Kathryn Cook is a documentary photographer whose current work focuses on memory and collective consciousness in post-genocidal society. Her projects in Turkey, the Middle East, and Rwanda reflect the historic character that developed through a peoples’ struggle to recover their lives, and the impact it has on a society’s ability to move forward. Her work confronts the post-war devastation of neglect and isolation and how it transforms both the people and the land they inhabited.
Kathryn (b.1979) grew up in New Mexico and graduated with a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Colorado at Boulder in December 2001.
Her professional career began with the Associated Press in Panama and after in Latin America where she documented the campaign trail and political base of Evo Morales, Bolivia’s first indigenous president. In September 2006 she moved to Istanbul, Turkey where she initiated a long-term project on the memory of the disputed Armenian genocide.
In 2007 Kathryn was selected in as one of Photo District News (PDN) 30 Emerging Photographers to Watch,in 2008 she wan The Aftermath Project grant, the Inge Morath Award and the Enzo Baldoni Award, in 2009 the Enzo Baldoni Award with a collective project of the Prospekt agency group.
In 2011 she is recipient of Marseilles-Provence-2013 (European Union-initiated project) artist residency, to continue her long-term work “Memory of Trees”.
Kathryn works were exhibited at Noorderlicht Festival, “Warzone” group exhibition; Rencontres d’Arles, “La Nuit de l’Année” (Night of the Year); Reportage Atri Festival, Atri, Italy; Lumix Photo Festival, Hannover, Germany; Look3 Festival of the Photograph; San Fedele Gallery, Milan, Italy; Save L’Aquila Project, Santa Monica, CA, USA; Sheehan Gallery at Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA; The Gage Gallery, Chicago.
In 2011 she was Participant in the Plat(t)form Fotomuseum Winterthur, Zurich, Switzerland.
Her work has appeared in publications including The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, TIME, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, Stern, and “D” La Repubblica (Italy), Zoom, Io Donna (Italy).
Kathryn is based in Rome.
EARTHQUAKE ABRUZZO
By Kathryn Cook, Michele Palazzi, Samuele Pellecchia, Cristina Vatielli. L’ Aquila, Italy. April 2009. On 6th April 2009 a massive earthquake about 6 on Richter Scale strikes Italy, leaving 293 deads, disappeared people, hundreds of injured persons and about 70,000 people … Continue reading
THEY ONCE WERE CHILDREN
by Kathryn Cook. Rwanda. 2008. Known to the world as the Rwandan Genocide, the slaughter of some 800,000 Tutsis almost 15 years ago has left an entire generation of orphans tormented by their memories of the country’s horrifying blood let. … Continue reading
MEMORY OF TREES
by Kathryn Cook. Turkey and the Armenian Genocide. 2007. USA Congress recognizes the Armenian Genocide. Turkey recalls the ambassador from the States. There are few instances where the past returns of its own accord and is judged anew. There are … Continue reading
WOMEN OF PKK GUERRILLA
by Kathryn Cook. Diyarbakir, Turkey. May 2007. The PKK, the Kurdistan Workers Party, is outlawed in Turkey and labelled a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. It has become very active again in the last … Continue reading
COMPAÑERO
by Kathryn Cook. Bolivia. 2006. The shadow of an airplane is seen passing over farm land on Bolivia’s high plains. Newly elected President Evo Morales, the first indigenous president in Bolivia, was born on the altiplano where his family herded … Continue reading
Multimedia
03:32 AM 6.3 RICHTER – MULTIMEDIA
by Kathryn Cook, Emanuele Cremaschi, Francesca Hanne Mancini, Michele Palazzi, Samuele Pellecchia, Cristina Vatielli. On 6th April 2009 a massive earthquake about 6 on Richter Scale strikes Italy, leaving 293 deads, disappeared people, hundreds of injured persons and about 70,000 people … Continue reading