Kingston Lens: Crafting a Creative Haven for Artists

A creative phase of the most ambitious and far-reaching non-profit arts organization in Kingston’s history will be celebrated this Saturday, January 18. From 5 to 8 p.m., the Kingston-based Center for Photography at Woodstock — commonly referred to as CPW — will host an open house at the spacious former cigar factory located at 25 Dederick Street in Midtown, showcasing the transformation of two out of the five floors of its multi-windowed structure into galleries, community spaces, and offices. This marks the initial phase of its vision to create a significant arts center within the entire building.

Construction workers clad in hard hats were concluding their day’s tasks at 3:30 in the afternoon, just eight days prior to the event. They had been erecting partitions in the rear gallery of the elevated first floor of the grand former Van Slyke and Horton factory, which now serves as the home of CPW.

A considerable amount of work remained before photographer Mary Ellen Mark’s Ward 81 exhibition could be displayed on the walls. According to Wikipedia, Mark, renowned for her photojournalism and documentary style, directed her focus towards people “marginalized by mainstream society and towards its more engaging, often troubled fringes.”

The first floor is primarily comprised of a reception area on the Dederick Street side of the building, a hallway, and four galleries of differing sizes. Similar to the others, the second floor offers 8000 square feet of space. While CPW offices occupy the front section, the larger back area of the floor is designated for community spaces of various dimensions and functions, including a digital media lab, a 50-seat lecture hall or meeting room, and a library.

The exhibition titled My Sister, My Self, featuring the work of the recently deceased identical twins Colleen and Kathleen Kenyon from Woodstock, is located in the front gallery adjacent to the reception area. A further selection of their work is concurrently displayed at the Kleinert-James Gallery in Woodstock. The Woodstock opening of this “twin show” is scheduled for 2 p.m. on the same day as the Kingston opening at 5 p.m.

Keisha Scarville captures images that reflect on her personal experiences. She frequently utilizes clothing and textiles that once belonged to her late mother. Her pieces are exhibited in one of the two smaller galleries along the first-floor hallway.

The fourth gallery serves as a community room showcasing the outcomes of an open invitation to local artists to present one framed piece each to fill wall space. As of last Friday, over a hundred people had submitted works, with more arriving each hour.

The offices of CPW are situated in the front portion of the second floor, while the larger rear section accommodates a variety of community spaces.

Currently, CPW does not have established plans for the unfinished upper floors or the basement area.

In total, the cigar factory encompasses nearly an acre of land. The asking price for the property was $2.85 million. CPW acquired it for $2.1 million. With all renovations considered, the total costs of the rehabilitated structure are anticipated to exceed five million dollars.

The strategic plan

If you assume that urban dwellers with minimal community engagement are investing large sums of money to attract their own demographic to charming Kingston, reconsider that notion. The recently enacted CPW strategic plan provides a considerably different perspective. It characterizes the organization as a local change agent capable of serving as a template for positive initiatives in other venues.

“The Center for Photography at Woodstock is a hub for critical discourse and creative exploration in photography and visual culture,” the plan proclaims. “Our mission is to catalyze social change through innovative and inspiring programs that utilize photography as a powerful medium for understanding ourselves, our communities, and our society.”

The vision statement reinforces that emphasis on community involvement. “The Center for Photography at Woodstock is a community-based museum and educational institution that fosters emerging artists, experimental ideas, and pertinent discussions about photography and visual culture.”

Foremost on the organization’s agenda is “[to] become a community anchor in downtown Kingston.” Following closely as the second of the top five objectives is “[to] reimagine the regional art museum in dialogue with a global audience.”

How can one integrate these two primary goals? “These two audiences do not stand in opposition to each other,” the document maintains. “Instead, collaborating with both can lead to a mutually beneficial outcome, by introducing local audiences to global talent while simultaneously bringing artists and audiences from afar to authentic and captivating locally grounded narratives.”

As suggested, Kingston and the Hudson Valley are not lacking in compelling locally rooted narratives.

Has Ulster County not always aspired to be a model of an enlightened community with a blend of residents who choose to stay and newcomers who are drawn to it?

A new chapter

“I am confident that Brian Wallis will introduce a fresh vision and energy to the center during this transitional phase, when a strong and seasoned leader is essential,” remarked CPW founder and board chair Howard Greenberg upon Wallis being appointed as executive director two and a half years ago. “He will steer the center into an impressive new chapter in its 45-year legacy of excellence in the domain of photography.”