On November 4th, 2021, the ICP Spotlights Benefit was held at the International Center for Photography at 79 Essex street. The world’s leading institution dedicated to visual culture and photography, an in-person reception and interview program was held to celebrate Catherine Opie.
The annual ICP (International Center of Photography) Spotlights Benefit has highlighted incredible female talents influencing the world of photography since 2012. This year, Christian Loubitain presented the 10th annual benefit honoring Los Angeles-based artist Catherine Opie. Known for her color portraits of different societal groups, Opie’s work often deals with notions of identity. Her landscapes of small towns, cityscapes, and domestic spaces bring light to issues of global urgency.
“We are so pleased to honor the achievements of Catherine Opie, a true luminary of the art world,” said David Little, Executive Director of ICP. “Opie has broken boundaries on many levels and expanded the realm of photography’s vision.”
With subject matter focusing on image-making as a form of empowerment and catalyst for social change, Opie’s topics range from identity, community, and selfhood. Curator Helen Molesworth engaged Opie in a live conversation to explore her work in-depth. The conversation was later broadcast on ICPs YouTube channel.
The second iteration of the Christian Louboutin Scholarship was presented during the benefit to Eljuan Henderson. Created from the need to create a space for diverse voices and support young talent in the art world, the recipient was a young photographer enrolled in the One-Year Certificate Program at ICP.
Words by Emma Ungaro
