Exhibition

School of Visual Arts (SVA) presents “Mentors,” an exhibition of work by BFA Photography and Video students inspired by their working relationships with world-renowned artists, curators, editors, and directors from our global arts community. Curated by department chair Joseph Maida, “Mentors” will be on view from Monday, March 7, through Monday, March 21, at the SVA Chelsea Gallery, 601 W 26th St, 15th floor, New York City.

Drawn from the ranks of the industry’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 students’ areas of concentration. The 2021 – 2022 mentors include, among many others, Marina Chao, gallery owner and curator, Higher Pictures Generation; Sean Corcoran, Curator of Photographs, Museum of the City of New York; Charlotte Cotton, curator, writer; Paul Moakley, Editor at Large, Special Projects, TIME; Lorraine O’Grady, artist, critic; Jody Quon, Director of Photography, New York Magazine; Elisabeth Sherman, Assistant Curator, Whitney Museum of American Art; X Zhu-Nowell, Assistant Curator, Photography, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

The Mentors program in the BFA Photography and Video Department 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 arts community, giving them 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.

The SVA Chelsea Gallery is open Monday through Friday, from 9:00am to 5:00pm, and closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Public access to SVA Chelsea Gallery is permitted during gallery hours if visitors show proof of vaccination, including booster if eligible (FDA/WHO-authorized) and photo ID, wear a mask and provide their contact tracing details. It is fully accessible by wheelchair.