Andy Freeberg, Stroganov Palace, Russian State Museum, 2008

The Hearst 8X10 biennial photography competition is open to international artists, with the intention of showcasing the works of emerging photographers through a live exhibition in New York and a printed catalogue.  Eight winners were selected by a panel of ten judges, with an additional 10 runners up receiving honourable mention.

While there is no cash prize associated with the 8X10 competition, the selected group of winners gain an incredible opportunity to break into the magazine industry as Hearst publishes a number of notable titles, including Esquire and Harper’s Bazaar.

Andy Freeberg’s portraits of individuals among great works of museum art conveyed utter loneliness to me, and Guardians (pictured above) struck a particular nerve.  I was reminded only of the inevitable loss of companionship, whether this be via the loss of a pet, the termination of a family line, or simply the absence of a once-great artist who left us marble statues to ponder.

Louie Palu, U.S. Marine Joshua Wycka age 21, Garmsir District,
Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Louie Palu’s black and white images of soldiers were stark depictions of grit and exhaustion, and though I know they were taken in recent years they could just as easily have been snapped decades ago.

Brad Carlile captures the rich and retro livelihood of otherwise undramatic hotel rooms on film with the Tempus Incognitus series, employing a lengthy process that produces imagery with intense and vibrant colours, and impressively involves no digital manipulation.

Benedikt Partenheimer placed faceless souls within monochromatic spaces, teasing the isolated individual apart from their subtly dynamic environment. I loved Hiroshi Watanabe’s play on shadows and light, bringing a new layer forward through the imagery.  Edith Maybin places her subject within the home, often before mirrors.  Nicholas Prior’s images are hauntingly dramatic, and look as though they could be film stills.  And finally, Mark Kessell’s photographs of children appear antiquated, stripped of innocence via manipulation during processing.

For those of you in New York or visiting in coming months, the exhibition consisting of 89 photographs is available to view at Hearst Towers until September 30, 2009.