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Photographer John Kaplan has exhibited in 10 countries throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and North America. His recent solo exhibitions include Surviving Torture, Vanishing Heritage and Four Nations. He is also a participant in several juried international group exhibitions, including Eyes of History: 55 Years of Pulitzer Prize Photographs as well as the Moments of Intimacy, Laughter and Kinship exhibit.
Kaplan's most recent project, Surviving Torture, documents victims of torture in West Africa, an issue largely been ignored in the West. Through photographic portraits and first person written accounts of alleged war crimes, the project’s goal has been to bring to light the widespread atrocities committed in the civil wars of Sierra Leone and Liberia. In addition to its multimedia debut at the Visa Pour L'image festival in Perpignan, France, Surviving Torture has been exhibited in Asia and recognized by the Overseas Press Club, the Harry Chapin Media Awards, the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation and Pictures of the Year International.
A multi-year study of four views of freedom in Russia, Cuba, China and the United States led to the exhibition, Four Nations, which has toured museums and galleries in three countries. The photographs from each country share a common bond; in each of these nations people are united in their search for freedom. The concept of freedom is viewed differently across the globe; Kaplan's interpretation is not a political one, although in several instances, his photography and writing has centered directly on the outcomes of political turbulence. The Four Nations photographs include the photographs that won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography as well as images that helped Kaplan garner the Photographer of the Year award in the international Pictures of the Year competition.
A third touring exhibition, Vanishing Heritage, seeks to compare and contrast ethnic minority groups in China and Bolivia. In each nation, and throughout the world, indigenous cultures are in danger of extinction due to rapid industrialization and the globalization of world culture.
For information about hosting an exhibition, or for artist statements:
Please contact the office of the photographer.
Recent exhibitions list:
Solo exhibitions:
John Kaplan Retrospective
Instituto Cultural Peruano Norteamericano (ICPNA), Lima, Peru (J), November 2004.
Surviving Torture
Visa Pour L’image International Photojournalism Festival, Perpignan, France (J), September 2002 (multimedia showing).
Vanishing Heritage
Atlanta Celebrates Photography Festival, Atlanta, GA (I), October 26 – December 2, 2001.
FotoFusion, Delray Beach, Florida (J), January 5 – February 10, 2001.
Four Nations
Palm Beach Photographic Centre Museum, Delray Beach, Florida (J), September – November, 2001.
Museum of Contemporary Art, Santa Cruz, Bolivia (J), June 15 – 30, 2000.
Bolivian National Museum of Art, La Paz, Bolivia (J), May 31 – June 13, 2000.
Gallery 51 (J), Pusan, Korea, June 14 – 26, 1999. “Four Nations.”
Donga Gallery (J), Taegu, Korea, June 7 – 13, 1999.
Munwha Gallery (J), Seoul, Korea, May 28 – June 4, 1999.
Fields Afar
Gainesville Regional Airport, (J), May – August 2002.
The Face of Cuba
John Kaplan, Making Pictures, AtHome.com (J), Online, August – September 1999.
Group exhibitions:
Moments of Intimacy, Laughter and Kinship
Regents Park, London, England (J), July 2 – August 10, 2003.
Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia (J), March 14 – April 12, 2003.
America’s Cup Exposition, Auckland, New Zealand (J), December 2002 – January 2003.
Museum of Science, London, England (J), October – November 2001.
Vanderbilt Hall, Grand Central Station, New York, New York, (J), July 11 – August 15, 2001.
The Pulitzer Prize Photographs: Capture the Moment
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC (J), September 1 – December 14, 2003.
Hot Springs Convention Center, Hot Springs, AK (J), May 1 – July 30, 2003.
Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA (J), January 2 – March 30, 2003.
Dealy Plaza 6th Floor Museum, Dallas, TX (J), May 1– December 8, 2002.
The Newseum, Arlington, Virginia, (J), Fall 2000 – Spring 2001.
The Newseum, New York, New York, (J), May 23 – September 2000.
Eyes of History: 55 Years of Pulitzer Prize Photographs
Kwangju City Museum (J), Kwangju, Korea, May 28 – June 27, 1999.
(Throughout 1998 and 1999, the exhibition also toured to six additional cities in Korea, including the Ilmin Museum of Arts in Seoul and nine cities in Japan, including Tokyo’s Bunkamura Musuem.)
Pictures of the Year International
Peninsula College, Port Angeles, WA (J), November 11 – December 21, 2002.
Edward R. Murrow School of Communication, Pullman, WA (J), October – November 2002.
Poynter Institute for Media Studies, St. Petersburg, FL (J), September 28 – October 13, 2002.
Les Enfants du Monde
La Maison des Artes, Carcès, France (J), July 18 – August 3, 2003.
International Freedom of Expression Festival
World Cup Stadium, Taegu, South Korea (I), May 18, 2003.
Photo Marketing Association International
Salisbury College, Salisbury, United Kingdom (J), November 21 – December 19, 2003.
Brooks Institute of Photography, Santa Barbara, CA (J), November 1 – November 14, 2003.
International Photography Hall of Fame, Oklahoma City, OK (J), August 29 – September 30, 2003.
Focal Point Visual Arts Center, Vancouver, Canada (J), August 8 – September 4, 2003.
Technikon Pretoria Arts, Pretoria, South Africa (J), August 2 – August 15, 2003.
Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale, FL (J), July 11 – July 28, 2003.
Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, Hartford, CT (J), April 11 – April 24, 2003.
Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY (J), March 21 – April 3, 2003.
Texas A & M University, Commerce, TX (J), January 24 – February 6, 2003.
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI (J), January 3 – January 16, 2003.
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL (J), November 22 – December 20, 2002.
May Gallery, St. Louis, IL (J), November 29 – December 10, 2002.
Photo Plus Expo East, New York, NY (J), October 31 – November 2, 2002.
Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia (J), September 13 – October 3, 2002.
Oliewenhuis National Art Musuem, Bloemgontein, South Africa (J), June 28 – July 25, 2002.
Ilford Gallery, Melbourne, Australia (J), June 28– July 25, 2002.
Triangle Technikon, Vanderbjilpark, South Africa (J) June 7 – July 20, 2002.
Canberra Institute of Technology, Canberra, Australia (J), April 26 – May 9, 2002.
University of Western Sydney, Sydney, Australia (J), April 8 – April 19, 2002.