SEEN
aN Annual juried online exhibition and award that celebrates the work of emerging DIY/Punk photographers Living and working in Pensacola, FL.
@julia_gorton_nowave |
www.juliagorton.com
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Julia Gorton is an acclaimed photographer, designer, and visual artist whose work captures the raw energy and spirit of New York City’s punk and no-wave scenes in the 1970s and 1980s. A native of Wilmington, Delaware, and a graduate of Parsons School of Design, Gorton became a pivotal figure in documenting the countercultural movements that defined an era.
Her stark black-and-white photographs of iconic musicians, artists, and underground figures—including Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, and members of the no-wave movement—are celebrated for their gritty authenticity and timeless aesthetic. Gorton's work offers an intimate glimpse into a transformative period in music, art, and cultural history, preserving the essence of a fleeting yet influential subculture. |
Julia Gorton’s contributions continue to resonate, serving as both a visual archive and a source of inspiration for those who seek to understand and celebrate the intersections of art, music, and rebellion.
309 Punk Project is forever grateful to Julia and her tremendous generosity towards our efforts and our community at large.
309 Punk Project is forever grateful to Julia and her tremendous generosity towards our efforts and our community at large.
SEEN | 2026
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4th Annual SEEN Photography Exhibition & Julia Gorton AwardOn behalf of our juror, Julia Gorton, we are pleased to announce that Taylor Hepner is the Winner of the 4th Annual SEEN Photography Exhibition and Julia Gorton Photography Award, including a $1000 cash award & Solo Exhibition at 309 Punk Project opening March 9th, 2027. Julia also awarded one Honorable Mention to Brianna Kirby. FUNDING FOR THIS AWARD WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY A GENEROUS DONATION FROM JULIA GORTON.
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4th Annual SEEN Photography Exhibition & Julia Gorton Award
Winner | Taylor Heppner
Most of my life, I have only experienced the Florida panhandle: warm beach days, abandoned or secret nature spots, and a Circle K on every corner.
My parents gave me a camera for my 16th birthday, and I was constantly using it. I was always planning little photo shoots with my friends and taking pictures whenever I could. At some point, my parents said, “You should major in photography,” and that idea stuck with me. It pushed me to go back to school and realize that something I thought was just a hobby was something I cared deeply about. Photographing raw moments of friendship, art, and individuality helps me feel connected to the Pensacola art scene and to the people who inspire me.
The Tuck, 04/2025, 11x14, Silver Gelatin Print
Beavis and Butthead, 04/2025, 11x14, Silver Gelatin Print
Outside Betty’s, 04/2025, 11x14, Silver Gelatin Print
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David on the Pole, 11x14, Silver Gelatin Print
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Outside the Z, 11x14, Silver Gelatin Print
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4th Annual SEEN Photography Exhibition & Julia Gorton
Honorable mention | Brianna Kirby
Untitled, 10/19/25, 4.5” X 3”, Polaroid
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I live in Pensacola, Florida. I grew up in the age of easy images, and since starting my practice, I have become skeptical of the image and its place in art. In this project, I am working with polaroids to try to find a new way to interact with the medium. Polaroid film is finicky, sensitive to heat and time, and the material image can be easily damaged. While shooting, I have to stop to consider the limitations of the film and accept the finality of the developed image. I am shooting self-portraits and street photography, oscillating between capturing what I see and entering the space to transform it. With this project, I am exploring my city and myself as they change with time and through the confrontation of the camera. |
Untitled, 10/3/25, 4.5” X 3”, Polaroid
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Untitled, 8/26/24, 4.5” X 3”, Polaroid
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Untitled, 8/30/25, 4.5” X 3”, Polaroid
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Untitled, 10/14/24, 4.5” X 3”, Polaroid
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Holden Nye
Open up\\ | 2026 | 2490x1573 | Nikon Coolpix S6100
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Holden Nye is a small-time photographer born and based in Pensacola with a focus on themes of alienation, self-discovery, and experimentation in the conservative Gulf Coast, and queer identity. The work shown is intended to capture feelings of liminality, isolation, and transformation through the lens of 2010's social media.
Venus Wrapped in Plastic, Abstract and Acidic | 2026 | 2490x1573 | Nikon Coolpix S6100
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Trophy | 2025 | 2490x1573 | Nikon Coolpix S6100
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HDPE2 | 2025 | 2490x1573 | Nikon Coolpix S6100
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Panhandle Lookingglass | 2025 | 2490x1573 | Nikon Coolpix S6100
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birdy wolfe
Ad Hominem, 9/29/25, Nikon Coolpix S6100, 2049 x 1537
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Birdy Wolfe is a Pensacola-based photographer and poet who explores the symbiotic relationship between queerness and nature as it struggles against manufactured capitalistic isolation. Their work is non-functioning without their muse and fellow photographer, Holden Nye, who has worked with them to embrace both the hedonist and the lover.
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, 9/28/25, Nikon Coolpix S6100, 2049 x 1537
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Holden's World, 7/26/25, Nikon Coolpix S6100, 2049 x 1537
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Venerable Dissipation, 7/26/25, Nikon Coolpix S6100, 2049 x 1537
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Red Ribbon, 10/5/25, Nikon Coolpix S6100, 2049 x 1537
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andrew hynes
A Day Off | 2022 | 1736x2338 pixels | 35mm film collage
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Born and based in Pensacola, FL, Andrew Hynes is a musician and amateur filmmaker who discovered the art of photography shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic, when he was offered a Minolta 370x at a friend's garage sale for only five dollars. His images emphasize the dichotomy between the natural beauty of the Gulf Coast and the insidious decay brought on by late-stage capitalism in the same area. 
A Boy and His Dog | 2022 | 1728x1152 pixels | 35mm film scan
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Anchored | 2025 | 3462x2308 pixels | 35mm BW film scan
| Natural Light | 2025 | 3600x2400 pixels | 35mm double exposure film scan
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St. Francis in Repose | 2023 | 3495x2433 pixels | 35mm film scan
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kate lopiccolo
Tile & Cigarettes | 2026 | 2433 × 3495 px | 35mm color photograph
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I am drawn to photographing femme people within the environments they move through such as apartments, bars, backyards, and quiet interior spaces. I am interested in how a person shifts depending on where they are and how small details within a setting can change the emotional tone of an image. Much of my work focuses on creating moments of contrast or subtle tension between subject and environment, allowing something slightly unexpected or jarring to emerge.
Working primarily with 35mm film and Polaroid, I approach photography intuitively and without heavy staging. I photograph friends and people within my immediate community, responding to available light, color, and atmosphere. The process is diaristic and collaborative, shaped by trust and proximity rather than performance. Living and working in the American South informs the visual language of my images. Heat, stillness, and a sense of suspended time often appear in the spaces I photograph. Through this work, I aim to create images that feel immediate and honest while holding space for ambiguity, tension, and connection. |
Against the Wall | 2021 | 3495 × 2433 px | 35mm color photograph
Last Call | 2023| 3089 × 2048 px | 35mm color photograph
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Dog Days | 2022 | 2040 × 2554 px | Scan of Polaroid color photograph
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After Hours | 2025 | 3495 × 2433 px | 35mm color photograph
faith lavender
hannah| tumbler 2016|02/05/2026
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I’ve just recently started taking photography seriously. I used to be obsessed with scene photography in Pensacola when I was younger, but I never thought I could do anything special with it. I just started getting back into photography, and I truly want to go somewhere and do something with it.
evan| waiting | 11/14/2025
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hannah| the passing| 11/15/2025
hannah| the track| 12/31/2025
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evan and will| passion| 1/11/2026
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