2024 FOTOFOCUS BIENNIAL: backstories

An ambitious collaboration between FotoFocus and the region’s museums, galleries, universities, and non-traditional spaces, the FotoFocus Biennial is a month-long celebration of photography and lens-based art that unites artists, curators, and educators from around the world. Now in its seventh iteration, the 2024 FotoFocus Biennial encompasses 107 projects at 86 Participating Venues across Greater Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, and Northern Kentucky — the largest of its kind in America. The Biennial Opening Weekend Program will take place September 26–28, 2024 with continued programming throughout the month of October.

The 2024 Biennial theme, backstories, focuses on stories that are not evident at first glance. These stories offer context for what happened previously or out of view, providing narratives not yet told or presented from a new perspective. Yet once told, they shed light on current circumstances and events.

Kevin Moore, FotoFocus Artistic Director and Curator, discussing On the Line: Documents of Risk and Faith at the Contemporary Arts Center
Guests viewing On the Line: Documents of Risk and Faith at the Contemporary Arts Center
Street Party for Ian Strange: Disturbed Home and Annex at Art Academy of Cincinnati
Mayor of Cincinnati, Aftab Pureval, proclaimed October the Month of Photography during the Biennial Symposium at Memorial Hall
Diana Solís, Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz, Lola Flash, JEB (Joan E. Biren), and Ariel Goldberg discussing Images on which to build: 1970s-1990s during the symposium at Memorial Hall
Audience member at CampSITE asking a question during the talk for Liz Roberts: Post Blonde
Guests admiring Liz Roberts: Post Blonde at CampSITE
Visitors at the opening of These Things Are Connected at The Carnegie

About FotoFocus

Founded in 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio, FotoFocus is a nonprofit organization created to celebrate and champion photography as the medium of our time through programming that ignites a dialogue between contemporary lens-based art and the history of photography. FotoFocus presents lens-based signature programming including the FotoFocus Biennial, FotoFocus Symposium, FotoFocus Talks Series, and Film and Video programming.

FotoFocus has collaborated with organizations, curators, academics, and artists to present more than 750 exhibitions and programs to provide uniquely enriching access to lens-based art, film, and practices inspired by photography. FotoFocus has awarded over 600 grants to support partners presenting projects and educational programs that are accessible and engaging to the public.

The organization has brought hundreds of internationally-renowned artists to the Greater Cincinnati region, including Doug Aitken, Tina Barney, Jo Ann Callis, Gregory Crewdson, Thomas Demand, Philip-Lorca diCorcia, Mitch Epstein, Roe Ethridge, Larry Fink, Paul Graham, Todd Hido, Barbara Kasten, Michael Kenna, Zoe Leonard, Duane Michaels, Laurel Nakadate, David Benjamin Sherry, Laurie Simmons, Sandy Skoglund, Alec Soth, Doug + Mike Starn, Joyce Tenneson, John Waters, and Roger Ross Williams.

Homepage 2022 10 14 Dayton Bus Trip by Emily Akil IMG 9019

2022 FotoFocus Biennial: Neighborhood Spotlight Bus Trip to Dayton, OH. Photo by Emily Akil