Robin Dahlberg (Documentary Practice & Visual Journalism '12) is set to release her photo book Breaking Point, on May 14, at Soho Photo Gallery in New York.The photo book was published by German publisher Kehrer Verlag, and is also scheduled for release in Europe in April. 

Breaking Point examines one of the least visible yet most consequential stages of the criminal justice process: police interrogation. Created in close collaboration with six exonerees, the project explores how coercive, guilt-presumptive interrogation practices can lead innocent people to confess to crimes they did not commit.

Robin is a visual artist and arts educator based in New York City whose photographic practice grew out of her earlier career as a civil rights lawyer, exploring issues of identity, place, and resilience.

"The book provides an in-depth examination of the phenomenon of false confessions through the stories of six exonerees who were wrongfully imprisoned after having falsely confessed. It invites us to reevaluate our assumptions about guilt, truth, and authority."

 

The book release will take place at Soho Photo Gallery, 539 W 23rd St, New York on May 14 at 6:30 PM.

Get your copy of Breaking Point

Image: Kehrer Verlag 

Luke Oppenheimer (Documentary Practice & Visual Journalism ‘17) launched his photo book Ottuk on May 1 at Constellation. The evening comprised a talk by the artist and his publishers, Aliens in Residence, followed by a screening of a short film shot by Byron Pace. 

In the winter of 2021, Oppenheimer travelled to the Tien Shan mountains of Central Kyrgyzstan for one month to cover a story about Ottuk, a small village of shepherds suffering from severe predation on livestock by a growing population of wolves. Every year wolves eat up to one hundred horses and countless sheep from the village. In the frigid winter months the men of the village venture into the surrounding mountains to hunt the wolves and mitigate their losses. What started out as a month long trip turned into a five-year-long project about the people of Ottuk, as he came to be accepted as a member of the village and adopted by one of the families. 

Oppenheimer said: "Since graduating ICP in 2017, it has been my dream to make photo books. Ottuk is my first book. From beginning the project in early 2021 to the release this month, it took me five years. I suppose for five years this book has been my main goal in life. This journey taught me the importance of patience, persistence and belief in the process. The book and the project itself has a life of its own now that it’s been released out into the world. I’m happy for the body of work as if it were a child I’m seeing off to university."

Ottuk is a deep dive into the dreams, hardships, joys, and sorrows of the villagers, their ancient way of life, and the landscape that shaped them. The book has been featured in The Guardian and Newsweek Japan.

All Images: Luke Oppenheimer