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Fred Zafran

USA
Grand Prize Award Recipient
Purchase Award Recipient
Fred Zafran
Sample Work

Fred Zafran is a documentary photographer of ordinary things exploring the urban environment as metaphor and map of our inner human landscape. Photographing at the boundaries of illumination and darkness, Zafran’s work is a gentle observation of the city, its streets, and a few of us as we wander through the day and unanticipated moments of quiet and solitude. "The artistic motivation behind my work is quite simply the astonishment at the very fact of one’s own existence in the world. Everything deserves our careful attention and awareness…even the smallest details may contain great secrets. All photography is symbolic, and metaphor is more revealing than literal depiction." Fred Zafran lives in Loudoun County, VA and works in the Washington DC area. Over the last three decades, he built a successful career as a management consultant and senior executive in the technology services industry. Now retired he devotes most of his time to travel and photography in small towns and cities throughout the U.S. and abroad. Fred is a juried artist of the Torpedo Factory Art Center, a member of Multiple Exposures Gallery in Alexandria, VA, and exhibits his work throughout the DC metro area.

Artist Statement

The music and poetry of the photographic image is most important. In my photography, I am searching for images borne of a deep and beautiful silence, that although ambiguous, point beyond themselves. The principal barrier to image making is our readiness to receive… to see and to be moved by the world around us. In the midst of the day-to-day rounds, my photographs are of solitude, often a bit melancholy, but still hopeful. I find a subtle profundity in things partially seen, illuminated, but hidden in shadow. The successful image must be a strong (and yes, beautiful) image, able to stand alone, but must also be part of, and contribute to a larger poetic narrative. It doesn’t matter if the narrative can’t be verbalized or if the meaning is not readily apparent. I am happy if the images and sequence are emotionally resonant.

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

Finalist.  Allegany National Photography Competition and Exhibition.  Karen Irvine, Juror and Curator.  April 3-24, 2021



Torpedo Factory Artists @ Mosaic.  "MEG @ Mosaic" group exhibition November 2020.



Photoworks Gallery, Glen Echo, MD.  "100 Years of Solitude," an exhibition juried by Joe Cameron.  Participated as selected artist in online gallery exhibition September 12 to October 18, 2020.

Studio Gallery, Washington DC.  Invited artist participating in juried photography exhibition "Lost/Found, Explorations in Photographic Time and Space."  October 30 to November 23, 2019.

CENTER Review Santa Fe 2018, international juried portfolio review.  
One of 100 participating photographers from 14 countries.



Solo Exhibition of New Work - "Along the Poet's Narrow Road" at Multiple Exposures  Gallery, Alexandria, VA  May 8 to June 17, 2018.  Signature image selected as one of five "Best Images of 2018" in Washington DC galleries.



Finalist, Allegany National Photography Competition and Exhibition, April 2018.



Best in Show Award.  18th Annual Will's Creek competition and exhibition "Being Sentient, Sentient Being" September 2017 - juried and curated by Aneta Georgievska-Shine.



Passporte Gallery Cartier-Bresson competition and exhibition of Street Photography June 2017.

“Mirror to the World 2017” invitational exhibition curated by Frank Van Riper. Photoworks Gallery, Glen Echo, MD, April 7 to May 14, 2017.  



PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, Vermont.  Photography Exhibition and Publication – "Honoring Trees." Juried and curated by Laura Valenti. June 7 - July, 1, 2017.



Photo '16 National Photography Exhibition juried and curated by Sam Abell.  Alexandria, VA October 18 to November 27, 2016.



Major Exhibition of New Work - "Memories of the Present" at Multiple Exposures Gallery, 
Alexandria, VA.  January 5 to February 14, 2016.  



FotoDC 2015.  First Place Award, Fine Art single image.  FotoWeekDC 2015 Competition. 



PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, Vermont. Juried Photography Exhibition and Publication – "Stories and Secrets." Juried and curated by Emma Powell and Kirsten Hoving. November 24 - December 18, 2015.

Multiple Exposures Gallery, Group Show and Exhibition juried by E. Brady Robinson. Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA. July to August 2015.

Exhibition at American University Museum, Katzen Art Center, Washington DC.  Curated by Jack Rasmussen, Director, Katzen Art Center.  January 24 to March 15, 2015.



Invitational Photography Exhibition curated by Jack Rasmussen (juror), Director Art Gallery, American University Museum, Katzen Art Center. Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, October 14 to November 23, 2014. 

Greater Reston Arts Center, Artist Member Exhibition, Reston, VA.  July 17 to August 23, 2014. 



Multiple Exposures Gallery, Solo Show, "7th and H Streets, NW." Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA. February 18 to March 30, 2014.



"Fotographers at the Factory" 2nd annual invitational exhibit, FotoWeekDC, November 2013. Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA.

Multiple Exposures Gallery, Group Show and Exhibition. Juried by Tom Beck. Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA. November 2013.



DC Fine Art Photography Fair, Washington, DC October 2013

Multiple Exposures Gallery, Group Show and Exhibition. Juried by Mark Power. Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA. July 2013.

PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, Vermont. Juried Photography Exhibition and Publication – City Streets | Country Roads. Juried and curated by Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Web. July 16 - Aug. 10, 2013.

PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, Vermont. Juried Photography Exhibition and Publication – Edges of Night, Dawn and Dusk. Juried and curated by Sean Kernan. June 18 - July, 13th, 2013.

Cooley Gallery, Featured Artist for June 2013, Loudoun, VA.

“Mirror to the World” invitational show and exhibition curated by Frank Van Ripen. Photoworks Gallery, Glen Echo, MD, March 2013.



“Petite Perspectives” curated show of small works. ArtSquare, Loudoun, VA February 2013.

BLACK&WHITE Magazine, Animal/Portraiture Special Issue, selection of fine art image for inclusion in October 2012 issue.

DC Fine Art Photography Fair, Washington, DC October 2012

Fall/Winter Catalog Cover Photo exhibition, Photoworks Gallery, Glen Echo, MD, August 2012

Target Gallery, New Juried Artists Exhibit, Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA April 2012

Photoworks Invitational Art Exhibit, Glen Echo, MD March 2012

PRESS AND PUBLICATIONS

Featured artist, Eye-Photo Magazine, April 2019, Vienna, Austria.  Publication of photo-essay and allegory "The River Styx."



Lenscratch interview August 18, 2018, Aline Smithson's Fine Art Photography Daily. 



Washington City Paper art critic review of Fred Zafran’ solo exhibition “Along the Poet’s Narrow Road” at Multiple Exposures Gallery, Alexandria, VA May 9 to June 17, 2018. 



Washington City Paper art critic selects Fred Zafran’s photograph as one of five best images exhibited in galleries throughout the Washington DC metro area in 2018.  Image from solo exhibition “Along the Poet’s Narrow Road" at Multiple Exposures Gallery, Alexandria, VA May 9 to June 17, 2018.



Washington Post art critic review of Fred Zafran’s solo exhibition “Along the Poet’s Narrow Road” at Multiple Exposures Gallery, Alexandria, VA May 9 to June 17, 2018.



Washington City Paper art critic review of Fred Zafran’s photo-essay “Stranger in My Home.”  Exhibited as part of the “Mirror to the World 2017” invitational exhibition curated by Frank Van Riper. Photoworks Gallery, Glen Echo, MD, April 7 to May 14, 2017. 



Washington Post art critic review of Fred Zafran’s photo-essay “Stranger in My Home.”  Exhibited as part of the “Mirror to the World 2017” invitational exhibition curated by Frank Van Riper. Photoworks Gallery, Glen Echo, MD, April 7 to May 14, 2017. 



Washington Post art critic review of Fred Zafran’s major exhibition of new work “Memories of the Present” at Multiple Exposures Gallery, Alexandria, VA.  January 5 to February 14, 2016. 

First Place Award to Fred Zafran, Fine Art single image.  FotoWeekDC 2015 Competition. 

Featured artist, Life Force Magazine, October 2015. Publication of photo-essay "Old Miami Downtown." Life Force magazine is a monthly, online, UK-based photography magazine featuring the art form of the photo-essay.

Washington City Paper art critic review of Fred Zafran’s photography.  Exhibited as part of the “Mirror to the World 2013” invitational exhibition curated by Frank Van Riper. Photoworks Gallery, Glen Echo, MD, March 2013. 

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