First-of-Its-Kind International Photography Exhibition Comes to Minneapolis July 10-20 MINNEAPOLIS, June 11
MINNEAPOLIS, June 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Red Bull Illume -- a spectacular
international action and adventure sports photography exhibition -- will
visit Minneapolis' art mecca this July offering residents and visitors alike a
spectacular "illumination" of indescribable proportions.
On July 10-20, a breathtaking spectacle of 25 eight-foot glass and metal
cubes will light up Minneapolis' Stone Arch Bridge, overlooking the
Mississippi River, each evening from dusk until midnight to reveal the most
dramatic compilation of action and adventure sports imagery ever assembled.
During the day, the mirrored cubes will offer reflective views of the city's
urban surroundings, which include renowned art institutions such as The Walker
Art Center, The Guthrie, The Weisman, and The Minneapolis Institute of Art.
Named the 'Artiest City West of the Mississippi' by USA Today, Minneapolis
boasts high culture, progressive thinking and art persuasion which made it an
appropriate next stop for the Red Bull Illume Exhibit Tour.
About Red Bull Illume
Red Bull Illume began as a quest to find the 50 best raw moments in action
and adventure sports. Photography experts from around the world served as
contest judges and hand-selected 50 images from the 7,200 submissions received
from photographers in over 90 countries. These astonishing images now
comprise the Red Bull Illume Exhibit Tour. In partnership with premium camera
bag manufacturer Lowepro, the Illume exhibition is now touring extraordinary
destinations around the country and world.
The judging panel was made up of tough critics -- photo editors and photo
journalists from photography, action sports and lifestyle magazines from
around the world. These judges reviewed the thousands of entries to select the
winning images -- including five finalist images in 10 image categories --
with an eye toward celebrating and honoring the men and women behind the lens
who braved the planet's harshest terrain in order to capture athletic grit and
triumph.
"Red Bull Illume is unique because we have never had a competition like
this before in this genre," said Illume participating photographer Brian
Nevins. "We've watched rock 'n' roll, fashion and other types of photography
achieve recognition over the years. This is the first time we can feel special
about what we do as extreme sports photographers and it's been an honor to be
a part of Illume."
Red Bull Illume spotlights the top international photographers who have
triumphed in the eyes of experts for their art, spirit, grit and edgy
perfection, and the exhibition is a tribute to their creativity and raw skill.
The top 10 category winners include:
Categories Category Winners
Lifestyle Desre Pickers - South Africa
SequenceDavid Blazek - Czech Republic
Close-UpDawn Kish - Flagstaff, Ariz.
Energy Thomas Stockli - Switzerland
Spirit Brian Bielmann - Haleiwa, Hawaii
Playground Wojtek Antonow - Poland
Wings Fred Mortagne - France
New Creativity Jimmy Wilson - Melbourne Beach, Fla.
ExperimentalTim McKenna - Australia
IlluminationGian Paul Lozza - Switzerland
Fred Mortagne of France achieved the honor of Red Bull Illume Image of the
Year for his stylized skateboarding image that has a composition beyond
expression and wowed judges.
The larger-than-life photos took Aspen, Colo., by storm, made waves in
Huntington Beach, Calif., lit up the streets of downtown Portland, Ore. and
survived a tornado at Atlanta's historic Centennial Olympic Park. They'll now
dazzle crowds in Minneapolis on the iconic Stone Arch Bridge located in the
city's art and cultural hub.
Minneapolis visitors will also get the chance to honor their favorite Red
Bull Illume images by voting for the People's Choice Award. The voting began
at the first Red Bull Illume tour stop in Aspen in Winter 2007, and it has
continued throughout the tour. People are encouraged to cast a vote for their
favorite action and adventure sports image at the voting kiosks at the
exhibition, online at www.redbullillume.com, or by text message.
Following the Twin Cities exhibition, the exhibit will travel to more
select cities in the United States before heading overseas in 2009. For
further details on Red Bull Illume and for updates on the worldwide tour,
please visit www.redbullillume.com. For information on Lowepro, the official
gear sponsor of the Red Bull Illume Exhibit Tour and worldwide leading
provider of protective cases and backpacks for imaging and technology products,
visit www.lowepro.com.
For additional, complimentary images, please visit
http://www.redbull-photofiles.com.
About Lowepro
Lowepro founder Greg Lowe established the company's reputation for quality
and innovative design in 1967 when he created the world's first internal-frame
backpack. More than 40 years later, Lowepro is continuing to revolutionize the
industry with pioneering design and superior quality with the most extensive
line of protective carrying solutions for photographic and electronic
equipment including products for cameras, camcorders, notebook computers,
imaging accessories and portable consumer electronics. Lowepro products are
distributed in more than 100 countries around the world.
SOURCE Red Bull Illume
