ADMAF Supports Emerging Photojournalism Talent With Exhibition Of Student’s Works At The Ghaf Gallery

Selected works by 31 students from two classes will be shown

Photojournalism works by 31 Zayed University students and their teachers will be shown in a special exhibition at the Ghaf Gallery, with the support of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), under the patronage of HE Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

The students exhibiting their works have all undertaken the photojournalism course in the College of Communication and Media Sciences at Zayed University in Spring 2008 or Spring 2009. In an innovative approach to teaching, the course has been led each time by several professional photographers, who have been enlisted to help teach the required skills and add a ‘real life’ dimension to the students learning.

In 2008 the students were guided by internationally renowned freelance photographer Kate Brooks who shared her expertise and years of knowledge with the students. In 2009 Brian Kerrigan, Photo Editor of The National, communicated his passion for photojournalism and his search for Emirati female photographers who could eventually work at The National. He was supported by his colleagues Delores Johnson and Ryan Carter from the paper’s photography staff, and Zayed University’s own photographer, Abdul Rahman Hameed. Photographic works from these professionals will also be featured in the exhibition.

HE Mrs. Hoda I. Al-Khamis Kanoo, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, said:“Our relationship with the College of Communication and Media Sciences at Zayed University began in the autumn of 2007, and we are very proud that from the very start, at the suggestion of Dean Dr. Kenneth Starck, a proportion of the ADMAF funds has been supporting and enhancing the College’s photojournalism course.

“Today, and four photojournalism courses later, we are delighted to see that more and more Zayed University students – some of them from outside the College of Communication and Media Sciences - are taking the course to build upon their skills and help them make the transition into the workplace. It is wonderful to see such enthusiastic students, and as the works displayed as part of the exhibit show, the quality of the student work is outstanding.”

For the past two years, ADMAF has also been promoting the development of Young Press Leaders - Emiratis enrolled at national universities who participate in journalism courses. The Young Press Leaders work to publish a semi-annual magazine in both English and Arabic, which is distributed throughout the UAE by major publications. Some of the photojournalism works on display at the Ghaf Gallery will be published in the summer edition of the magazine.

The exhibition will be officially opened at 7pm tomorrow evening at the Ghaf Gallery by the Founder of ADMAF, Mrs. Hoda I. Al-Khamis Kanoo. The exhibition is free and will run from 28 April to 10 May 2009.
 

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