A Look Inside Photography Graduation Exhibits During Covid
Untitled #11, Flaca Escopeta, 2021 © Florencia Villa
Text by Demetra Nikolakakis
Copy Editer: Hillary Mitchell
Though many postsecondary photography programs culminate in thesis exhibitions, public health restrictions and safety measures have complicated things for the class of 2021. In response, many schools have pivoted towards digital or hybrid exhibitions, allowing students to showcase their work (and reach wider audiences) without putting staff or visitors at risk.
Screenshot of Unbound, 2021 © BFA Photography, Parsons School of Design
Parsons School of Design’s internationally renowned BFA Photography program is hosting a number of virtual events to feature the class of 2021’s work. In addition to an ongoing virtual Thesis Exhibition which showcases graduates’ portfolios, the program is hosting UNBOUND, a virtual reality exhibition accompanied by a series of panels and Instagram takeovers. Within the UNBOUND exhibition, viewers can walk amongst walls with artwork and are able to speak to the people whose avatars are close to theirs, mimicking the in-person gallery experience as closely as possible.
El Vaivén, 2021 © Alanis Santiago-Rodriguez
Amongst the myriad of talented graduates, several truly stand out. One such photographer is Alanis Santiago-Rodriguez, who examines the desire to return to one’s homeland. Imbued with a quiet romanticism, many of the photographs seem hazy or dreamlike, as if depicting distant memories that can no longer be fully recalled. They fill viewers with nostalgia for a place they may have never known, a testament to Santiago-Rodriguez’s talent.
Untitled #12, Flaca Escopeta, 2021 © Florencia Villa
Parsons’ graduation exhibition also includes “Flaca Escopeta”, a series by graduate Florencia Villa that criticises the patriarchy within Argentinian culture. Bodies are dismembered, missing heads furthering implications of objectification. Accompanied by images of household objects, the series is clear in its critique of sexism, the relatively minimal nature of the images alluring to viewers’ eyes, further driving home the pervasiveness of the discrimination.
Anonymous War Crimes Investigator, Ukraine: Losing Homeland, 2021 © Alina Patrick
Similarly to Parsons, NYU is hosting multiple events for graduates of its photography BFA program. Running through August 20, an overarching online exhibition showcases the work of all graduates. Additionally, the school organized three smaller, in-person exhibitions throughout 2021: SHOW ONE, which ran from January 28 through March 1; SHOW TWO, which ran from March 4 through April 5; and SHOW THREE, which ran from April 8 through May 24. Each of the smaller shows shined a light on 9-11 particularly talented graduates, allowing them a chance to exhibit their work in-person while minimizing the risks associated with larger-scale crowds.
Individual 12, Ukraine: Losing Homeland, 2021 © Alina Patrick
Among the graduates in SHOW THREE is Alina Patrick, who examines the intersections between identity, shifting borders, and war. Patrick captures the lives and stories of those impacted by the Russian/Ukraine war, noting in a caption that many were displaced by the conflict and feel as though they can never truly return home. Portraits are accompanied by maps, subjects’ handwritten notes, and photos of Ukraine that feel nostalgic, yet are accompanied by an inexplicable sense of loss. Though the topic is heavy, the photos forge a connection with viewers, allowing them to share in subjects’ sorrow.
69 Delaware, Buffalo. c. 1928, 2021 © Noa Eden
Noa Eden’s elegant and subtly glamorous series “Re-Imagining the Past II” combines feminism with art deco, reimagining female figures within the iconic aesthetic while subverting stereotypes such as the docile woman or femme fatale. The women in Eden’s work are polished, refined, and beautiful, exuding luxury even when photographed while walking down the streets.
Screenshot of Virtual Gallery Room C, 2021 © BFA Photography & Video, School of Visual Arts
Also easing accessibility concerns, SVA is hosting a series of six virtual gallery rooms for graduates of its photography BFA program. Each gallery showcases the work of a handful of students, allowing attendees to truly enjoy each photograph.
A Blue Ball, 2021 © Joomin Oh
Joomin Oh’s photographs are deeply familiar and nostalgic, a refreshing glimpse of daily life. Though the subjects are somewhat mundane – a pile of coffee grounds, a large ball on a chair – viewing the images feels oddly reminiscent, as though remembering a distant childhood memory. The soft blur mimics the haziness of the details, and viewers are overcome with a compulsion to explore more of Oh’s dream-like world.
Up: Warning Signs 1, 2021 © Alessandra bonizzi; Down: Warning Signs 2, 2021 © Alessandra bonizzi
Alessandra Bonizzi’s photographs examine humans’ dismissal of nature while also featuring a striking color palette. Leafy plants glow a brilliant red, illuminating the woman nearby and acting as an otherworldly commentary on the unsustainable way in which we treat the environment. Bonizzi expertly combines attention-grabbing beauty with hypnotizing message, a sign of great things to come in future work.
Despite the challenges of the past year, Parsons, NYU, and SVA’s thesis exhibitions showcase creative planning and, of course, an incredible amount of talent. Musée Magazine wishes the graduating students all the best, we can’t wait to see what they do in the future!
