Hee Seung Chung & Alejandro Cartagena

Sam's picks - Hee Seung Chung & Alejandro Cartagena

Hee Seung Chung's project "Persona" is a fascinating examination of emotion, using actors in a studio environment. As Chung writes, "I attempt to encapsulate this in-between and vulnerable moment in which the actor’s authentic self and staged persona coexist. I want this work to raise the fundamental issue of the nature of photographic portraiture; of how photography can represent feelings or the inner truth of the subject, and how it is realized within the interplay between the camera, the sitter and the viewer."

Hee Seung Chung, both from the series Persona

Alejandro Cartagena, from Lost Rivers

Alejandro Cartagena's Lost Rivers project is intended as a "social comment on contemporary Mexican unplanned urban development and its unintended consequences." Evoking the traditions established by the New Topographics photographers in the 70's and 80's, Cartagena has followed the trail of urban development and set his sights downstream. Rather than photographing the development itself, Cartagena's attention is drawn to the changes in the landscape that are maybe a little less obvious, but just as important- not what's there, but what's missing: water.


Both of these photographers have been shown widely, and I've noticed Cartagena's work in group exhibitions at HCP and PCNW.

The work of both of these photographers, one based in London, the other based in Monterey City, Mexico points out another great aspect of Critical Mass- that anyone, from anywhere can enter. Not only that, but we're actively trying to reach beyond outside the U.S. and get great people involved as both reviewers and participants. Last year, we awarded five CM scholarships to Polish photographers in an attempt to highlight good work that, due to the global economy, might have a hard time getting seen outside of its region. From that, we received lots of great feedback from reviewers who were excited to see what we'd brought in. This year, our selected country is Mexico. We can't wait to see what comes in.