2009 Juror’s Statement

Dolls are powerful symbols that have drawn many artists to incorporate them into their work, but few artists have given them the emotional depth that Karen Davis has in her series The McCann Family. The worn dolls survived years of play at the hands of Karen’s sister Cheryl, followed by many more years of careful storage. Having inherited this childhood treasure, Karen brings these figures to life once more, this time to perform in front of the artist’s camera instead of other family members. Karen’s sister used to play act elaborate scenarios where each real life family member had an approximate counterpart in the doll world of the McCann family. So it is no surprise that at one point the figure Tom McCann—standing in for Cheryl—was fitted with leg braces much like the ones Cheryl had to use in real life due to the spina bifida she was born with.

Karen’s photographs are not mere recreations of yesteryear’s playtime. They succeed in breathing life and depth into each image that transcend their autobiographic sub layers. While the series revolves around Tom’s figure and the care he requires, the photographic series is rich with quiet moments that expand on the emotions of all characters. A sister leaning on Tom for emotional support, a mother in melancholic thought, Tom leaning into his reflection in the mirror. These images allow us to share in the complexities and the beauty of this fictional, yet genuine family.

- Hannah Frieser, 2009

HANNAH FRIESER is the director of Light Work, a non-profit organization in Syracuse, NY, that has supported artists working in photography and related media for over thirty-five years. Light Work’s programs include exhibitions, residencies, publications, and a public-access work space.

Frieser has curated exhibitions on photographers such as Pipo Nguyen-duy, Kanako Sasaki, Suzanne Opton, Don Gregorio Antón, and Barry Anderson. Her essays have been printed in photography publications and exhibition catalogues such as Contact Sheet and Nueva Luz. She has reviewed portfolios for Photo Lucida, FotoFest, the Society for Photographic Education (SPE), En Foco, the Photographic Resource Center, and more. She is currently serving on the review panel for Visual Arts for the New York State Council on the Arts.

Prior to joining Light Work, Frieser worked for SPE for over twelve years and is currently serving on SPE’s board of directors. In March 2010, she will be co-chairing an SPE national conference with Miriam Romais from En Foco. The conference “Facing Diversity: Leveling the Playing Field in the Photographic Arts” will take place in Philadelphia.