International Studies, Communications, Graphics and Fine Arts host first student photography exhibition

Southwest’s International Studies Program, in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Graphics and Fine Arts, hosted a student photography exhibition Oct. 25 at the Union Avenue Campus. Students who travelled to Poland in May displayed some of the photographs taken during their trip.  It was the first photography exhibition by Southwest students who have participated in the college’s study abroad program.

Southwest’s Associate Professor of Communications, Graphics and Fine Arts Levi Frazier came up with the idea to combine a photography class with the study abroad program. Frazier has travelled to Eastern Europe and coordinated study abroad trips to Greece and London. “When students take a trip to another country, it changes them and gives them a new perspective on life,” he said. “Some of our students have never ventured beyond Tennessee.”

Frazier and Professor Annette Fournet, who teaches photography and Introduction to Art, agreed the Poland trip would give students the opportunity to practice their photography skills in a novel setting while learning about a different culture.  Fournet also has taken students to Poland, Italy, Vienna, Prague, Budapest and Japan.

She says the Tennessee Consortium for International Studies paid the students’ lodging, transportation and two meals a day while they were in Poland.  “Typically study abroad trips last 3-4 weeks,” said Fournet. “We were fortunate to have an abbreviated trip of just six days in consideration of students who have family obligations.”

Students lodged in two Polish cities—Krakow and Lodz—where they toured such landmark sites as Mariacki Church, Wawel Castle, Lalicja Jewish History Museum, the Museums of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Cinematography in Lodz, Biala Fabrika Museum, and Auschwitz.  After each day of touring and shooting photographs, the group met to discuss their class assignments. A session with Polish photographer Richard Tuschman was arranged by Fournet at his home where he critiqued the students’ work.

“The architectural landscape in Poland is truly unique,” Southwest sophomore Janell Garrett said. She was preparing to graduate with her associate degree in Psychology at the time. “We could really apply our photographic skills in shooting different angles of the buildings and playing with shadow effects,” she added.

Garrett says the trip to Auschwitz opened her eyes to understanding human tragedy on a global perspective. “Seeing the concentration camp made me aware that there are other people and cultures who have suffered historically. Despite having a dark history with the holocaust, the Polish people were not afraid to openly talk about it,” she said.

Cedkenya Crockett is studying to be a physical therapy assistant. She enjoyed her first trip abroad. “I’ve never been out of the country before, so this was a big step for me,” she said. “Professor Fournet encouraged me to take the trip when I was her art student and I’m glad I did. The variety and newness of the landscapes gave me a better sense of how to capture people and places through photography.”

Congratulations to the following students whose photographs were featured during the exhibition:

• Ciara Campbell
• CedKenya Crockett
• Josue D. Flores
• Jannell D. Garrett
• Lionel M. Mbati
• Celeste Riley
• Daniel Tate