Photography students gather in Lisbon

Students then had the opportunity to delve deeper into Lisbon’s thriving photographic community with a visit to XYZ Books, an independent publishing house, bookshop, and printing lab. Here, they met with the founder Tiago Casanova and engaged in discussions about the role of photo books in contemporary photography and explored a selection of publications. 

Reflecting on the study trip, online Photography student, Jon Pemberton said: “XYZ Books was a real highlight for me. It was great to see the work of Tiago Casanova and for him to openly share his approach to making which was extremely insightful.” 

The group had the chance to attend an exclusive artist-guided tour of Jose Pedro Cortes’ exhibition at Broteria cultural centre, giving a behind-the-scenes look into the artist’s process and conceptual approach. The group also attended a workshop by the photographer Sofia Silva, at Rua Jacinto Nunes, which offered an insight into alternative photographic processes, including an introduction into experimental techniques. 

Declan Scammel, a Photography BA(Hons) (Online) student commented, “The trip was a wonderful way to explore different styles of photography and learn about artist influences worldwide. The use of colour in the street photography was captivating.” 

The trip culminated with visits to two major exhibitions in Belem. The first was a guided tour of the exhibition Vanishing Intimacies: Surrounding Nan Goldin at CCB, which included work by 36 artists who explored diverse themes linked to intimacy. In the afternoon, students explored Black Ancient Futures at MAAT, an exhibition that has brought together a group of artists from the vast African diaspora. 

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