Spoleto Study Abroad 2013

Spoleto through the lens:

In photography, students are honing their technical skills in manual camera operations while considering form and content in their image making.  In an effort to capture the Spirit of Place, students have spent time meeting locals and conducting sensory exercises to tap into the heart of Spoleto.

On Tuesday, the students met Signora Donati, who has received an award for her Fuori Giardino for the past two years. 

Signora Dontati took them on a tour of her home and treated them to a homemade tart, featuring blackberries picked from her garden.  The opportunity to see a private home within the buildings they are photographing, aids in their examination of life lived in the Piazzas and streets of Spoleto.  The scale of interior space strikes in contrast to the large, substantial stone and plaster building observed on the street.

Friday morning students conducted a sensory exercise in the Piazza Mercato, which challenged their habitual norms when photographing.  Students selected a space to sit in the Piazza, and rather than looking, students mined the space through sound, smell and touch.  Using their recorded lists of sounds and smells they photographed the area for the period.  During the class debriefing, many students reported that the exercise led them to a stronger narrative of the scene. 

Here is instructor Heather Teets beginning the description of the exercise.

Stay tuned for examples of student work, as they begin to prepare presentations for the performance workshops next week.

Ancient Inspiration:

Yesterday afternoon the creative writing students had intended to travel into the mountains to see the Sacred Wood, but had to reschedule due to imminent weather. In lieu of that trip Dr. Guffin took the students to another of Spoleto's most enchanting sites, the Roman Theater. 

Students explored the museum of the theater which is said to have dated back to the first century AD. Then they were given time to reflect and journal while sitting in the theater itself. 

They then continued on to a nearby park where they had a chance to interact with the Italian youth on the playground. They concluded their class with a visit to an art museum and more time to write.