EXPLORATION OF SELF
A series of 3 photographic self-portraiture workshops
About the WORKSHOPS
Autobiographical photographs and self-portraiture have a powerful and therapeutic effect. One click of the shutter can capture an essence, a drop of clarity, which can reveal a pathway to a deeper understanding of ourselves, our lives, and our relationship with others. Images themselves do not tell truths, but they can offer symbolic insights and open doors to self-discovery.
Through the powerful tools of photography and visual journaling you will embark on a journey of self-exploration, which you can apply to your daily life. You will learn about visual and performative self-portraiture and develop your own method of creative investigation to explore your identity and self. This course will resonate especially with those who have an interest in both photography and self-development.
The tool of every self-portrait is the mirror.
You see yourself in it. Turn it the other way, and you see the world.
— Agnès Varda
Workshop structure
Each month we will explore a new theme over three sessions.
SESSION 1 (group, 2 - 2,5 hours)
We will begin with a lecture to explore themes through the work of female photographers and artists who push the boundaries of identity and expression. We will then discuss various ways we can approach the themes and offer you a variety of possible settings and ideas you can use to experiment with during your photo session.
SESSION 2 (individual, 1 hour)
Each participant will have a practical 1-hour session in our photography studio. We will be available to assist with technical questions and set-up.
SESSION 3 (group, 2-2,5 hours)
During this session, we invite you to share your observations and experiences. It will be a group discussion around themes explored during the course and an opportunity to share your work. At the beginning of the course you will begin your journal or sketchbook, which you can use to create a visual diary of your process. This is for any reflections, thoughts, discoveries, insights, and revelations and where you will make a record of your journey.
DATES
Workshop in English - October - December 2022
(dates for group sessions are: 8/10, 22/10, 5/11, 19/11, 3/12, 17/12)
Workshop in Spanish - April - June 2023 (dates will be posted on February)
(dates for group sessions are: 1/04, 15/04, 29/04, 13/05, 27/05, 10/06.)
PRICE
Full payment - 300€ or 3 monthly payments - 125€ each (materials included).
THEMES
1ST WORKSHOP
Body and Space
Self-portraiture is a brave and intimate way to interpret reflections and thoughts of ourselves visually. How often do we look at ourselves in a mirror but don’t see? Creating a self-portrait can be an innermost confrontation, a moment to check in with yourself with loving and caring eyes. A photograph has the power to become a documentation of the woman you have become.
In this workshop, we will play with our appearances by manipulating the surface of our bodies differently. We will use ourselves as the models to create a practice in self-witness, to explore our contact with our body and self.
We are also going to investigate the relationship between our bodies and space. How do we situate ourselves within a particular space? If it symbolizes the outer world, we will enquire where and how we see ourselves in it.
2ND WORKSHOP
Object and Memory
We associate objects with memory. People have always held onto objects with sentimental value, be it their jewellery, books, or the scarf their grandmother wore. The things we most value can be transformed into stories that convey an experience, aspiration, and identity. No matter the object, it has the power to connect us to the past, to evoke the memories closest to our hearts.
In this session, we will play with the objects we treasure. Recreating the stories, they hold in themselves or looking for new ways they can fit in our present life.
3RD WORKSHOP
Hidden Self
We all have sides of ourselves that we don’t acknowledge or even try to hide, a “shadow self”. It is often made up of the parts of ourselves or feelings we deem unacceptable or were not allowed to express. To feel whole and balanced, we need to recognise, face, and express those parts of ourselves.
This workshop will provide a safe and caring environment to explore your hidden sides. We will use self-portraits as an instrument to manifest intimate feelings and reveal versions of ourselves in a creative and gentle way.
ABOUT US
YANINA SHEVCHENKO
Documental photographer, storyteller
Yanina Shevchenko is a Russian-born visual storyteller working on long-term independent projects using photography. Since 2008 she has worked in New York, Moscow, Buenos Aires, London, and Barcelona as a photographer, event producer, and curator.
GENIA VALLA
Documental and art photographer, photography teacher
Yevgeniya Valla (Ukraine / Czech Republic) is a professional photographer and teacher of photography for children and adults. She studied photography at the Institut Fotogràfic de Catalunya and documentary and artistic photography at the Fotografika academy, Saint Petersburg (Russia).
Currently, she is working with analogue photography, looking for her focus on photography as art and the possibilities of photography as a therapeutic tool.