Photography in the Field of Contemporary Art class, Anna Ehrenstein

The tasks and the selection of artistic means are free choices made by students working autonomously. A method of working which makes use of various forms of media is desirable, as well as projects with a research character and which pursue research and conceptual approaches or put into practise an exchange with other art disciplines. Ideally the class will be made up of a group of students who motivate each other and who are involved in the development of the work of their fellow student, who at the end of their study will leave an institution behind them, whose infrastructure and recognition they no longer require and who are networked with artistic personalities of the same age, whose opinion they value. Picking up on issues which arise from work discussions in the class, contemporary and historical positions of photography will be introduced and discussed. In the process it is expressly desired that the students are involved in all fields of artistic production beyond photography, employ an experimental working method and select content which could be socially relevant. Importance is attached to the development of an appropriate language (and being silent) about their own work as an expression of an independent artistic approach, as well as a reliable definition of their own approach alongside related approaches from art history. Excursions and guest lectures serve the purpose at an early stage of directing the students towards a broad field of the most diverse opportunities to perform their job and to provide support in order to formulate their own position.