Here at CSM Short courses we think getting to know your tutors is a sure-fire way to ensure you get the most out of your Short Course experience. Today, we are talking with Curator, Arts Manager, and tutor on the Introduction to Contemporary Photography Short Course - Magali Avezou, about her career and her approach to Photography.
Magali's Zine Workshop © Carlotta Cataneo
Hi Magali, Could you introduce us to what you teach, and tell us how you came to work in the field?
The main topics I teach are Introduction to Contemporary Photography, visual arts, and artists' books. I came into the Photography world After studying arts management. After that, I worked years in the cinema and book industry in France and Spain. 10 years ago I started to get very interested by what was happening with photography and I decided to go back to study to have a thorough knowledge of the field. I got offered a place on the PGCert Photography at CSM and got so much into it that I went on studying an MA at London College of Photography. Two years after graduating, I set-up my own curatorial platform: Archipelago Projects.
Could you tell us a little bit about something you've been working on recently as well as your wider practice?
My practice is a curatorial one, that is not limited to photography even if the study of the "culture of images" is central to my research. My last exhibition project is titled "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden" and was presented in Palermo, during the nomadic Biennial Manifesta. The exhibition looks at the evolution of interrelationships and contemporary "culture of emotions" through vidéo, internet, textile, photography and a selection of artists' books.
I am interested in cross-disciplinarity and in challenging the usual site of arts.
What advice would you give to aspiring creatives?
How has teaching students at CSM informed your approach to art?
This will be my first time teaching at CSM, but I can tell you about my experience as a student here. The college and the people I have met 8 years ago at CSM have radically changed my path. I not only learned a huge amount about photography, but I also gained a working method and a critical approach. The class has also been an amazing experience because of the mix of people it brings together. They were my first network in the photography world. Overall, It was incredibly mind-opening to find myself in such a rich environment.
What is the most important thing that students take away from your course?
My aim is to transmit an open and reflective approach to photography. The field has massively evolved for 30 years, from barely being recognized as an art form, to be at the forefront for studying contemporary visual culture. I want students to understand how pivotal can be photography in looking at contemporary culture, but also how it needs to be in dialogue with other art fields. My approach is definitively critical and that is something I aim to pass on.
If you're interested in what you see, make sure to take a look at our photography short courses which have places available to book now. Also make sure to head on over to Archipelago Projects for a selection of incredible Contemporary Photographs, Photobooks and other artwork.
