ABOUT TILT
Wherever There Is Light features photography by a community of artists concerned with using the camera to examine the visual structures of freedom, personhood, visibility and belonging. Photographer Larry W. Cook founded Wherever There Is Light in 2020 as an evolving workshop series and artist network to support the photographic practice of individuals with carceral experiences. These photographers leveraged their familiarity with photography, from visiting room portraits to the circulation of photographic mementos, to explore visual strategies that challenge audiences to engage modes of vision rooted in introspection, community building and visualizing a just and equitable world.
Wherever There Is Light originally began in 2020 when Larry Cook constructed a studio and exhibition space at the Los Angeles art gallery, The Canary Test, for five photographers with carceral experience to share their stories and craft through traditional studio portraiture.
Starting in 2022, TILT collaborated with Cook to create a Philadelphia cohort of artists. TILT provided the artists with financial support, resources, and space for each artist to explore their visions in collaboration with Cook and curator Melanee Harvey. Each photographer received an honorarium for their work and access to TILT’s artistic lab, printing services, production support, and gallery space. The group also received assistance from a project team comprising TILT staff, peer mentor artists, community partners, and curatorial experts and advisors. The Philadelphia exhibition opened in September 2024.
The Wherever There Is Light exhibition will travel to both New York City, NY, and Washington, DC, in 2026.