By:
On:
In: About

Authored by Jason Houge, 2026/03/06 The following directive is intended to establish guiding principles for the contemporary artist engaged in Compassionate Photography. This Artist Manifesto may be expanded upon and modified to make more suitable for practitioners engaged in other areas of creative process. These establishing guidelines need not be followed in their entirety, but should be considered and weighed against when creating art and images under the banner of Compassionate Photography or Compassionate Art. 1. Lead with compassion, for the story, the subjects, yourself AND the audience. No one should be battered by you, your process or the work you make.* *Except for evilRead More →

By:
On:
In: About
Jason Houge Fine Art - Box Logo 512

I use photography to record a life lived today. I photograph for posterity, to make a historical record that converses with an uncertain future, from the perspective of experiences and interactions I have during my lifetime. I am a visual storyteller working with photography in a social documentary practice I call Compassionate Photography, a deviation from “Concerned Photography,” a form of social documentary first described in the 1960’s and 70’s by legendary photographer, Cornell Capa. My exhibition practice aims to elevate photography beyond the traditional by involving the imagination of the audience. I utilize playful and novel applications of woodworking, painting, printmaking and theatrics toRead More →

By:
On:
In: About
Occupy Chicago; Chicago, IL 2011-2012; © 2020 Jason Houge, All Rights Reserved; VoTP_077

Capital TimesHungry city: Food banks and farmers feed rising numbers in Dane CountyPhotograph by: Jason HougeWritten By: Emily Shetler Capital TimesThe Family Table: A raclette dinner among friends tames a Wisconsin winterPhotographs by: Jason HougeWritten By: Kathy Brozyna Capital TimesHamel Center celebrates opening, bringing “Wisconsin touch after Wisconsin touch” to music schoolPhotographs by: Jason HougeWritten By: Yvonne Kim Eastside NewsNourishing our NeighborsPhotographs by: Jason HougeWritten By: Amie Hoag Capital TimesPerformance artist Kel Mur hosts a fertile ‘Feast’ at Morris RamenPhotographs by: Jason HougeWritten By: Lindsay Christians TonePodcast: Performance art, menstruation, and dinnerPhotographs by: Jason HougeConversation between Scott Gordon with Kel Mur NPR | All ThingsRead More →

By:
On:
In: About
Jason Houge Fine Art - Box Logo 512

Selected Curriculum Vitae EDUCATION 2025 M.F.A. Studio Arts, University of Wisconsin – Madison 2011 B.A., Art and Visual Design, University of Wisconsin – Green Bay GRANTS and Scholarships 2025 Scholarship: Scholarships for Nontraditional, Adult, & Single Parent Students; University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI _____ Grant: Blair H. and Leah D. Temkin Exhibition Award; University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI 2024 Scholarship: Scholarships for Nontraditional, Adult, & Single Parent Students; University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI 2023 Grant: Student Research Grant; University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI _____ Scholarship: Ernie Moll Scholarship; University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI 2021 Grant:Read More →

By:
On:
In: About

Jason Houge – Photographer, Artist, Author and Mentor. Jason Houge (b. 1979; United States) uses photography to witness and document the events and experiences of a life lived today. He is best known for his social documentary photography, environmental portraiture and work with feral cats. His research draws from personal interests and past traumatic experiences to create compelling and haunting photographic stories within a broad range of topics. Early in his career, Houge was drawn to the idea of the “Concerned Photographer,” a genre of photography first described by Cornell Capa. However, in an effort to take this concept further, Houge developed an approach heRead More →