$15,000 JGS ANNUAL AWARD WINNER: Jeffrey Aaronson The Forward Thinking Museum awarded 15,000 dollars and the title of JGS Annual Artist of 2010 to photographer Jeffrey Aaronson for his Borderland series. The award is part of the museum's ongoing effort to both showcase and support engaging artwork by young talents.
Borderland explores the cultural landscape that flourishes along the US-Mexico border. Aaronson's images not only document the unseen aspects of life along the frontier, but also challenge viewers to look deeper into the complex issue of immigration, so often simplified by the universal media. The social significance of the topic and the quality of the execution determined the museum's judging panel – consisting of William E. Hartshorn, Ehrenkrantz Director of The International Center of Photography (ICP), Karen Sinsheimer, Curator of Photography at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and Kai McBride, Photography and Design Professor at Columbia University and Queens College – to grant Aaronson “artist of the year” status. The photographer had previously won the first quarterly session of the museum's ongoing photography contest, which entered him in the pool of candidates to the JGS Annual Artist Award along with the rest of the contest winners and all collaborating artists of 2010. Joy of Giving Something, Inc. (JGS), the philanthropic organization administering the Forward Thinking Museum, sponsored the cash prize. http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=8yi4mocab&v=0019K7_GMZJyC_s sCak-dE9n7lW_JMkovoOKg3juvACapxs4IpPi2pYpHB0e0EixN9LeB950vP0q6B_SRQGDv9yBsttizTORY1gUfdGHIQ0CBv1XUjzbxfBd4t4Jk6qX6sIJsMjmv3w3EbFCx5BTusTXpSXYmqbwn8t23nzjN5dn3UqVOSezBmymFOjS4J8y