VPA seniors exhibit work in 2020 Transmedia Photography Annual exhibition

For Syracuse art photography seniors, capturing the perfect image requires hours of preparation, careful attention to detail and multiple reshoots. Reflecting on their work, some of the seniors’ finished photographs will line the walls of the Light Work Hallway Gallery this semester in the 2020 Transmedia Photography Annual exhibition. 

Depicting ideas like family, relationships, politics and nature, the exhibition showcases some of the senior thesis work of 17 students from the art photography program in the Department of Transmedia in the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University. Held from Jan. 13 to March 7, the exhibition will have a reception on Jan. 30 from 5-7 p.m. 

“[The exhibition] teaches them how to think about their work and present it professionally to the public,” Jeffrey Hoone, executive director of Light Work, said. “It really gives them the discipline and the knowledge of how to do certain things and present their work properly.” 

For many of the students, this is the first time their work is being professionally exhibited, exposing them to a much larger viewership, Hoone said.  

Jon Feinstein, an independent curator and co-founder of Humble Arts Foundation, was chosen by Light Work to select students’ work for “Best of Show” and “Honorable Mention.” Laura D’Amelio’s photo was recognized as “Best of Show,” while Timmy Ok was awarded “Honorable Mention.” 

Laura D’Amelio won the “Best of Show” award with her photograph of a lone, weathered basketball in dim lighting. Courtesy of Light Work

“It’s great to see that I am doing something that I never thought I would do because I honestly never really touched a camera before college,” Ok said. 

Ok’s recognized photo shows a portrait of himself facing the floral wallpaper of his parents’ bedroom. On the back of his shirt is an image of his father’s refugee card. Ok said his photos describe his family dynamic and the emotional disconnection he has with them. 

Prior to the show, the seniors have access to Light Work’s photography facilities, labs and lectures where they can develop their images, gain feedback from others and work with many visiting artists.  

Charlotte Howard, a student in the exhibition, said Light Work’s facilities offer a helpful, open working environment for students, and are part of the reason why she chose to attend Syracuse for her college education. 

Howard’s photo in the exhibition depicts a girl spitting out a drink into her bathroom sink. Howard said when she was about 12 years old, she thought she drank something poisonous. However, as she grew up, Howard discovered this was one of many childhood memories that never actually happened. 

For many of the students, this is the first time their work is being professionally exhibited, exposing them to a much larger viewership, Hoone said. Courtesy of Light Work

“Like all memories and experiences, they shape you as a person. For them to not be real kind of puts a whole different perspective on the event for me,” Howard said. “While I may not always talk about my false memories or experiences and how they shape me with others, I feel I can express that through my work.” 

Founded in 1973, Light Work is a nonprofit organization that gives young artists access to resources like photography labs, exhibitions, residencies and publications, according to their website. The organization is housed in the Robert B. Menschel Media Center on campus. 

The Transmedia Photography Annual exhibition has been running for 10 years now and has been one of the most attended exhibitions at Light Work, Hoone said. Each year, he added, the students use an array of ideas and techniques within their photographs. 

As the final months wane down for the SU seniors, they continue to dedicate their time preparing their composition, paying attention to details and reshooting their images until they find the perfect photographs for the completion of their senior thesis projects. These photos will be shown at the end of the semester in a final exhibition of the art photography seniors’ work.  

“They are influenced by the things that they see, the things that they hear, the things that matter to them, so different years there will be different things that people latch onto,” Hoone said.