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

The course will analyse the development of the photographic language, from its origins in the 19th century to recent experiences, focusing on artistic practices and those of the cultural and creative industries. Special attention will be paid to exhibitions, both public and private, and their capacity to help the photographic language change its meanings and identities. Following a theoretical and historical approach, classes will explore artistic poetics, creative ideas, and curatorial choices from an aesthetic point of view, reading photography as a social, political, and communicative issue.
Several historical exhibitions will be analysed as case histories of the development of curatorial language and photographic display.

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

Methods for the assessment of the attending students

During classes, attending students should complete multiple-choice and true/false questionnaires, as well as iconographic and bibliographical research exercises. The assessment of these activities will influence the final grade.

In addiction, the students will have to plan theoretical and historical concepts for displaying photographic exhibitions on topics discussed during the classes.

Additional details will be provided at the start of the classes.

 

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