The Center for Photography at Woodstock (CPW) is set to reopen its newly renovated headquarters in Kingston, NY, on January 18, 2025, with four major photography exhibitions.
Housed in an expansive 40,000-square-foot former cigar factory, the newly revamped space in Kingston’s arts district promises to be a major hub for both the local community and the photography world. The new facility features expanded exhibition galleries, a digital media lab, workshop spaces, and visitor areas, created to facilitate creativity and dialogue. The reopening also signifies a rebrand for the organization, no longer known as the 'Center for Photography at Woodstock' but rather the acronym CPW due to the location change.
Executive Director of CPW Brian Wallis states, "This is a thrilling step, transforming CPW from a one-room gallery in Woodstock nearly 50 years ago to a cultural anchor for midtown Kingston and the Hudson Valley region. Now, we can better serve our audiences, presenting exciting programs that are both community-focused and globally relevant."
As part of the grand reopening, CPW will display four exceptional exhibitions (Mary Ellen Mark: Ward 81, My Sister, My Self: Photographs by Colleen Kenyon and Kathleen Kenyon, Keisha Scarville: Recess, and Free For All) that highlight both the legacy of photography and pressing social issues that shape our world today. These exhibitions will run through until May 2025, covering themes of identity, memory, and the human experience.
One of the highlights of the reopening is the exhibition Mary Ellen Mark: Ward 81. Ward 81 is one of Mark's most prominent photography projects and showcases the renowned photographer’s intimate documentation of life at Oregon State Hospital’s Ward 81. Mark spent 36 days living among the women in the ward, producing a poignant and courageous portrayal of their lives, capturing moments of quiet reflection as well as the harsh realities of institutionalization.
This exhibition, which runs from January 18 to May 4, 2025, includes previously unseen prints, contact sheets, and archival materials, alongside a short film by Mark’s husband, Martin Bell. Having seen Mark’s work in person, I can confidently say it is an unmissable opportunity for anyone interested in exceptional documentary photography.
In addition to Mark’s work, CPW will also showcase My Sister, My Self: Photographs by Colleen and Kathleen Kenyon, a retrospective celebrating the innovative contributions of the Kenyon sisters to feminist photography. Active in the 1970s and '80s, the Kenyons challenged traditional representations of women in the media through hand-colored portraits and ironic photomontages. As former leaders of CPW, their work has had a lasting impact on the organization and the photography community at large.
Also on view is Keisha Scarville: Recess, an exploration of identity, memory, and transformation. Scarville’s work, which incorporates personal objects like her late mother’s clothing, invites viewers to reflect on themes of diaspora and belonging. The exhibition's title, Recess, evokes spaces of transition and pause, encouraging deeper engagement with the stories embedded in her photographs.
The last of the announced exhibitions is Free, For All. This will be the inaugural exhibition in CPW’s new Community Gallery, inviting local photographers from Kingston and the Hudson Valley to submit a single framed photograph. This is an open-call exhibition, running from January 18 to February 16, 2025, that provides a platform for regional artists to showcase their work in a professional gallery space and highlights CPW’s commitment to fostering community engagement and creative expression.
With its expanded facilities and these inspiring exhibitions, CPW’s reopening marks a new chapter for the organization and a significant moment for photography in the area. Check out the official CPW website for more information.
