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Onur Özen

Malocchio“It has been at least two years since I have had in mind a project on metal music. Since I am a

fan of this genre, the subject of my photographs also have to do with my personal sphere.

I am interested in the diffusion at the global level of this kind of music, but also to investigate

how music turns into lifestyle and global culture. As a Turkish,

it was important to see and meet others fan around the world ... “

BIOOnur Özen (1988, Çanakkale, Turkey). In 2011 he graduated in Fine Arts from Çanakkale Onsekizmart

University, where he specialized in painting; yet he has been passionately dedicating to

photography for the last seven years. Between 2007 and 2012 he took part in a number of

group exhibitions in Turkey (Intepe Spring Festival, Summer Festival Kucukkuyu; Korffman

Library Canakkale, Istanbul University Photography Days; Kayiki Social Project, Greece and

Turkey, Canakkale Photography Festival Among Universities Turkey (Organization); İstanbul

22. IFSAK Photography Festival, Pan Visual Culture Studio Canakkale). In 2013 he videos for the

event Excentrica (Fly Fashion Loves You, December 2013).

magnetic field final exhibition

F LO R E N C E U N I V E R S I T Y O F T H E A RTS, 2014

giuseppe, polaroid negative, digital print, 136x108 cm, 2014

giulia, polaroid negative, digital print, 136x108 cm, 2014

giulio, polaroid negative, digital print, 136x108 cm, 2014

davide, polaroid negative, digital print, 108x73, 2014

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Liu Shang-Wei,

Ombre“I first started studying photography in high school, where my teacher used to say: photography is not really

difficult; difficult is making photographs talk about your feelings. I think a lot about silence. This project is the

combination of my investigation of silence in today’s word, and my passion for street photography”.

The project Ombre (Shadows) evokes the uncertainty of the stranger in a world away from someone’s own

culture and geography. With the discretion typical of some Eastern civilizations, Liu Shang-Wei addresses the

issue of isolation and silence, which, in addition to being an existential condition of the individual, it is also the

product of the current state of the world where we all move conveniently ignoring each other. The black and

white prints influence the installation choices by Liu Shang-Wei, and complete her whole idea for the show:

a chiaroscuroed path, in which the shadow is not the result of a physical presence, but paradoxically, of its

absence

BIOLiu Shang-Wei 1987, Kaohsiung, Taiwan). Her parents, both artists, have infused passion for photography in her veins. While at-

tending school, she became the assistant of a professional photographer. Then she started to create weddings

photographic services in studios, until she decided to come to Italy, to continue studying at Diva, and turn

photography into her job. Considering the formal aspect of the image secondary, Liu Shang-Wei is interested

in photography as a means to record people’s unexpected moods, and to enter in empathic relationships with

her subjects.

magnetic field final exhibition

F LO R E N C E U N I V E R S I T Y O F T H E A RTS, 2014

Arriving at the exhibition of a someone’s work is always an important step,

and an adventure for all parties involved. The students, exposing their

photographs to the public for the first time, will be judged by standards

and categories not contemplated in class and therefore will be exposed to

a completely new context. The mentors/instructors will verify the learning

outcome of their students, and will themselves be a part of the public’s eye,

which is unaware of the processes involved in the making of the single pieces

and the complete show. In order to provide an overall meaning and reading

of the exhibition, the curator needs to select pieces, exclude others believed

to be masterpieces, and give luster to those who have been previously

neglected. By doing this he or she also teaches a lesson to the students:

confrontation is crucial in real life, our first choices are not always the best.

Yet we need to make decisions, and when we truly believe in what we are

pursuing the results are ultimately fulfilled.

This is my final lesson to Victoria Haleba, Valeriya Kuzmitskaya, Onur Özen,

and Liu Shang-Wei, the four students at the end of their Career Program in

Photography at DIVA, the School of Digital Imaging and Visual Arts of Florence

University of the Arts. In the exhibition Magnetic Field, they reveal their

personal attitudes and strong choices, tempered by the common course of

study and by the awareness of an external public who will be judging and

evaluating only the results of their work, and not the process prior.

Lucia Giardino

Evaluating student work is no easy task for a photography instructor. Behind

each image and its printed version are a thousand factors to consider and

a thousand obstacles to overcome in determining one’s judgment. Creative

ability cannot be studied like a mathematic formula. It cannot be studied in

textbooks, it is assimilated in time and students gradually absorb the stimuli

necessary to express themselves through their images. Onur, Valeriya, Victoria,

and Stella are in different stages of their creative and professional paths. They

will surely proceed in different directions upon completing their educational

journey. Each of these individuals possesses his or her distinct peculiarities;

each has unique resources to brandish and weaknesses to resolve. The

images featured at this exhibition are the result of an intense period and each

displayed work represents objectives reached and difficulties encountered,

elaborated, and overcome. I am extremely proud of how the students have

communicated a personal expression, learned and crafted a technique, and

discovered a method for observing their personal passions and limits. As a

professional photographer I offer my highest congratulations and well wishes

to this group for prosperous future careers. As an instructor, I hope that my

students will keep their minds open, that they will always find the strength to

make their dreams come true, and that they may overcome moments of difficulty.

Simone Pierotti

Magnetic Field includes

Onur Özen MalocchioLiu Shang-Wei OmbreValeriya Kuzmitskaya NotesVictoria Haleba Insieme

Apr. 17 - 24, 2014, F_AIR - Florence Artist in Residence

curated by

Lucia Giardino, Simone Pierotti

Catalog

Texts

Lucia Giardino, Simone Pierotti, David Andre Weiss

Graphics

Alberto Simoncioni

Exhibition Logistic Assistants

F_AIR - Ganzo Collective, Enrica Quaranta, Nora Takacs

Technical support

Alessio Faggi, Enrica Quaranta

Press Office Palazzi

Credits and Acknowledgment

Gabriella Ganugi - President of Palazzi and Florence University of The Arts

David Andre Weiss - Chair of DIVA, Digital Imaging and Visual Arts

Giulio Vinci - Palazzi General Manager

Lucia Giardino - Professor of Solo Exhibition and Publication of a Solo Work

Simone Pierotti - Professor of Special Project 3

Enrica Quaranta - Professor of Photography and Lab Assistant

Onur Özen would like to thank

DIVA and its staff, in particular: Lucia Giardino, Simone Pierotti, Enrica Quaranta, Giulio Vinci, David Weiss, Aykan Özener; all people that have made

his project possible: Alessandro, Davide, Elisa, Francesco, Gabriele, Giulia, Giulio, Giuseppe, Max, Sera, Tommaso, Valerie,

Ufomammut (Urlo, Poia, Vita); and all his family.

Liu Shang-Wei would like to thank her mom

F_AIR - Ganzo Collective is a group of selected students of Florence University of the Arts, including students of the course of Gallery Assistant

Experiencial Learning, coordinated by Lucia Giardino. Spring 2014 F_AIR - Ganzo Collective includes students Tatyana Valovla,

Lama Kaddura, Ivana Malvoni, and Lisa Torquato.

F_AIR – Florence Artist In Residence

via San Gallo 45/r

50129 Firenze

+39 055 0332950

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