FotoFika Q&A

We’ve consolidated all of the Questions & Answers into the Tutorials/Resources Tabs below.

Please reach out to us if we are missing anything and should add additional resources.

If you prefer we are working from this “live” google doc that Anne edits on the fly!

Artists

Social Distancing Gallery

“Now, many are finding some solace in a new Instagram account that is soliciting and posting artworks from B.F.A. and M.F.A. thesis shows amid the coronavirus pandemic. @SocialDistanceGallery was launched on Friday by painter Benjamin Cook to give students an alternative space to exhibit their work; as of press time, it has more than 15,000 followers.”

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The Art Assignment - PBS

Many people in the group chat suggested using The Art Assignment from PBS as a resource.  While many of the assignments are produced with non art and limited access to art populations in mind, there are great artist interviews about their unique practice.

TASK is an improvisational event with a simple structure and very few rules. TASK can be a planned, more formal set-up with an application process and a pre-determined number of selected participants (TASK Events); A more open structure without any limitations of size or divisions between viewers and participants (TASK Parties); Or tailored for the use in classrooms (TASK Workshop).

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Resources

Concerns of students: 

Involve the students in creating solutions, they’ve been preparing for this for a year or more – they will need to be as invested in replacement plans as they were with the original exhibition plans.

Alternatives to a physical exhibition:

Virtual exhibitions, websites hosted by universities for extended periods of time, catalog/books of thesis work. Partnering with other organizations for worldwide exposure.

WITH YOUR COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY

IG takeover
online exhibition via university website
catalog/book
postponing

WITH OUR LOCAL/REGIONAL GALLERIES/MUSEUMS/PHOTO CLUBS

asking local/regional galleries to host exhibitions on their websites to provide students with a larger audience

WITH OUR NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

SPE online and at the next conference
Pingyao
other festivals, etc.
Mendel trading card model

ARTICLES ADDRESSING SITUATION FOR UNIVERSITIES AND MUSEUMS/GALLERIES MORE GENERALLY:

https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/social-distance-gallery-instagram-canceled-bfa-mfa-shows-1202681473/

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/16/arts/design/art-galleries-online-viewing-coronavirus.html

https://hyperallergic.com/546913/coronavirus-daily-report/

SITES HOSTING BFA/MFA THESIS WORK:

https://thesisshows2020.com

SPE will be creating galleries for students from their partner members see: https://www.spenational.org/spe-partnerships

 INSTAGRAM SITES HOSTING BFA/MFA THESIS WORK: 

PHOTO-EMPHASIS: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-FPF9-Fmwc/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Social Distance Gallery: https://www.instagram.com/socialdistancegallery/ see their guidelines at: https://socialdistancegall.wixsite.com/socialdistance

RESOURCES FOR ONLINE/VIRTUAL EXHIBITION LAYOUT AND DESIGN:
Be sure to check IP policy, export options, etc.

https://www.artsteps.com/

https://www.deepspace.place/

https://www.omeka.net/

https://art.kunstmatrix.com/

https://exhibbit.com/home/

https://matterport.com

CATALOGS/BOOKS:

Blurb: https://www.blurb.com

MagCloud: https://www.magcloud.com

Lulu: https://www.lulu.com

Other Incentives to ask from Galleries/Publications: 

Others who might be willing to host a competition specifically for the Class of 2020? That might give the students some more national exposure and some added excitement?

Considerations for Postponed Exhibitions:

“Another thing we’re considering at the CCP is that even once we “open up” again, people may be hesitant to gather. So, those online spaces may continue to be valuable/important. I know that there is a value in producing a physical show beyond getting exposure, but it may be hard to attract an audience. At the CCP we’re thinking about the value of our audio guide as a way for people to get content rather than as a tour in person. We use an audio guide platform that has been really valuable – Cuseum – that may actually be valuable to you all too. – Becky Senf

Questions:

Are there collaboration systems any one is aware of?

Has anyone used Google Hangouts for this sort of synchronous meeting? My school is strongly suggesting we use that first before we try out Zoom.

My school is encouraging us to use Microsoft Teams for our school but I am not sure this is the best for visual artists?

Do you have students share pdfs for assignment submission?  How do you see metadata if so.

Suggestions:

A software recommendation for digital collage, my HS students love to use Canva. It’s free and they can use it on a laptop, iPad, or phone. You can edit photographs, create layouts, and even multi page books or zines.

Basecamp to share images and resources, can also posted homework on it

Students with Limited Access to Tech/Supplies

Asking administration for resources – gift cards to local and national art supply stores.

Asking IT if they have laptops that can be loaned out.

Regarding free internet access: https://journaltimes.com/news/local/here-s-how-to-get-free-internet-while-schools-are/article_c6b3071c-aafe-53ef-9c8b-16b136329490.html

Ask administration for timed sessions for students to enter the building to retrieve materials, prints, equipment, etc.

Concerning students who don’t have a computer or antiquated operating systems:

Lightroom smartphone App allows for camera capture with customized ISO, shutter speed, aperture and you can capture in DNG or JPG. Fluid integration with Lightroom either on phone or desktop.

Questions:

How can students submit assignments most efficiently?

Where to have students upload their photos to? Google Photos or ?

I’m curious about running synchronous class time vs asynchronous class time. Any tips or best practices in this arena? Want to be sensitive to students’ and my time.

Suggestions:

Choice boards are likely going to be a major part of online classes at my school. So give five project prompts and let students pick a much smaller number. Students can adjust based on their individual circumstances and interests

I’ve had an assignment where students create their own prompt over the past year. They write the prompt, set all the requirements and execute the assignment. I have been amazed by how creative the students have been with this one and how much they enjoyed this assignment. They really seem to engage with the idea of having a little bit of a voice and control over what we are doing in the course.

Today was our first day back – my class voted to go synchronous today, but then asynchronous for the majority of the rest of the semester. I was happy with this, but now hearing our conversation, I think I’m going to keep with the asynchronous model but invite students to join in the class’ zoom room for chat, q&a, coffee, etc… for the first hour or class meeting.

Apps/Software: 

Instagram
Critviz
Slack
Nearpod
VoiceThread (works with d2l, Canvas)
PowerPoint/Google Slides w/Zoom for live critiques

Suggestions:

Break the class into smaller groups and therefore less time online for synchronous

Provide students options for engagement, written and oral asynchronous and synchronous

Sharing work in advance of critique so students are familiar

Questions:

Has anyone created a simple website where students can post their work and all view it there?

With Google Photos — do they just put the photos into a folder and share it or do they make a google slideshow with their images?

Encouraging colleges/institutions to relax/increase their existing policies and/or establish new policies that will allow alumni and non-majors who have lost the opportunity to use facilities to return for use post pandemic. For example, access to darkroom, digital labs, lighting studios for 6-12 months after graduation.

 

PBS art assignment is pretty cool and I use it a lot

Thinking about artist Oliver Herring’s TASK and if there’s anything translatable there to a digital/online environment