CPW Opening Exhibit | WILD PLACE: PEOPLE OF KINGSTON | Doug Menuez

There’s major excitement going on in Kingston NY this coming weekend! Saturday, April 30th, marks the highly anticipated debut of the Center of Photography at Woodstock (CPW) at their new home in Kingston. You may have heard that CPW recently relocated from Woodstock, NY, to an interim space located in the Midtown Arts District.

Here’s your chance to experience firsthand the excitement that CPW brings to Kingston and the Hudson Valley art community.

CPW’s opening exhibition, “WILD PLACE: PEOPLE OF KINGSTON,” guest curated by Charles Guice, co-founder of Converging Perspectives, showcases works by locally-based and world-renowned photographer Doug Menuez. Menuez’s solo show brings together photographs and interviews from his ongoing project of the same title, which documents the residents of a city in flux and shares the stories of a diverse range of people who call Kingston their home. It serves as a continuation of the extensive local dialogue about the challenges ahead.

As told by Doug Menuez on his website:

“Wild Place is the English translation of ‘Wiltwyck’, the original name given to Kingston in 1661 by Peter Stuyvesant and the Dutch, who were facing fierce resistance from local Native Americans. My wife Tereza and I recently moved back to Kingston after a decade away and can see lots of changes, with more to come. It seems like an important moment. As a documentary photographer and artist, I am very interested in understanding our community and finding connections that remind us of our shared humanity in the midst of transition. By shooting a series of portraits and video interviews of folks from all walks of Kingston life, I’m doing just that.”

“According to BusinessWeek, there are more artists per capita here than in any city in America, and a large number of young people, families and retirees arrive every week from New York City, Austin, Seattle, San Francisco and all over. There are a host of new world-class restaurants, small tech startups, new factory to loft conversions, boutique hotels and even two new movie studios.”

“This growth means that the challenge of gentrification is rising along with income disparity. Concerns about these changes are apparent in some interviews, which you can watch below. When I look back on the places we’ve lived over the years, it was always the relationships that made a place our home – this project is starting to make us feel at home. Thanks to everyone who has participated and those who will participate in the future.”

DOUG MENUEZ: Micah Blumenthal, Artist, Community Activist, Greenhouse Director, Good Work Institute

“Wild Place: People of Kingston” will be on display at two locations:

April 30th – April 17
Opening Reception April 30th |  5 – 7 PM

The Center for Photography at Woodstock
474 Broadway Kingston
845-679-9957 | www.cpw.org

Rezny Gallery
76 Prince Street Kingston
845-679-9957 | www.cpw.org

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IT’S A WRAP

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ABOUT THE ARTIST

Doug Menuez is an American photographer, director and artist whose varied 40-yr career has ranged from photojournalism to commissioned work, documentary, and fine art projects. His methodology has evolved to include a traditional documentary approach that allows for intuitive investigation. The driving concern behind all his work is to explore and reflect the realities of the human condition. Menuez and his wife Tereza currently live in Kingston, New York.

ABOUT CPW

The Center for Photography at Woodstock is the legendary and prestigious Center founded in 1977 by leading fine art photography gallerist Howard Greenberg. CPW is a vital hub for dialogue and discovery in photography and related media, bringing together a diverse array of artists and a vibrant community with a strong artistic tradition. Through its programs, CPW fosters opportunities to create and explore photography, and celebrate its role in contemporary culture. A non-profit organization located in the heart of Hudson Valley, CPW has provided direct support to artists for over 40 years. Programs include exhibitions, residencies, workshops, digital and darkroom workspace, and more.

> Now is your chance to welcome CPW to Kingston and experience a world-class exhibition with a spot-on theme relevant to our local community.