A 301 Photography Workshop for Mental Health, Wellness, and Empathic Storytelling
Presented by AtelierMOCA at Artreach, Inc.
Prior AtelierMOCA participation required
"Blind Spot"
Building on the foundations of Unseen Stories (101) and Portrait of an Artist (201), Blind Spot (301) invites participants to explore the relationship between observation, photography, and reflective writing.
Inspired by Teju Cole's Blind Spot, students will create a series of photographs paired with journal entries that function as visual field notes—recording not only what they see, but also what they notice, question, remember, and feel.
Through guided photographic assignments, group discussions, and daily journaling, participants will examine the limits of perception and the stories hidden in ordinary moments. The workshop encourages slow looking, thoughtful image-making, and personal reflection, culminating in a cohesive body of photographs and written observations that reveal how seeing can become a deeper act of understanding.
About
Featured Artists
Mona Penn-Jousset
Mona Penn-Jousset is an American writer, filmmaker, podcaster, Visual Culture Scholar, and Empathic Communication Specialist residing in France. With over 30 years of international teaching experience across the United States, the Netherlands, and France, she was the first person of African descent to teach at the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague. After studying Film/Theater and Black and Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College, New York, Mona received her BA from New College of California and her MA in Arts and Culture from Utrecht University. Her book, The Empathic GazeTM: Art, Thinking, Theory, and Praxis, Vol. 1 – Curated Thoughts on Empathy, blends original theory, full-color photography, graphic design, and sketches with essays from over 40 contributors from all seven continents to explore empathy in art, culture, and human connection.
Coco Olakunle
Coco Olakunle is a Nigerian-Dutch photographer, filmmaker, and mentor known for her intimate visual portraits and empowering documentary work. Coco works across Africa and Europe, specializing in social photography and is known for her sensitive portraits of people living in some of the world’s largest refugee camps. Coco received her BA in Human Geography at the University of Amsterdam.