Cast your eye over our tutors
Meet those delivering our photography courses with Open Eye Gallery
UCEN Manchester’s FdA Contemporary Photographic Practices is an innovative course delivered in partnership with the world renowned Open Eye Gallery which nurtures the skills, creativity, knowledge and ideas necessary for a broad range of photography careers - from art to fashion and advertising.
A new three year Open Eye Photography BA (Hons) will also launch in September 2021 and will see students benefit from access to the experiences and career pathways of tutors and professionals with extensive experience in the art world and industry photographic practices.
Meet our tutors delivering both unique qualifications:
Andrew Moseley - Course Leader
Andrew is course leader and teaches across the programme.
From darkroom practice, photojournalism and documentary to the history and theory of photography, his teaching covers a wide range of topics including new media, curation and socially engaged practice.
As an experienced professional, Andrew developed and delivered the critically acclaimed programs ‘Take Notice’ and ‘Underground’ a response to Jeremy Deller’s ‘All That is Solid Melts Into Air’ for the Manchester Art Gallery (2013-14).
His role as lead-artist educator on the ‘Innovation Labs’ project ‘In Hand’ for FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) in Liverpool, worked with young people to destigmatise mental health and explore the role of film, art and technology within it.
The Whitworth Art Gallery commissioned his Camera-less Photography’ education program to run in the summer of 2013 and in the same year he co-produced ‘Precious Commodities’ at Open Eye Gallery and the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize at The Photographers Gallery, London.
In 2014 he curated the Seba Kurtis’ exhibition ‘4 Nights and a Thousand Lives’ at SiFest #23, the largest festival of contemporary photography in Italy.
He has both exhibited and curated at The Chinese Art’s Centre and advised on international projects in Madrid for the PhotoEspana Prize in 2014 and curated work at Art Basel.
Andrew has also worked in the role of curator on FORMAT Photography Festival for the 2017 edition and is currently working toward PhD research with the Royal College of Art.
He said:
This partnership with Open Eye Gallery provides amazing opportunities for our students and will make our course one of the most exciting, industry-led photography courses in the UK and further afield.
Seba Kurtis - Artist in Residence
Seba is our Artist in Residence and specialises in contemporary art photography.
He teaches on several modules on the BA programme including Mixed and Multi-media techniques and the students Final Major Project.
Born in Argentina in 1974, he studied journalism in Buenos Aires before leaving the country for Europe in the wake of the political and economic crisis of 2001.
His several years as an illegal immigrant has informed much of his work, which explores the personal, social and cultural impact of irregular migration.
Seba's work has been exhibited internationally, with shows in Europe at Paris Photo, Centre Photographique, Normandie, Instutut Francais De Barcelone, Barcelona, Somerset House, London and the USA.
Recently his solo show Paraiso at the Lianzhou Museum of Photography in Quanzhou China received much critical acclaim.
His first book, Drowned (Here Press, 2011), was selected for the International Photobook Award at the International Photobook Festival, Le Bal, Paris, 2012. Kif (Here Press, 2013) is his second publication and was exhibited with a solo show at Withward Gallery.
Today Seba lives and works in Manchester and is represented by Christophe Guye Gallery in Zurich.
Seba said:
The students on this course are at a really high level. I would like to bring some documentary background and conceptual background to the curriculum.
AJ. Wilkinson - Tutor
Manchester born AJ has taught in many areas of photography and specialises in photographic practice and book production.
He teaches Digital Publishing, Landscape and Environment and the Professional Practice module in collaboration with Open Eye Gallery on the BA (Hons) programme.
The photographer and activist exhibits widely, having had shows at Open Eye Gallery, Manchester City Art Gallery, Watershed in Bristol, Lighthouse in Wolverhampton, as well as the international Dagmar de pooter Gallery, Antwerp and the 34thsalon Chateau de Saint-Ouen, Paris.
His practice follows a reflexive route which is shown in his up and coming show at Exposed, Belfast.
Past published works include Driving Blind (Dewi Lewis 2005) and English Candies. (Viewpoint Gallery 1995)
A.J. has worked in more traditional educational settings for over 20 years and has previously run photography workshops through The Impressions Gallery and Redeye, The Photography Network. Wilkinson continues to create work and lives in West Yorkshire.
He said:
Our students have the opportunity to be part of a creative innovative team whose goal is to provide a great environment in which to learn.
"Through working together and focusing on pushing forward, our amazing students may enter the photographic industry".
Mariama Attah - Tutor and Open Eye Gallery Curator
Mariama is Open Eye Gallery’s new curator and was previously Assistant Editor of Foam Magazine.
Before this, she was Curator at Photoworks, where she was responsible for developing and curating exhibition programs and events, including Brighton Photo Biennial, as well as commissioning and editing Photoworks Annual.
Mariama is a photography curator, editor and writer with a particular interest in the power of photography to represent visual culture. As well as teaching at UCEN Manchester, she will be co-writing the new three year Open Eye Photography BA (Hons), which launches in September 2021, while leading the Liverpool gallery’s programme as it moves more towards embracing co-authorship and socially engaged practice.
Find out more about the wide range of Creative Arts and Digital Media courses at UCEN Manchester.
