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DEPARTMENT OF PHOTOGRAPHY

The Department of Photography was founded in 1997 under the direction of Vallo Kalamees. Since 2001, the head of the department is Professor Peeter Linnap (PhD). The aim of the Department of Photography is to provide students with an internationally recognised art education.

The curriculum is focused on three major fields:

freelance creative practices;

professional photography and critical documentary;

curatorial practices, research projects and art management.

The department positions itself as an integral part of an international cultural community. Students actively participate in exchange programs and the department frequently admits international students. The department has published over twenty academic books, research volumes and catalogues.
Our research work includes magisterial volumes by Peeter Linnap: “History of Estonian Photography 1839-2015“ (Tartu 2016); “Fotoloogia/ Photology” (Tallinn, 2008); “Anthology of Estonian photography. Vol-s I 1839-1939 and II 1940 to 2010 (Tartu, Pallas 2021-2022). Major research contributions include European wide „The History of European Photography 1900-2000“. III (Bratislava SEDF, 2010-2016). and „History of Estonian Art“ I-VI, vol.-s 5 and 6. Current research work in progress is “Anthology of Estonian Photography III”, international collection of research papers “Morphology of Photography” (Estonian-Portugese co-operation, 5 universities involved) and “The impact of social transition processes on documentary practices and the development of national photography education in the 1990s”.
Our research papers have been published in „Society“ (Springer, NY), IJETA (Intellect Bristol, UK) etc.

CURRICULUM

VIRTUAL TOUR

LECTURERS

The faculty consists of top practitioners in the field: Diana Tamane (contemporary art), Kaisa Eiche (art management), Maris Savik (social media), Toomas Kalve (analogue photography), Andrus Kannel (studio), Riina Kindlam (Toronto/ Tartu, specialized English), Pillery Teesalu (underwater photography), Andero Kalju (drone photography) etc. Teaching international artists/ lecturers include among others Martin Parr (MPF, Bristol, U.K), David Bate (Westminster University, London, UK), Alexander Gronsky (LV/ RU), Gintautas Trimakas, Alvydas Lukys and Remigijus Treigys (VDA LT), Andrejs Grants, Inta Ruka and Baiba Tetere, Štradins University (LV). Visiting professors include top art theorists and historians professors Thomas McEvilley (SVA NYC), James Elkins (Art Institute of Chicago), Jay Ruby (Temple University PA), David Tomas (UQAM Université Quebec a Montreal), Ian Jeffrey and Irit Rogoff (Goldsmith´s College London), Göran Sonesson (Lund University Sweden), Jan-Erik Lundström (Umeå Bildmuseet Sweden), Prof Vaclav Macek (University of Performing Arts of Bratislava), Elina Heikka (Finnish Museum of Photography), Vilnis Auzins [director of Latvian Museum of Photography (1992-2009)], Prof Agne Narusyte (Vilnius Academy of Arts) etc.