ISP Final

I started this blog during my study abroad in Florence, Italy. In my first post I wrote about new awareness of photographers Sally Mann and Francesca Woodman. Three years later, Mann and Woodman have become enormous inspirations 

in my photography work. 

After finishing my Independent Student Project (ISP) I can now add the three following individuals to my ongoing list of inspiring artists: photographers Karel Cudlin and Pavel Dias and multi-medium artist Jiri Kovanda. Having the opportunity to simply just talk to such acclaim Prague artists was an essential component of my overall amazing study abroad experience. 

For my ISP, I focused on genuis loci, the spirit of a place. Here is a segment of my artist statement: 

The places of historical happenings maintain a presiding spirit. Such spirits are an embalmment of the monumental incidents which have impacted how an individual or community views a place. The spirit of the place is visual in the piles of incidents stacked on top of each other according to their occurrence in time. The more occurrences a place conceals, the throbbing presence of the spirit is felt. Situating oneself within a specific place is usually from having an acknowledgment of previous incidents in the imaginary stacked pile. How a place proves its personal attachment to individuals or larger social circles is its ability to reveal evidence of historical documentation. Therefore, the personal attachment one has with a specific area is due to an acknowledgment of the historical past and 

the representation of the pervading spirit. 

With the concept of an enduring spirit in mind, I asked the three artists I spoke to about a specific place that was or is meaningful towards them during life under Communism. I then documented each place, keeping in mine of the history and the interviewed individual's relationship to the area, using black and white film and ink sketches. My final products are three flip books, one for each artists, consisting of quotes from the interview and my documentary material.

ISP Week Three: Gas Explosion and Grey Clouds

 On Monday morning, I received an email from the United States Embassy in Prague. "There was a gas explosion on Divadelni Street that has damaged a building in the center of the Czech capital, Prague," the email stated. Forty people were injured, including students who were in their dormitories or taking classes at Charles University and FAMU. An hour before I read the email, I was debating about taking photographs around the same area in which the explosion occured. It is interesting how fate works sometimes. 

The weather was quite gloomy this week. Though grey clouds clustered throughout the days, there were a lot of exciting events to attend. Tuesday was the traditional celebration of witch burning and when universities vote for their king. Modern witch burnings are joyful gatherings where the main event is watching a witch doll, a substitute for an actual real human accused of being a witch, burn to ashes on a wooden pyre. I am not well informed on the university nomination of a king,

 but I do know Allen Ginsberg was the universities' king in 1965. Wednesday was Labour and May Day. May Day is Czech version of Valentines Day; couples make a pilgrimage to the statue of Karel Hynek Mácha on Petřín Hill, to deposit bunches of flowers and make out. 

However, the most important event was the naked run at Vermont University back in United States. One of my peers encouraged us to celebrate the event in our own way, which was quite liberating. 

Second Week of ISP: Blossoms, Martha Cooper, and a Wedding

Today was the first day of summer in Prague. Yet the blossoms have been booming all week, the weather warm with a slight breeze, and couples making out like an armageddon will occur any minute. Is it already time to say goodbye to spring?

This week I have been attempting to focus on my ISP project (which is... going...) while enjoying some outside events as well. Some highlights were the current exhibition of Martha Cooper. Cooper is an American photographer who documented graffiti during the rebellious art rise in the 90's. Since graffiti is a huge part of the youth culture in Prague it was not surprising to see hundreds of individuals my age hanging around the exhibition.  

The following day I went to a wedding. I learned my lesson; find a good pair of shoes and do not take them off. So besides the blisters, my feet are currently emitting the lovely scent of spilled beer and whiskey. 

Prague: Start of Individual Student Project (ISP) Period

The first day of ISP period is celebrated by fog, blossoms, and the scent of Mary Jane. I will be working on a project focused on landscapes and capturing the "genuis loci", the existing spirit of the environment. Of course I will be conducting side photography projects. That is what being a photographer is, isn't it?

I touched upon topics related to previous events of the week in the following visual essay. The topics highlighted are: setting up my series in my photography class's exhibition, studying for Czech language exam, enjoying the first days of sun in months, and dealing with an American crisis while abroad. As always, enjoy!

In Memory

The world lost an amazing friend and animal lover this week. I feel extremely fortunate to have experience the moments I had with her and to know some of the special qualities which made her unique. She will forever be remembered. 

Poland and Slovakia

Our group came back from a 10 day excursion to other Central European countries last night to find out the tram lines have been changed. Construction is great.

Krakow, Poland:

The first stop was a three day stay in Krakow, Poland. There was no planned schedule, except for a dinner in the Jewish quarters. The weather was quite depressing and extremely cold. Oh and I lost my favorite hat, but had the best hot chocolate yet.

Yet, our stay was personally important for I visited Galicia Jewish Museum and was taken back by how powerful the two exhibits on display were; one is on a 17 year artist named Ryszard Apte and the other on abandoned areas of once Jewish owned buildings or synagogues. The drawings of Apte are amazing for they depict a personal diary during the Nazi occupation. Apte was killed trying to escape a labour camp in Stalowa Wola, yet his notebook of personally drawings was saved. The other section of the museum highlighted the realization of how many pre-owned Jewish buildings have been taken over by large corporations or destroyed entirely.

Our group decided the importance for all of us to see Aushwitz-Birkenau concentration camps. However, I found myself more influence by the Galicia Jewish Museum for there were too many tourists with cameras and smiles I felt I was at Disenyland rather than an area of horror. I of course had moments of realization, especially in the gas chamber and after walking through the main gate. I do not recommend visiting Aushwitz through -- it has become a tourist European hot spot and it was hard to tell what was reality. Worse, on the way back I noticed graffti on the walls outlining the high ways with  Jewish stars crossed out and word sayings such as "Fuck Judes." I had some chocolate later.

Čierny Balog, Slovakia:

Coming off of our bus from Krakow, our group was greeted with vodka shots. 10 minutes and two more vodka shots later, we were introduced to the Vydra NGO, an organization which focuses on preserving cultural traditions. Our stay in Čierny Balog was full of fun and fulfilling activities; dance lessons, tour of a farm including an area dedicated for cheese making, a weaver and her husband who plays the accordion, and so on. I wanted to stay here and be pampered much more than three days.

Žilina, Slovakia:

At our last stop and hotel number four, the majority of our group was ready to head back to Prague. We were in Žilina to attend workshops. Wanting to try something new and against my advisors wishes, I signed up for the physical workshop under the teaching of Farma, a group based in Prague. I am happy I did the workshop for I learned important skills about being an artist. Also, I know how to fall elegantly in three different ways!