South Florida Photographers Dazzle in 2022 Florida Showcase

South Florida’s finest photography will be on view in the 2022 Florida Showcase at The Box Art Gallery throughout the month of August. Take a trip out to this local hub of art and culture to see all that’s in store.

Featuring traditional and non-traditional images, and everything in-between, the 2022 Florida Showcase covers all forms of photography with 27 pieces carefully selected for the exhibit by WPB Magazine editor in chief, Pedro Penavel, Florida Atlantic University’s Kiara Santiago BFA, and The Box Gallery curator, Rolando Chang Barrero.

This collectively fascinating exhibition presents an array of work from nearly 20 artists, each using unique styles, surfaces and processes in their photographs. The show opened on June 18 with an artists’ reception, and the works will be on display through August 27.

2022 Florida Showcase: The Artists

One of the acclaimed talents in the showcase is Alex Keto who makes use of the natural world to elicit drama. At times this artist blends images and creates collages with the things he photographs on hikes or underwater.

Ali Miranda‘s photographs specifically highlight her human subjects as well as some unlikely scenery. In this show, specifically, she presents a mirrored image of aging hands and feet.

Rhonda LK Schonwald‘s interest lies within various art forms, but for this exhibition, she creates a painted print of what appear to be Florida cypress trees.

Michael D’Amato, who often shoots powerful black and white images during his travels around the world, is showing a vibrant foreign street scene in color.

Ates Isildak who also has experience in a variety of media, shows images that look like they could be from two different artists, one of which appears to be a digitally enhanced polaroid of a burning Mar-a-Lago right here in Palm Beach.

Film photographer Daniel Newcomb presents magazine-quality images highlighting iconic places, such as the long-shuttered CBGB music venue in downtown NYC.

Tess Aptakin’s retouched work is showcased, combining colors and borders to make an everyday scene into something more majestic than the sum of its parts.

Former motion picture, design and photography student Kevin Jantunen uses artistic and strategic lighting in his photo of an industrial scene.

Another artist, Judy M. King is showing two dramatic portraits, while Jonathan Brooks, whose work has been in shows across the globe, has one kaleidoscopic fall scene in the 2022 Florida Showcase.

One of two photographers with the most images in the exhibition, Brian “Harooki” Lee gives viewers a fresh perspective with aerial pics of the beach along with some gritty urban playground shots.

The other photographer with numerous images in the 2022 Florida Showcase, Steve Stratman’s work brings together computer graphics and photographs to create moody and surreal forms. Each image is finished on a sanded wood panel and covered with a thick, acrylic glaze imprinted with a variety of textures.

Carl Stoveland specializes in multiple forms of art, but his photograph of the Loggerhead Key lighthouse, made this year’s South Florida showcase.

Another local scene, by photographer Dennis Jones, depicts a beached pleasure boat in stark black and white.

The exhibit also shows a luscious shot of an orange slice by photographer Art Silvergate who shares his skill and techniques in classes.

Freelance photographer Jacek Ganzarz displays self-portraits from his “Pandemic Series,” with one conjuring thoughts of 17^th century plague physicians by wearing a paper cone over his face.

Maria Milele creates striking images, including a local bar closed during the pandemic lockdown, and a painterly shot looking into a brightly lit bathroom from within a dark college bar.

Bruce Bain, who typically shoots weddings and events, offers a digitally manipulated photo of a melting orchid.

2022 Florida Showcase is on view at The Box Art Gallery located at 811B Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach. It’s free and open to the public Tuesday–Saturday from 11 a.m.– 6 p.m.

Visit theboxgallery.info for images of all the photographs on display and more.