(Future)
Radura #02
CHRISTIAN PATTERSON
MASTERING THE PHOTOBOOK
10-14 May 2027
Torre di Jano (BO)
CHRISTIAN PATTERSON
MASTERING THE PHOTOBOOOK
(The workshop)
Join us for a workshop led by American photographer Christian Patterson, author of several acclaimed photobooks, including Redheaded Peckerwood (MACK, 2011, winner Recontres d’Arles Author Book Award), Bottom of the Lake (Koenig Books, 2015, shortlisted for Paris Photo–Aperture Book of the Year), and Gong Co. (TBW Books, 2024).
This five-day retreat is designed for photographers who are well along in developing personal projects and are seeking guidance in creating a holistic, well-realized book work combining artful editing, sequencing, layout, and design that complements or manifests the concepts and narratives at play in visual work.
Courtesy of Robert Morat
Through lectures, presentations, work reviews, editing exercises, and group discussions, Christian and the RADURA Workshops team will guide participants toward a deeper understanding of photography and visual structure, and everything that surrounds it, in book form. In addition to the scheduled programming, attendees will have time for conversation and relationship building over drinks, meals, and walks.
By the end of the workshop, participants will leave with new insights into their ongoing projects, practical strategies for moving their work forward, and a clearer understanding of what can make their book unique.
Apply before April 15th at info@raduraworkshops.com. More info here.
Courtesy of Robert Morat
(The program)
The workshop will take place over 5 days, from Monday May 10th through Friday May 14th. Scheduled activities will go from 10 am through 6 pm. Accommodations and meals are included, providing the participants, the tutor, and the team with the right space and time to gather informally and get to know each other.
Day 1
May 10th
Introduction & Project Foundations
We will introduce the workshop and outline the objectives for the week. Participants will present themselves, share first looks at their work, current challenges, and personal goals for the workshop. Christian will introduce his own practice through an extensive, generously detailed artist talk, focusing primarily on the realization of his work in book form.
Day 2
May 11th
Photobook Best Practices & Visual Structure
Christian will lead participants more deeply into the bookmaking process, sharing presentations on photobook best practices and visual structure, with visual examples illustrating sequencing, rhythm, and structure.
In the afternoon, longer, more detailed portfolio reviews will take place, with questions and discussions around project concepts, narratives, themes, interests, and motivations. This will serve as a foundation for editing, sequencing, and other aspects of work as it continues.
Day 3
May 12th
Field Trip / Getting Hands-on
We are currently planning a special field trip. Once it's confirmed, we'll upload all relevant information here.
All other available time before and after the visit will be spent with participants doing hands-on work, mostly working alone, but also responding to each other. Christian will spend the entire day moving between participants, spending as much one-on-one time with each participant and their work as possible.
Day 4
May 13th
Hands-on Editing, Sequence, and Structure
Christian will prescribe granular and modular ways of editing and sequencing participants' work – on tables and on walls, as images and as spreads. The full day will be spent with participants doing this hands-on work, working alone while applying Christian’s lessons, while also being encouraged to socialize and respond to each other’s work. Christian will move between participants, spending as much one-on-one time with each participant and their work as possible. Impromptu conversations or demonstrations of editing and sequencing will also naturally occur as needed.
Day 5
May 14th
Rough Dummies & Thinking Beyond the Workshop
In the morning, Christian will lead a group check-in, with all participants sharing progress, existing challenges, and goals for the day. Again, much time will be spent doing hands-on work, and Christian will move between participants as continued refinements to their work are made. Those who are ready will be encouraged to begin gathering leaves, spreads, and folios together to form rough and rudimentary dummies.
In the mid-to-late afternoon, we will gather to share progress made, reassess challenges and goals, and discuss future plans for projects as they continue to be refined and hopefully realized as more accomplished dummies, maquettes, or finished artist books. Participants may also ask about various aspects of the publishing process as desired.
The program may be subject to changes.
Courtesy of Robert Morat
(The teacher)
Christian Patterson is an interdisciplinary artist working primarily with photography, books, and installation. His work has also included archival ephemera, drawings, hand-painted signs, monoprints, readymade objects, sound, and video. Patterson’s work has been described as novelistic, subjective documentary of the historical past, and it often deals with themes of the archive, authorship, memory, place, and time.
He is the author of four books: Sound Affects (2008), Redheaded Peckerwood (2011, Recontres d’Arles Author Book Award), Bottom of the Lake (2015), and Gong Co. (2024). He is a Guggenheim Fellow (2013), winner of the Grand Prix Images Vevey (2015), a New York Public Library Picture Collection Artist Fellow (2022), James Castle House resident (2023), and Pollock-Krasner Foundation grantee (2025).
His work is in the collections of the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Milwaukee Art Museum, National Gallery of Art, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and Ogden Museum of Southern Art, and his books are in many institutional artist book collections. He was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin and lives in New York City.
Courtesy of Robert Morat
(Where)
Torre di Jano is a small historic village nestled in the hills outside Bologna, surrounded by forests, fields, and quiet countryside. Located between the Tuscan hills and the Apennine Mountains, it offers a peaceful setting away from the distractions of everyday life. Dating back to the late 1500s, the village feels untouched by time. The landscape invites long walks, conversation, and reflection – an ideal environment for developing creative work and building connections with fellow photographers.
The workshop will take place in a historical house, designed around shared living. With communal spaces, a courtyard, and nature all around, Torre di Jano encourages conversation, collaboration, and a sense of community throughout the week. Food is an important part of the experience. Emilia-Romagna is widely regarded as one of Italy's great culinary regions, and meals at Torre di Jano are prepared with the same warmth that defines the local culture. We hope participants will feel as though they are joining a family table rather than simply attending a workshop.
(Key Info)
Language:
English
Apply:
To register for the workshop, send us an email at info@raduraworkshops.com with "Mastering the Photobook" in the subject line. Please share 10-20 pictures, a short bio, and a short paragraph on your expectations and what you hope to achieve in this workshop. The deadline for applying is April 15th. A discounted Early Bird fee is available to those applying before March 1st. The maximum number of students admitted will be 12.
Payment:
We review the applications regularly, and we'll let the students know if they have been accepted. A 50% deposit is required to secure your place once your application has been accepted. The remaining balance must be paid by April 15th.
Conditions:
We reserve the right to reschedule or cancel the workshop for circumstances beyond our control, offering students the option to get refunds or to attend another workshop.
Getting there:
Torre di Jano is located approximately 40 minutes from Bologna. There is no public transportation directly to the venue. Participants may arrive by car, or we can arrange transportation from the Bologna city center. Please let us know by September 1st if you require transportation.
What's included:
The workshop fee includes
- Five days of programming
- Four nights of accommodation (Monday-Thursday)
- Three meals per day throughout the workshop, excluding breakfast on Monday and dinner on Friday
Stay:
The layout of the hotel is such that most students will have to share rooms. The property includes:
- Single Rooms
- Double Rooms
- Triple Rooms
When applying for the workshop, each student will select their room preference. Students can apply with friends to share a room, or we can pair them with other students. The rooms will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. The Workshop pricing varies according to room type.
Pricing:
Early bird pricing is available through February 15th.
Triple Room :
- Early Bird: €1,550
- Standard: €1,750
Double Room:
- Early Bird: €1,850
- Standard: €2,050
Single Room:
- Early Bird: €2,300
- Standard: €2,500
If your desired room is sold out, please apply anyway. The layout of the rooms is not fixed, and we may be able to rearrange it.
What to bring:
The equipment required for the workshops is a camera and a laptop. Please bring a printed portfolio to share during the review sessions and book dummies if you have them.
Info:
For additional information, you can reach us at info@raduraworkshops.com
(Learn More)
Here you can find an episode featuring Christian on the podcast Small Photobook Cult:
Christian Patterson - GONG CO.