School of Visual Arts and BFA Photography and Video present “Mentors,” an exhibition of work by the department’s students inspired by their working relationships with leading members of the New York arts community. Curated by department chair Joseph Maida, “Mentors” is on view Tuesday, March 12, through Tuesday, March 26, at the SVA Chelsea Gallery, 601 West 26th Street, 15th floor, New York City.

Drawn from the ranks of the city’s best-known photographers, curators, art directors, publishers, art dealers, critics and writers, mentors are matched with students based on their field of expertise and the student’s area of concentration. The 2018 – 2019 mentors include assistant curator at the International Center of Photography, Marina Chao; artist and gallerist Janice Guy; artist Jack Pierson; photographer and senior photo editor at Vice magazine, Elizabeth Renstrom; artist, writer and associate curator at The Studio Museum in Harlem, Legacy Russell; and The New York Times Magazine director of photography, Kathy Ryan.

The Mentors program at SVA is designed to cultivate relationships between established and emerging artists and to introduce new talent to the broader community. Established in 1992, this program pairs select fourth-year students with key figures in the New York arts community, giving them objective and professional insight into their work during a culminating point in their education.

The BFA Photography and Video Department at SVA is located in the heart of New York City, the epicenter of art, culture, fashion, commerce and activism. The department’s renowned faculty of over 85 professionals connects students to a remarkable network, which is extended through the Mentors program. Alumni go on to work successfully in all creative fields and often hire fellow graduates because of a shared artistic language and the program’s record of accomplishment.

Exhibition

Mentors

SVA Chelsea Gallery

Reception