New Exhibition Shows Yale Photo Graduates’ Final Images

The Department of Photography at Yale University School of Art is reputed as one of the most influential photo programs in the U.S., admitting a maximum of 10 students each year.

Directed by renowned photographer Gregory Crewdson, the program has established a tradition of providing students with visiting artists and vigorous critique from a wide range of practitioners, including artists Richard Prince, Roni Horn, Philip-Lorca DiCorcia and Gilles Peress.

After two years of honing their skills, the graduates’ work is brought together in a group show curated by artist Jack Pierson, which, this year, opens on June 18 at the Danziger Gallery in New York.

The ten artists are David Alekhougie, Zak Arctander, Quinn Gorbutt, Isabel Magowan, Sarah Meyohas, Elle Perez, Bryson Rand, David Soffa, Ilona Szwarc and Annie Thornton.

“It runs from very traditional [photography] to very radical explorations of materials and subject matters,” says Pierson, who has been a critic to the students’ work at Yale. “I really believe strongly in the possibilities created in a summer group show, because that’s how I got my very first exposure in New York.”

“The program is unique because of the intensity of the critiques－students show new work every five weeks－and its emphasis on experimentation and change,” says Szwarc, who has previously won several awards for her documentary work, Rodeo Girls.

The Yale 2015 MFA Photography Graduate Show will be on view at the Danziger Gallery from June 18 to 27, and at the Regen Projects gallery in Los Angeles from July 2 to August 1.

Ye Ming is a writer and contributor to TIME LightBox. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.