La FAMU

Biographie

FAMU is the fifth oldest film school in the world. Its graduates include many influential filmmakers and scriptwriters, many of whom are known internationally as Oscar winners and laureates of international film festivals.
The Department of Photography was founded in 1975 which makes it one of the oldest institutions of its kind in Europe. The school is located right in the historical centre of Prague. Our unique specialization is the interconnection of classical photography techniques with contemporary multi-media trends. It offers a three-year Bachelor’s programme and the subsequent two-year Master’s programme, both taught in the Czech and English languages. Studies take place in five principal studios led by major photographers and contemporary artists in general – the Studio of Imaginative Photography, the Studio of Documentary Photography, the Studio of Classic Photography, the Studio of Photography and New Media and the Studio of Intermedia / Temporary Arts. Students get to know a wide range of techniques for the production and postproduction of photographic images, learn and understand their opportunities and limitations, and find and invent creative means corresponding to their own intentions and preferences. In addition, the opportunities for gaining experience at other FAMU departments (cinematography, editing, sound engineering etc.) during the studies fosters overlaps into the audiovisual field. Courses in the history and theory of photography and media are an integral part of the teaching.

Présentation

In the world of photography we are confronted not just by an image, but also by recurring metaphors and ideas. Zones of light and dark, objectivity and manipulation, inventory and documentation, or faithful recording of reality. Perhaps this thinking affects our approach to art more than the technique of photography itself. It is certainly representative of the ethos, dialogue and mutual support of teachers and students at the Department of Photography at FAMU.
As such it is not necessary to derive photography from a camera or from the sight. Photography interacts with objects, materials and, especially, with surfaces. It does not record, but responds. It does not only serve the photographer, but engages with the world.
At the FAMU Department of Photography we are not just trying to master photography as a medium, but also as a space for critical thinking and a confrontation with the world. On this occasion we present three videos of our students revolving around the problem of identity and happiness. Be it through fashion (Jakub Ra), social media (Johana Novotna), or social anxiety itself (Richard Janecek), young artists today deal with the difficulties of developing a distinctive self.