B5357 - Displaying Photography in Cultural & Creative Industries (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

Students acquire the fundamental historical and theoretical knowledge that puts photography at the heart of artistic practices and of the cultural and creative industry. In particular, they develop methodological tools and interpretative skills useful to recognize the styles and poetics of the photographic display. They are also able to analyse and comment on display types with critical awareness.

Course contents

Traditional Lectures

The theoretical lectures aim to provide students with critical and methodological tools to understand photography as a social, cultural, artistic, and commercial practice, with a specific focus on photographic exhibitions within cultural and creative industries.

Lectures are structured into four thematic areas:

1. Photographic Practice and Art Theory
Provides a critical overview of key historical and theoretical developments in photography, focusing on its role in contemporary aesthetic debates, its relationship with visual art, and its functions in memory, gender and identity formation, and storytelling.

2. Vernacular Practices and Everyday Aesthetics
Explores amateur and vernacular photography from the 19th century to today’s social media landscape. Focuses on spontaneous aesthetics and their influence on artistic and fashion photography.

3. Identity Formation and Gender representation
Analyzes how photography constructs and represents gender identities, with particular attention to performative practices and queer visual cultures.

4. Intersections of Art and Fashion in Photography
Investigates the intersections between art and fashion photography—through case studies of exhibitions, publications, and photographers who operate across editorial, commercial, and artistic contexts.

Selected case studies will be analyzed throughout the course to explore curatorial strategies and exhibition formats in physical and digital contexts.

Workshop Activities

Complementing the theoretical classes, five workshop sessions guide students in developing a final group project: designing a virtual photographic exhibition based on one of the four thematic areas.

Workshop sessions include:

• Mapping Photographic Archives, Museums, and Exhibitions – guided exploration of photographic archives, museum collections, and online exhibitions.

• Critical Exhibition Analysis – critical review of both physical and virtual exhibitions, focusing on narrative flow and display techniques.

• Curatorial Writing Practice – drafting exhibition elements (panel introduction, wall texts, captions) to ensure coherent storytelling and viewer engagement.

• Digital Exhibition Design – use of 3D virtual-platform tools (such as Artsteps or Spatial) to simulate exhibition layout and interactivity.

This blend of theoretical insight and applied practice equips students with interdisciplinary skills relevant to curatorial, museum, editorial, and creative industries focusing on photography and visual storytelling.

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is suggested that they get in touch as soon as possible with the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en ) and with the lecturer in order to seek together the most effective strategies for following the lessons and/or preparing for the examination.

Readings/Bibliography

Attending and non attending students

Mandatory Texts:

Graham Clarke, The Photograph. A Visual and Cultural History (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997).

Alessandra Mauro (edited by), Photoshow. Landmark exhibitions that defined the history of photography (Roma: Contrasto, 2014).

PAY ATTENTION: Other drafts, papers and pictures will be available further

Suggested Readings:

Michel Frizot et al. (edited by), Identités. De Disderi au photomaton, (Paris: Centre National de la Photographie, 1985).

Federica Muzzarelli, The Photo Booth and the photographic automatism, in "Notebook 2016" (Milan: Pearson, 2016).

Mary Anne Staniszewski, The Power of Display: A History of Exhibition Installations at the Museum of Modern Art (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1998; especially pp. 44-50, 101-110, 209-259).

Kristina Wilson, The Modern Eye: Stieglitz, MoMA, and the Art of the Exhibition, 1925–1934 (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2009, pp. 17-53.

Teaching methods

Traditional lectures will integrate with active classes.

Assessment methods

Assessment Methods for Attending Students

Student assessment is based on two main components:

1. Workshop Participation (maximum 15 points)

Students are required to complete and upload the exercises associated with all workshop sessions. The exercise related to Workshop 5 is mandatory but not graded, as it is intended solely as technical preparation for the final project. Exercises from Workshops 1 to 4 will be assessed based on clarity, completeness, methodological accuracy, and critical engagement.

2. Final Project (maximum 16 points)

Students will work in groups of up to three to create a virtual photographic exhibition based on one of the course topics.
In addition to the exhibition, each group must submit a supporting document, which must include:

• a brief text presenting the curatorial concept and its theoretical-critical framework, supported by bibliographic references;

• all exhibition texts used in the project (introduction, panels, captions);

• a checklist of the works displayed;

• screenshots of the virtual tour;

• a list of sources and materials consulted, including archives, museums, and digital platforms.

Submission deadline

The final project must be submitted via email to the professor and her team at least 15 days before the selected exam date.

The final grade will be communicated one or two days before the official exam date. Students may:

• accept the grade;

• decline it and resubmit their project in a future session, integrating the work according to the professor’s feedback;

• or request an optional oral exam to complement and possibly revise their final grade.

PLEASE NOTICE: To be considered attending students, participants must attend at least 3 out of 5 workshop sessions. However, all exercises must be completed and submitted, even in case of absence.

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Methods for the assessment of the non-attending students

Non-attending students will be assessed through a thematic essay investigating a topic covered in the course. The topic must be selected after reviewing the professor’s slides, the recommended readings listed in the bibliography, and the additional materials uploaded to the Virtuale platform. They must choose the topic of their essay in agreement with the teacher.

The paper must focus on a curatorial theme or exhibition case study connected to one of the three main topics addressed in the course: 1) Snapshot Culture and Aesthetic; 2) Gender performance in photography; 3) Art and Commerce: Crossover since the 1980s. Students will find summaries of each topic, the professor’s slides, and a selection of relevant readings on Virtuale. Students should consider how photography exhibitions engage with these cultural, artistic and critical frameworks through curatorial strategies.

Students may also propose an alternative topic as long as it clearly connects to curatorial issues and the overall objectives of the course. If proposing an alternative topic, the email should include:

• the title or subject of the proposed topic
• a brief description of the photographic exhibition(s) or case studies to be analysed
• a short explanation of the curatorial relevance of the topic
• a preliminary list of readings or sources

The teacher will reply with feedback and confirmation.

In all cases, students must contact the professor by email at chiara.pompa2@unibo.it to propose and agree on their chosen topic before starting to write. The paper may only be written once the topic has been approved.

 

Paper Guidelines

Length and format:

• Between 4,500 and 6,000 words.
• Typed in 12 pt Times New Roman with standard line spacing.
• Submit in PDF format.

Structure:

The paper should include the following elements:

• The student’s full name and identification number ("matricola").
• Title of the paper
• The main text, preferably organised into sections (e.g. introduction, exhibition analysis, theoretical framework, and conclusion).
• At least 15 relevant images to the exhibition(s), with captions including the photographer’s name, the title or a short description, and the year.
• A bibliography including all sources consulted.

Use of notes and citations:

• Students must use footnotes to clarify specific references, cite authors, or expand on contextual information.
• In-text citations should follow a consistent academic style (Chicago or MLA are recommended).
• Direct quotes from the readings or curatorial texts are encouraged.

Students are expected to:

• Demonstrate familiarity with the bibliographic references provided in the course materials
• Include additional research where appropriate (e.g., exhibition catalogues, curators’ essays, scholarly articles)
• Engage critically with the exhibition’s curatorial choices, layout, photographic selection, and thematic focus
• Reflect on how the exhibition contributes to the understanding of the selected topic

Submission deadline

The completed paper must be emailed to the teacher as a PDF attachment at least 15 days before the exam date published on AlmaEsami.

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Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is necessary to contact the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en ) with ample time in advance: the office will propose some adjustments, which must in any case be submitted 15 days in advance to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of these in relation to the teaching objectives.

 

Teaching tools

Multimedia tools

Office hours

See the website of Chiara Pompa