Exhibition

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 Stephen Frailey, “Mentors” is on view Saturday, March 10, through Tuesday, March 27, 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, the mentors are paired with students based on their field of expertise and the student’s area of concentration. The 2017 – 2018 mentors include photographer Olivia Bee, Senior Curator of Photography at the Guggenheim Museum Jennifer Blessing, Editorial Director of Paper  Mickey Boardman, photographer Roe Ethridge, Deputy Director of Photography at TIME Paul Moakley, The New York Times Magazine Director of Photography Kathy Ryan and artist and Founder of Pioneer Works Dustin Yellin.

Established in 1992, the Mentors program at SVA is designed to cultivate relationships between established and emerging artists and to introduce new talent to the New York arts community. Frailey explains, “The Mentors project fulfills our commitment to the students that, in addition to encouraging the development of each of their sensibilities, they are informed and engaged in the professional community. Working with the mentors gives them objective and professional insight into their work and helps to make their transition as artists after graduation a bit less daunting.”

BFA Photography and Video students at SVA immerse themselves in all aspects of commercial and fine art photography, gaining a better understanding of various genres, ideas and vocabularies. With access to cutting-edge facilities—as well as a 100-plus faculty of photographers, museum directors, critics, art directors, photo editors and photography collectors—they are able to hone their craft and cultivate their own sensibility and visual style.