Prospectus

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Workshop II: ‘Visual Presentation: Editorial and Curatorial Training Programme (ECTP 2)

Course
2011-2012

Admission requirements

Only for studens of the masters’ programme in Film and Photographic Studies. Students can only enroll in ECTP 2 upon passing their first semester ECTP 1 module. who took part in Workshop I.

Description

The Editorial and Curatorial Training Programme (ECTP) is divided into two modules, covering the full 1st semester 1 (5 ECTS) and half of semester 2 (5 ECTS). Both modules start with workshops conducted by Susan Meiselas. Workshop II a collaborative workshop (2 ECTS).
In Workshop II students prepare a concept and model for a multi-vocal project based on photographic documentation, either originated or archival. Cross discipline thinking, interacting with institutions and colleagues (from both inside as well as outside photographic practice and/or theory) and engagement with the subject is a major focus in the workshop. Partners should be equal stakeholders in the process that shapes the final form of the project. Students in this manner become acquainted with the practice of ‘collaboration’ with regard to content creation in photography based projects.

ECTP is focusing on the contemporary practice of editors, curators and imagemakers involved in creating documentary projects for multiple platforms.

ECTP seminars and practicum
During Meet the photographers (a) students will be confronted with the work of contemporary photographers with a documentary background. What does their practice look like: how do they work, what are their objectives, what type of output do they generate and for whom, what are their expectations of the platforms their work can be presented on: press, independent book productions, exhibitions, audiovisuals, the web?
Meet the curators (b) starts with a visit to a festival or museum. Main points of interest: the choices made by this particular institution regarding the functions of the museum (conservation, presentation, education, research). The programme will particularly focus on the museum’s policy as far as exhibitions are concerned. Students are confronted with the curator’s responsibility of getting involved with the work of imagemakers. In what ways can a curator interfere with the work of an artist, what are the boundaries of this engagement.
Meet the designers © provides insight into the role of designers with regard to curatorial practice. When to consult/involve a designer in a project, how to brief a graphic/exhibition/interactive media expert? What to expect, how to collaborate, who is responsible for what? (editing, narrative structure, information provided, contextualization, etc)
Meet the funders (d) represents the final stage of the programme: developing a project that will have to be able to function independently as well as (partly) integrated on multiple platforms (book next to exhibition next to web, etc). The proposal, requires writing an brochure describing concept, audience, budget with coverage as well as sketching/developing visual models for its components. This part starts with (further) discussing the role of the curator and/or curator, aspects of fundraising for the non-profit sector, budgeting, collaboration models, etc.

Elements c and d are part of semester 2 (3 ECTS).

Course objectives

ECTP workshops
Furtherance of professional training and scientific positioning in dialogue with artistic practice. In addition, an objective of the workshop is to provide preparation as a professional photographer and/or visual historian with emphasis on stimulating interdisciplinary thinking, particularly with regard to visual anthropology, media studies, visual culture, journalism and history. The results of the workshop may evolve into the elective Collaborative Project, or can be used as step up to the final project for ECTP. The content may be related to an internship or be art of pre-thesis work.

ECTP seminars and practicum
Acquiring insight into: – the current practice of museum curators, exhibition makers, and/or producers (concept development, financial support, fundraising, collaboration with creative and institutional partners); – the functioning of the interconnected presentation platforms relevant for this practice: exhibitions, internet, print (books, catalogues), film, tablet media (iPad), augmented reality and educational programmes.
Students will be able to develop content for, budget and approach funders for a coherent presentation that utilises multiple platforms.

Timetable

Second term. Starting February 6th (five days in total).

Mode of instruction

Group guidance and individual supervision;

ECTP workshops
Instructional group meetings and individual consultations. The Collaborative project is intended to serve as preparation for a Visual Thesis.

ECTP seminars and practicum
Group meetings.

Assessment method

Two and one man teams develop two platforms and sketch one (or more) others, three man teams (or two man teams continuing their collaborative workshop project) develop three platforms (and may sketch one (or more) others).

All presentations to be presented/discussed verbally and to be handed in as PDFs or Powerpoint/Keynote files, combining image and text (where appropriate).

Students will be graded for their presentations that will have to be presented in oral or written form (PDF, PPT), completed by a and/or physical or electronic object (book, website) or (representation of an) installation. Collective assignments can be graded with pass/fail (with grades as reference), individual assignments will always be graded.

The evaluation of ECTP 2 is concluded with the presentation of a project for which the Mondriaan Foundation’s grant conditions and procedures will be taken as the guidelines. The course requirements are fulfilled by a presentation of the project (both orally and in written form), comprised of a comprehensive description of the project, worked out to include multiple presentation platforms (3 ECTS, production in teams of 2 or 3 students, exam at the end of the first block of the 2nd semester).
The final application needs to consist of:
1. fundraising brochure providing insight into: overall concept, detailed projection of content onto different platforms (including basic flow charts, sketches for book dummies, floor plan for exhibition, minimum number of illustrations)
2. extended project budget (providing insight into cost structure, cost per platform, funding)
3. application form Mondriaan Foundation + Mondriaan budget sheet (downloadable from Mondriaan website).

All consultation with the docents takes place during the programmed contact hours. ECTP workshops, seminars and practicum

Final grades per semester are based on their relative ECTS weight.

Blackboard

Reading list

ECTP workshops – Graeme Sullivan, Art Practice as Research, London 2005. – Jay Ruby, Sharing The Power – A multivocal Documentary, in: {Perpektief Magazine No. 41, May 1991

ECTP seminars, practicum – Henk van Os, Slechts drie maanden de Nachtwacht. De hamster, de exhibitionist, de demonstrator, de smaakbevestiger en de vertoner: een typologie van de makers van tentoonstellingen voor musea, in: De Groene Amsterdammer, November 26, 2004 >> in Dutch ONLY. – Bas Vroege, The future of photography – the future looks bright / the future looks cumbersome, in: Roberta Valtorta (ed.), È contemporanea la fotografia? Milan: Museo di Fotografia Contemporanea, 2004

Recommended reading – Thierry de Duve, Art In The Face Of Radical Evil, in: October 125, Summer 2008, pp. 3–23. – Christopher Phillips, The Judgement Seat of Photography, October 22, Autumn 1982, pp. 27-63 – Roland Barthes, The Great Family Of Man, in: Mythologies, 1957 – Mary Anne Staniszewski, The power of display. A history of exhibition installations at the Museum of Modern Art, Cambridge: MIT Press, 1998. (Chapters 1, 2 & 4).

Recommended readings / media: – George Legrady, An Anecdoted Archive of the Cold War. San Francisco:
HyperReal Media Productions, 1994. (CD-ROM) – Pedro Meyer, I Photograph to Remember. Santa Monica: Voyager, 1991. (CD-ROM) – Ad van Denderen & Boris Gerrets, Go No Go. Edam: Paradox, 2003.
(DVD, book, website) – Andy Cameron [et al.], AntiRom. Westminster: University of Westminster 1994. (CD-ROM) – Martin Parr & Gerry Badger, The Photo Book. A History (Volume 1).
London: Phaidon Press, 2004.

Registration

Via uSis.

Contact information

Bas Vroege
Susan Meiselas

Remarks