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 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.
2nd Annual SEEN Photography Exhibition & Julia Gorton Award
On behalf of our juror, Julia Gorton, we are pleased to announce that Coy Glass, is the winner of the 2nd Annual SEEN Photography Exhibition and Julia Gorton Photography Award, including $1000 Cash Award & Solo Exhibition at 309 Punk Project opening March, 9th, 2025. Julia also awarded one Honorable Mention to Talera Bain, who will also have a Solo Exhibition in the Band Room Gallery with a cash prize of $250 and 35mm film.
WINNER: coy Glass
My work in photography is story telling. I have a personal belief that everyone and everything looks it's absolute best once a day. It could be the light of a sunset, or the glow of a candle, but light paints an immaculate picture of everything you can see once a day. My work is an attempt to capture and translate that as I make my way through life trying to get people to hold still long enough for me to figure out if my aperture and shutter speed are correct, and oh yeah did I remember to advance the film. In late July of 2023 I became obsessed with my parents old Olympus XA2 long enough to take and develop a couple pictures that I recognized as storytelling. The world opened up to me at that point and I started looking at things longer and harder. I'm still doing that everyday. I'm looking for that unique blend of symmetry and chaos that define our collective human experience on this planet. I shoot exclusively on film because it feels right. I shoot almost exclusively in black and white because it's cheaper. I bulk roll my own film and develop in a make shift darkroom sitting on the toilet so it feels like I'm building a picture rather than taking it. As an artist I believe my main goal is to build a body of work that tells of a story. A story of a time, and of a place, and of people. I hope that's what you see at 309.
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Honorable Mention: Talera Bain
Talera Moeller is a self-taught multidisciplinary artist from south Alabama, currently based out of Pensacola, FL.
In their exhibition “Seeds for Dead Birds” she explores the themes of reproductive rights, medical violence, and bodily autonomy through audiovisual recording, textile sculpture, and photographic display |
Amelia Myers
I’m proud to have grown up in Pensacola, and I began shooting on digital around three years ago. About half a year ago, I started to experiment with film using a point and shoot, and then I got more comfortable with a Nikon I found at the thrift. Through the lens, I try and capture raw, unapologetic humanity. I’m especially drawn to those moments when the subject looks the most free.
Amy Athans
Her transient lifestyle has led her to prioritize connections with people over settling in one place. Her recent photographs are often taken at the skatepark and reflect the culture of the family around her.
Antonio Cardenas
Born in Delrio, Tx and raised in Dallas, Tx. Photography was something I picked up late in life. I was already big in the Hip Hop / graffiti scene. So street photography fit me perfect. As I starte.d taking photos of the cities that i visited. Walking the streets, meeting people. I really enjoyed documenting ordinary peoples lives. Especially the single person aspect. I like to imagine what is going on in this person life at that moment. So my favorite photographs I've taken have always been of a single person.
carl oblivious feldmyer
Raw and rough, I photograph a high contrast and sometimes geometric view of music and life's odd environments. I have had a life-long obsession with photography and music. First taking a live stage at fifteen years old, I continually find life's oddities enamoring to photograph. Two years new to Pensacola, I bring a Southern Mississippi punk rock, screen print, and graphic design aesthetic to photography.
drew kendrick
I have been a life long resident of Pensacola who travels from time to time by train. I aim to capture people I meet on the road, landscapes, and anything that catches my cinematic eye. I picked up my first film camera in 2020 taking pictures of friends skateboarding. but, once I hit the road he seen more things that caught my eye and was determined to try and capture it all. Every picture I've captured while riding the rails is worth more than just 1000 words.
enrique viveros
We communicate with the world in different ways, and photography is my method of communication. I am a photographer based out of Pensacola. Currently, I photograph with my digital and analog camera. I love working with both photo processes because both allow me to experiment and create photos to entertain, inform, and capture moments to look back on. I was introduced to photography while working for a student-run newspaper, The Corsair. This publication introduced me to the basics of photography by assigning me news stories to take photos. Then I entered the PSC photography program. Throughout the program I have experimented with the different methods of taking an image and researching artists who have inspired me like Robert Mapplethorpe and Joel Meyerowitz. It is because of their perspectives and subject matter while using the medium that have inspired me to follow in their steps. I remember an old friend asking me, “Why do I like to take pictures or videos of everything?” I could not think of an answer at the time; however, as time goes on, this question is a part of why I am in the medium of photography.
gregory park
I've been photographing since late 2022. If I see someone interesting and I have my camera, then I stop and ask to take their picture. Most people say yes when asked politely. The camera gives me confidence to approach people that I might not otherwise have.
Isaiah waters
These five images span several years and contain visual representations of thrilling moments of discovery for me. I have always been driven by what excites me and what I think looks and feels good. Taking a very intuitive approach, I never know if what I’m doing is “right”, but I have found that if I get excited during the process, I will probably be pleased with the end product. Because of this, I feel that the subject matter as well as its style paints an intimate and accurate picture of my creative work. If you noticed that no one is ever looking at me in my images, that’s somewhat intentional. I hate posing people for photos. It’s the worst. In an attempt to keep this hobby enjoyable for me, I try to let the environment be. I take what I can from where I am, but I never try to impose my will on my subject matter. My most exciting moments in photography have been born of on-site experimentation and problem-solving and I hope you are pulled into this chaotic mess of moments that I am surprised and pleased to have captured.
Jaime ross
I photograph raw and gritty, candid moments. I consider myself a participant in the scenes I captures and bring my camera along so I can relive the feelings again and again. I hope my photos will allow the same experience for others. I grew up in Pensacola, Florida and am intrigued with and fond of southern culture and how it is interwoven into my own local punk community. I also write poetry and has been shooting 35mm film since 2019.
Jayden Laine
I am a transplant, of course, from the midwest and various riverbanks. My work is my life documented, finding joy in the process. I love my friends, water, and heavy contrast. I prefer experimental outcomes, slide films, cross-developing, saturating lights, and overexposing. I have no real rhyme or reason, just offering you something to ponder.
kai eckard
I have been shooting photography for a little more than three years, I am from Pensacola, FL and I enjoy shooting film and trying to capture people and places in a way that highlights the personality of the shot, I'm always experimenting and trying to broaden my photography.
Kailee Norris
I am a film photographer interested in capturing the candid moments of the world. I began photography in January of 2023 and fell in love with capturing movement and emotion in her works that, hopefully, lead to viewer reflection. Inspired by local photographer Andrew Velasco, I spent her last year capturing the fast-paced world around me on film, only recently getting into 120mm film. I am motivated by the incredible communities I have been lucky enough to find myself in, such as the Pensacola punk community, skate community, and photography community. The welcoming, chaotic, and yet somehow serene environment exuded by the people of Pensacola drives me to attempt to capture fractions of seconds that encompass this incredible community.
Katie brabham
I am a local film photographer in Pensacola, Florida. This is my art through photos and thoughts. All photos are unedited and shot by me on 35 mm film. My goal is to capture the moments we share together as humans and the beauty that inspires me everyday. Thank you for joining me.
Will rain
There are certain moments in our world that, to either the photographic subject or out-of-frame witnesses, are experienced as if they were a painting or climactic scene from an award-winning film. My goal as a photographer is to capture the subjective experience of that moment, usually a tiny spec of time, but can instead breathe far beyond its original lifespan. Starting out in the Gulf Coast region, I have been capturing events and concerts since 2022. I believe that making art out of powerful scenes from our lives is a way to bring key, often underground or underappreciated, sides of society into a frame.
1st Annual SEEN Photography Exhibition and Julia Gorton Photography Award
On behalf of our juror, Julia Gorton, we are pleased to announce that Andrew Velasco, is the winner of the 1st Annual SEEN Photography Exhibition and Julia Gorton Photography Award, including $1000 Cash Award & Solo Exhibition at 309 Punk Project opening March 9th, 2024. Julia also awarded five photographs an Honorable Mentions to Kai Eckard, Seb Wynn, Natalie Allgyer, Heidi Woods, and Jamie Ross.
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Andrew Velasco is a photographer based in Pensacola, FL who is documenting the revival of the local DIY/Punk music scene that was negatively impacted from the COVID-19 pandemic. Andrew’s early work captures local favorites The Taints, Ego Death, Feed Lemon, and BONES at DIY venues Easy Going Gallery, American Legion 33, and Dixeyland Rocks. In 2022 he was voted runner-up for InWeekly’s Best of the Coast - Best Photographer category.
His body of work spans more than tens of thousands of photos of more than 100 artists/bands and the rise of the Pensacola music scene as well as assisting bands in promoting their music and growing their audiences. His work has been published in online articles and print newspapers, used for album art, and shared across social media. Andrew continues to support and photograph the local scene and works closely with bands Feed Lemon and Ego Death. His work can be found at andrewvelasco.com.
His body of work spans more than tens of thousands of photos of more than 100 artists/bands and the rise of the Pensacola music scene as well as assisting bands in promoting their music and growing their audiences. His work has been published in online articles and print newspapers, used for album art, and shared across social media. Andrew continues to support and photograph the local scene and works closely with bands Feed Lemon and Ego Death. His work can be found at andrewvelasco.com.