South Louisiana Photographer Selected for Prestigious Competition

Matthew White, a landscape photographer who lives and works in the New Orleans area, has been chosen to exhibit his work in The Print Center 82nd Annual International Competition, along with 35 other artists selected from a pool of 544 entrants. The exhibit will be shown from May 31 through Aug. 2, 2008, in Philadelphia and judged by Joel M. Smith, author and curator of photography and the Princeton University Art Museum.

"My photographs are intended to create an emotional response of some kind; I want the viewer to feel like they are there experiencing the locale," explained White. "Just as my work in Louisiana coastal areas has brought new perspective to lifelong residents, I hope that those along the East Coast will see renewed beauty in what has been transformed by Mother Nature, not just destruction and despair."

While White photographs the colorful range of life across south Louisiana -- from Mardi Gras revelers to solitary lighthouses in the state's lower parishes -- his focus on the coastline is what has transformed him as an artist. Since 2000, he has photographed nearly every notable location on the Louisiana coast, from border to border, with the intention of having his photos published in a book and eventually archived as an entire collection.

"If the coast is lost, it's a personal loss for everyone," added White. "Not only is it a beautiful subject, but it's also an endangered locale. I'm thrilled at the opportunity to show my work at The Print Center and give people in other parts of the country a chance to see a region they may not they may not familiar with, but which would move them indescribably."

White began photographing most of the notable locations along the Louisiana coastline five years before the storms struck. His mission, to convey the beauty and uniqueness of the Louisiana landscape, didn't waiver after the storm. His collection of landscapes continues to speak for a state that has survived the worst from nature and continues to evolve after an unprecedented tragedy.

About Matthew White

Matthew White (www.matthewwhitestudio.com) is a native New Yorker who fell in love with photography at an early age. He has lived and worked as a freelance photographer and musician, after receiving a Bachelor's Degree in music from Berklee College of Music in Boston, and a Master's Degree in jazz studies from the University of New Orleans, a summa cum laude graduate. His work has been featured in the Grand Isle Juried Art Exhibit and as part of a permanent museum exhibit for Parks Canada in New Brunswick. White is represented by Big Vision Creative (www.bigvisioncreative.com).

About The Print Center

Founded in 1915, the Print Center (www.printcenter.org) supports printmaking and photography as vital contemporary arts and encourages the appreciation of the printed image in all its forms. The Print Center presents a variety of programs for the public including 11 exhibitions annually; The Print Center Gallery Store offering the largest and most diverse selection of contemporary prints in Philadelphia; the longest running annual international competition for prints and photographs in the country; an extensive series of continuing education programs; and special events.

South Louisiana Photographer Selected for Prestigious Competition

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South Louisiana Photographer Selected for Prestigious Competition

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