SPE MidAtlantic Region
Report on Year 2001 Accomplishments
The 2001 Mid-Atlantic Regional
Conference, Fiction & Fantasy, was graciously hosted by
the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. The
conference got under way on Friday evening with a reception
for the regional student exhibition. A much anticipated
screening of Two Unknown Photographers, a film by Kon
Pet Moon, followed. Saturday's programming commenced
with presentations by recent graduates Lucy Bullard and
Johanna Inman. Image maker presentations were given by Ditta
Baron Hoeber and Mauro Altamura. Kon Pet Moon spoke about
the found imagesthat he used as the foundation for Two
Unknown Photographers. Board member Blaise Tobia
moderated a panel and audience discussion examining the
issues raised by teaching photography in a digital context;
"The Problematics of Teaching Photography in a Digital
Context" included Jeanne Pearce and Wendel White. Alida Fish
was this year's recipient of the Sol Mednick Award. She
shared with us her work during the Honored Educator
presentation that concluded the morning session. The Saturday afternoon session
began with a slide lecture by Dan Schlapbach, "Victorian
Virtual Reality," that interrogated the relationships
between 19th and 20th Century technologies of mediated
experience. Susan Goldenberg screened excerpts from her most
recent video project, which explores repetitive behavior,
performance, and notions of national identity as they were
manifest at the 2001 Bush inauguration. Bruce McKaig showed
projects related to camera-less photographic
practices. The afternoon session concluded
with the keynote lecture by Deborah Bright. Bright, an
artist and widely published writer on photography, and
professor at RISD, presented her recent photographic
project, "Being and Riding," which excavates memories of
girlhood eroticism and fantasy. The conference concluded with a
cash bar and buffet dinner in the Cabaret of Spike &
Charlie's restaurant. Thanks to everyone involved in
making this conference a success: presenters, my fellow
board members for their input and advice in planning this
conference, and to the faculty & staff at MICA. Looking
forward to next year in Pittsburgh. Respectfully submitted, Geoff Delanoy, 2001Conference
Chair . .
.
Fiction and Fantasy
More 2001 Conference-Related
Pix Thanks to Harris Fogel for the
photos.
Minutes of SPE MidAtlantic
Memebership Meeting held during the regional conference at
the MICA, Baltimore, Oct. 27, 2001 in attendance: Board members: Sandy Sorlien
(chair), Geoff Delanoy (vice chair), Priscilla Smith
(treasurer), Blaise Tobia (secretary), Jill Berry, Judy
Gelles, Leigh Kane other members: J. Stephany, A.
Massoni, H. Fogel, J. Pearce, D. Schlapbach, J.
Erlich-Moss nonmembers: Brian Jones (Montgomery
College, former member), Charles Meyers (UMBC, first SPE
event attended) The first order of business was
elections. Four members of the board were at the end of
two-year terms: Berry, Gelles, Smith and Rutberg. Berry
declared that she did not wish to continue on the board. In
Rutberg's absence, it was decided that he did not wish to
continue on the board. Gelles and Smith indicated a
willingness to continue on the board. Schlapbach (Loyola,
Baltimore) and Erlich-Moss (adjunct, Philadelphia area) both
indicated willingness to serve on the board. Because
electing them both to the board would keep the number of
board memebers at eight--one in excess of the number
stipulated in the region's bylaws--a discussion ensued as to
whether there should be a competitive election, resulting in
just seven board members, or whether the bylaws should be
amended to allow eight members. Tobia moved that the bylaws
be amended. Stephany seconded. After a short discussion, the
motion passed unanimously. Both Schlapbach and Erlich-Moss
were elected by acclamation. During the above discussion, the
question arose as to whether the boundaries of the
MidAtlantic region had been modified by action of the
national SPE board so as no longer to include western
Pennsylvania and western West Virginia. Chair Sorlien agreed
to check into this. [ed. note: This was later found not
to be true.] Other discussion ensued. Brian
Jones indicated an interest in becoming active again with
the MidAtlantic SPE. HE is knowledgeable about the Northern
Virginia/Washington DC area in terms of its educational
institutions and offered to help the region with an outreach
into these institutions. Secretary Tobia agreed to e-mail
Jones to further investigate this possibility. Jones and
Erlich-Moss agreed to jointly take on the work of developing
and coordinating corporate sponsorship for the
region. Kane suggested that we initiate
regular portfolio-review events separate from the annual
conferences. Outreach to Community College
teachers was suggested by several in attendance as an
important priority. Another short discussion concerned
the promotion of ideas over commerce and the competititon
for student focus within the educational institution. It was
suggested that this could be an excellent topic for a
regional conference.Smith suggested that the presence of the
word "education" in our name might discourage some potential
members who are not teaching in educational institutions as
well as students (who might be "turned off" by its
tone). Jones suggested that we might want
to organize school-to-school student-work exchange shows;
this idea was received with some enthusiasm. The discussion then turned to the
2002 regional conference. Some interest was expressed in
holding it in Washington DC. Going against this idea were
the failure of the attempt to hold it in DC this year (it
was the original choice for 2001) and the report by Stephany
that two previous conferences in DC had been very poorly
attended. Great interest was expressed in holding the
conference in the Pittsburgh area. For one thing, it would
be a new location, possibly with interest for many who are
located on the coast. For another, it might invigorate
membership in western Pennsylvania/West Virginia. If it were
decided to attempt holding it in Pittsburgh, Erlich-Moss,
who lived in the area for many years, would be willing to
make contact with the area's photographer/educators. The
idea of charter buses from Philadelphia and Baltimore was
put forward as a way to increase attendance at such a
"distant" venue. The general meeting ended and the
board remained to elect officers. All current officers
expressed willingness to continue in their positions. This
was accepted by acclamation. The next regualr memebership
meeting of the MidAtlantic region will take place at the
national SPE in Las Vegas, in March, 2002.