Oakland, CA - “First Exposures: Bay Area Youth Photography,” will be featured at the Mills College Art Museum from June 20–August 5, 2007. The show was curated by students in Mills’ Museum Studies Workshop in consultation with Sharon E. Bliss, art history lecturer, and Terrie Vevea, a former member of the Workshop who served as project coordinator. 

The exhibit of more than 100 photographs will include images about identity created in conjunction with the Contemporary Jewish Museum (San Francisco), photos exploring relationships culled from the book First Exposures, (San Francisco Camerawork, 2006), photos from a public art project on tolerance and acceptance, and work by an 11 year-old girl taken at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Black Panther Party.

The exhibit was developed from First Exposures: Youth Opportunities Through Photography, a free youth mentorship program of San Francisco Camerawork that develops academic and life skills by combining the benefits of mentoring relationships with art education. First Exposures was formed in 1993 by a group of photographers interested in sharing their artistic skills with at-risk Bay Area youth. Students ages 11–18 are recruited from local agencies serving young people with backgrounds of foster care, homelessness, or low-income living situations. Mentoring is provided by commercial and fine art photographers who have a commitment to youth empowerment through education.

On Saturdays, students and their mentors go on assignment, taking photos and processing the results in a photo lab at RayKo Photocenter, a community darkroom. The program goal is to help students develop a creative outlet to express themselves in a safe and supportive environment, and to encourage them to grow and become articulate, confident, and responsible young adults.

Classroom learning is enhanced with experiential learning environments: field trips to local newspapers, major museums, alternative art spaces, commercial photography studios, and local colleges or universities.

Erik Auerbach, education coordinator at San Francisco Camerawork, was instrumental in facilitating the First Exposures exhibit at Mills.

The Mills Museum Studies Workshop engages students in basic questions about the nature of art museums and curatorial practices, particularly the proper handling and care of works of art. In addition to completing weekly readings and written assignments, students attend local exhibitions and lectures. Their final project is a group-curated exhibition shown in the Mills College Art Museum during the summer or fall semester.

The Mills College Art Museum is located at 5000 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland, CA 94613. Museum hours: Tuesdays and Thursday through Saturday 11–4 pm; Wednesday 11–7:30 pm, and Sunday 12–4 pm.

Mills College is a nationally renowned, independent liberal arts college offering innovative degree programs for undergraduate women, and graduate degree and certificate programs for women and men. Consistently recognized as one of the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Mills currently ranks among the top 20 most diverse liberal arts colleges. The New York Times recently selected Mills as one of three leading California colleges for students to consider.

In 2006, the Washington Monthly College Rankings named Mills a leading liberal arts college based on community service, research spending, quality of preparation for graduate education, and social mobility. In addition, The Princeton Review’s annual guide, the Best 361 Colleges (2007) included Mills for the second year in a row among top U.S. institutions offering students an outstanding undergraduate education.

Nestled in the foothills of Oakland, California, on 135 lush acres, Mills provides a dynamic liberal arts education fostering women’s leadership, social responsibility, and creativity.

PRESS CONTACT:
Deborah Dallinger
Communications Consultant
925.788.9131