Experimental Digital Photography
Student Work
8/23 – 9/30/21
The Experimental Digital Photography class explores the physical nature of the photographic image. Moving beyond the traditional flat picture plane and exploring photography as part of sculpture and installation is an important part of this course. Students constantly question what a photograph is and can be. Discovery, play and inquiry are fundamental parts of this class.
SOPHIA DELL’ARCIPRETE
Sophia takes a deeper look into what it means to be a mother and a woman. Sophia interviewed her mother who answered by telling stories about her children. She also spoke about her childhood and how losing her mom affected her parenting style. Sophia laser engraved her mother’s stories word-for-word overtop of portraits taken on black and white 120 film. She then scanned the negatives, made slight adjustments and printed them digitally.
FINN MONAHAN
Inspired by artist Leyla Cardenas, Finn chose to create work highlighting environmental issues and climate change. Choosing to remove threads from the images shows the slow decay of Mother Nature and the negative effects of human intervention.
CASEY CLEMETSEN
Casey’s work focuses on discrimination and gender gaps in the work force. She chose four fields where there are few women or women have a difficult time projecting themselves in this career due to misogynistic thinking. Those fields being politics, sports, science, and construction/ engineering. After photographing items that symbolize these career paths, she then embroidered the photographs, a process typically seen as feminine. By contrasting these two elements she aims to raise awareness of gender inequality and gender stereotypes.
TYLER SWITALA
This piece comments on litter and our environment. Last year the United States taxpayers spent nearly $11 billion cleaning up litter across the USA, 10 times more than the cost of trash removal. Tyler photographed beautiful nature reserves and hiking trails of Mills Reservation County Park & Wissahickon Park and contrasted the beautiful shots of nature against pieces of white or clear plastic trash. The juxtaposition of image and material brings awareness to the issue of human pollution.
NASIR CHANDLER
Many people, especially women, are victims of sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and rape. Many of the victims are 12 years old or even younger. While many criminals responsible for sexual abuse have been given the punishment that they deserve, the actions of other criminals, for some reason, have gone unpunished. Many people justify the actions of these criminals with excuses such as “boys will be boys,” or “maybe she should watch what she wears.” Nasir’s images bring text and identity together to personalize the victims and educate viewers.
ERIN KELLY
Things are not always what they seem. This piece narrates how society teaches us to trust and believe in only the things we can see and judge by appearances. This distrust and negation of the socially unacceptable is reflected in everyday society, people and politics. We have become a vulnerable society believing only what we see to be the truth.
HUNTER BARKHORN
Many people see only the good in their surrounding easily overlooking the human effects on the environment. The natural disasters in this world such as forest fires and hurricanes, as well as air pollution and water pollution are caused by society’s imprint on the environment. Hunter’s piece depicts the contrast of good and bad in our surroundings. The cartoonishly cut shapes represent the government’s refusal to seriously address these events and larger environmental issues.
RACHEL COSGRIFF
“I had an eating disorder for 2 -3 years and it took a lot for me to overcome it. At this point in my life, I am flourishing like never before and am the healthiest I have ever been (mind and body).” Rachel depicts her personal life story in this piece. Through photography she displays her emotions and trials of living with anorexia. The subject (Rachel) is dark, sad and struggling. The flowers on the skirt represent Rachel’s current situation –flourishing, happy and healthy.