VISUAL ARTS + MUSEUMS

FotoFest and Project Row Houses present the exhibition Framework for the Future, on view August 13 - September 11.  OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, August 13, 6-8pm, at Project Row Houses, 2125 Holman.

Forty students are able to work with their own cameras again. Three corporations  stepped up to the plate this week to match donations by numerous individuals to replace 36 cameras stolen from 40 students working with FotoFest’s Literacy Through Photography (LTP) program on a community project in Houston’s Third Ward.

The students are working on a photography and writing project at Project Row Houses as part of FotoFest’s photography and writing education program, Literacy Through Photography. The students have been photographing and writing about their own lives and Houston’s Third Ward community. Thirty days ago, their teacher, photographer Ben DeSoto, discovered that 36 of FotoFest’s 40 cameras the students were using had been stolen from his car outside his home in the Pearland area.

Despite having only four cameras remaining after the theft, the 40 students continued their work. As part of an upcoming exhibition of their work, opening August 13th at Project Row Houses, they offered to put their pictures up for sale to help replace the cameras they were using.

Ben DeSoto and FotoFest posted the story of the students’ project and the stolen cameras on Facebook and Twitter where the story was picked up and reposted by concerned individuals and organizations across the area. Houston’s KTRK-ABC 13 put the story on their Evening News broadcast, KPFT 90.1 did a radio interview and there were blog postings on Glasstire.com and Houston Press’ Hairballs. Within a week, 32 individual donations to FotoFest had covered half the replacement cost of the stolen cameras.

Last Friday, FotoFest sent out an announcement of the students’ forthcoming exhibition with an update on the stolen cameras. Three corporations stepped forward to fill the remaining gap.

H-E-B representatives in Houston called FotoFest to say they would contribute $2,000 to match the $1,900 in individual contributions that FotoFest raised through its online campaign. After hearing the story on KTRK-ABC 13, a Nikon, Inc. representative contacted Abby Jeter, General Manager of Houston Camera Exchange, who contacted FotoFest to say that Houston Camera Exchange would donate 36 new digital cameras and memory cards to replace the stolen cameras.

“After hearing about the cameras being stolen from a great organization that is positively affecting the lives of children through photography, I couldn’t help but jump into action,” says Ms. Jeter. “We are happy to help where we can. I hope that the Houston Camera Exchange donation of Nikon cameras will get this program back on track.”

Today, all the students, ages 7-14, are back at work with Houston photographer Ben DeSoto, who is also a trained cohort teacher for FotoFest’s Literacy Through Photography program. The LTP program utilizes photography and creative writing to help students in grades 3–12 understand themselves, their families and community. Through this process, they explore and share their dreams and goals for the future. At the Project Row Houses Summer Arts Education Program, they are creating projects on the theme Framework for the Future.

The Framework for the Future student exhibition is being held in conjunction with the Project Row Houses Summer Artist Studio Exhibition Installations, on view August 13, 2011 through September 11, 2011 at 2521 Holman St., Houston, TX 77004. Eight area art students, nominated by their professors and selected by a panel of professional artists, have been creating original artwork in the Artist Project Spaces during a six-week-long residency. Engaging within the PRH/Third Ward Community and receiving feedback from established Houston-based Artists, the residents have created original installations ranging in materials and subject matter.