From international photo exhibition to printed book

Behind the Book with Polly Gaillard

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May 12, 2026 9:02am EDT

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Photolucida

By Critical Mass

Behind the Book with

Polly Gaillard

For photographers, putting your work into the
world is vulnerable—which is exactly why Critical Mass has become such an important platform.
Led by program director Polly Gaillard, the internationally respected competition connects photographers with jurors, editors, galleries, and career-shaping opportunities (and kicks
off next month!).

In 2025, for the first time, that work was also brought into print through an exhibition catalog, Photolucida. In this interview, Blurb creative ambassador Dan Milnor sat down with Gaillard to talk about Critical Mass, why print still matters, and what it means to create a lasting record of work.

What is Critical Mass?

“Critical Mass is a once-a-year contest, open to any photographer around the world. It is a body
of work—up to ten images that you can enter…
It's important that the artist has an intention and knows what they're doing, or feels like they have
a project that's worthy of being seen in the world.”

Tell us about the catalog you created for the exhibition for
the top 50 artists.

“The catalog was a way to give our artists their work in print and to have
the catalogs at the galleries for other people to see. Something that will be
a legacy.”

Why print in a digital age?

“I remember the times when I've had my work in print, and it was just the most thrilling experience. And I really wanted to give that to them. I also think that the collective—you can see that you're
in good company. The work around you makes your work stronger.”

Read the interview

How it was made