Photographs taken by Chris Stagl, Associate Professor of Design, will be featured in a solo exhibit in Teruel, Spain from January 8-28. 

Last year, Stagl traveled to Spain to teach a week-long workshop on documentary filmmaking with University of Zaragoza colleague Alfonso Burgos Risco. Burgos Risco and Stagl worked with 25 University of Zaragoza students to create a short documentary called “A Portrait of Teruel,” which examines why students and community members appreciate their community. Students spent the week learning about project conception, planning, writing, production and editing their work, along with the intricacies of technologies and proper handling of production gear while on set. 

In his spare time, Stagl shot thousands of photographs of the town, nearby mountains and students at the university while they were behind the scenes on production. The photographs were curated to a select group and are now part of a new exhibit titled “Spain in 50mm.” The exhibit runs through January in Teruel and then will be displayed in the foyer of TROY’s International Arts Center from April 21-August 17.

Teruel, a city in Aragon with a population of about 35,900, is also the capital of the Teruel Province. Teruel is noted for its renowned jamón serrano (cured ham,) pottery and surrounding archaeological sites where some of the oldest dinosaur remains of the Iberian Peninsula were discovered.  

Stagl said that working with Burgos Risco and his students was an experience of a lifetime.

“Leveraging Teruel as the backdrop for the documentary has been an incredible experience,” he said. “I look forward to us working together again and building a robust relationship filled with academic projects, research and a vibrant student exchange program.” 

Dr. Miguel-Angel Benitez-Castro, University of Zaragoza’s Vice Dean of International 

Relations said he is excited about the continued partnership between the two institutions.

All translations of materials presented to the University of Zaragoza were provided by Dr. Kelly Suero, Chair of World Languages and Cultures.