NEW YORK.- School of Visual Arts (SVA) presents “Mentors”, an exhibition of works by nearly 80 photography students inspired by their year-long mentorship with key figures in the arts community. Drawn from the ranks of New York City’s best-known photographers, curators, art directors, publishers, art dealers, critics and writers, SVA’s mentors are paired with students based upon their field of expertise and the student’s area of concentration. The 2007 – 2008 program mentors include Rolling Stone director of photography Jodi Peckman, photography critic Vince Aletti, illustrator Maira Kalman, gallerist Edwynn Houk, fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi, and photographers Lorna Simpson, Tina Barney, and Gregory Crewdson, among others.

The Mentors program at SVA was established in 1992 to introduce new talent to the New York City arts community and to cultivate relationships between established and emerging artists. Stephen Frailey, chair of the BFA Photography Department and curator of the exhibition, explains, “Our mentors come from the forefront of their fields and the advice they can offer our students is invaluable. It inspires them to take their work to a new level and to grow as professional artists.”

At the School of Visual Arts, undergraduate students are offered a full range of options in the study of photography: commercial, fine art, fashion and documentary. The department is equipped with state-of-the-art technical facilities; a faculty of nearly 100 members, including not only working photographers but photo editors, critics, publishers and photography dealers; and a curriculum that integrates photographic genres, identities and ambitions, removing the traditional barriers between “art photography” and “commercial photography.” SVA’s diversity in curriculum and the faculty’s wealth of professional experience offer students the freedom and support to explore different directions in photography.

School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City is an established leader and innovator in the education of artists. >From its inception in 1947, the faculty has been comprised of professionals working in the arts and art-related fields. SVA provides an environment that nurtures creativity, inventiveness and experimentation, enabling students to develop a strong sense of identity and a clear direction of purpose.

The Visual Arts Gallery, located at 601 West 26th Street between 11th and 12th Avenues, 15th floor, is open Monday through Saturday, 10am to 6pm; closed on Sundays and public holidays. Admission is free. The gallery is accessible by wheelchair. For further information, please call 212.592.2145.