Northampton Community College (NCC) Art Program Director, Thomas Shillea, made his international photography debut this past November. The launch of his new book, Thomas Shillea L’Exposition-Classical to Experimental Photographs, was featured at the world's largest art fair dedicated to the photographic medium, Paris Photo, which was hosted at the Grand Palais Éphémère in Paris, France from November 9 to 12, 2023. Paris Photo typically draws 60,000 collectors, museum professionals and artists for 5 days.
The limited-edition publication of Shillea’s book features 41 selected photos that encapsulate over four decades of his work, blending traditional photographic techniques with cutting-edge experimental processes. His work explores social themes addressing the intricacies of identity, such as gender, race, and religion.
The photos for the event were curated by his dealer, Alex Novak. "Shillea's oeuvre is a testament to the fair's theme, bridging a remarkable spectrum from the 19th to the 21st century. His methods range from using a century-old view camera to creating camera-less digital images, asserting his status as a versatile and pioneering figure in contemporary photography."
A biographical film and monograph about Shillea and his work is currently in production titled, Upside Down and Backwards. Santa Bannon, director of Due Santi Publishing, Inc., is set to publish a comprehensive monograph of Shillea's work, with the same title.
Shillea said, “I was pleased to be at Paris Photo and was excited with this opportunity to have the value of my photographs recognized and confirmed on an international stage. I’m looking forward to exhibiting my photographs in April 2024 at the Association of Independent Photography Art Dealers (AIPAD) event in the Armory on 5th Avenue in NYC.”
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