After Jim points me to the call for Executive Director at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center, I hustle down that road a ways to see what potential lies thereupon. After all the experience in Europe with photographic organizations, there is the not-insignificant issue of technology- or technique-bound creativity. Photography is perhaps at its widest usage (diffusion) ever, between the revival of analog techniques and the ubiquitousness of digital imagery (350,000,000 images per day (in 2013) uploaded to FazeBuch: what the hell does that mean?).
Are either one of these wide areas diverging significantly from the idea that photography is a way to make a two-dimensional mark on paper or screen? And that such a mark stands as a representation of (a configuration of) reality? Of course neither of these questions are directives that need close off areas of inquiry and personal discovery. They should merely stand as a couple of the many starting points in the discussion.
At any rate, CPAC has enormous potential. I could easily draw in the ‘new media’ component, with all it’s flavors, along with a STEM (or, as Jane does it, STEM-A — STEM via the Arts) element that would be sure to pull in a wide range of participants. This could include photography-as-observational-tool — in the tradition of Humbolt and Darwin — somebody had to make the illustrations of their ’empirical’ work. Imagine a workshop for field scientists or graduate students? Networking the organization with Mines and Mines alumni would be a very interesting alternative, and doing field workshops that are further afield (Colorado landscapes? what more need be said?). Not to mention the Icelandic (Icelandair) connection to Denver now. I know the Denver mayor sent a delegation to Reykjavík at one point. Would be a natural connection to make for cultural exchange.
The rubric of ‘media arts’ is probably the future direction to move the organization. This comfortably covers all photography as well as all the permutations of photographic/camera/lens-based work, many of which are both worth exploring and having an interested public involved. It is also inclusive of any artists who work across various (digitally rendered) media. But nothing need be exclusive except in areas where there might be overwhelming competition for funding and participation. Not sure of the entire landscape of the region and state in this regard, but beginning to gather my network connections in mind.
Pragmatically, given Denver’s current dynamic cultural and economic expansion, the position probably attracted hundreds of applicants. I do have a very strong portfolio as a (photography) practitioner with wide cultural experience, a PhD, and general art/cultural work. All that combined with an excellent local, regional, and international network. Well, not going to hold my breath, there’s art to be made, and other options to be explored, but it would be a marvelous opportunity.