Beyond the Classroom: Print Media and Photography Students in Paris
Second-year graduate students visited Paris, France where they attended the Paris Photo fair, visited studios specializing in printmaking, and explored the magic found in the City of Lights
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: Exploring photography, bookmaking, and printmaking in Paris
In CFA’s Beyond the Classroom Series, music, theatre, and visual arts students at BU share their professional work experiences. These Terriers express how the resources at BU prepared them for success beyond the classroom.
Beyond the Classroom: Print Media & Photography Students in Paris, France
Attending the world’s largest art fair dedicated to photography, visiting studios specializing in printmaking, exploring renowned museums, and enjoying some croissants in the City of Lights is exactly what five Boston University College of Fine Arts School of Visual Arts Print Media & Photography graduate students did as part of their second-year academic international trip.
Susan Swirsley, Jason Parent, Tung Lin Tsai, Jerry Rodriguez Sosa, and Shannon Johnson, all Class of 2025 MFA students, spent six days in Paris, France, immersing themselves in their photography, printmaking, and bookmaking interests.
The group recently spoke to CFA about their trip, how it allowed them to grow as artists, and where they’re headed post-graduation.
Q&A
WITH THE BU PRINT MEDIA & PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP
CFA: Tell us about the trip to Paris. What activities and opportunities did you engage with?
The trip to Paris was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend six days in the City of Lights immersing ourselves in photography, printmaking, and bookmaking. We attended Paris Photo on opening night and spent a day experiencing the international event, held this year at the Grand Palais, near the Champs Elysees [a famous avenue in Paris]. Part of our time at Paris Photo was spent with Karen Haas, the Lane curator of Photographs at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where she introduced us to three photographers with work in the show as well as guiding us through some of the monumental exhibits. Collectively we also visited Laurel Parker Book, a studio that specializes in making custom books for individuals and organizations. We also visited a printmaking studio that resembled our printmaking space at Boston University. Seeing master printers make work was an inspiration to all of us. Polycopies, a photobook show held in a barge on the Seine was another highlight. We all bought at least one book inspired by both the content and structure of the books.
In our free time, people scattered and engaged in activities of personal interest. These excursions included going to Flea Markets, both photo-based and more general. Museums were the destinations of others including visits to le Musée d’Orsay, Jeu de Paume, Le Fondation Henri Cartier Bresson, MEP, le Palais Galleria, and le Petit Palais. Some visited cemeteries including Montparnasse to see the burial site of Agnes Varda, Jacques Demy, Susan Sontag, and Pere Le Chaise to visit the grave of Jim Morrison. A few people went to see a lithography studio and watch prints being made.
No trip to Paris is complete without an ample sampling of bakeries and many croissants, pain au chocolate, and loaves of bread. And of course a requisite visit to the Tour Eiffel at night.
CFA: How did you learn about this opportunity, and what steps did you take to secure it?
As part of the Print Media & Photography (PMP) program, second-year graduate students in their third semester have the opportunity to take an international trip focused on an area of study related to printmaking, book making and/or photography. This trip may involve academic study or a related studio practice.
CFA: How does the coursework at CFA connect with this experience?
As students of photography, printmaking and bookmaking, this trip inspired our studio practice and the opportunity to meet with both established and emerging artists. The connections we made with both artists and gallerists will be invaluable as we begin our post-graduate school journey. Additionally, it gave us a glimpse of the possibilities in the international world to make and show prints, photographs, and books. Some of the students in the program haven’t traveled internationally and this opened up a broader cultural world.
As students of photography, printmaking and bookmaking, this trip inspired our studio practice and the opportunity to meet with both established and emerging artists. The connections we made with both artists and gallerists will be invaluable as we begin our post-graduate school journey. Additionally, it gave us a glimpse of the possibilities in the international world to make and show prints, photographs, and books. Some of the students in the program haven’t traveled internationally and this opened up a broader cultural world.
CFA: What did you all learn about yourselves?
This differed from person to person, but for those who hadn’t traveled internationally, it was a chance to successfully navigate a city where English isn’t the first language of most of the population. Gaining confidence by traveling is a key life skill. For others, the trip was a way to see others’ artistic work and realize our work is at par with others. This too was a confidence builder.
CFA: Any advice for current CFA students looking to do more beyond the classroom?
Take advantage of every opportunity available to you during your time at BU. The time, particularly during a two-year MFA program, goes by quickly, and saying “yes” to everything is a way to get the most out of your education.
CFA: What’s next for you all?
We all have different goals; some of us want to teach, others want to expand their artistic work into profitable businesses, and some want to pursue residencies making work. However, we all have one thing in common: to continue to make work.
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