Prof. Dr. Birgit Wudtke

The project-oriented basic studies in Visual Communication at the Faculty of Art and Design can be used to specialise in analogue as well as digital processes of visualisations and to develop interdisciplinary skills. An important component of the teaching is the exploration of practices in the various workshops – in the case of photography: the » photo workshop.
 
Since digitalisation, the term PHOTOGRAPHY has come to include an extensive range of processes and methods that are equally applied to moving image, graphic design or product design. The photography teaching at undergraduate level pursues the goal of practically testing the spectrum of photographic visualisations and working out the individual perspective in group discourse. The Professorship promotes collective work and emphasises the necessity of teamwork in the creative as well as artistic field of work. The course is also about getting to know the various debates in the field of contemporary photography. The web presence of the Professorship of Photography » www.postdigitale-fotokunst.de presents an excerpt of discourses taking place and university research work.
 
The photographic image is not an occurrence of nature; It is created, collected, archived and disseminated, communicated, commented on, exhibited and theoretically differentiated by people with the help of various channels of distribution. In the best case, the makers, distributors and theorists are able to reflect on the conditions of image production based on their own intensive experiences with photographic practice, as well as to interpret the possibilities and modes of operation of various public portals and channels. It is the construction and reading competence of photographic images that is to be taught in the teaching of photography.
 
In the department, processes of democratisation of the medium of photography are brought into focus and cooperation with the industry is supported by directly negotiating entry opportunities with selected guests (editors, gallery owners, art directors, collection curators, etc.), for example in the form of joint portfolio reviews, discussion rounds, excursions, etc.