Even in the digital age, with cameras in their pockets and darkrooms in their laptops, photographers tend to thrive when they’re out in the world—especially those just embarking on their practice. For over a decade, the Howard A. Silverstein and Patricia Bleznak Silverstein Photography Studio Abroad program has gathered undergraduate and graduate Penn students for immersive art making around the world, from Berlin to Beijing, Istanbul to Havana. The COVID-19 pandemic put international travel on hold temporarily. But this spring, artists and faculty members Gabriel Martinez and Jamie Diamond led a group of 15 students from the Stuart Weitzman School of Design on a trip to Seoul for two weeks of research, sightseeing, contemplation, and creation.
“It’s a life-changing journey for young artists,” says Martinez, a senior lecturer in the Department of Fine Arts. Over 75 students submitted portfolios and proposals, which Martinez and Diamond, along with a jury of Department of Fine Arts faculty members, whittled down to 15 finalists. “We were looking for a proposal that was well-researched and a portfolio that was strong and developed,” says Diamond, also a senior lecturer in Fine Arts. “But something that feels exploratory and has a lot of potential.”
As the spring semester began, so did the planning. “There’s about eight weeks of intense and rigorous preparation,” says Martinez, “so that students are prepared both technically and conceptually.” Studies with visiting artists, curators, and language instructors helped students develop working vocabularies of Korean culture; extensive demonstration and use of the high-end digital cameras, lenses, and lighting equipment purchased with program funds allows the students to arrive in the country ready to get to work.
“We talk a lot about averting that voyeuristic gaze, and the ethical and moral responsibilities we have being there as visitors,” Diamond says. Students are encouraged to work through these issues in real time with “dailies,” or images quickly captured on their smartphones. “It’s about constantly having a camera with you so that things that excite or distress you, or call your attention, can be photographed,” Martinez explains. “It’s about the joy of liberated yet respectful observation.”
The public exhibition of work made by students this spring is planned for April 20 at the Charles Addams Fine Arts Gallery.
This story is by Jesse Dorris. Read more at Weitzman News.
