Sunday, August 7

20:00 - 21:30 Claudine Doury (FR) - “Adolescence and other mutations: representation of loss and metamorphosis in photography”

In her talk, Claudine Doury will cover 15 years of her artistic work, depicting inner changes and transfigurations from Russia’s borderlines to her immediate family.

21:45 - 23:15 Michael Ackerman (US/DE) - Artist talk

In something between a slideshow and a film, Michael Ackerman will show photos from last 15 years of his work. He will also share a selection of short films of his friend and collaborator J.Cohen.

Claudine Doury: Born in 1959 in France. Lives in Paris. Represented by Camera Obscura Gallery in Paris and a member of VU agency. Her photographic work on people and their everyday lives has earned her the top prizes: the Leica Oscar Barnack Prize (1999), Prix Paris-Match (2000), and the Niépce Prize (2004). 

Michael Ackerman: American. Born in1967 in Tel Aviv. Lives in Berlin. Represented by agency VU. Is recognized by a his radical and unique approach to photography, expressed in his work on Varanassi “End Time City” (1999) and recent “Half life” (2010).

 

Monday, August 8 

20:00 - 21:30 Marcos Lopez (Argentina) - “Tierra en Trance”

The artist will show a specially created video compilation about his work that will include his personal selection of "the most important names" in Latin American photography.

Marcos Lopez: Born in 1958. Lives and works in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Marcos Lopez gained international recognition for his “Pop-Latino” style - distinctive combination of photographic realism and theatrical staging with crossing influences from painting, cinema, traditional and modern archetypes, and digital art.

 

Tuesday, August 9

20:00 - 21:30 David Bate (UK) - “Conceptual documentary”

The talk will discuss the rise of conceptual art as a mode of thinking and its relation to photography and documentary photography in particular.

21:45 - 23:15 Arno Rafael Minkkinen (FI/US) - “Art is risk made visible”

Shown at the gala night of the Palms Spring International Photo Festival in March 2011, the presentation with music selections traces and interweaves an understanding of photography through a retrospective of 40 years of artist’ work.

David Bate: Photo-artist, writer and teacher, known for his interest in avant-garde aesthetics in visual art. Lives and works in London, represented by Hoopers Gallery. Dr. Bate is a Course Leader of MA in Photographic Studies at University of Westminster. He has published many essays on contemporary photography and art history as well as two books that are widely used in photography courses: “Photography and Surrealism” (2004) and “Photography: Key Concepts” (2009). 

Arno Rafael Minkkinen: A Finnish-American photographer, writer, curator, and educator. Born in 1945 in Finland. Lives in US. For decades now, he has explored the invisible line that separates man from the primordial via his surreal black&white self-portraits. Dr. Minkkinen is Professor of Art at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, Docent at the University of Art & Design Helsinki, and graduate faculty at Maine Media College in Rockport, Maine. Was awarded the Finnish State Art Prize in Photography in 2006.
 

Wednesday, August 10

20:00 - 22:00 Photography magazines presentations

- Erik Vroons, Editor, GUP Magazine (NL)
- Arnis Balčus, Editor, FK Magazine (LV)

The talks by editors of two photography magazines (Dutch/international GUP and Latvian FK) will give an overview on the present day situation in an industry actively reflecting on photography, the cyclic production process of a photography magazine, as well as initiate a debate on what a photographer could gain from getting published without getting paid.

 

Thursday, August 11

20:00 - 21:30 “Visual narratives: European borderlines” project partners
- ISSP (Latvia), GAPO (Turkey), Icelandic Contemporary Photography Association, Maioclaro (Portugal)

A short presentation of a long-term project "European borderlines" that was recently started by ISSP in partnership with photography organisations from Turkey, Iceland and Portugal. Presentations will include some of the photography that they represent and promote.

21:45 - 23:15 Vanessa Winship and George Georgiou (UK) – Artist talk

The tutors of the project, George Georgio and Vanessa Winship will tell about their work on long-term documentary projects – something that they have been doing for a while.

Vanessa Winship: Born in 1960 in the United Kingdom. Represented by the Agency Vu. Vanessa Winship is known for her long term projects in Albania, Georgia and Black Sea. Her series “Sweet Nothings” on rural girls in central Anatolia have won Sony World Photography Award in 2008. In June 2011 she was awarded a prestigious Henri Cartier-Bresson award in photography.  

George Georgiou: Born in London to Greek Cypriot parents, George Georgiou has been a practicing photographer for the last 20 years. Represented by agencies Prospekt (Italy), Panos (UK) and Signatures (France). He has been living and working in the Balkans, Greece and Turkey. His work is focused on long term projects around identity, urbanization and human space.  

 

Friday, August 12 

20:00 - 22:00 Presentation of ISSP participants’ portfolios

An opportunity for ISSP participants to share what they are doing with the entire group - portfolio selection or individual projects (completed or work in progress). ISSP works shall not be presented. Required: prior sign-up, slideshow or video presentation (maximum 10 minutes each).

 

Saturday, August 13 (in Kuldīga)

19:00 - 20:00 Opening of the ISSP 2011 Exhibition at Kuldīga District museum

21:30 - 22:30 Screening of ISSP works at Kuldīga Open air cinema 

 

NB! Practical information for visitors:
All those seriously interested in photography are welcome to attend the ISSP evening programme free of charge.
Location of the evening talks: Pelči boarding school, Kuldīga district. Directions and map available here.
Visitors are responsible for entire logistics of their stay and should take care not to disturb the work of the workshops.
Contact Kuldīga Tourism Information centre for accommodation in Kuldīga. Its possible to stay in tents on the ISSP campus, we will try to arrange for a separate kitchen that guests can use. 

Call for Applications - International Summer School of Photography 2018

After a year-long creative break, we are happy to announce the call for applications for the International Summer School of Photography 2018! Coming back with fresh shifts in the programme, ISSP 2018 will feature cutting edge workshops with Jason Fulford, Lisa Barnard, Salvatore Vitale & Sarker Protick, Yumi Goto & Jan Rosseel, a special laboratory for photography curators with Natasha Christia, and a brand new on-campus ISSP Residency! ISSP will take place 28 July – 5 August 2018 in Kuldīga. Applications open till 30 March! 

ISSP atklāj jaunu telpu fotogrāfijai Rīgā / ISSP to open a new photography space in Riga

16. februārī ar Rafala Milaha izstādi durvis vērs jauna, biedrības ISSP veidota fotogrāfijas medijam veltīta telpa Berga Bazarā - mājvieta Latvijā vienīgajai laikmetīgās fotogrāfijas izstāžu zālei. 

On February 16, ISSP is opening a new space dedicated to contemporary photography in the Bergs Bazaar, Riga, launching with Rafal Milach's exhibition "The First March of Gentlemen".

Call for Applications - ISSP International Masterclass 2018/2019

The applications for the next round of the ISSP International Masterclass are now open! The programme offers a year-long mentorship for 24 emerging photographers, with three intense workshop sessions between Kuldīga and Sicily and online feedback in between. The mentors for 2018/2019 are Peter Bialobrzeski ("A Sense of Change") and Clare Strand and Gordon MacDonald ("Answering Questions & Questioning Answers"). The programme will start in March 2018, applications accepted by 10 January 2018!
Information and applications: www.isspmasterclass.com 

ISSP International Masterclass 2016/2017 exhibition in Kuldīga

The final session of the ISSP International Masterclass 2016/2017 has just been completed in Kuldīga, and the projects by 20 photographers from 13 countries, mentored for a year by Phillip Toledano and Simon Norfolk are on show for the first time in Kuldīga Arts Hall! The Exhibition is open until 19 November!  

ISSP Starptautiskās meistarklases 2016/2017 noslēguma izstāde, kas ietver 20 meistarklases dalībnieku radītas sērijas, video darbus, fotogrāmatas un instalācijas, tapušās gadu gara internsīva radoša procesa rezultātā, ir atvērta Kuldīgas Mākslas namā līdz 19.novembrim! 

ISSP Masterclass evening talks in Kuldīga

An exciting programme of evening talks by our special guests Emma Bowkett, Teun van der Heijden, Lars Willumeit and The Cool Couple will be open to the public in Kuldīga as part of the final session of the 2016/2017 ISSP International Masterclass!

Visu nedēļu Kuldīgā piedāvājam aizraujošu vakara programmu ar fotogrāfijas jomas ekspertiem, bet sestdien aicinām uz ISSP Starptautiskās Meistarklases 2016/2017 izstādes atklāšanu Kuldīgas Mākslas namā. 

The Cool Couple: atvērtā lekcija Rīgā

Šo trešdien, 11.oktobrī, plkst. 18.30 notiks Kuldīgas Fotogrāfijas rezidences mākslinieku The Cool Couple autorvakars Rīgā, ISSP Skolas telpās, Raiņa bulvārī 31-11. 

The Cool Couple ir mākslinieku duets no Itālijas – Nikolo Benetons (Niccolò Benetton, 1986) un Simone Santilli (1987) – kas savos darbos pievērš uzmanību spriedzes punktiem cilvēku ikdienas mijiedarbībā ar attēliem. Mākslinieki izmanto dažādus, brīžiem pārsteidzošus izteiksmes veidus – no laikmetīgās fotogrāfijas līdz meditācijas tehnikām, no elektrostatiskajām salvetēm līdz ķīniešu kavergrupas mūzikas ierakstiem.

Jaunums! ISSP Skolas kurss "Ievads fotogrāfijā"

Apgūsti jaunu vizuālu valodu kopā ar mums! Intensīvais divu mēnešu kurss "Ievads fotogrāfijā" piedāvā apgūt fotogrāfiskās domāšanas pamatus un kameras tehniskās iespējas interaktīvā un radošā vidē, izcilu pasniedzēju vadibā. Lieliska iespēja spert pirmos soļus fotogrāfijas pasaules izzināšanā un gūt jaunas prasmes attēlu lasīšanā un veidošanā. 

8 nedēļas (2 x nedēļā), no 26. oktobra
Pasniedzēji: Iveta Gabaliņa (Vaivode), Raimo Lielbriedis

Uzzini vairāk un piesakies - ej.uz/ievadkurss

Atvērta pieteikšanās programmai "Attīstot fotogrāfijas valodu"

Līdz 16. jūlijam gaidām pieteikumus ISSP Skolas divu gadu vakara programmas ATTĪSTOT FOTOGRĀFIJAS VALODU 2017./2019.g. kursam!

Programma paredzēta dalībniekiem ar priekšzināšanām un nodrošina studentiem atvērtu, radošu un kritisku vidi, kurā attīstīt savu vizuālo valodu un individuālo pieeju fotogrāfijā. Strādājot pie nelieliem un arī nopietnākiem autorprojektiem Latvijas un ārvalstu speciālistu vadībā, studenti paplašina izpratni par fotogrāfiju kā mūsdienu mākslas mediju. Vairāk : www.isspskola.lv

ISSP Skolas absolventu 2017 izstāde

30. maijā plkst. 19.00 aicinām uz ISSP Skolas 2017. g. absolventu izstādes "Caurvējš" atklāšanu! Izstāde ir šā gada Rīgas Fotomēneša notikums un līdz 22. jūnijam būs apskatāma jaunajā Free Riga radošajā mājā D27, Dzirnavu ielā 27.  

Piedalās: Agnese Zvirbule, Arta Kauliņa, Elmārs Sedols, Jēkabs Pravornis, Kristaps Mednis, Kristīne Krauze Slucka, Laima Buša, Madara Gritāne, Margarita Ogoļceva, Mārīte Lempa, Mārtiņš Eglītis, Teiksma Jankava, Toms Harjo.

International Summer School of Photography 2017

Our new year begins with a bittersweet announcement - the International Summer School of Photography will not be taking place in 2017. Due to major renovation work at our base, Pelči Castle, the ISSP team is taking the opportunity to recharge, regroup and focus on other ISSP projects. We will be back in 2018, energised and bursting with fresh ideas!

Meanwhile, we hope to see you at festivals throughout Europe, and do keep an eye out for ISSP International Masterclass applications opening in autumn!

Fotogrāfija un kolāža - gala darbi

Darbnīca Fotogrāfija un kolāža ar Maiju Kurševu un Andreju Strokinu notika novembra beigās Cēsīs, Ruckas mākslas rezidenču centrā. Trīs dienu garajā darbnīcā 13 dalībnieki, sekojot dažādiem uzdevumiem, izmēģināja, ko nozīmē strādāt ar atrastām un savām fotogrāfijām kolāžas tehnikā. 

The results of the workshop Photography and Collage with Maija Kurševa and Andrejs Strokins that took place end of November in the Rucka Artist Residency centre, Cēsis. During this three-day workshop the participants made collages using their own and found photographs.  

Putekļi un zelts

Aicinām uz pasākumu Putekļi un zelts - vakaru mūsdienu Ēģiptes atmosfērā, kas notiks 1. decembrī plkst. 19.30 Aleponijā. Septembra nogalē māksliniece Vika Eksta pavadīja trīs nedēļas mūsu organizētajā rezidencē Townhouse galerijā, Kairā, Ēģiptē, projekta Alternative Storytelling ietvaros. Šajā laikā tapa multimediāli darbi un vizuālas piezīmes par pavadīto laiku zemē ar bagātu pagātni, haotisku tagadni un neskaidru nākotni.