Category Archives: News

Bright IDEA Awards: Art Center students collect a trio of medals

IDEA Award-winning designs by Nina Viggi, Marc Dubui and Shingo Mamiya

IDEA Award-winning designs by Nina Viggi, Marc Dubui and Shingo Mamiya

Art Center continued its legacy of award-winning leading-edge design with yesterday’s announcement of the 2013 IDEA Awards, which included three medal-winning student projects and eight finalists among the honorees of the Industrial Designers Society of America’s prestigious annual awards program.

“The IDEA awards program continues to be an effective witness to the state of industrial design and design education today,” explained Katherine Bennett, faculty member in the Graduate and Undergraduate Industrial Design Departments. “The process of articulating their designs for the IDEAs’ worldwide audience gives practitioners and students a forum for important causes we want to address, and to tell the story of design’s value to our clients, our customers and society as a whole.”

Each of this year’s trifecta of winning projects illustrates Art Center’s trademark focus on innovative design with real world social impact, informed by a meticulous, research-based approach. Graduate Industrial Design student, Nina Viggi’s One Degree High Performance Dinghy Shoe, durable footwear designed for sailors, received a gold medal. Product Design student, Marc Dubui, took home a silver prize for his hard hat suspension system, titled Oblikk, designed to protect the wearer from lateral and rotational impact. Finally, Product Design undergrad, Shingo Mamiya, was awarded the bronze for A Better Working Environment for Certified Nursing Assistants, a waste disposal system for the elderly.

Art Center students have long been a formidable force at the IDEA Awards, collecting a total of 70 medals over 22 years, with a wide array of inventive designs, ranging from the UnBathroom to the U-Haul Emergency Response Conversion Kit for the American Red Cross. This year’s winners were selected from a field of 687 finalists, to be announced live on August 21 at its 2013 International Conference in Chicago.

Say Goodbye to the Old Paradigm. Here Comes the Next Generation of Design-Driven Startups

Accelerator

Art Center  and Caltech today announced the launch of The Design Accelerator, an incubator aimed at helping startups grow by merging great design, cutting-edge technology and business strategy to create innovation. The Accelerator initially will be housed within Idealab, which is well known for creating and operating pioneering companies in its own right.

“In today’s economy, artists and designers play a vital role as creative leaders and catalysts for innovation and change,” said Art Center President Lorne M. Buchman. “Integrating technology, design and business, The Design Accelerator creates an opportunity for Art Center and Caltech alumni to expand on what they learned as students and provides a stimulating space for their concepts to become viable businesses.”

The Accelerator is an integral part of Art Center’s 2011–2016 Strategic Plan. Understanding students’ concerns about employment prospects following graduation, The Accelerator fills a critical gap by giving students and alumni the opportunity to develop their concepts into sustainable and commercial ventures—a bridge between academic and professional life.

Fred Farina, Caltech’s chief innovation officer, adds, “We know that making connections across different areas fuels innovation, and that’s why we’re excited about this collaboration. The combination of our complementary but very different perspectives in a startup team promises powerful results.”

The Design Accelerator benefits from its prime location in Pasadena, Calif., which has become a hotbed of innovation and entrepreneurship with vibrant creative, technology and business communities, enriched by the presence of Art Center, Caltech, angel investors and venture capitalists.

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Designmatters co-founder, Mariana Amatullo, adds a voice for socially conscious design to the Executive Board of Cumulus

Mariana Amatullo

Designmatters’ Mariana Amatullo

The intersection of art, design and social impact lies at the future-facing frontier of the design world. This rapidly evolving multidisciplinary field continues to grow in size and stature thanks in no small part to the groundbreaking work of Mariana Amatullo, Vice President of Designmatters at Art Center. Amatullo recently expanded her reach as a leader in the field after being appointed to the Executive Board of Cumulus, the International Association of Universities and Colleges of Art, Design and Media.

“As the official Art Center liaison to Cumulus for the last six years,” said Amatullo of her motivation to serve on the Executive Board, “I’ve been able to observe firsthand how effective the organization has been in creating dynamic collaborations among an expanding global network and community of educators and researchers, but also through cooperation with leading industry and key educational and professional networks such as for example, NASAD and AIGA in the US.”

Cumulus, the only global association to serve art and design education universities, has long supported and encouraged the movement to use design principles to advance positive social change. First on the organization’s list of ambitious goals is to support academic institutions of art, design and media in enhancing their contribution to society. Cumulus also works to foster dialogue and collaboration through its academic forum: biannual conferences hosted by member organizations provide a dynamic platform for international exchange, workshops and academic publishing.

Founded in 2000 with its Secretariat headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, at Aalto University School of Art, Design and Architecture, Cumulus has 198 member institutions in 48 countries. Art Center, which joined Cumulus in 2006, is one of only a dozen U.S. schools granted full membership.

As a member of the Executive Board, Amatullo will help develop policies, plan activities and manage the Association’s business affairs, in addition to implementing decisions made by Cumulus’ General Assembly.

“I am deeply honored to join the Cumulus board and a very dynamic group of international colleagues who share a profound dedication to cross-cultural discourse, innovation and research,” she said.   “Through my service, I will be seeking actionable pathways to advocate for the relevance of art and design education globally.  I am energized since I believe we are at an exciting crossroads in time for our field: we have the opportunity—and responsibility–to position the expertise of our universities as a potent source for new inquiry and agency in our contemporary world.”

Film Alum Zack Snyder Screens “Man of Steel” for Art Center Movie Fans

Ten days prior to the official release date, a community of Art Center movie lovers attended a private screening, hosted by Warner Bros. and the College’s Film Departments, of the highly-anticipated summer blockbuster, Man of Steel.  Nearly 500 students, faculty, staff and special invited guests crowded in to ArcLight Cinemas in Pasadena on June 5 to see the emotional and action-packed story unfold and hear from the director, film alumnus Zack Snyder.

Man of Steel director and Art Center Film alum Zack Snyder answers audience questions with Film Department Chair Ross LaManna after an exclusive screening of the movie for the Art Center community on June 5. Photo by Seo Hiroyuki.

Man of Steel director and Art Center film alum Zack Snyder answers audience questions with Film Department Chair Ross LaManna after an exclusive screening of the movie for the Art Center community on June 5. Photo by Seo Hiroyuki.

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Art Center Partners with Dwell on Design Conference

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This student creation is on display in the Goodwill’s first boutique store in Tustin. The vinyl rockabilly outfit was part of a 2012 Designmatters project for Goodwill of Orange County focused on upcycling.

Art Center College of Design will be the only school recognized as an educational partner of Dwell on Design, “America’s Largest Design Event,” taking place Friday, June 21 through Sunday, June 23 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The three-day exhibition and conference will feature world-class speakers, product demonstrations, continuing education classes for design professionals and seminars for consumers.

As an educational partner, Art Center is the only design school to have an exhibition space on the showroom floor featuring the work of Environmental Design and Product Design students.

Additionally, Art Center will host a special presentation on the Demo Stage Saturday, June 22 at 2:30 p.m. Environmental Design faculty will present the concept of upcycling, or the process of converting used goods, waste material, and “useless” items into new materials or products of better quality to improve their value and reduce the overall impact on our environment, as explored in Art Center’s sponsored projects and transdisciplinary studios.

Members of the Art Center community can receive a $5.00 discount off regular prices with Promo Code EDU13. To register for tickets, visit dwellondesign.com/edu13.

 

Related: Goodwill and Art Center embrace the upcycle lifestyle

 

 

Visual Storytelling Examined Through the Work of Jerry Uelsmann and Maggie Taylor

He experiments in a darkroom. She composes on a computer screen. Together, husband-and-wife artists Jerry Uelsmann and Maggie Taylor create haunting, layered dreamscapes that push the boundaries of photography’s possibilities.

Jerry Uelsmann's "Untitled" and Maggie Taylor's "Magnolia Charmer"

Jerry Uelsmann’s Untitled and Maggie Taylor’s Magnolia Charmer showcase their unique approaches to visual storytelling. A new documentary from lynda.com explores the artists’ work and creative relationship.

Art Center hosts a special screening and panel discussion Wednesday, June 12 of the documentary “Jerry & Maggie: This is Not Photography,” new from lynda.com, which takes viewers inside the artists’ quiet Florida compound for a peek at their complementary work, contrasting processes and inspiration-seeking expeditions through an alligator-dwelling swamp. The documentary explores both the technical and emotional aspects of the couple’s unique form of visual storytelling, from the composition to the criticism, with insight from other preeminent voices in photography.

“Whether it’s graphic design, branding, environments, illustration, photography or film, the art of visual storytelling is a powerful method to convey messages in an elegant, entertaining and informative way,” said Graphic Design professor Petrula Vrontikis, who helped spearhead the event and will moderate the panel discussion.

Jerry Uelsmann's "Journey Into Night" and Maggie Taylor's "The Collector," side by side. “Jerry & Maggie: This is Not Photography,” new from lynda.com, shows the artists and their complementary yet contrasting work and processes.

Uelsmann’s Journey Into Night and Taylor’s The Collector.

On hand to discuss the film and the larger subject of visual storytelling will be the documentary’s executive producer Bruce Heavin ILLU 93, director Scott Erickson and cinematographers Aron Ives and Mia Shimabuku.

Celebrated for its pioneering spirit in the realm of online education, lynda.com was co-founded by Art Center alumnus Heavin and former faculty member Lynda Weinman. Art Center continues to benefit from their creative vision and often partners with lynda.com to offer special events for its students, faculty, alumni and members of the general public.

The screening and discussion are free and open to the public, no reservations needed. Join us Wed., June 12, 7 p.m., in Ahmanson Auditorium at Art Center College of Design’s Hillside Campus, 1700 Lida Street, Pasadena, CA 91103. For more information call (626) 396-2251 or email promotion@artcenter.edu.

 

Related:

Sold-out conference features Art Center faculty, highlights vitality of photographic education 

 

 

Art Center Student Artwork on Display at Jones Coffee

Opening Reception Tuesday, June 11, 5—8 p.m.

Marking the first in a series of events to be held at Jones Coffee Roasters in partnership with Art Center, Community is an art exhibition debuting more than 25 new works from Art Center students on June 11, 2013 in Pasadena.

"Community" by Jess Zhang
“Community” by Jess Zhang will be part of the Community art exhibition at Jones Coffee Roasters, exploring the nature of community, identity and social connection.

“We’re thrilled to be kicking off our Art Center collaboration with Community,” said Chuck Jones, owner of Jones Coffee Roasters.  “Like Art Center, we value public discussion around important issues, and it’s an honor to serve as the forum for such reflection and dialogue.”

Community explores the intersection of identity and social connection, examining individuality and group identity in everyday life. Participating artists include Dylan Bocanegra, Kristina Halcromb, Luis Angel Sanchez, Brenda Chi, Jessica Portillo, Vladimir Almonnord, Valerie Pobjoy, Leonardo Santamaria, Jessica Zhang, Tyler Bennet, Simon Estrada, Taleen Keldjian, Rachel Moore, Sarang Byrne, TK Kuk, Antoinette Adams and Ana Maria Pino.  Community will feature works produced from a variety of art mediums including illustrations, paintings, digital photography, silkscreen and mixed media.

In the Company of Others by Simon Estrada is one of 25 new works from Art Center students at Jones Coffee Roasters.
In the Company of Others by Simon Estrada is one of 25 new works from Art Center students at Jones Coffee Roasters.

“The phrase Community came to embody a unique way of approaching interpersonal dynamics and creativity,” said Simon Estrada, illustrator and curator of the show.  “We took great care to craft an exhibition that would be an impactful and surprising in-person experience.”

Tribute to Woody Guthrie by Taleen Keldjian is a participating artist in the Community art exhibit at Jones Coffee Roasters.
Tribute to Woody Guthrie by Taleen Keldjian is a participating artist in the Community art exhibit at Jones Coffee Roasters.

Community will be on exhibit at Jones Coffee Roasters located at 693 S. Raymond Ave. in Pasadena. The show, which is free and open to the public, will open Tuesday, June 11, with an opening reception from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., and run through August 1.

 

 

 

Alumni Featured in AllSpark Platinum Winners Video

Yves Béhar displays the durability of his See Better to Learn Better glasses in the new AllSpark video.

Yves Béhar displays the durability of his See Better to Learn Better glasses in the new AllSpark video.

Earlier this year, Art Center alumni swept the first ever AllSpark Platinum Awards, which honors “the best of the best of the best” of the 2012 entrants to the Spark Awards.

Spark recently released a video in which AllSpark winners Yves Béhar PROD 91, Franz von Holzhausen TRAN 92 and Sujin Hwang PROD 11 are interviewed alongside other top designers, including Sam Lucente and alumnus Earl Gee GRPK 83.

In the video, Béhar speaks about See Better to Learn Better, a program his company fuseproject created in partnership with the Mexican government and Augen Optics. The program distributes hundreds of thousands of eyeglasses every year to schoolchildren in Mexico. Children have the opportunity to choose their glasses’ frame, size and color, giving them a chance to be involved in the design process.

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Getty “Overdrive” Exhibition Designed in Collaboration With Environmental Design Students

getty-overdrive

The exhibition “Overdrive: L.A. Constructs the Future, 1940–1990,” organized by the Getty Research Institute and the J. Paul Getty Museum and on view through July 21, 2013, is the first major examination of the innovation and influence of Los Angeles architectural history. As Los Angeles in the second half of the 20th century grew rapidly into an industrial and creative capital, its architecture transformed the city’s landscape.

Designing the installation of “Overdrive” was a collaborative project between Art Center and the Getty. To develop the spatial and graphic design of the exhibition, the museum’s curatorial and design teams worked closely with a Transdisciplinary Studio class of 20 Art Center students in Environmental Design and Graphic Design, led by Art Center Environmental Design faculty member and alumnus Rob Ball, with the additional participation of Environmental Design instructor Dewi Schoenbeck.

Related:

Environmental Design Students Take Top Prize in 2013 LAIAC Competition

 

 

Film Alum Turns Low-budget “Ball of Crazy” Into Music Videos for Two #1 Hit Songs

Recent Art Center Film alumnus Jon Jon Augustavo has more than one reason to celebrate. The music video “Thrift Shop” that he directed for Macklemore & Ryan Lewis—with 324 million YouTube views and counting—has been nominated for BET Music Video of the Year.

On top of that, their second music video collaboration, “Can’t Hold Us,” has racked up nearly 44 million views on YouTube in six short weeks. Both songs made it to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, and “Can’t Hold Us” is now four weeks into holding top spot.

But Augustavo sees that success in a more humbling light.

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