Programs: (Zoom) Photography as Conceptual Art with Cat Simmons

Since its conception in 1839, photography has experienced a continual shift in process and functionality. The evolution of the medium has brought us to our current shoreline of artistic definition where we not only can make stunning photographic art but also conceptualize ideas and convey meaning within photographs in unique ways. 

In this presentation, Cat Simmons will discuss conceptual aspects of photography and how the medium is rapidly evolving and redefining the way we think about photographs and the medium as a whole. As part of her discussion, she will present her body of work Objet a || Unremembering in which she utilizes the materiality of the photograph alongside the use of language to alter the visual representation of past memory. 

Bio:

Cat Simmons is a Maryland native and an active member in the photo community. She began her photo career in 2012 at Montgomery College in Rockville. From there Cat went on to earn her MFA in Photography from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2021. Her photo interests span multiple genres, but her favorites are studio portraiture and conceptual work. She has exhibited in several places including Montgomery College, the Contact Photo Festival in Toronto, Patch and Remington Gallery in Michigan, and the United Nations Building when living abroad in Vienna, Austria. She is a member of the Silver Water Collective, an all female group of SCAD graduates who joined talents to create, collaborate, and inspire others in their own photographic practices.

When Cat isn’t in the studio, she is teaching. She teaches a variety of in-person and virtual classes for Praxis Gallery, Salisbury University, Frederick Community College, and Santa Fe Workshops. Cat also is an active member and chair for the North Bethesda Camera Club, is a liaison for NBCC’s highschool outreach program, and volunteers with the Potomac Community Resources offering photo critique for teens and adults with developmental differences. You can read more about Cat on her website at www.catmacstudios.com. 

On Zoom