Summer Education Abroad
Explore Visual Arts in the Highlands of Peru
Peru
6 undergraduate or graduate credits
May 28-June 23, 2009
Javier Tapia, Scott DuPre Mills, Michael Panbehchi and Peter Baldes
$2,970 plus airfare and applicable VCU tuition
Registration deadline: March 1, 2009*
*March 1: Applicants must turn in a copy of their passport and bring a color 1x1 ID-sized photo at the time of application. You may register for the program after this date, and until March 16; however you will not be guaranteed a spot on the Inca Trail.
Status: Program full
The Office of International Education and the School of the Arts at VCU are pleased to announce the summer program in Peru. Participants will travel to Lima for a short visit, and on to Cuzco, for an extended visual exploration of the countryside and culture of the highlands of Peru. The program will include visits to museums to explore ancient, colonial and contemporary art, as well as visits to ancient ruins and colonial sites. Of particular importance will be the group’s participation in the Festival of Corpus Christi in Cuzco. An optional four-day hiking and camping trip along the Inca Trail will expose students to the biological and cultural diversity of that region of the country culminating at Machu Picchu.
Course and credit options: 6 undergraduate or graduate VCU credits
Participants can choose two of the following three-credit courses offered by the departments of Painting and Printmaking, instructed by Javier Tapia; Photography and Film, instructed by Scott DuPre Mills; Art History, instructed by Michael Panbehchi; and Digital Book Making, instructed by Peter Baldes.
Painting and Printmaking: PAPR 324 Intermediate Drawing; PAPR 421 Advanced Drawing; SCPT 491 Drawing, Works on Paper; SCPT 591 Drawing, Works on Paper; PAPR 621 Graduate Drawing
A peripatetic investigation of direct observation and on-site drawing. Emphasis will be placed on the development of a suite of drawings in which on-site references become spinal elements in multimedia two-dimensional constructions. Documentation of your daily activities will be maintained in an illustrated diary or journal.
Photography and Film: PHTO 491 Videography and Photography; SCPT 491 Video and Photographic Art I; SCPT 591 Video and Photographic Art II
A course of study for still- and moving-image media to include video, film and photography. The program will allow students to work independently and experiment with attention to light, subject matter and point of view with assistance from individual instruction. Professor Mills will also lead students on additional walks and hikes that are of particular interest to photographers and video and filmmakers. Students are required to bring all equipment needed including cameras (video and or still), tape and film (one tape 1hr, multiple memory cards or 24 exp of film per day is recommended), rechargeable batteries (extra batteries are recommended), battery charger (for video and digital cameras) and an AC-power converter (220v to U.S. 110v). A wide-angle lens is highly recommended. Inexpensive wide angle lens adaptors are required for students shooting video. Tripods are optional and in some instances may not be recommended for hikes. Flexible ‘mini tripods’ are recommended. A comfortable, durable, rugged camera bag is important as the nature of the travels in Peru you will encounter differing environments that include moisture, dust and vibration. It is essential to have lens cleaning capacities.
Art History: ARTH 489 Advanced Art History in Peru
Art and architecture of Inca and Colonial Peru: An in-depth study of visual culture in the Andes, c. 1500-1800. Lectures held throughout the duration of your stay in Peru will be supplemented with visits to art and archaeology museums in Lima and Cuzco. The course will focus on the Inca, the dominant empire in the Andes prior to the Spanish conquest, as well as the colonial culture that emerged under Spanish rule in the 16th through 18th centuries. Each student will be required to complete a series of assigned readings and a workbook, which must be submitted to the instructor at the end of the course.
Digital Book Making: The focus of this studio-based class will be on the composition, production, and presentation of digitally produced and printed books. Students will document their summer travels, surroundings and thoughts through writing, photography and drawing. Students will then design several conceptually based book projects using their collected materials and digital software. The finished books will then be published using on demand print services such as Lulu.com or Blurb.com. A focus on the book as an art object rather than a journal will be emphasized. Ideas of design, voice, narrative and sequencing will also be covered. Books will be composed and completed after returning from Peru.
Registration deadline: March 1, 2009*
Applications will be accepted until the deadline or until participant space is full.
*March 1, 2009 is the deadline for turning in a photocopy of your passport and ISIC to the Education Abroad office if you want to hike the Inca Trail. You may register for the program after this date, and until March 16; however you will not be guaranteed a spot on the Inca Trail.
Program cost
$2,970 plus airfare and applicable VCU tuition
The program fee covers accommodations, study visits and tours, in-country transportation to sites in Lima, Ica, Cuzco and Machu Picchu, some meals, VCU administrative fees, the International Student Identification Card, and program directors’ expenses. Students are responsible for the cost of tuition, airfare, some meals and other miscellaneous personal expenses. Please budget for these additional expenses. The estimated cost for personal expenses, not including tuition and airfare, is $550-800.
Airfare
Airfare is not included. Participants are responsible for their own round-trip travel arrangements from the U.S. to Lima, Peru. Javier Tapia will assist participants in identifying a low-cost option for the group. For best fares you should purchase your ticket prior to April 15. Although you may choose your personal travel agent to buy your airline ticket, you must arrive at the same time with the rest of the group. You must contact Javier Tapia to let you know the specific time of arrival in Lima.
While in Peru
The program begins in Lima, Peru where students will spend three days visiting museums and cathedrals. The group will then begin a three-day trip to the Urubamba valley to visit Inca ruins and the Maras salt mines. The participants will then head to Cuzco for 15 days punctuated by the amazing Corpus Christi festival and an optional four-day trek on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. After leaving Cuzco, the group will travel to Ica for a variety of activities including a boat tour of the Ballestas Islands. After returning to Lima, those who are participating in the Spanish language program will stay for two weeks in Lima while the rest of the group only stays in Lima for one day prior to returning to the U.S.
Please note: Participants must submit a photocopy of their passport to VCU Education Abroad by March 16 in order to be eligible to hike the Inca Trail. If you are not already in possession of a valid passport, you should apply for it no later than Jan. 23 to ensure receipt by March 16.
Participants will be housed in a variety of accommodations including hotels, a historic monastery, hostels and camping facilities for those on the Inca Trail. Most meals are included as a part of the program. Students who participate in the Spanish language program will stay in a family homestay for the final two weeks in Lima. Breakfast and dinner will be included during the homestay.
Program directors
Drawing courses are conducted by Javier Tapia, who has been a professor of painting and printmaking at VCU for 20 years and has been leading the trip to Peru for the last 11. A native of Peru, Tapia has extensive knowledge of the area and the culture.
Photography, film and videography courses are led by Scott DuPre Mills, award-winning filmmaker, photographer and multimedia artist. Mills is the founder and director of the VCU International Student Film Festival and is currently working on his Ph.D. with VCU’s new Media, Art and Text program. He holds a BFA in Sculpture and a MFA in Photography and Film. Mills has screened his ongoing documentary film “VCU in PERU” in Cusco in 2004 and has been an instructor with the study abroad program since 2003.
Art history courses are conducted by Michael Panbehchi. Panbehchi is an instructor of Art History and Spanish. He is currently pursuing his doctoral degree at VCU in Art History.
Peter Baldes will be teaching the Digital Book Making course. He received his M.F.A. from Alfred University’s Integrated Electronic Arts program in 2001. His work ranges from installation and sculpture to print and internet artworks. He has been teaching media courses at VCU for the past six years.
Important facts
- Tuition
- Financial aid
- Passports
- Payment of fees
- Refund policy
Tuition is charged separately and additionally at standard VCU rates for in-state students and at a 40 percent discount for out-of-state students. Estimated costs, based on current tuition per credit, are as follows: undergraduate in-state, $208.55 (per 3 credit class: $619.05); undergraduate out-of-state, $421.20 (per 3 credit class: $1,257); graduate in-state, $428.68 (per 3 credit class: $1,279.44); graduate out-of-state, $543.90 ($1,625.10 per 3 credit class).
Eligible VCU students may apply for need-based financial aid to participate in this program. Contact VCU Financial Aid, Ginter House, Room 110B at (804) 828-6669 or e-mail faidmail@vcu.edu. VCU offers its students a limited number of scholarships for study abroad participation. Contact VCU Education Abroad or see our Web site for further details.
If you have a passport, make sure it is valid for at least six months after your return date. If you do not have a passport, apply early because the processing time can take up to eight weeks. For more information on how to apply for a passport, visit http://travel.state.gov.
The non-refundable registration fee of $250 is due upon registration. The balance of the program fee and the tuition costs (based on the number of credits taken) will be billed separately through VCU Student Accounting after May 2009 (both amounts may be billed at the same time).
All withdrawals must be made in writing and submitted to the Director of Education Abroad.
The refund schedule is as follows:
- Prior to Jan. 8: I am eligible for a refund of the portionof the program fee that has not already been expended in payment of costs outlined on the individual program sheet in support of my participation. I understand that, as the spring progresses, the charges may reflect an increasing amount, depending on what payments have been made on my behalf. After Jan. 8, I understand that the entire program fee may be due. I understand that the refund amount cannot be determined until I formally submit written withdrawal from the program.
- After Jan. 8: I will be responsible to pay the entire program fee. In the event of an unexpected emergency that occurs after Jan. 8, I understand that I must provide a physician’s certification that my condition prohibits participation. In this case, refunds will be limited to recoverable expenses.
Every effort is made to provide updated and accurate information at the time of publication. The sponsors reserve the right to make necessary changes to the programs and costs. The university reserves the right to revise or alter all fees, regulations pertaining to student fees, and fee collection procedures at any time.
