Bryce Risley: Focusing Beyond Balloons
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Less than a year into my ethnographic project with the Albuquerque ballooning community, I had the opportunity to meet with the curatorial team at the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum (aka the Balloon Museum). Nan Masland, Rebecca Prinster, Lynne Newton, Eric Wimmer sat with me in the museum’s board room where we discussed the many facets of The Albuquerque Balloonist ethnography. I showed the team examples of my photographic work from the project. The project and it’s imagery struck a chord with the team and they expressed excitement about the value of it and its usefulness to the museum’s mission.
The team and I had a lot to offer one another with our mutual goals and creative ideas involving ballooning. Further discussion about the long-term objectives and deliverables from my work inspired Nan and her team to propose an exhibition showcasing photography from The Albuquerque Balloonist. This was a major opportunity to promote the project in a space dedicated to celebrating and preserving ballooning! After agreeing to prepare an exhibition, we scheduled additional meetings to discuss next steps and an installation schedule for the show.
I explained my approach to conceptualizing photography for the project to the team. I also shared several principals I adhere to when I take photographs. The most important is try not to photograph balloons. The Albuquerque Balloonist is a people project. If a balloon photobombs one of my images it’s probably incidental. If balloons are present in a photograph they shouldn’t distract from the human subjects in the image or they should depict nuanced balloon themed details. Next, don’t play favorites. The ballooning community has some big deal people in its ranks. Existing publications and media coverage on the community often focuses on the celebrity pilots. This project is intended to represent everyone from the big deal individuals to the more cryptic and overlooked balloonists. Everyone matters because everyone has a unique and personal story to share about their relationship with ballooning. This exhibition is for all balloonists and balloon enthusiasts who have been touched by ballooning in New Mexico.
I presented the curators with over 80 photos taken for the project. After the team reviewed the photography, Rebecca Prinster devised five themes we’d use to organize the photos for display: “Intergenerational Connections”, “The Trappings of Ballooning”, “Illuminating the Imagination”, “Looking Closer, Seeing Differently”, and “Out in the Community.” We all met in the board room again and narrowed the options down to 30 images, six in each category. We had our photos selected and organized, but there was a minor detail needing to be address before moving forward. Where was I going to get the money to produce all of this artwork for the show?!
I was going to need a lot of financial support to bring this exhibition together. I’d hoped some of my friends and peers in the ballooning community would see the value in this community focused exhibition and be open to making donations. Some did, including David Eichhorn with Aerco Balloon Port, and Jesse Naylor with TBC General Contracting. Because of the generosity of a handful of very supportive balloonists, I raised enough to start printing the photos for the show.
I was still short on reaching my goal to cover the cost of 30 museum quality frames to display the photography. This would cost a pretty penny and I needed a title sponsor to get me across the finish line. Unbeknownst to me at the time, my title sponsor would not be a balloonist, but a restaurateur managing one of the city’s most beloved institutions, the Frontier Restaurant and Golden Pride.
I first met Larry and Dorothy Rainosek while wandering about Balloon Fiesta Park during a balloon glow event at 50th annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (AIBF). While spectating a special shapes glow with family one evening, I took my eyes off the balloons and noticed Larry and Dorothy taking in the spectacle not far from me. I’d recognized them from photos and news reels I’d seen featuring their businesses. I approached and introduced myself. After some small talk, I mentioned The Albuquerque Balloonist project. It was my intention to interview local business owners to learn how tourism from AIBF influenced their revenue. After a brief and pleasant exchange, we shared contact info. Months later, we met at the Frontier where I shared details about my work and asked for their support with the museum exhibition. Without hesitating, they stepped up in a big way!
With my goal reached and all the materials for the show purchased, the final step was determining a title. There was a back and forth with Nan and Rebecca as we brainstormed options. I had proposed several ideas that sounded cool but were admittedly a mouthful. “Long titles can be difficult and might lose some of our visitors,” Nan suggested. “We strive for punchy, memorable titles!” Rebecca, Lynne, and Nan came back with several new suggestions, a couple of which narrowed it down: “Bryce Risley: Field of Focus, Bryce Risley: Capturing Balloonist Culture, Bryce Risley: Beyond Balloons.” I wanted something that hinted at the photographic medium while communicating that this show was not explicitly about balloons. “I like one of your proposed titles,” I replied to the team. “I’m wondering if we might compromise at, Bryce Risley: Focusing Beyond Balloons?” Nan consulted with her team and gave the greenlight. “We all approve of your new proposed title. Onward we go!” And that’s how an exhibition title is born!
This intimate photography exhibition focuses your attention on community, family, relationships, individual experiences, and the culture generated by balloonists in New Mexico.
Bryce Risley: Focusing Beyond Balloons, is the museum’s first ethnographic and documentary photography show!
The state-of-the-art museum opened in 2005 and is owned and operated by the City of Albuquerque. Located on the southeast end of Balloon Fiesta Park, the two-story high bay building’s façade imitates an inflating balloon. Its many exhibits emphasize and celebrate the history, science, art, and culture of ballooning. It attracts visitors from all over the world and serves as a unique field trip destination for school children both from and outside of Albuquerque.
Bryce Risley: Focusing Beyond Balloons is showing at the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum! Rally your family and friends and check it out!
The soft-opening of Bryce Risley: Focusing Beyond Balloons is May 30th!
There will be an organized social affair to properly celebrate the exhibitions opening on July 22nd, 5 - 7 PM. Please join me at the Balloon Museum that evening where I’ll be thanking the talented curatorial team that made this opportunity a reality, along with my sponsors and friends!
I’D LIKE TO THANK MY SPONSORS FOR MAKING THIS EXHIBITION POSSIBLE!
Larry and Dorothy Rainosek with Frontier Restaurant and Golden Pride, David Eichhorn with Aerco Balloon Port, Jesse Naylor with TBC General Contracting, and a SPECIAL THANKS to Tom Fisher and Diana Schroen, Michael and Ashley Kerns, Estevan Maestas, and Terri Hanoumis. Without their support, this show would not have been possible!
My work on The Albuquerque Balloonist project is ongoing and in real need of your support. If you’re able, please make a donation to the project today. Your name will be added to the Donor Wall and included in the ‘Special Thanks’ section of the resulting book publications. Thank you for your support!