08/06/2026
✨ APA SF Member Showcase Recap ✨
We recently gathered to celebrate the launch of Reasons to Be—a solo exhibition and limited-edition book by Aidan Jung, presented at Dictee Gallery in Oakland. The work explores memory, loss, and the stories held within what remains.
Captured on analog film, hand-processed, and developed in Aidan’s own darkroom, Reasons to Be invites us to look closer at what we often move quickly past.
As photographers, many of us can recognize this process within our own archives: the journey of bringing an idea, a collection of images, and a vision into the world.
Aidan shared that the process of creating the exhibition and book mirrored the work itself—learning to get out of our own way, stay committed to the vision, and trust the unfolding. The creative process asks for patience, curiosity, and the willingness to keep moving forward.
Like the process, these photographs hold more than images; they are records of resilience, transformation, and the stories found within moments of change.
The accompanying book was hand-printed and bound in collaboration with independent press For the Birds Trapped in Airports. Produced as a limited edition of 300 copies, it is a testament to craft, devotion, and the power of preserving stories.
Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating art, process, and the creative voices within our community. ✨
