2026 SPE Annual Conference: Catalyst for Exchange
Looking for a chapter event?
Past SPE Annual Conferences
exhibitions
2026 SPE Annual Conference Schedule
print this pagePlace as assemblage: expansive methods in documentary practice
Leslie Grant & Briar Pine: Tia-Simone Gardner, Shannon Benine, Jaysen Hohlen
Saturday, March 21 - 2:30PM to 4:30PM
Atlanta 3
What are the possibilities for an expanded documentary practice that focuses on place? This session highlights photo-based projects that investigate place through collaboration, the construction of images, the use of multimedia (archival materials, video, sculptural elements, installation), and the incorporation of the maker's relationship to the site. These expansive ways of working help to complicate rather than clarify, explore the overlap, and embrace fluidity in order to re-signify our understanding of place. Hopefully, telling the story of a place can become telling the many stories that interweave, contradict, remain unfinished, and reveal the personal - creating a relatable sense of place connected to lived experience.
The session will feature a conversational panel of artists working in expanded documentary practices. Each artist will present a brief 7-10 minute description of their background and practice before conversing about the topics presented by the session chairs. Topics will aim to create space for reflection and dialogue regarding pressing issues in documentary practices such as exploring personal and collective histories within documentary photography, shifting practices and processes, and examining cultural and industrial systems. We are especially interested in artistic practices that incorporate an interdisciplinary approach in order to investigate a topic from multiple points of entry.
The session will include a takeaway workbook for audience members that will list the information for each panel participant and session chair, along with questions for reflection and discussion. This workbook will be designed to generate ideas and connections within the audience's own practices.
speakers
About
- Board Reports, Letters, and Minutes
- History
- Staff
- Board Members
- Board Committees
- Board Elections
- SPE Code of Conduct
- Caucuses
Join
Members
Annual Conference
- About the Conference
- Overview
- Speakers
- Schedule
- Registration
- Calls for Proposal
- Volunteer
- Sponsors
- Exhibit
- Anti-Harassment Policy
- Hotel & Travel
- Location + Travel
- Hotel
- Schedule of Events
- Schedule
- special events
News & Events
Chapters
Exposure Journal
About this piece
Comments about this piece
Dialogue and critique are important to the SPE mission.
Please join the conversation.