KRIS DAVIDSON | CV
b., 1974 Gothenburg, Sweden
+ 1.415.290.6638
kris@krisdavidson.com
www.krisdavidson.com
www.americanimagination.com
A native of Sweden, Kris Davidson spent the first half of her childhood in the Scandinavian Arctic and the second half in Texas. After 15 years as an award-winning travel photographer, Kris has trained her attention to the nuanced question of what it means to become and be an American, with an eye to the role of reconstructive memory as it gives shape to individual identity in a larger American cultural landscape. As an artist, she also uses mixed media elements on photographic prints in an ongoing exploration of the fluid intersection of perceived truth, memory and imagination.
EDUCATION
2002 MFA, Photography
Brooks Institute of Photography |Santa Barbara, CA
Thesis: A Study of the New Aesthetic in Photojournalism and Documentary Still Photography in the United States
1997 BA, Communications Arts and Spanish (Magna Cum Laude)
Loyola University of New Orleans, LA
SEMINARS + ONGOING STUDY
2021 The Body As Instrument and Image
Two-month course with Cassils
The Alternative Art School | Philadelphia, PA
2020 Seeing with Machines
Two-week course with Trevor Paglen
The Alternative Art School | Philadelphia, PA
2020 All the World's A Stage: Intro to Social Art
Two-month course with Nato Thompson
The Alternative Art School | Philadelphia, PA
2020 Alternative Art History
Two-month course with Gridthiya Gaweewong
The Alternative Art School | Philadelphia, PA
SELECT CLIENTS | Editorial
National Geographic Society
Lonely Planet
AFAR
Travesias Magazine
Travel + Leisure
Sierra Magazine
Discovery Channel
BBC Worldwide
SELECT CLIENTS | Commercial
Kimpton Hotels + Restaurants
BODE
SurveyMonkey
MTV Networks
FINE Design
Trumpet Group
University of California
Semester At Sea / Institute for Shipboard Education
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Mayway Corporation
Ford Motor Company
EXHIBITIONS
2019 LightSource SF | San Francisco, CA
Solo show | Exhibited "The Roswell UFO Incident" from The American Imagination
2019 Atelier Gallery | San Francisco, CA
Group show | Exhibited Miguel from Memory Portraits
2019 El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe | Santa Fe, NM
Group Show | Exhibited American Macondo
2009 RIKI | Berkeley, CA
Solo show | Exhibited a selection from Sacred Spaces and Two Americas
2007 Samespace Gallery | Berkeley, CA
Group Show, Spaces In Conflict | Exhibited a selection from Sacred Spaces
2005 Effections | San Francisco, CA
Group Show | Exhibited a selection from Sacred Spaces
2004 Effections | San Francisco, CA
Group Show | Exhibited a selection from Sacred Spaces
2003 San Francisco Open Studios | San Francisco, CA
Group Show | Exhibited a preview selection from Sacred Spaces
2002 B Street Billiards | San Mateo, CA
Solo Show | Exhibited a selection from The Equilibrium Portraits
2002 The Lift Gallery | San Francisco, CA
Group Show | Exhibited a selection from The Equilibrium Portraits
2001 Well Hung Gallery | San Francisco, CA
Group Show | Exhibited a selection from The Equilibrium Portraits
2000 Hollis Street Project: Click! | Berkeley, CA
Group Show | Exhibited a selection from The Equilibrium Portraits
1998 Alternative Space Gallery | New Orleans, LA
Group Show | Exhibited a selection from The Holga Series
1995 Loyola University, Mission Hall | New Orleans, LA
Solo Show | Exhibited a selection from Nicaragua
HONORS + AWARDS + RECOGNITION
2020 Lange-Taylor Prize finalist for The American Imagination
2016 CENTER Santa Fe Review | Selected as participant
2013 CENTER Santa Fe Review | Selected as participant
2011 PDN Magazine | Recognized in “Best Photography of the Year” feature
2010 PDN Magazine | Recognized for travel photography in “World In Focus” feature
2009 International Photography Awards | Four honorable mentions
2007 Kala Art Institute Board Prize finalist
2005 International Photography Awards | Six honorable mentions
2004 Lange-Taylor Prize finalist for collaborative documentary about paramedics in the Bay Area
1998 American Photo Magazine | Photo annual issue, recognition for digital illustration
1997 Loyola University | Outstanding Photojournalism Student of the Year
SELECT INTERVIEWS + PRESS
2020 Kristina Lukacova, “Nomad Times: Interview with Kris Davidson,” Online interview posted on http://times.coworkbooking.com/ (July 3)
2014 Warwick, Helen, “National Geographic Traveller: Interview with Kris Davidson,”World Photography Organisation. Online interview posted on www.worldphoto.org (November 26)
2014 Castro-Rodriguez, Laura. “The Southern Gardens,” Langly Field Notes. Online interview posted on www.langly.co (October 11)
2014 Suzanne Sease, “Art Producers Speak: Kris Davidson,” Interview on A Photo Editor. Online interview posted on www.aphotoeditor.com (June 2014)
2013 Knorovsky, Katie, “Contributors: Kris Davidson,” National Geographic Traveler (October 2013)
2011 Moutenot J, Ewing J, Moakley P et al. “PDN Photo Annual 2011,” PDN Magazine (June 2011)
2010 Meyers, Hastings S, Henderson H et al. “World in Focus,” PDN Magazine (February 2010)
2007 Reyhan Harmanci, “Spatial relations — ‘Spaces in Conflict’ — Oakland gallery’s inaugural show tackles issues of modern living,” San Francisco Chronicle (January 18, 2007)
1998 David Schonauer, “Let the Contest Begin” American Photo (November / December 1998)
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2007—Present: Academy of Art University (San Francisco, CA)
Course Author + Instructor
Developed and authored several online courses including documentary photography (MFA-level), Photo Essay (BFA-level) and People Photography (BFA-level).
2010—2016: National Geographic Society (Washington, DC)
Workshop Instructor
Photography instructor for various National Geographic Expeditions workshops throughout the United States (San Francisco, New Orleans, Tucson, Seattle).
2007 + 2010: Semester At Sea (Charlottesville, VA)
Photographer + Mentor
Photography mentor / instructor to college aboard the MV Explorer; worked with students to produce multimedia presentations and a yearbook for the voyages.
2004: First Exposures (San Francisco, CA)
Photography Mentor
Mentor/photography instructor for a non-profit program benefiting inner-city children.
LECTURES + PRESENTATIONS
2019 College of Charleston
Presented work from various National Geographic assignments.
2018 Kalamazoo College
Career Summit speaker and panelist.
2017 National Geographic Museum
Presented work from New Orleans and Louisiana wetlands as a part of a National Geographic Live event.
2017 Dialysis Access Synergy in Singapore
Photography lecture: “How Do You Want To Live Your Life?”
2008 Earlham College
Presented Two Americas and American Mestizaje with Professor Brian Owensby from The University of Virginia.
1996 Contemporary Arts Center of New Orleans, LA
Presented a paper about the documentary genre as an art form.
COLLECTIONS
Di Rosa Art and Nature Preserve Collection | Napa, CA
Various private collections | San Francisco, CA
Private collection | Dallas, TX
Private collection | Boulder, CO
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Served as a committee member of the 2019 American Red Cross fundraiser gala event in San Francisco. Created a photography experience package that raised $16,000 for disaster relief in the Bay Area.
LANGUAGES
Swedish and Spanish