$15,000 JGS ANNUAL AWARD WINNER: Jeffrey Aaronson

The Forward Thinking Museum awarded 15,000 dollars and the title of JGS Annual

Artist of 2010 to photographer Jeffrey Aaronson for his Borderland series. The award is

part of the museum's ongoing effort to both showcase and support engaging artwork by

young talents.

Borderland explores the cultural landscape that flourishes along the US-Mexico border.

Aaronson's images not only document the unseen aspects of life along the frontier, but

also challenge viewers to look deeper into the complex issue of immigration, so often

simplified by the universal media. The social significance of the topic and the quality of

the execution determined the museum's judging panel – consisting of William E.

Hartshorn, Ehrenkrantz Director of The International Center of Photography (ICP), Karen

Sinsheimer, Curator of

Photography at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and Kai McBride, Photography and

Design Professor at Columbia University and Queens College – to grant Aaronson “artist

of the year” status.

The photographer had previously won the first quarterly session of the museum's ongoing

photography contest, which entered him in the pool of candidates to the JGS Annual

Artist Award along with the rest of the contest winners and all collaborating artists of

2010.

Joy of Giving Something, Inc. (JGS), the philanthropic organization administering the

Forward Thinking Museum, sponsored the cash prize.

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=8yi4mocab&v=0019K7_GMZJyC_s

sCak-dE9n7lW_JMkovoOKg3juvACapxs4IpPi2pYpHB0e0EixN9LeB950vP0q6B_-

SRQGDv9yBsttizTORY1gUfdGH-

IQ0CBv1XUjzbxfBd4t4Jk6qX6sIJsMjmv3w3EbFCx5BTusTXpSXYmqbwn8t23nzjN-

5dn3UqVOSezBmymFOjS4J8y