Interview with Curator and Head of the Department of Photography
The Faculty of Photography of IGUMO has created all the necessary conditions for giving comprehensive photographic education and forming students’ professional portfolios. Professional photo studios, original programmes of subjects by renowned photographers, participation in exhibitions, and other opportunities make it possible for students to try all photographic spheres and become demanded professionals.
Vadim Gushchin, famous photo artist and Head of the Department of Photography, told more about the Faculty.
Participation in DOCA Festival
IGUMO hosts the Days of Contemporary Art (DOCA) festival every year. In 2020, it will take place for the 8th time. The festival’s exhibition programme includes photographic art projects by students of the Faculty of Photography that are exhibited on equal footing with those of established artists.
Participation in ‘Soviet Modernism. From: and To:’ Project
‘Soviet Modernism. From: and To:’ is another project with the participation of Photography students. It is focused on popularisation of the heritage of modernist architecture. Jointly with students of the Faculty of Design and Architecture College, Photography students create a guidebook of modernist architectural objects of the Izmaylovo District with photos they made.
The international community supported the project. Students can meet professional photographers from abroad studying modernist and postmodernist architecture. Thus, they communicated with Roberto Conte, Italian architecture photographer, and Jiri Hönes, German journalist.
Portfolio Review with Experts
Students of the Faculty of Photography can receive the objective assessment of their projects from professionals within Portfolio Review held regularly at IGUMO. The project makes it possible to directly communicate with specialists, listen to their opinion about students’ works, and receive recommendations and opportunity to participate in professional large-scale projects.
Creative Meetings with Industry Representatives
Students can meet professionals not only during Portfolio Review but also at weekly workshops delivered by Russian and international artists and photographers. Communication with specialists from different countries makes it possible for Photography students to feel involved in the work of international professional community.
Exhibitions of Students’ Projects at IGUMO
Throughout a year, IGUMO hosts exhibitions of the best students’ photo projects. Such events are organised professionally jointly with lecturers-practitioners serving as curators. The works are selected in the form of a contest during reviews. The reviews take place at the end of every term and make it possible to assess professional growth of students.
Their projects are assessed by the lecturers of the Department and invited experts. They discuss them in the format of live communication and give students advice on how to improve their mastery.
Two Photo Studios and Analogue Photo Lab
The students can fulfil their creative ideas at two IGUMO-based photo studios. One of them is equipped with a cyclorama, a special construction for photo shooting. Both photo studios have comprehensive equipment necessary for making professional photos of different genres.
Students can use photo studios of IGUMO during their spare time as well. Photo sessions organised by students in their extracurricular time is only appreciated by the Institute’s administration.
Thanks to the analogue photo lab equipped with all necessary devices, students can develop a film and create black-and-white photos of large size.
Classroom with iMac Computers to Process Images
The Faculty pays much attention to processing of photos in photo editing programmes. Lecturers with extensive practical experience share their knowledge with students. The lectures take place in classrooms equipped with iMac computers. The computer monitors display colours as accurately as possible, which is extremely important when working with newest software.
Lecturers-Practitioners
Lecturers-practitioners recognised in their field of activity teach all profession-related subjects at the Faculty of Photography. Distinguished specialists of IGUMO also include Irina Chmyreva, PhD in Art History, lead researcher at the Research Institute of Theory and History of Fine Arts of the Russian Academy of Arts, and Andrey Akimov, Editor-in-Chief of Foto&Video magazine. Vadim Gushchin, Head of the Department of Photography, is a well-known photo artist and author of more than 40 personal exhibitions whose works are included in many museum and private collections in Russia and abroad. Mr. Gushchin is a Grand-prix winner of the Silver Camera contest of the Moscow House of Photography.
Every one of those specialists deliver lectures in accordance with their original training programmes presupposing deep immersion into the subject and acquisition of practical skills.
Workshops by Ambassadors of Major Brands
Every term, IGUMO hosts meetings with representatives of such brands as Nikon, Panasonic, Fujifilm, etc. They deliver workshops at the Faculty of Photography and give the students photo equipment to test it.
Theatrical Photo Club
Thanks to the initiative of Tatyana Mordvinova, IGUMO lecturer, theatre photographer, and associate professor of the Department of Photography, students now have an opportunity to enjoy theatre photography regularly.
Within the project, they often visit different performances at theatres to take photos and organise photo sessions at photo studio of IGUMO. Today, the Theatre Photography Club is busy with a project commemorating Mark Zakharov.
Photography College
IGUMO also has a college based on the Faculty of Photography. The College can be entered after the 9th grade. It uses the same educational technologies that are used at the Institute’s Faculty.
Kristina Danilina, Agency for Relevant Communication students’ business incubator
Translated by Nikolay Gavrilov
13.02.2020Ïðîñìîòðîâ: Array
Marina
Volynkina