FotoFocus opens new space with ‘Big Tent’ show

FotoFocus is opening the doors to its first permanent home — and inviting the public in with a wide-ranging exhibition designed to show exactly what the new space can do.

The Cincinnati-based arts nonprofit will debut the FotoFocus Center in late May with “Big Tent,” an inaugural exhibition that doubles as both a major artistic statement and a public introduction to the organization’s new, purpose-built facility.

Located at the foot of Mount Auburn, the 14,700-square-foot center marks a significant evolution for FotoFocus, which for more than a decade and a half has operated without a dedicated exhibition space of its own.

An opening reception for the exhibition and the center will take place Friday, May 29. The show will run from May 29 through Aug. 22.

“This is an exciting moment for FotoFocus,” Executive Director Katherine Ryckman Siegwarth said, noting the new building allows the organization to expand access and engagement through year-round programming and exhibitions. She added that the goal is for the center to serve as a hub for exhibitions, events and conversations around photography and lens-based media.

“The opening of a new, purpose-built space allows us to invite the widest and most diverse public to engage with us through our programs and events, as we continue to deepen and expand the state of discourse around photography and lens-based media,” she continued.

A space built for photography — and the public

Designed by local architect José Garcia, the FotoFocus Center was created specifically with photography in mind.

The new structure, occupying the northwest corner of Liberty and Sycamore streets, blends industrial and contemporary elements, with features that subtly reference the medium itself. Design materials shift from black to white across the structure, echoing photography’s tonal range, while large windows and open spaces emphasize natural light — a core element of the art form. There’s even a staircase framed by gridded windows that serves as a nod to a camera’s viewfinder.

Garcia also designed the building two blocks away on 14th Street that currently houses FotoFocus offices and Lightborne Communications.

Opening with a statement

Founded in 2010, FotoFocus has inspired and promoted hundreds of exhibitions and programs in collaboration with regional institutions, using photography to explore both artistic and civic ideas.

“Big Tent” continues that mission while marking the nonprofit’s new chapter, opening the FotoFocus Center with a sweeping inaugural exhibition designed to introduce the organization’s first permanent home.

The show features work by more than 50 artists, including Dawoud Bey, Sheila Pree Bright, Robert Frank, Gordon Parks, Catherine Opie, Alec Soth and RaMell Ross.

The title operates on multiple levels. It draws from the idea of a broad, inclusive “big tent,” according to Artistic Director Kevin Moore, while also referencing the temporary Art Hub — a literal tent commissioned for FotoFocus’ first Biennial in 2014. Garcia was the architect behind that project as well.

For the exhibition, the “big tent” concept becomes permanent, embodied in the organization’s new building, added Moore, who also curated the show. 

Included works span decades of photographic work, from historic images to contemporary pieces, with a strong emphasis on portraiture and representation. The exhibition explores themes of American democracy and civic life, while also activating the new space — offering visitors a sense of how the building can hold a wide range of voices, styles and perspectives.

“While ‘Big Tent’ is something of a defiant assertion in the current political climate, it is also an accurate characterization of FotoFocus Center — a place where all are welcome and all perspectives matter,” Moore said.