Master

Teaching

The master includes five parallel thematic paths of study which are complementary: Visual Culture, History of Photography, Conception and Planning, Iconography, Methods and Media.

The first part of the year, from October to December, is dedicated to the foundation courses, lectures held by one or more teachers designed to allow students to consolidate their basic knowledge in order to better orient themselves in the sector of artistic imagery. The courses are to be held full time from Monday afternoon to Thursday and deal with a series of issues and themes which will be further examined in the second part of the year, from January to June, through block seminars and workshops organised in intensive periods at periodic intervals.

Block seminars, held by one or more teachers on specific themes to be examined, will privilege a dialogical approach based around comparison and discussion. During the workshops held by artists or professionals from the sector, the active and direct participation of students will be required. The workshops in fact include a programme of hands-on application of the key concepts, methods and input provided in the foundation courses and block seminars, thus giving rise to experimental sessions. At the end of each year, an exhibition will be organised in which the works will be displayed in the venue of the ex-Ospedale Sant’Agostino of Modena, alongside those of students from some of the greatest international schools in the field of video and photography.

Over the two years, students will have the chance to develop their research in the labs, as well as making use of a specialist library guided by highly skilled technical staff. Alongside the teaching activities, students will be expected to take part in conferences, artists’ talks and guided tours of events, while opportunities to meet with professionals from the arts system will also be organised. The work of the students will be supervised by experts through tutorials to be held at regular intervals. Furthermore, at the end of the course, students may be involved in some of the activities of the Fondazione Fotografia aimed at the support and valorisation of young artists, including exhibition events and a programme of artists’ residencies organised in collaboration with prestigious international institutions.

Courses

History of photography and video art

The evolution of photographic practices since the 19th century, with special reference to contemporary imagery and the history of video art.

Visual culture

Theory and methods of visual research; media studies; communication studies; sociology and visual anthropology.

Iconography

Elements of art history, the performing arts, architecture, cinema, multimedia.

Planning

An ongoing exercise in all artistic practices linked to the language of imagery during which the student, step by step, pieces together his or her own work.

Artistic practices

History of methods and techniques; elements of analogical and digital photography; shooting and printing practices; video elaboration and experimentation.

Hands-on courses

Short practical courses focusing on technique, in order to provide the key tools for working with photography and video.

Workshop

Specific exercises, deployment of skills acquired and fieldwork with artists and photographers.

Seminars

Thematic and theoretical debates, artists’ talks, portfolio readings and critical discussion groups.

End of year show

Planning and implementation of the two mid-term shows and that at the end of the course together with the drafting of the exhibition catalogue.