Calendar

Exhibition

Presented by BFA Photography and Video

Mentors 2025

March 11 - 22, 2025
Video of person with long hair eating red jello This image features a turned off car headlight reflecting the street of downtown Manhattan. The base image is then doubled in post production to create a larger cosmic form.
Credit: Yu-Shan Sammi Wei
Credit: Ian Costello

SVA Chelsea Gallery

601 West 26th Street, 15th floor, New York, NY 10001

Reception

Mon, Mar 10; 6:00 - 8:00pm

RSVP For The Reception
Front desk of gallery with “MENTORS” black decal on wall. Exhibition artworks featured in background.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

General view of gallery one space, walls lined with print and installation based work, along with a table piece in the center of the room. Couches set facing outwards to the works.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

Angled view of gallery wall, featuring framed photography with a pink book on pedestal, sculpture and video installation work, dispersed print photography in clear frames, and framed photography with gray book on pedestal.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

On the left, is a video and sculpture piece, with three off white abstract sculptures. Behind the sculpture is a cream colored latex sheet with a small TV poking through, headphones available on pedestal. On the right, is urban based photography in glass framing.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

Two small scale photography prints in large gray frames with white matte board. In the middle, is a matching gray book on a pedestal. To the right are various transparent photography prints separately layered. A mirror is featured behind photography panels.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

Angled view of transparent layered print photography. On the right, is a black rotary film display on a pedestal, next to it is print photography of familial life in wooden frames featured in grid format.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

View of gallery one corner with print photography lining the walls, including rotary film display and gray book on pedestals in front of the work.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

General view of gallery one space, photography based work lines the walls along with installation table pieces in the center of the room.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

General view of gallery one wall with video piece and print photography. In the foreground is an installation of audio based work on a table with metal chairs on both ends.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

Two leveled shelves in close proximity, each featuring framed word documents on the left and print photography on the right. Angled view of print photography on left wall.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

Angled view of gallery hallway w​​ith detail shot of two framed pieces on shelf, a word document and photo of a dog. Several other works line the wall.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

Large scale intimate photography prints vary from colored to grayscale in grid format on the back wall. On the wall to the right there are two hanging branches with small photography prints. Adjacent to that there is installation of shelves with found objects and hung photography. Below is a table with a lamp and an interactive rotary phone, with video projection playing to the left.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

General view of gallery two space, Works varying from 2 dimensional prints to 3 dimensional colorful and delicate work.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

Angled view of two 3 dimensional work on wall. To the right are colorful illustrative prints ripped up, with trash bags cascading down the wall onto the floor. Further down is artwork consisting of a cloth sheet and leaves hung on a branch held up by thick twine. On the wall in the background are two home life photography pieces, framed and hung up and a book up against a shelf.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

Two large scale warm toned home life photography prints hung in dark wooden frames. A book rests on top of a dark wooden shelf leaning against the wall. On both walls perpendicular to the center piece are three dimensional works.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

View of gallery three and hallway leading up to gallery four. Three colorful light box photographs of editorial scenes featured on gallery 3 wall. In the hallway are two large scale nightlife photographs.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

To the right is a TV on a pedestal with blue toned video playing, a headset rests on the side of the pedestal. Surrounding the TV is sheer light blue fabric. On the wall to the left are three colorful light box photographs of editorial scenes.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

On the left side are four urban life photographs in white frames, three on the bottom and one at the top, with a box on a pedestal below. Next to it is an editorial photo gallery of several models against a dark red background with portraits of the two main models above. To the very right are 4 landscape photographs in a grid format, switching from grayscale to colored.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

General view of gallery 3 space looking down to the hallway where three mirrored grayscale photographs are hung in an inclination.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

Looking down the gallery hallway featuring nightlife photography on the left. On the right is framed photography, further down in the corner is installation based work with paper cranes hung delicately in front of small scale photographs.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

General view of gallery four wall, containing 6 part series of decaying fruit sculpture photographs, along with the sculptures resting on two tables below. Further down are various works containing large scale prints, including shelves with small scale photographs.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

In the corner is an installation consisting of cement bricks under metal pipes and a blood transfer bag against a black background. On the wall further down is a large-scale imaginative piece with warm lighting and flowers.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

In the gallery four alcoves are dispersed small scale photography prints with found objects on the wall. Further down is urban architecture stills in black frames, in the corner is hanging paper cranes covering small scale photographs.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

One large scale print of an opening door next to several small white shelves consisting of small scale photographs, letters, and found objects, a headset is below.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

Looking down the gallery hallway, three high contrast grayscale photos of the night are pinned to the wall on the left. Further down the right wall are various works of print photography.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

Looking down the gallery hallway, there are various works lining the walls. The wall furthest away has three vibrant print photographs in an alternating sequence with a large scale motion blurred blue background.

“Mentors 2025,” SVA Chelsea Gallery, March 11 - 22, 2025

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 the global arts community. Curated by department chair Joseph Maida, “Mentors” will be on view Tuesday, March 11, through Saturday, March 22, at the SVA Chelsea Gallery, 601 W 26th St, 15th floor, New York City.


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 fourth-year students with key figures in the arts community, giving them professional insight into their work during a culminating point in their education.


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 fields of expertise and the students’ areas of concentration. This year’s mentors include, among many others, Clare Grafik​, Head of Exhibitions, The Photographers’ Gallery, London, UK; La Frances Hui​, Curator, Department of Film, The Museum of Modern Art; Chrissie Iles, Anne & Joel Ehrenkranz Curator, Whitney Museum of American Art; Alex Prager, Artist; Dean Sameshima​, ​Artist; Nadia Vellam, Photo and Video Director, T: The New York Times Style Magazine; and Carmen Winant, Artist; Professor, The Ohio State University.


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 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 Saturday, from 10:00am to 6:00pm, and closed on Sundays. It is fully accessible by wheelchair.


  1. Mickala Cifarelli x Claartje van Dijk​: Head of Exhibitions, Foam Photography Museum Amsterdam

  2. Ian Costello x Brian Paul Clamp: Director, CLAMP

  3. Dodanin Cruz De Los Santos x Shen Wei: Photographer

  4. John Echeverria x Anika Sabin: Executive Director, Capricious Foundation

  5. Madison Fishman x Clare Bell: Associate Director, The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs, New York Public Library

  6. JUNHUI GUAN x Debra Klomp Ching: Owner and Director, Klompching Gallery

  7. Alexia Haick x Jennifer Blessing: Senior Curator, Photography, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

  8. Claudia Helms x Eve Lyons: Photo Editor, The New York Times

  9. Mya Hernandez x Kunbi Oni: Collection Specialist, The Museum of Modern Art

  10. Adison James x Alex Prager: Artist

  11. Yeeun Joo x Ina Jang: Photographer

  12. Jaysa Jordan x Tanyth Berkeley: Photographer

  13. Lambert Lau x Peter Garfield: Artist

  14. Chi Kio Lei x Joanna Milter: Director of Photography, The New Yorker

  15. Ktong Li x Lisa Kereszi: Photographer; Assistant Director of Graduate Studies in Photography, Yale School of Art

  16. Jialuo Li x Michael Famighetti: Editor in Chief, Aperture

  17. Qijia Li x La Frances Hui: Curator, Department of Film, The Museum of Modern Art

  18. Yinong Li x Bill Jacobson: Photographer

  19. Fangchu Liang x Alessia Glaviano: Head of Global PhotoVogue, Condé Nast

  20. Abigail Mikami x David Hilliard: Photographer

  21. Samantha Molinelli x Carmen Winant: Artist; Professor, The Ohio State University

  22. Judo Shan x Sean Corcoran: Senior Curator, Prints and Photographs, Museum of the City of New York

  23. Shane Singh x Phil Taylor: Associate Curator, Department of Photography, George Eastman Museum

  24. Jack Sirianni x Chrissie Iles: Anne & Joel Ehrenkranz Curator, Whitney Museum of American Art

  25. HongMing Su x Tommy Kha: Photographer; Critic, Yale School of Art

  26. Helene Sage Suarino x Richard Billingham : Artist

  27. YU TANG x Clare Grafik: Head of Exhibitions, The Photographers’ Gallery, London, UK

  28. Kevin WANG x Cory Jacobs: Executive Producer and Director, Cottage Eight Films

  29. Zichun Wang x Mike Tan: Gallery Director, island | gallery

  30. ZIXUAN WANG x Guanyu Xu: Artist

  31. Yu-Shan Sammi Wei x Nadia Vellam: Photo and Video Director, T: The New York Times Style Magazine

  32. SHENGZHE XU x Matthew Brandt: Artist

  33. Zhen Avery Yuan x Dean Sameshima: Artist

  34. John Yuhas x Sze Tsung Nicolás Leong: Photographer

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