General Studies Program
A unique intensive educational opportunity, this program offers an advanced visual studies curriculum to approximately 35 national and international students per year. Students learn the craft and theory of contemporary image-making shaped by the experience of photographers, writers, historians, and visual artists of all media. The program is multi-disciplinary and multi-ethnic, treating photography as central to our specific histories and cultures while providing a way to communicate across the boundaries of race, class, and gender.
Now accepting applications for rolling admissions for 2008-2009.
The General Studies Program accelerates the practice of photography in an atmosphere of cooperative learning and professional skills development. It encourages students to explore and define their own goals, while assisting them in situating their work. The program embraces contemporary and historic fine arts, documentary or editorial contexts, as well as fashion, anthropological, scientific, and other photographic practices.
The core of the program, the General Studies Seminar, meets weekly to consider and question the artistic, cultural, political, and psychological use of images. Readings are coupled with presentations by visiting artists, slide presentations and video screenings, studio and museum field trips, critiques, and lively discussions. The goal is to extend the possibilities of "seeing" photographically. Each student is guided toward the discovery and strengthening of an individual mode of expression.
The ICP-Bard Undergraduate Photography Program
This program is an option track within the General Studies Program. Students who successfully complete 120 contact hours in classes and the program requirements receive 32 credits (one full year) from Bard College toward their undergraduate degree. To be considered, select this option on your application.
Contact cthuman@icp.org for questions about this program.
Faculty
The Program's faculty includes distinguished artists, photographers, historians, and professionals who are recognized both nationally and internationally. Recent core seminar faculty include Sam Samore, Karina Skvirsky, Jesal Kapadia, and Allen Frame. Recent ICP and visiting faculty include Michael Ackerman, Andrea Modica, Amy Arbus, Susan Jahoda, Joseph Rodriguez, Neil Runyon, Andrew French, Arnaud Claass, Peter Kloehn, Judite Dos Santos, Nancy Davenport, Darin Mickey, Penelope Umbrico, Susan Kae Grant, Melissa Springer, Andre Lambertson, Bill Jacobson, Harvey Stein, Miranda Lichtenstein, Laura Larson, Fred Ritchin, Susan Kleckner, Jeff Jacobson, John Reuter, Josef Astor, and Frank Franca.
The Chair of the General Studies Program is Robert Blake, a photographer, an Emmy Award-winning videographer, curator, and author. He is the recipient of the 1999 Etant Données grant for the Paris exhibition of his color work Legend. He is the co-founder of Hybridaxe, a performance group employing film, sound, text, and movement. As a lecturer and visiting artist, Blake has worked with the Ecole Nationale de la Photographie in Arles, France and the C.E.V.P. in Vevey, Switzerland. He has received numerous research and artist grants from the French government and has exhibited and taught widely in the United States and Europe.
