June 5 - 28, 2014

The Somerville Museum participated in the 2nd annual Somerville Toy Camera Festival with an exhibition of toy camera photography created by local youth. In collaboration with Parts and Crafts collective maker space, the Museum sponsored a special urban photography workshop on May 3rd, starting with a crash course on the history of photography in the urban environment and proceeding to a boots-on-the ground foray into the storefronts and authentic gritty streetscapes along Union Square's Somerville Avenue. The real Somerville was finally located in the lens of low tech digital keychain cameras.

In collaboration with the Parts and Crafts Collective maker space, the Somerville Museum hosted a workshop with local youth on toy camera photography, encouraging them to take photos of their urban environment with low-tech digital keychain cameras. The results of their exploration were on display during the festival.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this,” said Michael O’Connor, Director of exhibitions at the Somerville Museum. “It is a fantastic way to engage our young community creatively and through a medium unlike what they are accustomed to. And for their work to be on display during such a unique festival is thrilling.”

Reception: Saturday, June 7, 2-5 pm
Gallery Hours: Thursday, 2-7 pm; Friday, 2-5 pm; Saturday, 12-5 pm

Since 2013, the Somerville Toy Camera Festival has celebrated the quirky and creative results that can happen when photographers are forced to loosen their controls, submit to the light and embrace the accidental. Each year since, the Festival has brought a wide range of toy camera photography by US and international artists together in simultaneous shows at galleries throughout the city and featured related programming including artist talks/panel discussions, workshops, social events, and a darkroom day.