Place, FotoFest sponsors four public Evenings with the Artists Open Portfolio Nights. These evenings are accompanied by Artist-Curator Dialogues, Book Signings and other programs. In coordination with the Portfolio Review, FotoFest is organizing Workshops for artists and the interested public.

FotoFest’s Literacy Through Photography (LTP) education program partnered with Artist Boat, Galveston, Texas to create an accompanying curriculum for students in grades 3-12. The curriculum is being made available for free.

Exhibition tours and other programs are available throughout the six weeks of the Biennial. Details on additional programming will be announced as they become available and may be found online at www.fotofest.org.

FOTOFEST 2016 BIENNIAL CATALOGUEFotoFest will publish a Biennial Catalogue, the document of record for the event, including: descriptions of FotoFest’s exhibitions; information on the over 100 independent participating exhibitions presented across the city during the Biennial; FotoFest’s 2014-2015 Exhibitions; and FotoFest’s Literacy Through Photography education program. The Catalogue will be available in March 2016.

Dornith Doherty, Husk Corn (Landrace), 2019. From the series Archiving Eden.Courtesy of the artist, Moody Gallery, Houston; and Holly Johnson Gallery, Dallas.

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FOTOFEST 2016 BIENNIALMAJOR INSTITUTIONAL SPONSORS (as of this date)The Brown Foundation Inc.; Texas Commission on the Arts; National Endowment for the Arts; The Eleanor and Frank Freed Foundation; The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance; The Winslow Foundation; Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Houston Downtown; The Wortham Foundation; National Geographic; Royal Bank of Canada; the Trust for Mutual Understanding; The Powell Foundation; The FotoFest Board of Directors; H-E-B; Saint Arnold Brewing Company; The Art Institute of Houston; HexaGroup; iLand Internet Solutions; The Deal Company; Silver Street Studios; Williams Tower Gallery

MEDIA PARTNERSArt in America; Aperture Magazine; European Photography Magazine; Houston Public Media; L’Oeil de la Photographie; PaperCity Magazine; ArtHouston Magazine

FOTOFEST INTERNATIONAL Founded in 1983, FotoFest International was established to promote international awareness of museum-quality photo-based art from around the world. FotoFest is a non-profit photographic arts and education organization based in Houston, Texas. The first FotoFest Biennial was held in 1986. It is the first and longest running photographic arts festival in the United States. It is considered as one of the leading international photography Biennials in the world.

As an producer of serious international photographic arts exhibitions, FotoFest is a platform for art and social issues.FotoFest is known as a showcase for the discovery and presentation of important new work and new talent from around the world. The FotoFest Biennial takes place citywide in Houston with participation from the leading art museums, art galleries, non-profit art spaces, universities and civic spaces. The Biennial has an audience of 275,000 people from 34 countries. This audience includes a select group of 150 museum curators, gallerists, publishers, editors, photography collectors, directors of non-profit art spaces and international festivals from Asia, Europe, Latin America, Canada and the United States.

More information on FotoFest, and the FotoFest 2016 Biennial may be found on the FotoFest website at www.fotofest.org.