One Tank Trip: Charlottesville
Charlottesville has long been known as the home of Thomas Jefferson and the University of Virginia. But in recent years the Central Virginia city has begun to garner national attention for its dynamic arts scene.
The center of that scene is the Downtown Mall , an open-air pedestrian strip that comprises more than 120 shops and 30 first-rate restaurants. Recent additions include the Charlottesville Pavilion, a concert amphitheatre and the newly-renovated Paramount Theater .
This June, the mall will take on new role when it plays host to the second annual " LOOK3: Festival of the Photograph" from June 12 to 14. Billed as the first of its kind last year in North America, the three-day affair will again include indoor and outdoor exhibitions of internationally-renowned photographers, classes and interview sessions with three acclaimed artists ( Mary Ellen Mark, Joel-Peter Witkin and James Nachtwey ), in addition to other events. All events will take place on the mall.
Mike "Nick" Nichols , co-executive director of the festival and career photographer for National Geographic , said of last year's first-time event, that the festival could not have happened in any American city but Charlottesville.
| Charlottesville Driving distance: 70 miles Estimated gas cost (at 27.5 miles per gallon*): $9.06 each way** Directions: Take 64 West all the way Population: 45,000 For more information, visit: The Charlottesville Albemarle County Convention and Visitors Bureau (www.charlottesvilletourism.org) City of Charlottesville Web site (www.charlottesville.org) *New federal minimum mpg average **Calculated at $3.56 per gallon (latest AAA Mid-Atlantic average) |
For three days, Nichols said, the Downtown Mall will be transformed into a "living image," with photographic art festooning the mall's trees and buildings, as well as indoor galleries. (Exhibits will run in selected galleries through June.)
The idea for the festival, Nichols said, evolved from parties he's hosted through the years in his backyard, where friends and colleagues would meet from the world over to share their work and catch-up.
For years Nichols had talked of formalizing the gatherings into a festival. That dream moved closer to reality when Nichols met Charlottesville resident Jessica Nagle , who now works as the festival's other co-executive director.
Nagel organized most of the festival's logistics, while Nichols handled all matters artistic. "I can do the spiritual, creative, photo part but I have no idea about permits and all that stuff," Nichols said of last year's festival.
In selecting work to be shown, the festival's directors appointed a board of advisors – editors from Aperture Magazine , The New York Times Magazine and National Geographic among others – to make nominations. They settled on work that ranges from photojournalism to fine art to wildlife to rock 'n' roll.
One of the missions of the festival, Nichols said, is to promote work that is on the cusp of breaking into the mainstream. Another is to showcase a large body of international work.
"America has a kind of insular attitude," he said. "Often times you don't see things the way the rest of the world sees things."
And the festival isn't all about professionals. Amateur photographers will have an opportunity to show their work at the YourSpace exhibit. Andrew Owen , operations manager for the event, said last year that he hopes the exhibit will inspire attendees to bring in their own stuff.
"You're going to work with Apple [computers] to create a slideshow projection, so you can put together maybe a package of 10 to 20 images to show your friends," Owen said.
New to the event this year, multimedia projects will be showcased on a large screen during an intimate, 3-hour program that will feature provocative and deeply moving work from across the world.
Each night of the festival will also feature one-on-one, "Inside the Actors Studio"-style interviews at the Paramount Theater. NPR's Alex Chadwick will moderate the session with Mark (June 12), Witkin (June 13) and Nachtwey (June 14).
Each of these three artists has a distinctly different style. Mark captures the diversity of the world's cultures by presenting them from her subject's point of view. Witkin uses his relationship with the history of painting and sculpture to stage photographs that are in direct confrontation of what the viewer knows to be normal or decent. Nachtwey, inspired by images of Vietman and the Civil Rights movement, uses the camera to present the honest and uncensored witness testimony.
Are you a photographer yourself? LOOK3 Workshops will be held throughout the week of June 7 through June 12 and Project Critiques will take place during the festival, on June 12 and June 13.
The Workshops and Critiques are unique opportunities for photographers at any level to further their learning and creativity and will be taught by some of the biggest names in photography including William Albert Allard , Eugene Richards and David Allen Harvey . Richards and Harvey's workshops require a portfolio submission.
For more information, or to purchase tickets, log onto festivalofthephotograph.org. Festival passes are $99, VIP passes are $450 and student passes are $50. Tickets can also be purchased for single events.
Of course, the arts won't stop once the photography festival leaves town. Any of the following art galleries on or near the Downtown Mall is worth a look on a day-trip to Charlottesville:
Bozart , 211 W. Main Street. Gallery showcases work of local artists. 434-296-3919.
C&O Gallery , 515 E. Water Street. Gallery showcases work of local artists. 434-971-7044.
The Gallery at 5th & Water Local artists showcased in monthly exhibitis. 434-295-4204.
La Galeria , 218 W. Market Street. Gallery features work of local artists. 434-293-7003.
Migration, A Gallery , 119 5th St. SE. Gallery showcases local and national work. 434-293-2200.
The New Dominion Book Shop , 404 E. Main St. Bookstore features local art in monthly exhibits. 434-295-2552.
Sage Moon Gallery , 420 E. Main Street. Monthly exhibitions for artists. 434-977-9997.
The Second Street Gallery , Second and E. Water Sts. Gallery features contemporary art. 434-977-7284.
The Charlottesville File
History: Charlottesville, best known as the home of the University of Virginia , is located 70 miles west of Richmond in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The home of U.S. Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe , the city boasts a large number of historical attractions, in addition to offering a vibrant arts scene. In 2004, the book "Cities Ranked and Rated" ranked Charlottesville as the best place to live in the United States.
Lodging:
If you're looking to stay the night, you can try one of the 40 Bed & Breakfasts in the area. One of the best of these is The Inn at Sugar Hollow, 434-823-7086, a secluded retreat located on 70 acres adjacent to Shenandoah National Park . If you desire more luxury, try the Boar's Head Inn, 434-296-2181. The 170-room resort sits on a 573-acre estate and features three outdoor swimming pools, a full 18-hole golf course, four restaurants on-site and a luxury spa. It also ranks as one of the Top 50 tennis resorts in the country.
Restaurants:
For a town its size, Charlottesville has an unbelievable number of great restaurants. Zocalo, 434-977-4994, which is located in the center of the Downtown Mall, offers Latin and American cuisine along with an impressive wine list and a great patio. Duner's, 434-293-8352, is a slightly upscale restaurant just west of the city in Ivy with great seafood and a constantly-changing menu. Located just minutes from Monticello and the University, Vivace , 434-979-0994 boasts a menu rich in authentic Italian history, both in their food and wine. The Biltmore Grill, 434-293-6700, a popular student watering hole on the Corner, offers a slice of bacchanalian college life.
Shopping:
The Historic Downtown Mall in Charlottesville makes it OK to be a mallrat. The open-air pedestrian mall comprises 120 shops and 30 restaurants, along with an ice park, the Virginia Discovery Museum 434-977-1025 and the Charlottesville Pavilion , 434-817-0220, an amphitheatre that hosts concerts regularly throughout the spring and summer including the popular, free concert series Fridays After Five . A free trolley service runs from the Downtown Mall to the University of Virginia throughout the day. Barracks Road Shopping Center , located off U.S. 29 just north of the UVA campus, also has over "80 places to shop, dine and discover" with a number of upscale clothing stores and boutiques.
Attractions:
Monticello, 434-984-9822, the estate of Thomas Jefferson, is perched on an 850-foot-high peak. Tours of the Palladian-styled home and its surrounding gardens are offered daily. Just down the road is Ash Lawn-Highland , 434-293-9539, the home of James Monroe, a poor man's Monticello but worth a trip just the same. And be sure to make a stroll down The Lawn , the centerpiece of Jefferson's Academical Village and the only part of a U.S. college camps designated as a World Heritage Site. If you're looking to take in a show, check the concert schedules at either the University's John Paul Jones Arena , 1-888-JPJ-TIXS (575-8497), or the Downtown Mall's intimately set theatre, The Paramount ¸434-979-1333 . Each venue presents a variety of musical and stage acts throughout the year.
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