Especially important to our students is the opportunity to attend the SPE conference where students make connections, hear from mentors and artists in their field, and gain experience presenting their work publicly as they prepare to grow from student educators to educators themselves. This year, graduate photo students have created and formed the Southwest Photo Collaborative, a collective of photography graduate students across UNM, Arizona State University, and the University of Arizona, working together to share works in progress and maintain connections beyond graduate school. Inspired by a long-standing connection across the three schools, this year they have planned a series of exhibitions traveling to each of the three home cities.
Earlier this year, Land, Body, & Archive debuted at the John Sommers Gallery at UNM. The students hope to compile a catalog publication, including documentation of the collaborative process, their work, and written contributions from Art History students and contributors working within the theme of land, body, and archive.
We are seeking support for the creation and printing of Land, Body, & Archive, a publication to make the exhibition accessible to the broader community and future students. We are also in need of assistance with travel to the annual SPE Conference in St. Louis, Missouri in March of 2024.
"What I've learned from doing this SWPC exhibition is the value of making something happen for ourselves, as a group. Almost every part of the process was built on collective decisions. The opportunity for us to exhibit out of state, at other institutions is valuable for our resumes on paper, but also in terms of the experience coordinating an exhibition from a distance and where we are deeply involved in the beginning concepts through to the installation and promotion of the work. Having the publication exist will allow us to point to this collective work and inspire future cohorts to do the same." - Anna Rotty, MFA Candidate