About US
OPEN SHOW Los Angeles (OSLA) is a regional organization, curating bi-monthly artist talks with the mission to Get Your Work Seen, for over 13 years. OSLA offers a platform for visual storytellers to share their projects, to collaborate and to connect artists, galleries, publishers and photographic enthusiasts.
Open Show is a global organization with local chapters, and each team organizes events around the world where the public can see compelling work and interact directly with photographers, filmmakers and multimedia producers in high-profile spaces, as well as virtually online.
When available, OSLA also organize and curate exhibitions to showcase the extraordinary work of our alumni. From prestigious venues like Photo LA to galleries and studios, we strive to spotlight the diverse talents within our community.
Join us in celebrating and amplifying the richness of artistic expression.
Producers:
Richard S. Chow
Jonas Yip
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Open Show History:
OUR STORY
In 2008 photographer and technologist Tim Wagner saw many friends' compelling projects languishing unseen and unpublished. Working with Adrianne Koteen and Melanie Light from Fotovision he organized a social screening event called SlideSlam.
This grassroots show rapidly caught fire and presenter André Hermann came on board as our first Co-Producer. As our unique movement grew we relaunched as Open Show – a name suggested by board advisor (and former senior editor of American Photo magazine) Miki Johnson.
A GLOBAL NETWORK OF LOCAL EVENTS
In October 2010 Open Show expanded beyond our home base of San Francisco to Los Angeles under the direction of Mathieu Grandjean, who later became Open Show's Europe Director. A month later Open Show launched in pre-revolution Cairo under Rachel Beth Anderson and Bangalore under Madhu Reddy, now Open Show's India Director.
Open Show has transformed from our humble beginnings of 15 friends in a room into a high-profile photography and film advocacy organization with communities around the world .
POWERED BY PASSIONATE TEAMS
Open Show events are organized by locally-based volunteer co-producers. Each city runs their own events using our global curating platform and support resources. Anybody can start a show or get involved with existing ones.
TIMELINE
Nov.2008 Open Show conceived by Tim Wagner
Feb.2009 First screening takes places at Fotovision in Berkeley with 20 participants
Jan.2010 Relaunched in new format with rotating venues in the Bay Area
Oct.2010 Second Open Show city launches in Los Angeles
Nov.2010 Partnership with World Photo Festival in San Francisco
Nov.2010 Cairo and Bangalore shows launch
Apr.2011 London show launches
Jun.2011 Special benefit show with Japan Society and first virtual presentation
Jul.2011 Open Show held at Rencontres d'Arles including 3 virtual presenters
Aug.2011 iPhone Stories show in partnership with Apple and Switzerland launches with shows in Lausanne, Winterthur, Vevey and Lausanne
Sept.2011 Detroit and Dubai shows launch
Oct.2011 Open Show Retrospective celebrates two years of projects while Paris and Rome (Fotografia Festival) launch
Nov.2011 Project Earth show with Sierra Club and Buenoes Aires launches
Dec.2011 Screening of Restrepo with San Francisco Film Society in memory of Tim Hetherington and Zagreb launches
Mar.2012 Runs smartphone collaborative photo contest at SXSW in Austin
April.2012 Co-hosts screening of "Chasing Ice" at the San Francisco International Film Festival
May.2012 NYC launches in partnership with the Bronx Documentary Center
Jun.2012 Tokyo launches at Tokyo Metropolitan Photography Museum and Pune (India) launches
Sept.2012 Coimbra launches our first show in Portugal
Oct.2012 Habana launches
Nov.2012 Washington DC launches at FotoweekDC and Pittsburgh launches
Dec.2012 Hong Kong launches
Additional history info can be retrieved from www.openshow.org