Biography

Abram Kaplan is a fine art photographer working in both 2- and 3-D. The latter includes direct printing techniques on metal, wood and other materials to create immersive works to encourage viewer participation. He has exhibited 2D work in more than 40 regional and national juried exhibitions, with jurors from leading contemporary art museums. His seven solo exhibitions have examined the U.S. food system and the generation of electricity.

Kaplan earned his Ph.D. at UNC-Chapel Hill.  He has taught at Denison University for 26 years, establishing and directing the Environmental Studies Program. His scholarship focuses on change processes, from policy and regional planning to conflict resolution and program evaluation. These themes have become the centerpiece of his art, using arts-based research to catalyze conversations about controversial socio-political issues. Kaplan has presented papers at both national and international professional conferences on these ideas.

Exhibition History

Solo Art Exhibitions

2019: “Lumen” exhibition, representing 21 large format photographs of Conesville Power Plant, along with a single 81-image work showing unique hard hats of workers and contractors at Conesville.  Earlham College Leeds Gallery, September-October, 2019.

2016: “Lumen” exhibition, Denison University Museum, October - December, 2016.

2011-12: “Fine Grain” traveling exhibition, featuring six large-scale, 3-D interactive photographic elements and 20 2-D images exploring disconnect between humans and our food system. 

- Ross Art Museum, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, Fall 2012.

- Schnormeier Gallery, Buchwald Center, Mt. Vernion Nazarene University and Kenyon College, Mt. Vernon, Ohio, Spring 2012.

-Denison University Museum, Granville, Ohio, Fall 2011. 

2010: “Seasons of Change” ~ display of large-scale photographic exhibition in atrium of the Bromfield Administration Building, headquarters for Ohio Dept. of Agriculture.  Four 14’ diameter, 20” tall panoramic rings suspended from 60’ ceiling in glass-enclosed spiral staircase.  Installed July, 2010.

2010: Gifts of Art Solo Exhibition, University of Michigan Hospital System ~ 30 images (August-October).  Juror: Kathi Talley, Visual Arts Coordinator, Gifts of Art.

Juried Art Exhibitions, 2018

8th Annual Juried Exhibition, Gallery 110, Seattle, WA ~ "Fan Hold" and "White Wash."  Juror: Sara Krajewski, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Portland Art Museum.

INTERSTATE Exhibition, Central Washington University Sarah Spurgeon Gallery, Ellensburg, WA ~ “Fan Hold.”  Juror: Emily Zimmerman, Director, Jacob Lawrence Gallery, University of Washington.

Juried Art Exhibitions, 2017

International Photography Awards 2017 ~ "Lumen II Series."  Honorable mention, Architecture: Industrial.  Also honorable mention, Editorial: Environmental.

Studio Visit Magazine portfolio.  Juror: George Kinghorn, Executive Director & Curator, University of Maine Museum of Art.

Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition, Columbus, OH ~ "Fan Hold" and "White Out."  Jurors: Janice Lessman-Moss, Petra Fallaux, & Jason Franz.  Winner, Westbridge Camera Club Color Award for "Fan Hold."

St. Tammany Art Association, 52nd Juried Artists Exhibition, Covington, LA ~ "Fan Hold."  Juror: William Fagaly, Curator Emeritus, New Orleans Museum of Art

40th National Juried Photography Exhibition, Larson Gallery, Yakima, WA ~ "Smoke Farm" and "Fan Hold."  Juror: Julia Doran, Curator of Photography, Portland Art Museum.

ImageOHIO 17, Roy G Biv Gallery, Columbus, OH ~ "Fan Hold," "Local Warming," and "Cool House."  Juror: Drew Sawyer, Curator of Photography, Columbus Museum of Art.

Juried Art Exhibitions, 2016

International Juried Exhibition, Center for Photographic Art, Carmel, CA ~ "Fan Hold."  Juror:  Linde Lehtinen, Assistant Curator of Photography, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

New Directions 2016, 32nd Annual National Juried Contemporary Art Exhbition, Poughkeepsie, NY ~ "White Out."  Juror: Heather Pesanti, Senior Curator, The Contemporary Austin.

International Photography Awards 2016 ~ "Lumen" series (5 images).  Honorable Mention, Fine Arts.

Juried Art Exhibitions, 2011

Hungry Planet: Local Food, Global View, Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Garden, Columbus.  “Milked” – sculptural photography depicting the dairy cycle in modern agriculture.  Twelve triangular pylons, independently turnable.  Overall dimensions: 7’ wide, 5’ tall, 10” deep.  Juror: Michael Mercil, Chair of Graduate Studies, Ohio State University Art Department.

Juried Art Exhibitions, 2009

Hoyt Mid Atlantic Juried Exhibition, Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts ~ “Amish Sweep” (August 2009).  Juror: Virginia Mecklenburg, Curator of Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum.

6th Annual National Exhibition, Atlanta Artists Center & Gallery ~ “Sun Squared” (July 2009).  Juror: Annette Cone-Skeleton, President/co-founder, Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia.  Hon. Mention.

California Open Exhibition, TAG Gallery, Santa Monica, CA ~ “Nostalgic Standout” (July 2009).  Juror: Michael Zakian, Director, Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art, Pepperdine Univ.

Brand 38 National Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper, Brand Library Art Galleries, Glendale, CA ~ “Truck Stop” (July 2009).  Juror: Ruth Weisberg, Dean, Roski School of Fine Arts, U of S. Cal.

Northern National Juried Art Competition, Rhinelander, WI ~ “Sunflorets” (June 2009).  Juror: Betty LaDuke, multi-cultural painter, author of six books on art and multiculturalism.

Colors of Life International Photography Competition, The Gallery: Art & Design ~ “Sprit Aisle” (May 2009).  Jurors: 9-person panel.  Exhibitions in Richmond, VA and Milan, Italy.

Nature’s Whispers, Nature’s Shouts, Vermont Photography Workplace ~ “Photo Synthesis” (May 2009).  Juror: Kirsten Hoving, Professor of History of Art, Middlebury College, and Founding Director of VPW.

Western States Horse Expo, Equine Dream Art Show, Sacramento, CA ~ “Precious Kin” (April 2009).

26th Juried Open Exhibition, Visual Arts Alliance, Houston, TX ~ “Lines of Harvest” (April 2009).  Jurors: Jean Caslin & Diane Gregory, former Directors, Houston Center for Photography.

Life on the Farm, 2008 Photography Contest, Ohio Dept. of Agriculture.  124 submissions received, 12 finalists selected.  Of those, four were my images, one as winner ~ “Sheep Sentinel” (Feb 2009).

Kreft Juried National Exhibition, Concordia University, Ann Arbor, MI ~ “Photo Synthesis” (February 2009).  Juror: Rebecca Hart, Director of Contemporary Art, Detroit Institute of Art.

4th Annual National Photographic Show, Sixth Street Gallery, Vancouver, WA ~ “Harbinger of Fall” and “Self Reflection” (January 2009).

ImageOHIO9 Juried Exhibition, Roy G Biv Gallery for Emerging Artists, Columbus, OH ~ “Watch Pigs” (January 2009).  Juror: Paula Tognarelli, Exec. Director, Griffin Museum of Photography.

98th Annual Spring Juried Exhibit, Ohio Art League, Columbus, OH ~ “Truck Stop” & “Lines of Harvest” (January 2009).  Juror: David Pagel, Chair, Art Dept., Claremont Graduate University, LA Times art critic.

Juried Art Exhibitions, 2008

Life’s Unique Journey, 2008 Annual International Juried Competition, Northwest Cultural Council ~ “Precious Kin” & “Ladder Up” (November 2008).  Juror: Teresa Parker, Director, Coral Rose Foundation.

Seeing the Land: A Regional Juried Exhibition of Landscapes, University of Indianapolis ~ “Turn to the Past” (October 2008).  Jurors: Faculty of the Dept. of Art and Design, University of Indianapolis.

Ohio Online Visual Juried Art Exhibition, Columbus Metropolitan Library ~ “Golden Harvest” (October 2008).  Work featured in Columbus Dispatch article, Nov 13th, 2008.

Visual Politics: Art and the American Experience National Juried Exhibit, Santa Cruz Art League ~ “Turn to the Past” (September 2008).  Juror: Peter Selz, Exec. Director, Berkeley Art Museum.

National Juried Photography Exhibition, 12 12 Gallery, Richmond, VA ~ “Sunflower Landing” (August 2008).  Juror: Carol McCusker, Curator, Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego.

Decay: Juried National Show, 6th Street Gallery, Vancouver, WA ~ “Baby Calf” (August 2008).

Sensory Feast National Juried Show, 2nd April Galerie & Studios, Canton, OH ~ “Side of Beef” (July 2008).  Jurors: Clare Murray Adams, Professor of Art, Malone College & Jack McWhorter, Professor of Fine Art, Kent State University, Stark.

Bryn Du “Creative Expressions” Juried Art Show, Granville, OH ~ (3 pieces accepted) (August 2008).

4th Annual 2008 Juried Panoramic Photography Contest & Exhibition, Int’l Association of Panoramic Photographers (2 pieces selected as finalists) (Summer 2008).  Jurors: Tom Beck, Chief Curator, U. of Maryland, and Thomas Berault, Professor of Art, Prince George’s Community College.

Northern National Juried Art Competition, Rhinelander, WI ~ “Winter Corn” (Summer 2008).  Juror: Terry Suhre, Director, Gallery 210, University of Missouri-St. Louis.

3rd Annual Majestic National Juried Competition, Nelsonville, Ohio ~ “Golden Harvest” (Summer 2008). Juror: Kevin Ewing, Visiting Professor, School of Art, Ohio University.

17th Annual National Juried Photo Show, Louisville Art Assoc, CO ~ “Apple Pi” (Summer 2008).  Juror: Mark Sink, co-founder, Denver Museum of Contemporary Art, CO.

19th Annual Juried Exhibition, Viridian Artists Contemporary Gallery, NY, NY.  Runner-up. (Summer 2008).  Juror: Elisabeth Sussman, curator, Whitney Museum, New York.

10th Annual Landscape Int’l Online Juried Art Exhibit, Upstream People Gallery ~ 7 images (Summer 2008).   Juror: Larry Bradshaw, Curator and Professor of Art and Art History, University of Nebraska.

Plant Life, Caladan Gallery, Cambridge, MA ~ “Frozen Veggies” & “Morning Gossip” (Spring 2008). Juror: Marjorie Kaye, Gallery Director, MA.