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Artist Ming Wong at Art Center

“In Italy a location in not just a backdrop, it’s a character, a famous co-star even.” Ming Wong

Ming Wong will speak at Art Center College of Design on the occasion of the debut of his Making Chinatown at REDCAT gallery Tuesday, January 31st at 7:30 pm in the L.A. Times Media Center.

Dominic Eichler, Frieze, September 2010

From the REDCAT press release:

Wong has been recognized internationally for his ambitious performance and video works that engage with the history of world cinema and popular forms of entertainment. Working through the visual styles and tropes of such iconic film directors as Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Wong Kar-wai and Ingmar Bergman, Wong’s practice considers the means through which subjectivity and geographic location are constructed by motion pictures. Making Chinatown … draws upon Polanski’s iconic film for its use of Los Angeles as a versatile and malleable character.

Shot on location in the Gallery at REDCAT, Wong’s reinterpretation, Making Chinatown, transforms the exhibition space into a studio backlot and examines the original film’s constructions of language, performance and identity. With the artist cast in the roles originally played by Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston and Belinda Palmer, key scenes are reenacted in front of printed backdrops that are digitally rendered from film stills and kept intact within the video installation. The wall flats adhere to the conventions of theatrical and filmic staging while taking on qualities of large-scale painting and sculpture.

Ming Wong’s (b. 1971, Singapore) recent solo exhibitions have taken place at the Museum of Moving Image, Queens, New York, as part of Performa 11; Vitamin Creative Space, Guangzhou, China; the Frye Art Museum, Seattle; the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo; and the Singapore Art Museum. He has been included in such notable exhibitions as based in Berlin at Atelierhaus Monbijoupark in Berlin; the 2010 Gwangju and Sydney Biennial; and in 2009 at the Singapore Pavilion for the 53rd Venice Biennale, for which he was awarded a Special Mention. Wong currently lives and works between Berlin and Singapore. For more information, see www.mingwong.org.

Student Jessee Torres Exhibits Her Work and Produces On-Site Collodion Prints

Photography + Imaging student Jessee Torres’s work is included in the 25th Annual Hearts & Flowers Exhibition currently on view at The Folk Tree in Pasadena. Torres specializes in wet plate collodion prints, the prevalent photographic method used through the end of the 19th Century.

Collodion Print (c) Jessee Torres

The collodion process requires the photographic material to be coated, sensitized, exposed and developed within the span of about fifteen minutes, necessitating a portable darkroom for use in the field. In the following video, she describes her progression from digital to collodion photography. Torres credits Art Center faculty Stephen Berkman, Ken Merfeld and Steve LaVoie as influencing her work.

Torres will be at The Folk Tree this weekend photographing portraits using the wet plate collodion process. Participants who reserve a time will receive a varnished tintype/ferrotype, an 8×10 archival print a digital image, all for the reasonable price of $75. To sign up, call Gail Mishkin at 626.793.4828 or call The Folk Tree at 626.795.8733.

The Pasadena Star-News recently spoke with Torres about her participation in the exhibition. For excerpts from the article, read more after the break.

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Vote for Art Center finalists in the IxDA People’s Choice Awards

Three Art Center student projects are finalists for Interaction Design Association’s (IxDA) Interaction Awards People’s Choice Award. Support our students, vote now! Every member of IxDA’s online community gets three votes for their favorite project. You must register on the Interaction Awards site specifically to vote. Voting closes February 3rd at 12 pm GMT.

The winner of the People’s Choice Award will be announced at the Interaction Awards Celebration on Friday, February 3rd, at Interaction12 in Dublin.

Sound Noodles, by Jessie Kawata, are mobile electronic music instruments that enable kids to explore the relationship between sound and movement through their own physical activity and the collaborative efforts of music creation.

Sound Noodles by Jessie Kawata

Go here to vote for Sound Noodles.

Hotdog, by Scott Schenone, is a dog harness design that keeps track of a dog’s body temperature and relays the information back to the owner.

Hotdog by Scott Schenone

Go here to vote for Hotdog.

Steps, by Kevin Kwok, Nancy Chui, Rachel Thai, Winnie Yuen and Wayne Tang, are interactive tools and encouragement for 21st century teacher to use 21st century social interaction. The Steps project is also a finalist for the 2012 Interaction Award in the field of Connecting (facilitating communication between people and communities).

Steps by Kevin Kwok, Nancy Chui, Rachel Thai, Winnie Yuen and Wayne Tang

Go here to vote for Steps.

Art Center will be offering a new degree program towards a B.S. in Interaction Design beginning in Fall 2012. Interaction Design students at Art Center will learn to think deeply about the user’s experience, apply technology creatively and invent new approaches to interaction and design, whether designing a mobile app or a gestural interface for an exhibition, a new consumer electronics product or a rich informational website. For more information, see http://www.artcenter.edu/ixd

Inside Look at Ford and Art Center Students

In town for the EcoStilleto salon, three senior execs from Ford Motor Company’s Design and Sustainability team recently made a special trip to Art Center for an informal–and insightful–chat with a number of students and faculty.

Carol Kordich, Global Fabric Strategy/Sustainable Materials Lead Designer; Susan Svek, Group Chief Designer, Color and Material Design; and Anthony Prozzi, Senior Interior Designer, discussed the use of sustainable materials in auto manufacturing, the psychology of color and materials, and the ways in which history and culture influence design.

As summarized on the Ford Social website, “The interaction between the students and working professionals brought insight to both groups, and gave them a window into the ideas, philosophies and priorities of each other.”

San Marino League Docents Invest in Art Center

Did you happen to notice a large group of women listening carefully, taking notes and following Williamson Gallery Director Stephen Nowlin around the student gallery? If you ever wondered who these women are who turn up the first Tuesday of every term, they are volunteers and members of the San Marino League on campus for a half-day of docent training.

Student Gallery. Photo © Crystal Jean Photography/Art Center College of Design

The San Marino League in California is a nonprofit organization of women committed to philanthropic work in the community as well as furthering their own knowledge of fine arts. Its purpose is exclusively charitable, educational and all volunteer.

According to its website, “The League’s association with Art Center College of Design began in 1976 when the League funded the opening of the student gallery and began conducting tours. The association continues to this day, enhancing knowledge of and interest in one of the most renowned art and design education centers in the world.”

Today, docents from the San Marino League conduct tours for community groups interested in visiting Art Center. They also volunteer in the library and help staff the registration desk for Grad Show Preview. In addition to the many volunteer hours they invest in the college, they fund a Fine Art Scholarship helping countless students attend Art Center.

More information about the San Marino League can be found here.

For more information on scholarship giving opportunities, and joining Art Center support groups, contact Director of Annual Giving Amy Swain at amy.swain@artcenter.edu or 626.396.2427.

In Case You Missed It

As we return from break we thought it would be a good time to check in on what is going on with Art Center alumni, students and faculty.

The Williamson Gallery’s current exhibition, Worlds was featured in The Los Angeles Times. Haven’t seen it yet? You’re in luck. The exhibition has been extended through January 29, 2012.

Art Center was well represented in the December issue of THE Pasadena Foothills Magazine. The magazine’s cover story, 50 Creative People 2011, featured President Lorne Buchman and recognized faculty and staff members Mariana Amatullo, Dan Gottlieb, Penny Herscovitch, Karen Hofmann, Stephen Nowlin and Geoff Wardle; student Holly Wren Hofgaarden; and alumni Edgar Arceneaux, Dan Goods and Steve Roden. The issue can be read here.

Student Maria Meehan received a 2011 Bill Bernbach Scholarship, earning herself $5,000 to put towards tuition. The scholarships are made possible through the Bill Bernbach Diversity Scholarship Fund, established in 1998 by DDB Worldwide to provide financial assistance to creatively talented, culturally diverse students seeking an education in copywriting, art direction and design.

Jayne Vidheecharoen demonstrating her Portals project

Media Design student Jayne Vidheecharoen, whom we’ve covered previously,  is still creating an Internet buzz around her Portals alternate reality project, funded by Kickstarter. We found her project covered here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

Transportation Design Chair Stewart Reed participated as a jury member for The Michelin Challenge Design. The jury made final selections based on the theme, “City 2046: Art, Life and Ingenuity.” More than 200 projects, submitted by more than 1,700 registrants representing 88 countries, were reviewed. The jury selected the work of 27 participants for display at the 2012 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.

Alumnus Christopher Chapman, formerly with BMW, was hired as chief designer of the Hyundai Design Center in Irvine, California.

Alumnus Eric Tu, co-founder and creative talent curator at F360, a studio with offices in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, was interviewed by Studio Daily.

Alumnus Matt Cunningham’s role as designer of the interior train car shots for the thriller “Source Code” was explored in the Aiken Standard.

Spring 2012 Orientation Week Welcomes New Students

This week, Art Center officially welcomes the Spring 2012 incoming class with a number of orientation activities, which is organized by Art Center’s Center for the Student Experience to help students get the most out of their education, both inside and outside the classroom.

Dean of Students Jeffrey Hoffman, says, “New student orientation sets the stage for the success of our students during their time at Art Center. As the first few weeks of college set the tone for their experience, helping students feel connected to each other and the College is critical.”

Students relax on the lawn before the Spring 2012 term officially begins.

Tuesday, January 10
Art Center President Lorne Buchman, Dean of Students Jeffrey Hoffman and Admissions Vice President Kit Baron welcome our new students before they head off to campus tours and lunch with their peer mentors.

Wednesday, January 11
On Wednesday morning, we have a special orientation program for our international students and a financial literacy seminar for those domestic students receiving state and federal aid. In the afternoon, a round of sessions take place for all students to learn about everything from campus sustainability to educational technology to campus safety and more.

Thursday, January 12
After learning about the services provided by our Career Development and Alumni Relations offices, an exciting panel discussion takes place with our current students. Current students will give the inside scoop on all things Art Center to help incoming students get involved, stay engaged and find support. Next, our Provost gives a lesson on the famous Art Center critique! Following lunch, the afternoon is all about registration and the library, with a special peer mentor activity planned just for fun.

Friday, January 13
On Friday, we welcome parents, spouses, partners and other family members to an informal breakfast hosted by Legacy Circle. Then, family members get an orientation of their very own while students meet with their Department Chairs. Orientation concludes with an optional tour of Pasadena to explore the city we call home.

Reminder
Classes officially begin Saturday, January 14. We wish everyone a happy start of term!

Fall 2011 Graduation Events

The creative energy and anticipation around campus is in high gear as we prepare for our series of Fall graduation events.

Technical Skill Center

Students complete final projects in the Technical Skill Center.

Thursday, December 15

If you’re lucky enough to be on the invite list for Graduation Show Preview, you’ll get a sneak peak at the work of the next generation of artists and designers. From 6:00 to 9:30 p.m., Graduation Show Preview gives potential employers, alumni, donors and industry professionals an opportunity to preview the Graduation Show and meet our graduating students.

All guests are invited to a reception hosted by Alumni Relations immediately following Graduation Show Preview to officially welcome our graduating students into the alumni family.

Fall 2011 Graduation Show Hallways

Students prep the hallways for the Fall 2011 Graduation Show.

Saturday, December 17

Join us from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. as we celebrate the accomplishments of our newest graduating class, and present the Art Center Alumni Awards to three outstanding alumni.

  • Lou Danziger ADVT ’48 will receive the Lifetime Achievement Alumnus Award in recognition of significant professional and creative achievement
  • Wendy McNaughton FINE ’89 will be awarded the Outstanding Service Alumni Award in honor of her impact on humanitarian issues
  • Jonathan Jarvis GMD ’09 will be recognized with the Young Alumni Innovator Award for his innovative professional and creative work

Can’t join us at Hillside Campus for the graduation ceremony? Watch our live online webcast.

After the ceremony, Graduation Show opens to the public from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. so everyone can check out the work of our newest Art Center graduates.

Let the celebration of our creative community begin!

Fall 2011 Graduation tent

The tent is up and we're getting ready for the Fall 2011 Graduation ceremony.

Gloria Fowler’s AMMO-nition

The cover of the new Edward Weston monograph, published by AMMO Books.

On campus, Gloria Fowler ‘87 may be best known as a beloved Environmental Design instructor who has taught at the College for the last 20 years, helping students explore their creative potential. But equally impressive is her work off-campus, where she runs the thriving boutique art-house publishing company AMMO Books with her photographer-turned-publisher husband, Steve Crist, and business partner Paul Norton.

Launching a specialty book business is a risky venture, even more so in today’s age of declining book sales. But AMMO, which is based in Pasadena and Santa Barbara, Calif., has succeeded where others haven’t, publishing a number of coveted titles including the limited edition monographs Gonzo and Charley Harper, mid-priced options like Locals Only and Spike Lee: Do the Right Thing and a children’s line of board books, puzzles and more. Enviable press coverage and robust sales have followed.

The Dotted Line recently sat down with Fowler to discuss several new AMMO releases just in time for the holidays, as well as her experience running AMMO and working with emerging talent straight from the studios of Art Center.

Is there a story behind the name, AMMO?

When Steve and I decided to break out on our own and launch a new publishing house [he previously worked as a photo editor at Taschen], we realized that there weren’t that many visual-arts publishers based in the U.S. We also wanted to celebrate American artists and designers. So we came up with AMMO, which is short for American Modern Books. But we do publish international artists/designers as well.

What’s new at AMMO this holiday season?

We recently published a limited edition, coffee-table size monograph on the photographer Edward Weston in celebration of his 125th birthday. Weston is a hero of Steve’s and one of the most important photographers of the 20th century. Steve worked with the Center for Creative Photography in Arizona, which manages Weston’s archive, to choose 125 of Weston’s most iconic photographs. The book was beautifully printed in Italy and comes in an exquisite European gold cloth slipcase. Then we have Alexander Girard, edited by Todd Oldham. Girard was a seminal and prolific midcentury designer who produced work in so many disciplines—textiles, typography, graphics, illustration, furniture and architecture. He was a contemporary of Eames who, for whatever reason, hasn’t received the same recognition. We hope this book will change that. It’s massive—672 pages and 15 lbs(!)—and it’s at the level of Charley Harper in that the book is a very comprehensive overview of Girard.  And in conjunction, we’ve released some children’s products featuring Girard’s designs—a memory game, giant floor puzzles, a board book and more on the way.

Catch a glimpse of the new Girard book here:


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Students Preparing for “Idea to Pitch” this Sunday [UPDATE]

A group of Art Center students have spent the past 13 weeks preparing and rehearsing for this Sunday’s Idea to Pitch, a red carpet Hollywood-style event that marks the culmination of the Entertainment Design Department’s first course to integrate written story development with concept art.

Hosted by Idea to Pitch instructor Nick Pugh, the event will feature 11 upper-term students–eight from Entertainment Design, two from Illustration and one from Film–pitching original intellectual property created during the course to an invited audience of Hollywood studio heads, producers, talent agents and development executives, including individuals from Dreamworks, Warner Brothers, Sony Pictures and Creative Artists Agency.

The concept behind the experimental Idea to Pitch course is to empower Entertainment Design students by showing them they can shift from being a work-for-hire concept artist to a content owner. How is this accomplished? By teaching them how to wed their original film treatments with dramatic concept art to effectively sell their ideas.

And what better way to teach this concept than to have the students actually pitch to real decision-makers in Hollywood?

“These students have been practicing their pitches every week since week one of this term,” said Pugh, who says the course eschewed traditional critiques and instead had each student revise and refine their pitch each week. “As an instructor, I’ve tried my very best to cultivate ideas that are original, unique and very sellable. I want the students to understand what it means to make something that has real value.”

“The goal of the course is to teach students how to own their intellectual property, how to pitch it and how to become an overall conceptualist,” added Tim Flattery, Chair of the Entertainment Design Department, while emphasizing that the real-world element at play at the event will make the proceeding all the more dramatic. “If somebody at this event is interested in optioning their story? Well, that’s all the better.”

Idea to Pitch takes place this Sunday, December 11 at noon. Creative individuals in the entertainment industry interested in attending can RSVP to maritza.herrera@artcenter.edu or 626.396.2464.

UPDATE 12/16/11:

Hollywood producers, writers, development executives and other invited individuals filled the LA Times Auditorium this past weekend for the inaugural Idea to Pitch, where they were treated to 11 full-length motion picture pitches that ranged from a sci-fi thriller to a children’s fantasy to to an absurdist action comedy. Feedback from the audience–which included individuals from RGH Entertainment, Bad Robot, Ziskin Productions, Digital Ranch, Paramount Pictures and Blacklight–was both positive and constructive, with one producer commenting that the pitches were substantially better than what more than 90% of professional writers come into his office to pitch. That comment drew both a laugh from the audience and a feigned outrage of one nearby writer who cried, “Hey, I’m sitting right here!”

Students received tips on everything from how to adjust their pitches to match specific budgets to how to keep their cool during a high-pressure presentation. One producer in the audience asked the students, “Out of curiosity, how many of you are so passionate and excited about your project that you want to turn it into a script?” To which every student in the class raised their hands.

“I’ve always pitched this class as a pipeline to real projects,” said instructor Nick Pugh, responding to the question. “This not a theoretical class. This class, with its focus on property creation and property ownership, is not just about getting a good job. It’s about heading out into the industry with a property that’s worth something.”

Turns out the student’s properties may already be worth something. According to Pugh, individuals invited to the event expressed interest in three of the projects, with one receiving multiple inquiries.