Center for Photographic Art-- Changing the Narrative: The First 5 Years of Paula Riff Award Winners

Center for Photographic Art, Sunset Center, Carmel
June 20 – July 26, 2026
Opening Reception & Walk Through:  Saturday, June 20, 4:00 – 6:00pm
 
Carmel, CA— The Center for Photographic Art (CPA) located in the historic Sunset Center, is pleased to announce Changing the Narrative, an exhibition featuring work made by the first five Paula Riff Award recipients: Katie Shapiro (2021), Aimee Beaubien (2022), Paula McCartney (2023), Minwoo Lee (2024), and Marni Myers (2025). 
 
What is the Paula Riff Award, you ask? The Paula Riff Award was created by the Center of Photographic Art and Lenscratch (an amazing online photography resource) in 2021 as a way to celebrate and continue the legacy of artist Paula Riff. Paula was an innovator, using lens-less photography and historical processes to create objects of remarkable beauty. Changing the Narrative is a dynamic show that features both the award-winning projects and new and wild creations made by these fearless artists and award winners! They are definitely pushing the boundaries of what a photograph can be. Think of installations hanging from the ceiling (larger than life limbs and shapes covered in writing), volcanic rocks gently holding images printed on fragile glass plates (don’t bump those pedestals!), ceramic sculptures casting fake shadows on gelatin silver prints in fold out books (I know, unbelievable), collaged cyanotypes cut and toned to create something very unlike the first cyanotypes that were made in the 1840’s, and folded photograms on darkroom paper that once began as origami, but now are 2-dimensional photographic prints. How do these experimental photographers come up with these ideas? Well, you can meet many of them on opening night when they’ll give us a walk-through of their rule breaking show! They are definitely pushing the boundaries of what a photograph can be. 
 
Don't miss this opportunity to meet these incredible artists whose work challenges conventional photography and to see this special exhibition honoring Paula Riff and the boundless possibilities of the medium!
About Paula Riff
Paula Riff was a Los Angeles based artist known for creating one of a kind camera-less photographic works on paper that embrace bold colors, form and design. She combined the historical processes of cyanotype and gum bichromate allowing her a physical and intimate relationship with the materials that she used to push the boundaries of the medium while considering themes of abstraction and the natural world. Her work has appeared in numerous museums, galleries, publications, and exhibitions throughout the U.S and internationally, and is also held in publice and private collections
What:    Changing the Narrative, Featuring work by Aimee Beaubien, Minwoo Lee, Paula McCartney, Marni Myers, and Katie Shapiro
When: Opening reception: June 20, 4:00-6:00pm; Exhibition on view: June 20 -July 16, 2026. 
Gallery hours: 12:00-4:00pm, Wednesday through Sunday.
Where: Center for Photographic Art, Sunset Center, San Carlos & 9^th Avenue, Carmel-by-the-Sea
Tickets: free and open to the public
Info:       https://www.photography.org/events/exhibition-changing-the-narrative-the-first-5-years-of-paula-riff-award-winners