4/5/19
Photo: Arbor Drugs 1990 Commercial
Picture Picture:
“Picture Picture,” the groundbreaking Arbor Drugs Inc. photo processing campaign was not simply about receiving two sets of photographs for the price of one. It was more about motivating and advancing innovation – pioneering the drug store as a central and convenient portal to develop personal pictures.
Applebaum Family Philanthropy views its’ work in the same lens as evidenced in the recent establishment of the Applebaum Photography Fellowship Program through Darkroom Detroit.
When Eleanor Oakes (Founder of Darkroom Detroit and past Ponyride Applebaum Artist-in-Residence Fellow) came to Applebaum Family Philanthropy with an idea to offer a 9-month mentorship program for emerging and established photographers in the Detroit area, the only question was “when?”
Since no other type of program like this existed to date, it was an opportunity to break new ground linking our corporate history for photo processing, “Picture Picture” and our philanthropic interest to inspire and create opportunities. Applebaum Photography Fellows are encouraged to be artists and entrepreneurial, independent, and innovative.
Over 50 individuals applied to be part of the first Applebaum Photography Fellows cohort. Applicants ranged greatly in their background, expertise, training and experience: from recent graduates from undergraduate and graduate photography programs, to candidates who had never attended school for photography before. The final selection of nine inaugural fellows were chosen based on diversity, professionalism, and fit as as cohort. The applicants not accepted into the fellowship were given opportunities within Darkroom Detroit to develop their skills and resources and apply again.
The talented nine fellows — Brittany Dickinson, Stephanie Espinoza, Vincent Marcinelli, Manda Moran, Nate Mullen, Ricky Weaver, RosaMaria Zamarron, and Parisa Ghaderi and Ebrahim Soltani — embarked on a nine month journey which offered individual and group mentorship sessions, monthly critiques with guest visitors, material stipends, field trips to local and national institutions, open access to Darkroom Detroit and guidance towards a final group exhibition.
On Friday April 5, 2019, the Inaugural Darkroom Detroit Applebaum Fellows Photography Exhibition “DEBUT” opened at Whitdel Arts. The exhibition marked the culmination of the fellows’ work showcasing never-before-seen works illustrating a diverse range of emerging contemporary voices in the field of photography. The DEBUT Opening Night was topped off with a Fellows celebration dinner with Pamela Applebaum.
Image: Guests gather at the Inaugural Darkroom Detroit Applebaum Fellows Photography Exhibition “DEBUT”, Whitdel Arts
Image: Applebaum Fellow, N8 Mullen stands with his work.
Image: Applebaum Fellow, Ricky Weaver’s work.
Image: Applebaum Fellows, Manda Moran stands with her work.
These Fellows now have their next opportunity in front of them. With some moving to different cities to advance their careers or choosing to remain in Detroit to help build the local photography community, it is certainly about Picture Picture: providing the motivation to be entrepreneurial and lead.
The second class of Darkroom Detroit Photography Fellows began in September 2019.
Images courtesy of Darkroom Detroit.
Learn more about The Applebaum Photography Fellowship at Darkroom Detroit:
