The (Im)Personal Landscape

About

In the summer of 2016, the International Limited-Residency Photography MFA Program at Hartford Art School / University of Hartford (USA) is going to graduate its fifth cohort. To celebrate this landmark achievement, a series of exhibitions with graduate work is going to be organized in multiple locations across the globe. The first one is going to be held in Berlin, Germany at exp12 gallery. The second exhibition, scheduled for São Paulo, Brazil, is in preparation.

Each exhibition is going to center on a larger theme, the Berlin one being The (Im)Personal Landscape. The natural world has long served as either inspiration or a theme for artists. For example, in painting, landscapes served as backdrops for large battles, or they reminded humans, represented through small buildings or figures, of the grandeur and power of the larger world they had to face. In photography, similar themes have been explored throughout the medium's history.

The artists represented in this exhibition each take landscapes as their staging grounds, delving deeply into their own biographies, whether in a deeply personal manner or working with larger societal themes. Ostensibly a collection of landscape photographs, The (Im)Personal Landscape speaks of the struggles human beings have faced in this world, struggles seen through the eyes of five graduates. They are: Morgan Ashcom (USA), Leo Goddard (GB), Susan Hayre* (USA), Daniel Reuter (D/ISL), Josee Schryer (CAN).

Given the Photography MFA Program has a very strong photobook component – at the time of the exhibition three of the photographers will have published their books, the exhibition will also feature a book component. Being able to see actual books will allow visitors to experience work done by graduates through this particular medium.

www.hartfordphotomfa.org

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