On View: October 3 – November 1, 2026
Opening reception: Saturday, October 3, 5–8pm
Organized by Phocus, Vassar College’s photography club and community darkroom, this exhibition aims to explore the theme of “closeness” through a collection of student works. Our theme highlights the role of photography beyond just documentation, as a tool that shapes reality. Questioning how the presence of a camera changes the nature of a moment, we seek to understand how both physical and emotional closeness to our subjects plays a role in shaping the moments we capture. Phocus investigates the role of photo-making in students’ lives, and how proximity—both to and between subjects—shapes our creative processes and image production.
Curated by Sofía Abrahamson, Grace Cabasco, and Amritha Dewan.
PARTICIPATING ARTISTS
Sofía Abrahamson ‘27
Aviva Barry ‘27
Grace Cabasco ‘27
Amritha Dewan ‘28
Ella Shiedley ‘26
About the Community Gallery
CPW’s Community Gallery is a new space dedicated to fostering connections between diverse local communities using photography. It will host a rotating schedule of short-run exhibitions featuring work by CPW members, local artist collectives, student groups, and projects by local nonprofit organizations. CPW is committed to being a welcoming hub for critical and creative explorations of photography from varied perspectives.
Banner image: Sofía Abrahamson
Grid (from left to right): Amritha Dewan (1, 2), Aviva Barry (3, 4), Ella Shiedley, Grace Cabasco, Sofía Abrahamson.
