An exhibit coming to the FRANK Community Gallery is allowing 12 UNC students to showcase their semester-long projects for ARTS 515, an advanced photography class in the Department of Art and Art History.
Through the class, each student is encouraged to explore their own interests. As a result, the exhibit, which features both black and white film as well as digital photography, covers an array of topics ranging from feminism to environmentalism to the concept of home.
Some students, like Ashton Eleazer, chose to take on topics closely related to current events. Her project focuses on the impact of art therapy on Syrian refugees in the Raleigh area. The topic is especially important to Eleazer, who plans to do service work in the local refugee community after she graduates.
“Through this process I think it’s been really cool for (refugees) to be able to verbalize their stories and also have autonomy over what they share,” Eleazer said.
For the senior, the class has been a beneficial way to explore what photography would look like as a career. Students in ARTS 515 focus on showcasing their art in ways that will have the largest impact on their audience.
Eleazer said she's learned about how much goes into a gallery so that viewers can have a better experience.
“We’re not just creating the photographs, but also seeing the behind-the-scenes of how to put on a gallery,” she said.
In addition to developing a final exhibit, professor Gesche Wüerfel said that her students also focus on the more professional side of the photography business. They develop a website that helps to showcase their work, as well as a portfolio that is presented at the end of the semester.
“Part of our class is professional development for the photographers,” Wüerfel said. “It’s important to present yourself to the outside world.”
