Past Featured Artists + Exhibitions

The LOOK3 Festival of the Photograph transforms the historic center of downtown Charlottesville, Virginia into a vibrant, dynamic cultural zone with exhibits, presentations, workshops, and projections curated by leaders in the photographic field. You can learn more about past artists and exhibits below. 

LOOK3 has produced dozens of world-class exhibitions over the years. In addition to traditional gallery shows, we produce pop-up shows in empty buildings and outdoor installations in unconventional places. We present a curated exhibit of photography books, bring in the POY show (Pictures of the Year), and offer YourSpace exhibit where attendees can print and hang their own images. In addition to the TREES exhibit, our second large-scale outdoor installation—the Free Speech Exhibit—addresses social justice issues and interacts with the Freedom of Speech Monument, where viewers can respond to the images in public dialogue on the 54-foot Community Chalkboard.

Festival 2016 artists included Nick Brandt, Graciela Iturbide, Christopher Morris, Olivia Bee, Shiela Pree Bright, Mary F. Calvert, Binh Danh, Doug DuBois, Joe Riis, and Ruddy Roye. The TREES exhibition along the historic pedestrian Downtown Mall contained the work of Frans Lanting. The 2016 Festival was curated collaboratively by Mary Virginia Swanson and the LOOK3 Board. 

Festival 2015 featured renowned artists Andrea Douglas, Larry Fink, Monica Haller and the Veterans Book Project, David Alan Harvey, Walter Iooss, Sally Mann, Zanele Muholi, Vincent J. Musi, and Alec Soth. The TREES exhibition along the historic pedestrian Downtown Mall contained the work of Piotr Naskrecki. The 2015 Festival was curated by Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography at The New York Times Magazine and Scott Thode, independent curator. Artist interviews by Donald Antrim, Steve Fine, Kathy Ryan, and Chris Boot.

Festival 2014 was the Festival's second year of LOOKbetween featuring 75 early career photographers. The TREES exhibition along the historic pedestrian Downtown Mall contained the work of Joel Sartore.

Festival 2013 featured a robust line-up of artists including Gregory Crewdson, Josef Koudelka, Susan Meiselas, Richard Misrach & Kate Orff, Carrie Mae Weems, Michael "Nick" Nichols, Martha Rosler, and Stephanie Berger. The 2013 TREES exhibition on the historic pedestrian Downtown Mall was comprised by the work of Tim Laman. The 2013 Festival was curated by Melissa Harris, Editor-in-Chief, Aperture Foundation and Yolanda Cuomo, Creative Director of Yolanda Cuomo Design. Artist interviews by Deborah Willis, Alex Chadwick, David Levi Strauss, David Quammen, and Anne Wilkes Tucker. 

Festival 2012 artists included Alex Webb, Donna Ferrato, Stanley Greene, Camille Seaman, Robin Schwartz, Hank Willis Thomas, Bruce Gilden, Lynsey Addario, Cause Collective, Chris Boot, Lynn Johnson, and Ernesto Bazan. The TREES exhibition along the historic pedestrian Downtown Mall contained the work of David Doubilet. The 2012 Festival was curated by David Griffin, Visuals Editor of the Washington Post and veteran photographer Vincent J. Musi. Artist interviews by Alex Chadwick, Jean-François Leroy, and Geoff Dyer. 

Festival 2011 featured such legendary photographers as Nan Goldin, Antonin Kratochvil, Massimo Vitali, Christopher Anderson, Ashley Gilbertson, David Liittschwager, Steve McCurry, Mary Ellen Mark & Marin Bell, and LaToya Ruby Frazier. The 2011 TREES exhibition along the historic pedestrian Downtown Mall contained the work of George Steinmetz. Festival 2011 was curated by Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography at The New York Times Magazine and Scott Thode, then Editor at VII The Magazine. Artist interviews by Scott Thode, Alex Chadwick, and Sally Mann.

Festival 2010 was the Festival's first official year of LOOKbetween featuring 90 emerging photographers. The TREES exhibition on the historic pedestrian Downtown Mall contained the work of Steve Winter, and the "Best of" Michael "Nick" Nichols, Flip Nicklin, and Tom Mangelsen. 

Festival 2009 featured Sylvia Plachy, Gilles Peress, Martin Parr, James Nachtwey, Paolo Pellegrin, Joel Sartore, Michael JN Bowles, Phillip Toledano, Eugene Richards, George Steinmetz, David Alan Harvey, Simon Bruty, Yolanda Cuomo, Callie Shell, Danny Wilcox Frazier, Ernesto Bazan, Richard Knox Robinson, Platon, Joel Sartore, and Tipper Gore. The 2009 TREES exhibition along the historic pedestrian Downtown Mall showcased the work of Tom Mangelsen. Festival 2009 was curated by MaryAnne Golon, Director of Photography at the Washington Post. Artist interviews by Melissa Harris, John Gossage, and MaryAnne Golon.

Festival 2008 featured Mary Ellen Mark, Joel-Peter Witkin, James Nachtwey, David Alan Harvey, Julie Blackmon & Darius Himes, Brenda Ann Kenneally, Leah Dendavid-Val, Lori Grinker, Sam Abell, Maggie Steber, Gerd Ludwig, Jeff Jacobson, Steve McCurry, and Nubar Alexanian. The TREES exhibition along the historic pedestrian Downtown Mall contained the work of Flip Nicklin. The Festival was curated by Michael "Nick" Nichols. Artist interviews by Alex Chadwick and MaryAnne Golon.

Festival 2007 was the Festival's first official year and featured Sally Mann, William Albert Allard, Eugene Richards, David Alan Harvey, Alex Webb & Rebecca Norris Webb, Maggie Steber, Steve McCurry, and Lynn Johnson. The TREES exhibition along the historic pedestrian Downtown Mall contained the work of Michael "Nick" Nichols. The Festival was curated by Michael "Nick" Nichols.

To learn more about the artist's talks that LOOK3 has presented select an artist below!