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Contents

  3 President Interview

The Programs
  7 mfa Art Criticism and Writing
 25 mat Art Education
 43 mfa Art Practice
 61 mps Art Therapy
 81 mps Branding
 95 mfa Computer Art
127 ma Critical Theory and the Arts
139 mfa Design
163 mfa Design Criticism
187 mfa Design for Social Innovation
205 mps Digital Photography
225 mps Fashion Photography
239 mfa Fine Arts
261 mfa Illustration as Visual Essay
279 mfa Interaction Design
301 mps Live Action Short Film
315 mfa Photography, Video and
Related Media
345 mfa Products of Design
371 mfa Social Documentary Film

388 General Information


392 Tuition and Expenses
396 Financial Aid
398 Admission to the Programs
408 Administration
414 Building Directory
and Campus Map
“As an art school in the United States, it is entirely appropriate that we have adopted the American
philosophy of Pragmatism. As a college we have always been willing to experiment and learn from
trial and error. I’m proud that one of the things we’ve made function effectively at sva is a culture
of working professionals who head programs that are deeply connected to current creative work and
evolve over time, taking account of new conditions in the field and the shifting interests of the depart-
ment chairs, faculty and students. With a renewed emphasis on education as central to development
and growth, and an ever deeper appreciation of how much students can (and must) contribute, I believe
the u.s. will continue to grow as a top international destination for graduate-level study.”
What are the challenges of organizing staff and programming in the way that sva does? “There
is a modest tension between faculty members’ professional commitments and their teaching respon-
sibilities,” Mr. Rhodes admits, ‘but I think we’ve solved that here. A typical institution hands faculty
a lot of work that they’re not necessarily expert at. We don’t do that; our faculty is here to teach what
they know, and to impart what they are expert at in their work

David
lives. And since they are actively involved in their professions,

President Interview
what they’re doing is fresh. There may be some virtue to drawing
from plaster casts, but we have found it’s more useful—to make

Rhodes
another Pragmatic point—to be doing something of the moment.
The content of our programs changes almost annually. No one’s
lecturing from yellowed notes made 30 years ago.”
And it’s not just the content of existing departments that
keeps moving: sva continues to introduce new graduate
programs, responding to emerging interest and demand. “For
example,” President Rhodes begins, “an mfa in Art Practice,
developed by curator and former Whitney director David Ross, is beginning in the summer of 2011.
Its mission is two-fold: The continuous development of art-making through extensive studio work, and
a thorough understanding of contemporary art practice, including critical and curatorial endeavors.”
“In the fall of 2011 we’ll welcome our first class to a one-year mps in Fashion Photography.
Chaired by Jimmy Moffat and Stephen Frailey, the program is designed to immerse students in the
narrative, conceptual and cultural subtext of fashion photography, and provide direct engagement
with the leading figures in fashion and fashion photography in New York City.”
“And in 2012,” he continues, “we will launch our first purely research-based degree, an ma
in Critical Theory and the Arts, developed by philosopher Robert Hullot-Kentor, as well as two new
advanced design degrees: mfa Products of Design, a strategic making-based curriculum considering
purposeful artifacts, systems, and design offerings, chaired by Core77 founder Alan Chochinov, and
mfa Design for Social Innovation, which, as Chair Cheryl Heller says, ‘considers the new challenges
of working at the intersection of business, society and the natural world.’”
Recently, the College has expanded physically as well as in its range of programs. One particularly
striking development is the sva Theatre on West 23rd Street. “This is something we had wanted to do
for a long time,” the president reveals. “To create a cultural center for Midtown South. Pedagogically,
it will allow graduate programs to collaborate on some lectures and multimedia presentations.”
In addition to these and other changes, he recognized the College’s longstanding strengths.
“Illustration has been around for a long time, but (the mfa in Illustration as Visual Essay) is actually
an innovative program that turns the discipline on its head. Half of its graduates have published books
and graphic novels and even produced painting series. That’s not what we expected setting it up, but
that program has stayed out ahead of the field.”
“Ultimately,” President Rhodes concludes, smiling, “we are open to supporting and guiding
whichever paths students choose, so long as their work is smart.”

3
Accreditations
the school of visual arts has been authorized by the New
York State Board of Regents (www.highered.nysed.gov) to confer the
degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts on graduates of four-year programs in
Advertising and Graphic Design; Computer Art, Computer Animation
and Visual Effects; Film, Video and Animation; Fine Arts; Illustration and
Cartooning; Interior Design; Photography; Visual and Critical Studies;
and to confer the degree of Master of Arts on graduates of the one-year
program in Critical Theory and the Arts; and to confer the degree of
Master of Fine Arts on graduates of two-year programs in Art Criticism
and Writing; Computer Art; Design; Design Criticism; Design for Social
Innovation; Fine Arts; Illustration as Visual Essay; Interaction Design;
Photography, Video and Related Media; Products of Design; Social
Documentary Film; and to confer the degree of Master of Fine Arts on
graduates of the three-year program in Art Practice; and to confer the
degree of Master of Professional Studies on graduates of the two-year
program in Art Therapy and the one-year programs in Branding; Digital
Photography; Fashion Photography; Live Action Short Film; and to confer
the degree of Master of Arts in Teaching on graduates of the program in
Art Education and to confer the degree of Master of Arts in Teaching on
graduates of the program in Art Education. Data required by the U.S.
Department of Education on “Gainful Employment” for each of the above
programs may be found on each individual program page at sva.edu.

the school of visual arts is accredited by the Commission


on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and
Schools (www.msche.org), 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA
19104, 215.662.5606. The Commission on Higher Education is
an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the u.s. Secretary of
Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation.

the school of visual arts is an accredited institutional member


of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (http://nasad.
arts-accredit.org).

the interior design program leading to the Bachelor of Fine

The
Arts in Interior Design is accredited by the Council for Interior Design
Accreditation (formerly FIDER) (www.accredit-id.org), 146 Monroe
Center nw, Suite 1318, Grand Rapids, mi 49503-2822.

the master of professional studies in Art Therapy degree


program is approved by the American Art Therapy Association, Inc., and

Programs
as such meets the Education Standards of the art therapy profession.

the master of arts in teaching in Art Education program


is accredited by the New York State Regents Accreditation of Teacher
Education (rate ).
XX For us, criticism is a way to ask bigger and better questions
XX We want students with wide-ranging curiosity about contemporary culture
XX Emphasis on the history and current transformations of the image

The mfa in Art Criticism and Writing is one of the only graduate writing programs in the country that
focuses specifically on criticism. We honor Walter Benjamin’s desire to “create criticism as a genre,”
unto itself, and that means opening the program to a wide variety of approaches and inquiries. For us,
criticism is an open proposition—a way to ask bigger and better questions.
The practice of criticism involves making finer and finer distinctions among like things, but it is also
a way of asking fundamental questions about art and life. Writing good criticism requires a grounding
in art history and aesthetics, and also a prodigious curiosity and knowledge of contemporary culture.
Critics cannot afford to be specialists, so our curriculum is both finely focused and wide-ranging. In
addition to the foundation seminars Bases of Criticism, three levels of writing practicum, and the thesis
seminar, we offer a broad array of continually changing electives, dealing with everything from the
idealist tradition to artists’ writings. We concentrate on the essay as form, as well as on shorter forms
of review, and learn criticism by doing it. Students’ writing and reviews are published regularly in our
online magazine Degree Critical, and art magazine editors are involved in the program in various
capacities. The thesis that students write at the end of their course of study is intended to be a substantial
work of criticism. We want students to come out of this program and be able to write in the world.
From its inception, this program has also had a special emphasis on the history and current transfor-
mations of the image. We live in an age when images have an inordinate power over us—the power to
influence public opinion, to create and direct desire, to comfort and inflame. The critics of tomorrow must
study images, in all of their manifestations, in order to better understand how we are subject to them.
In addition to our exceptional core faculty, we invite many artists, writers, critics, editors, art his-
torians and philosophers each year to give lectures and meet with our students individually or in small
groups. This will always be a small program, with a good deal of opportunity for one-on-one interaction.
We think it makes sense for a program like this to be situated within a major art college like the School
of Visual Arts, since good things happen when artists and writers get together. It is also obviously a
big advantage to have such a program located in the heart of New York City, amidst the greatest con-
centration of artists and art activity in the world. We will look at a lot of art here, and try to account
for our experience of it in writing. And in all we do, we will be guided by the advice Henry James gave
to writers when he said, “Try to be one of those on whom nothing is lost.”

David Levi Strauss, chair

MFA
Art Criticism
and Writing
www.sva.edu/grad/artcriticism
department site: artcriticism.sva.edu 7
Catching
Up With
the Critics
Alumni Profile: Christine Licata
and Clay Matlin

Clay Matlin (MFA’07) reflected in the windows of the


New Museum on the Bowery in New York City. Ugo
Rondinone’s work “Hell, Yes!” was installed on the
façade of the building for the museum’s opening at
its new location in December 2008.
Students entering the Art Criticism program have their work cut out for them. Not only is the
discipline evolving rapidly, but its educators—often critics themselves—demand a high level of
cultural understanding and a commanding skill of the pen. “The program really re-trained me how
to write,” explains recent grad Clay Matlin. “The experience is bigger than the standard 300 - to
600 -word exhibition review. Instead, the entire spectrum of art writing is encouraged. The program
makes you think about the act of writing, how one exists in the moment of the experience, and to
be thoughtful and careful in the use of words.”
This deeply thorough re-education in the skill of writing was especially demanding for fellow
alumna Christine Licata. “For me, the biggest challenge in art writing was to learn to express the visual
to the verbal. My undergraduate degree is in graphic design, so for many years I had been trained to do
the opposite—to translate language and concepts symbolically and visually,” she says. “Studying art
criticism, I had to learn to reverse the process, to literally extract these ideas in order to communicate.”
Fortunately, both Matlin and Licata can rest easy knowing they were put through their paces by
those that can walk the walk, including Raphael Rubinstein. Rubinstein, a widely published critic
and former senior editor of Art in America for over a decade, teaches the final writing course before
students embark on their thesis. Students are given assignments as if they were critics in the real
world, and have their work openly edited and discussed in class. A large amount of time in Rubin-
stein’s class goes into helping students simply describe what they see with their own eyes. “It’s essential
to giving the readers the evidence they need in order to follow you to their conclusion,” he says.
“It keeps you honest as a writer.” Assignments go through multiple revisions—just as they would
in a magazine—until the piece is perfect. “You can’t separate the importance of good criticism
from good writing,” says Rubinstein. Admits Matlin, “Raphael taught two of my writing courses
and was particularly brutal, which is a great thing to have from a writing teacher. One can’t always
be told how good one is, because it’s simply not true. Writing students are going to produce a lot
of terrible writing. They have to, otherwise they wouldn’t be learning anything.”

Christine Licata (MFA ’08) at El Taller Boricua Gallery


in Spanish Harlem, where she is assistant curator.
The MFA Art Criticism and Writing Department has its own floor
chair interview in a beautiful building in Chelsea, the heart of New York City's bustling art

David Levi Strauss


district. Our department comprises a seminar room and the departmental
library, a room where students can congregate to read, work, have
informal discussions or make use of the shared Internet and word
“This is a program for the present,” says David Levi Strauss, “a time when there’s some confusion processing workstations. The departmental library expands almost daily,
about what criticism is. In my teaching, I’ve noticed the rise of ‘curatorial rhetoric,’ writing that as we are constantly adding new books of art criticism, philosophy, art
borrows from specialized languages in which the author lacks a background, which often obscures history and critical theory, and also includes subscriptions to a broad and
more than it reveals. For me, chairing this program represents a chance to counter that tendency.” diverse array of art magazines and newspapers.
What are the program’s concentrations? “There’s an emphasis on the history and transformation
“Our program is unique.
of the image,” Strauss responds, “but there’s also a philosophical base. My model for it is the Poetics
It’s a small, seminar- and
Program that Robert Duncan ran in San Francisco during the early ’80s. Duncan and the other poets
discussion-based program
who taught there conceived of poetics in its largest sense, as the study of how things are made, so it
in which students learn

On any
can be applied to anything made.”
as much from each other
“Students in the sva program come from a variety of fields,” Strauss observes. “Some have diff­
as from the teachers.”
erent kinds of writing backgrounds, others have training in art history, but most have been working

given day...
for some time. They might have been publishing criticism professionally but found themselves looking
for a way to go to the next stage.”
“Our program is unique. It’s a small, seminar- and discussion-based program in which students
learn as much from each other as from the teachers. Students here write every week, in a variety of
formats, and attend workshops with working writers and editors. It’s direct and intense.”
The program incorporates electives that change from year to year. “Virtual Curating has been a
popular course,” Strauss observes. “Students do everything required to make an exhibition short of noon  First year students meet in Chelsea to do a round of gallery visits 6pm  Students take a break in the departmental library, making use of the
actually mounting it, and that includes writing a catalog. Another elective, The History of Reading, and look at art from newly opened shows. After an informal walking tour kitchen area to grab a quick bite.
is based on the idea that, as literacy is becoming a cult activity, questions are emerging about what read- of half a dozen galleries, students reconvene at a café to have an informal
ing is, how it works, and the influence of technological changes. Artists’ Writings is another interesting discussion about the shows, in preparation for writing reviews. 7pm  The department hosts a public lecture by writer and art historian

track, looking at the history of the form, from Kandinsky, Moholy-Nagy and Breton to the present. T.J. Clark at the SVA Theatre on Picasso’s Guernica. After the lecture,
1pm  First- and second-year students convene at the home of artist Clark joins our students for a meal and discussion on the talk.
We also had a great series by Jeffrey Kastner that looked at contemporary art history through the lens
Nancy Goldring for an intimate conversation with Leo Steinberg
of the art magazine.”
about works such as Pontormo's Capponi Chapel, that the art historian 9pm  Students head downtown to a Cabinet Magazine launch party, to
As is the case with sva in general, the program takes full advantage of its New York base. “There
has written extensively about over decades. mingle with writers and editors including Jeff Kastner, senior editor and
are so many people here that we can draw on.” Strauss enthuses. “Leo Steinberg did a special session
faculty member.
with all of my students that was incredible.” 2pm Chair David Levi Strauss has a studio visit with artist Terry
As to the thesis toward which students work, Strauss explains that “from the beginning, the idea has Winters in preparation for an upcoming piece for the Brooklyn Rail.
been that it should be a work of criticism, but that can include many different approaches.” He pulls out
a stack of examples. “Alyssa Timin wrote one called ‘The Eye of the Storm: Regarding Waiting for Godot 3pm  Second-year students meet with Susan Bee for their required thesis
in New Orleans,’ while Sophie Landres wrote a comparison of artists who used language in the Concep- seminar, to discuss research issues in long-form critical writing. Writer
tual art of the ’60s and ’70s with contemporary artists who use it in connection with digital states.” Bonnie Marranca visits the class to talk with students about writing
“Ultimately,” Strauss concludes, “our hope is for people to be able to write real criticism in the real strategies.
world, and the pathways to that are many and complex.”
4pm Chair Levi Strauss meets with a second-year student to discuss a
writing opportunity that has come up for a CUE Art Foundation catalog
for an upcoming show.

Art Criticism & Writing 12 13 www.sva.edu/grad/artcriticism


(above) T.J. Clark speaking at the SVA Theatre about
Picasso’s Guernica. Afterwards, (left) Clark joined
Chair Strauss and students at El Quijote, one of New
York City’s oldest Spanish restaurants.
The Program  The mfa Art Criticism and Writing program provides a broad spectrum of courses taught
by experts in their respective disciplines. Course work both informs and guides students toward their personal and Course Descriptions
professional goals in art criticism and its writing. ¶ The curriculum assists students in the development of both
a professional engagement with the visual arts and a professional body of work. These objectives are achieved
through training in and exposure to contemporary critical practices, and the simultaneous development of a solid
foundation in cultural histories and philosophies, both ancient and modern. The second year concentrates on the
refinement of critique and writing skills to enable each student to achieve a personal style of commentary. ¶ Bases
of Criticism I and II; Writing I, II and III; Thesis Seminar and Thesis are all required courses. The curriculum is also
designed to accommodate specific areas of interest through the elective courses, which relate to major issues in Required Courses Elective Courses
contemporary art criticism. Students work with their academic advisor to create a course schedule that is tailored to Bases of CRITICISM I & II Against Interpretation
their individual academic objectives. ¶ In addition to the core faculty, the program includes visiting lecturers from Required of all first-year students, these courses provide background for A subjective overview of strategies for resisting criticism, this class
the history, theory and criticism offered through the elective courses. will look at the perennial efforts artists have undertaken to resist the
around the world. These lecturers will both discuss the backgrounds of their traditions as they relate to creative Foundational texts will create a base for further studies during the two- authority, and the conventional formats, of criticism. From Dada,
expression and share their perspectives on the relationships between the artistic practices of their cultures and the year program. These courses will assist students in understanding the Fluxus, and Conceptualism, to the Bruce High Quality Foundation
prominent theoretical positions of art criticism—past and present—and and other collectives dedicated to rewriting art history’s curriculum (or
global significance of these practices. ¶ Degree candidates must successfully complete 60 credits, including all their sources, and will concentrate especially on the history and theory pedagogical practice), usurping the critical role has been a recurrent
required courses, and maintain a 3.0 grade point average. A residency of two academic years is required. In the of the image. motive. Because the subject is so broad, this course will be organized
in part around examples of particular interest to the students who
final semester, each student completes a thesis, which must be reviewed and approved by the thesis advisor and Writing I, II & III enroll. Susan Sontag’s essay will be one starting point; Sol LeWitt’s
the department chair in order for the student to be eligible for degree conferral. These courses will lead to the writing of the thesis in the final semester sentences and paragraphs on Conceptual art will be another.
of the program. Students will read examples from different styles
of critical writing. Brief texts, in the nature of reviews of current THE ART OF THE INTERVIEW
exhibitions, will be assigned. In conjunction with writing and revising An important tool of the art writer is the interview. Yet it is often
Sample Program exhibition reviews for possible publication in the program’s online regarded as a kind of blank-faced question-and-answer followed by the
journal Degree Critical, instructors will consult on thesis issues. As publication of a mechanically edited transcript. In this course, we will
the process advances, students are encouraged to dig more deeply discuss and practice what it means to conduct a successful interview.
first year into ideas without ever losing sight of the value of clarity. Students will learn how to prepare properly, how to read a person
and use dialogue as a creative form, and how to fashion the interview
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
Thesis Seminar material after the fact. Students will interview one another, and use
Bases of Criticism I 4 Bases of Criticism II 4 Students will begin thesis preparation by formulating the central ideas New York City as a laboratory of artists, dealers, gallery directors,
Writing I 4 Writing II 4 that will become the thesis, and will consider appropriate strategies for editors, writers, academics and other representatives of the art world
Electives (2) 8 Electives (2) 8 the research, form, presentation and distribution of their ideas. Thesis to interview and profile.
Seminar will give students the opportunity to meet as a group with a
faculty member and discuss issues related to the development of their Artists in the Present
theses, and read portions of their work in class. Guest lecturers from Instead of concentrating on the conventional modes of interview,
second year various fields will discuss what is important about a thesis. which rely on sets of questions that apply to everyone, this course
will explore different preparations and methods congenial to a wide
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
Thesis variety of practices and approaches that artists have adapted in order
Writing III 4 Thesis Seminar 4 Each student will meet with his or her thesis advisor and work to differentiate themselves. Critics need to be able to talk with artists.
Electives (3) 12 Thesis8 on a one-to-one basis throughout the semester. Meetings are used We’ll prepare interviews that uncover working methods and ideas. The
for the instructor to respond to drafts of the thesis and discuss course includes studio visits.
Note: Each elective course is four credits. its development.
Artists’ Writings
The significant interventions that visual artists have made through art
writing into the art criticism of their time are the focus of this course. It
will examine artists’ writings, including journals, art criticism, manifes-
tos, theoretical writings, letters and artist-run publications. Artists such
as Wassily Kandinsky, László Moholy-Nagy, Kasimir Malevich, André
Breton, Marsden Hartley, Barnett Newman, Ad Reinhardt, Robert
Motherwell, Louise Bourgeois, Allan Kaprow, Robert Smithson, Donald
Judd, Robert Morris, Adrian Piper, Mary Kelly and Carolee Schnee-
mann, among others, have bridged the gap between art practice,
artwork and critical theory, and invigorated the language of art criti-
cism. We will concentrate on some of the key artists’ writings from
Russian constructivism to the Bauhaus, surrealism, abstract expression-
ism, Fluxus, feminism, conceptual art and minimalism.

Art Criticism & Writing 16 17 www.sva.edu/grad/artcriticism


Criticism and Risk Phaedrus, Republic 3, Philebus; selections from Plotinus’ Enneads; work of Marxism. Readings include works by Trotsky, Plekhanov, A SHORT HISTORY OF READING
I suspect that for most everyone seriously involved with art, risk is an Kant’s Critique of Judgment and selected essays; Hegel’s Philosophy Raymond Williams, Simmel, Georg Lukacs, Ernst Fischer, Jameson, Reading is a skill that has shaped society and the human brain in a
essential and uneasy word. The best artists, critics, curators, collec- of History and Philosophy of Fine Art; Clive Bell’s Art; Roger Frye’s Althusser, Marcuse and Adorno. manner we are just beginning to understand. It has developed from
tors and dealers may approach risk differently, but in order to meet Transformations; Clement Greenberg’s Art and Culture, and selected the 15th century as an elaborate and varied practice within very
the challenges of art, they all know that risk is required. Without essays of Fried and Nodelman. Motion Capture specific historical and cultural contexts. But what is it to read? We
risk, there can be neither knowledge nor transformation. Uncertainty, This course will track the course of movement as depicted in still will learn about the impact of the printing press, the book, the novel
disturbance, otherness and shock have been part of the fabric of In the Process: Thinking about how Art Is Made images via some of the oldest and newest forms of animation. From and the Internet. Of primary importance, we will use the history of
modernity, of which each incarnation of The Contemporary, no mat- Through reading essays by artists, critics and historians about the ancient traditions of animism and the talismanic characteristics of reading to explore whether reading is “dead” or simply ap­proach­ed
ter how distinct, is itself part. But what a difficult word risk is! Risk process of making art, this class will consider the importance of close inanimate objects to the newest motion capture technologies and mili- differently in contemporary society. Students will read literature,
what? Risk how? For what? For whom? With what objective? For a attention to any given work’s material as well as conceptual quali- tary surveillance, we will examine how we represent movement, and poetry, historical and theoretical texts from John Donne, Gertrude
critic, the potential for risk is shaped by the publishing outlet. Risk is ties. Subjects will range from traditional studio practices resulting in to what ends. We’ll read Aby Warburg and Roland Barthes, look at Stein and Roland Barthes, to Proust and the Squid: The Story and
encouraged or suffocated by strategies of writing—including style. It discrete paintings and sculptures to the development of work based Muybridge and Marey, and move into ideas of montage in Eisenstein Science of the Reading Brain by Maryanne Wolf.
goes without saying that its energies and stakes are also shaped by per- in ideas and realized as ephemera or in time-based media. The goal and Godard. We’ll talk about the accumulation of images as material,
sonality and history. This course will not fetishize or commodify risk. of the class will be a broader understanding of how process shapes drones and infrared heat sensor goggles, and speculative motion cap- The Sublime and the Beautiful
Through writings by artists, critics, curators and others—including not only physical outcome but also meaning. We will begin with two ture, in an attempt to get closer to the future of images. This course will conduct a literary and visual examination of the con-
you, the students—it will consider questions such as: What are risk’s texts on Alberto Giacometti, by James Lord (A Giacometti Portrait) cepts of the sublime and the beautiful, as one of the great dichotomies
forms? How do we recognize them? How does risk happen within and David Sylvester (Looking at Giacometti). Further assigned authors The Poet as Critic in Western theory and criticism. We will examine the sublime (Burke,
overt and internalized systems of authorization? What role does risk will include artists Donald Judd, Robert Smithson, Robert Morris, Eva In this class, we will examine the various ways in which poets have Kant, Turner, Newman) and the beautiful (Bell, Greenberg, Heidegger,
play in the experience of art and writing? Hesse, Yvonne Rainer, Rackstraw Downes, Carroll Dunham, David responded to visual art in the modern Western tradition. Our pri- Habermas), as well as some of the images on which their theories are
Humphrey, Andrea Fraser and Frances Stark, and writers Robert Storr, mary focus will be Paris in the nineteenth and early twentieth century based. In addition, recent works, including Dave Hickey’s The Invisible
Developing a Voice: From Jacques Derrida to Don DeLillo Richard Sennett, David Levi Strauss and Patricia Phillips. and New York from the mid-twentieth century to the present. Our Dragon and essays by Peter Schjeldahl, will be discussed.
This course takes ekphrasis—art writing, the art of visual descrip- trajectory will reveal a rich tradition, beginning with Baudelaire,
tion—as its topic. Art writing exists in many forms and is a mutable The Language of Color continuing with Apollinaire, and concentrating especially on the New VIRTUAL CURATING
and creative act. Often, the least interesting writing on art is done by What language do we use to write about color in art? This course will York School, with writings by Frank O’Hara, Edwin Denby, and Bill The premise of this course is for students to conceive a thematic, bien-
art historians. We will spend the semester studying the writings of explore the descriptive, critical and poetic terms that signify color, Berkson, and continuing to the present with such writers as Eileen nial-style exhibition, and select the artists and works for the show.
poets (including Baudelaire), novelists (including DeLillo), filmmakers from prehistory to the present day. Through observation, reading, Myles, Carter Ratcliff, Raphael Rubinstein, and John Yau. We will During the semester, the class will write all texts required for such an
(including Pier Paolo Pasolini), philosophers (including Derrida), and discussion and writing, we will examine the science and philosophy of also touch on writers who had and have deep involvements with exhibition, includ­ing letters of invitation, press releases, catalog essays/
artists (including Robert Smithson). The goal of the course is two-fold: color, the historical and literary development of color language, and poetry, many of them artists themselves: Rudy Burckhardt, Nicolas entries and wall text. Theoretical texts on curating as well as exem-
for students to be exposed to a variety of writing styles, and to experi- the cultural and political significance of color in modern and contem- Calas, Rackstraw Downes, Merlin James, and Fairfield Porter. We plary catalog essays will be discussed and analyzed. All aspects of
ment with and develop a unique voice outside the bounds of academic porary art. Museum and studio visits, discussions with artists and crit- will read pieces that have become touchstones in contemporary think- curating (short of an actual physical installation) will be covered, with
writing or journalism. There will be weekly writings and in-class cri- ics, experiments in color identification and mixing, and regular writing ing about art, such as Baudelaire’s “The Painter of Modern Life” and an emphasis on writing.
tiques as well as a final paper. workshops will be included. Readings will range from scientific and Denby’s account of New York in the 1930s. Our goal is to introduce
philosophical texts (Aristotle, Isaac Newton, Goethe, Michel-Eugène participants to diverse ways of thinking about the visual arts, to notice The Work of Art in the Age of Information
Form and Function Chevreul, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Josef Albers) to fiction/memoir and how language can be energized to discuss visual arts, to examine “The immense size of modern databases gives us a feeling of
From the Bauhaus and de Stijl to Donald Judd and Scott Burton to poetry (Rainer Maria Rilke, William S. Burroughs, Barbara Guest, effects of collaborations between poets and visual artists, and to learn meaninglessness.” —Freeman Dyson.
Mary Heilmann and Franz West, the commitment to abstraction has Frank O’Hara, William Gass, Maggie Nelson) to contemporary criti- new ways of writing and thinking about works of art. In this course we will discuss some of the following questions: What
coincided, with striking frequency, with an impulse to create functional cism (David Batchelor, Yve-Alain Bois, Esther Leslie and Kathryn is the work—the task—of art in a world given over to the near instan-
form. Seemingly contradictory, the two inclinations have also inter- Tuma). Students will develop a language of color through descriptive SCIENCE AND ART CRITICISM taneous flow of data across all boundaries of self and state? Is it still
sected with others, including, variously, utopianism, asceticism and writing, response to critical texts and subjective encounters with color From atomic theory to the decipherment of the human genome, sci- useful to think of the artist as a singular figure whose work captures
iconoclasm. This class will look at the conceptual, social and politi- in art. ence has spilled out of the laboratory and into our lives. When we add a present reality, when history itself seems to be a rapidly shifting,
cal agendas associated with such hybrid work. Artists whose work to this mix the invention of the Internet and its global perspectives in tractionless field? How can we distinguish between subjective and
engages these paradigms critically or ironically (Andrea Zittel and Live Art Criticism: History and Practice cyberspace, a revolution is upon us. As scientists engage in molecular objective reasons for aesthetic judgment (and is it important to do so)?
Jorge Pardo, among many others) will also be considered. Problems of This course will explore strategies for writing about live art, and study- makeovers, plastic surgery and nanotechnology, the corporeal body Can critical thinking/writing reinscribe the criteria of meaning into
engaging sympathetically with the various historical contexts in which ing innovators in dance, theater and the visual arts, mostly through the has become a topic of public and aesthetic discourse in itself. This the art experience without disavowing the work of theory or reject-
these varied expressions of idealism (or nihilism) have arisen will be intrepid critics who have long, if sporadically, provided a context for course will examine the ways in which artists are addressing genetic ing the ubiquity of information and opinion? Is there a new relation
addressed. category-defying works. The performing and visual arts have always engineering, new anatomical models, reproductive technologies and to be found between critical authority and cultural/social resonance?
borrowed from one another, but this mutual interest is too rarely cloning as part of the emergent “sci-art” movement that is taking Readings from a range of thinkers, artists and writers. Weekly short
THE IDEALIST TRADITION accompanied by critical understanding or comfort, both of which can place in the United States and abroad. Other topics include: genetically papers and one term paper.
The idealist tradition begins with Plato, migrates to the Neoplatonists, only be achieved by looking and writing. That’s what we will do here. modified food, the commodification of bio-matter, lab residencies for
the Renaissance Platonists, the Cam­bridge Platon­ists and Kant. After artists and ecological initiatives. In addition, new imaging technologies
Kant, the tradition adapts through various stages—Hegelian histori- MARXISM AND ART CRITICISM and their relationship to science, art, design and architecture will be
cism, the critical historians, the British formalists (especially Bell and This course aims to acquaint students with significant figures and texts conceptually explored. Visiting speakers will complement the course
Frye), and lands finally with Clement Greenberg. Greenberg popular- in the tradition of Marxist art theory and criticism, beginning with an material.
ized and reinvigorated the idealist tradition for about a generation essay from Marx himself and concluding with work by T. J. Clark, the
and then it lost force, at least for a time. Readings include Plato’s Ion, most eminent contemporary art historian working within the frame-

Art Criticism & Writing 18 19 www.sva.edu/grad/artcriticism


Faculty

David Levi Strauss, chair Michael Brenson Phong Bui Tom Huhn
Writer, critic Critic, scholar Publisher, editor, Brooklyn Rail; visual artist; curator Chair, Art History Department and BFA Visual and Critical Studies
Education: BA, Goddard College; graduate work in the Poetics Education: BA, Rutgers University; MA, PhD, Johns Hopkins Education: BFA, Philadelphia College of Art; Department, School of Visual Arts; coordinator, Honors Program,
Program, New College of California University New York Studio School School of Visual Arts; philosopher; critic
Books include: Between the Eyes: Essays on Photography and Professional experience includes: Art reporter, art critic, Professional experience includes: Curatorial advisor, Education: BA, Sarah Lawrence College; MA, PhD,
Politics; Between Dog and Wolf: Essays on Art & Politics; Leon The New York Times; art critic, New York magazine P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center. Host, “Off the Rail Hour,” Art Boston University
Golub and Nancy Spero: The Fighting Is a Dance, Too; From Head Books include: Visionaries and Outcasts: The NEA, Congress, International Radio. Board member: Marie Walsh Sharpe Foundation, Books include: Imitation and Society: The Persistence of Mimesis
to Hand: Art and the Manual and the Place of the Visual Artist in America; Acts of Engagement: International Association of Art Critics in the Aesthetics of Burke, Hogarth, and Kant; The Cambridge
Contributing editor: Aperture; The Brooklyn Rail; founding Writings on Art, Criticism, and Institutions, 1993-2002. Co-author, Publications include: The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Companion to Adorno; The Wake of Art: Criticism, Philosophy, and
editor, ACTS: A Journal of New Writing. Other publications include: co-editor, Culture in Action: A Public Art Program of Sculpture New York Sun, Sculpture, Hudson Review, Art in America, New York the Ends of Taste; The Semblance of Subjectivity: Essays in Adorno’s
Artforum, Art in America, The Nation, Art Journal, Cabinet Chicago. Co-editor, Conversations at the Castle: Changing Audiences Observer, The Village Voice, San Francisco Chronicle, Art Monthly Aesthetic Theory
Awards and honors include: John Simon Guggenheim Memorial and Contemporary Art; Witness to Her Art: Art and Writings by Australia, Matador, Art & Auction, Brooklyn Rail, Metro, The New Publications include: Oxford Art Journal, British Journal of
Foundation Fellowship; Artspace Grant for New Writing in Art Adrian Piper, Mona Hatoum, Cady Noland, Jenny Holzer, Kara Yorker, NY Arts, art.net Aesthetics, New German Critique, Art & Text, Eighteenth-Century
Criticism; Logan Award, Boston University, Infinity Award for Writing Walker, Daniela Rossell and Eau de Cologne One-person exhibitions include: Leslie Heller Gallery, Wooster Studies, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, Art Criticism,
Publications include: Art & Auction; Art Journal; Art in America; Arts Space, Sarah Bowen Gallery, Sideshow Gallery Telos, Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, Philosophy and
Suzanne Anker Sculpture; Journal of the Clark Art Institute; American Theatre; The Group exhibitions include: Lohin Geduld Gallery; Norte Maar; Social Criticism
Chair, BFA Fine Arts Department, School of Visual Arts; New York Times Magazine; Connaissance des Arts; Association Vaudeville Park; Janet Kurnatowski Gallery; Gallery Satori; Cité du CURATORIAL WORKS INCLUDE: “Ornament and Landscape,”
fine artist; critic Internationale des Critiques d’Art; Washington Post; Joel Shapiro: Livre, Aix-en-Provence, France; Today Art Museum, Beijing; Pierogi Apex Gallery; “Still Missing: Beauty Absent Social Life,” Visual Arts
Education: BA, Brooklyn College; MFA, University of Colorado Sculpture and Drawings 2000; Brooklyn Museum Museum and Westport Arts Center, CT
at Boulder Presentations include: Distinguished Critic’s Lecture, Awards and honors include: Eric Isenburger Annual Prize, Awards include: Getty Scholar; Fulbright Scholar; First Prize,
Publications include: Art Journal; Tema Celeste; Seed; M/E/A/ International Association of Art Critics, New School University; National Academy Museum; American Academy of Arts and Letters; American Society for Aesthetics Essay Contest; New York State
N/I/N/G; Leonardo; Nature Reviews Genetics; Update: New York Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, University of Florida; Denver Pollock-Krasner Foundation; NURTUREart; Arcadia Fellowship; Council for the Humanities
Academy of Sciences magazine; co-author, The Molecular Gaze: Art Art Museum; Princeton University; Yale University Art Gallery; Hohenberg Award for European Travel, New York Studio School;
in the Genetic Age Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden; Museum of Modern Art; Charles H. Revson Foundation Vincent Katz
Group Exhibitions include: Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; Weatherspoon Art Museum; Storm King Art Center; Albright-Knox Writer, curator
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC; P.S.1 Contemporary Art Gallery Munro Galloway Education: BA, University of Chicago; BA, MA, Oxford University
Art Center; J.Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles; Museum of Modern Awards and honors include: John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Visual artist Books include: Pleasure Palaces: The Art and Homes of Hunt Slonem;
Art, Japan Foundation Fellowship; Bogliasco Fellowship; visiting scholar, Getty Education: BA, Brown University; MFA, Bard College Janet Fish: Paintings; Alcuni Telefonini; Judge; Rapid Departures;
Research Institute; Board of Trustees, Fondation Alberto et Annette One-person exhibitions include: Murray Guy; Ohio State Understanding Objects. Editor, Black Mountain College: Experiment in
Susan Bee Giacometti. Commencement speaker: School of the Art Institute of University, Columbus Art. Co-author, co-editor, Kiki Smith: The Venice Story. Contributor,
Editor; writer; fine artist; co-editor, M/E/A/N/I/N/G Online. Chicago; New York Studio School Group exhibitions include: Redux Contemporary Art Center, Cy Twombly: Photographs; Francesco Clemente: New Works
Formerly, editor, special issues, New Observations, Artkrush; Charleston, SC; University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Hudson Frank- Publications include: Apollo, Art in America, ARTnews, Art on
co-editor, M/E/A/N/I/N/G: A Journal of Contemporary Art lin Gallery; Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Salzburg Paper, House & Garden, Parkett, The World of Interiors, Tate Etc.,
Issues and M/E/A/N/I/N/G: An Anthology of Artists’ Writings, Artists’ books include: Drawings After Bacon, Vessel States, Jacket magazine, Bomb, Brooklyn Rail, Esopus, Evergreen Review
Theory, and Criticism The Weeds Curatorial projects include: “Street Dance: the New York
Education: BA, Barnard College; MA, Hunter College Publications include: Artforum, The New Yorker, Time Out Photographs of Rudy Burckhardt,” Museum of the City of New York;
Artist’s books include: Talespin, Bed Hangings, Log Rhythms, New York, Flash Art, Knoxville News Sentinel “Black Mountain College: Una Aventura Americana,” Museo Nacional
A Girl’s Life, Little Orphan Anagram, The Burning Babe and Awards include: Farpath Foundation; Arnold-Watson Centro de Arte, Reina Sofia, Madrid. Co-curator, “Rudy Burckhardt
Other Poems Fellowship, Paris; Fergus Fellowship, Ohio State University & Friends: New York Artists of the 1950s and 60s,” Grey Art Gallery,
Awards and honors include: New York State Council on the New York University
Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Virginia Center for the Thyrza Nichols Goodeve Awards and honors include: Rome Prize Fellowship, American
Creative Arts, Yaddo Fellowship Producer, writer. Formerly, research associate, Whitney Museum Academy in Rome; National Translation Award, American Literary
of American Art Translators Association
Education: BA, Sarah Lawrence College; MA, New York University;
PhD, University of California, Santa Cruz
Books and Anthologies include: How Like a Leaf; Ellen
Gallagher, A Painter in III Acts; Peter Halley; Louise Bourgeois;
The Monster’s Progress: The Art of James Barsness
Publications include: Artforum, Parkett, Art in America,
The Village Voice, Guggenheim magazine

Art Criticism & Writing 20 21 www.sva.edu/grad/artcriticism


Guest Lecturers

Nancy Princenthal Claudia La Rocco Bill Berkson Nancy Princenthal


Critic; senior editor, Art in America. Formerly, assistant manager, Writer, The New York Times; cultural critic, WNYC; contributing poet, critic critic; senior editor, Art in America
Printed Matter; exhibitions director, Creative Time editor, Brooklyn Rail
Education: BA, magna cum laude, University of Pennsylvania; Education: BA, summa cum laude, Bowdoin College Susan Buck-Morss Avital Ronell
MA, Hunter College Professional experience includes: Writer, online editor, writer, theorist author
Contributing editor: Artforum, ARTnews, Parkett, The New Associated Press; creator, “Performance Club” blog, WNYC
York Times Publications include: Artforum, Musical America, Art on Paper, T. J. Clark Peter Schjeldahl
Co-author: After the Revolution: Women Who Transformed Art & Auction, failbetter.com art historian, writer critic, The New Yorker
Contemporary Art Group exhibitions include: High Desert Test Sites, Joshua Tree,
CA; Janet Kurnatowski Gallery Arthur Danto Katy Siegel
Lucy Raven Honor: Phi Beta Kappa critic, author critic; art historian; editor, Art Journal
Visual artist, filmmaker
Education: BA, BFA, University of Arizona; MFA, with honors, Raphael Rubinstein Boris Groys Leo Steinberg
Bard College Contributing editor, Art in America. Formerly, managing editor, critic, theorist writer, art historian
Professional experience includes: Managing editor, Bomb, Flash Art
Bidoun; co-founder, co-editor, The Relay Project; contributing editor, Education: BA, Bennington College Dave Hickey Michael Taussig
A Public Space; guest editor, Journal of Short Film Books include: The Afterglow of Minor Pop Masterpieces; critic, writer writer, anthropologist
Co-curator: “Nachleben,” Goethe-Institut; “The Marfa Sessions: Polychrome Profusion: Selected Art Criticism 1990-2002; The
Sounds Across Town,” Marfa, TX Basement of the Cafe Rilke; Postcards from Alphaville. Editor, Critical Ann Lauterbach Lynne Tillman
Exhibitions and screenings include: P.S.1 Contemporary Art Mess: Art Critics on the State of Their Practice poet, essayist writer
Center; Museum of Modern Art; MASS MoCA, North Adams, MA; Publications include: Grand Street, American Poetry Review,
Storefront for Art and Architecture; Overgaden, Copenhagen; Nevada Oulipo Compendium Lucy Lippard Peter Lamborn Wilson
Museum of Art, Reno; Princeton University Art Museum, NJ; Dallas Award: Chevalier dans l’Order des Arts et des Lettres writer, critic writer
Contemporary
Publications include: Artforum; Triple Canopy; Bidoun; Bomb; Sylvère Lotringer John Yau
contributor, The Road to Reno: Inge Morath writer, theorist poet; critic; art editor,
Awards and honors include: Best of 2009, Artforum, Frieze; Art
Cuauhtémoc Medina The Brooklyn Rail
Matters; Phi Beta Kappa. Artist residencies include: Wexner Center for
the Arts, Atlantic Center for the Arts critic, curator
website: www.lucyraven.com

Tel: 212.592.2408

Contact Us
Fax: 212.989.3516
E-mail: artcrit@sva.edu
www.sva.edu/grad/artcriticism
department site: artcriticism.sva.edu
We strongly encourage applicants to submit application materials as early as possible. The chair
is always available to meet with interested candidates to discuss the program and its philosophy.

Come to our Departmental Information Session, or contact us directly to schedule a tour.

Departmental Information Session: Saturday, October 22, 2011.


All times and locations will be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit.

To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website or contact the Office of
Graduate Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu.

Art Criticism & Writing 22 23 www.sva.edu/grad/artcriticism


XX Develop an educational philosophy while continuing to create personal artwork

MAT
XX Gain specialized teaching experience through the School of Visual Arts’ innovative
children’s programs within the New York City community
XX Start teaching next fall with our one-year intensive program, or attend part-time

Art with our two-year program

Education The art classroom is a place where children are given the opportunity to explore and develop their per-
sonal dreams and goals, and to think independently. The Master of Arts in Teaching (mat) provides a
hands-on learning environment where student teachers investigate educational issues and techniques,

www.sva.edu/grad/arteducation develop their own educational philosophy and continue creating personal artwork. The program takes
a child-centered approach to art education that emphasizes collaboration and community and address-
es the needs of diverse populations, including those with special needs.
Designed for students who have completed an undergraduate major in studio art, the mat Art
Education program can be completed either as a full-time, one-year intensive or as a two-year, part-time
program, ideal for those who want to continue working while they complete the coursework required
to qualify for the New York State Initial Certification in Visual Art.
Our faculty is comprised of professional artist/teachers who are experts at training artists to apply
their creative skills to teaching art to children in pre-kindergarten through grade 12. The program
provides the foundations and psychology of education as they are applied to diverse elementary
and secondary populations. Seminar courses investigate age-appropriate materials, methods and
educational concepts, which student teachers then apply directly to classroom practice in public school
placements. Courses like Curriculum for Special Populations, that includes faculty-led practica
at a homeless shelter; Museum Studies: Theory and Practice; Technology in Art Education; and
Curriculum: Arts Integrated, provide students with further training in varied approaches to teaching
art. The program culminates with the completion of a teaching portfolio, master’s thesis and an
exhibition of mat student artwork.
Individualized student teaching placements are made at carefully selected public schools through-
out the City. Our students have the opportunity to gain specialized teaching experience through sva’s
innovative children’s programs: Art Program for the Homeless and Art for Kids.
sva offers its students state-of-the-art facilities and studios. In addition, as our campus, the City
provides unparalleled resources—for field trips to museums and galleries and for classes held at the
Whitney Museum of American Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art,
the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Rubin Museum of Art. mat students may also audit
two courses from sva’s extensive continuing education offerings.
At sva we believe that to teach art, you should first be an artist who can use the power of art to
open the minds, as well as the eyes, of the young to new experiences and individual fulfillment. One
person—a gifted and caring teacher—can make a difference in a young person’s life. Our program is
for artists who want to become teachers and make that difference.

Rose Viggiano, chair

25
Miller spends most of his time with school groups.
Here he overlooks the Panorama of the City of New
York, a massive miniature of the City. It’s the pride of
the Queens Museum, where he’s an educator.

An Artist
Teaches
Alumni Profile: Tim Miller
The Panorama was built for the 1964 New York
World’s Fair. It was called the world’s largest
scale model at the time. It encompasses 9,335
square feet and includes all 320 square miles
of New York City’s five boroughs.
Sometimes learning from the faculty at SVA inspires students to give back and become teachers
themselves. In the early nineties, Tim Miller left the small town of Snohomish, Washington—where
wintry, bucolic tv shows like Northern Exposure and Twin Peaks were filmed—for sva, with dreams
of becoming a great illustrator, chasing his childhood passion for the comic book industry. Miller
graduated in 1994 from the undergraduate illustration and cartooning program, but his mentors at
sva, including artists Jack Potter and John Ruggeri, turned him on to the fine arts. They sparked
a passion for painting that continues to this day.
In the late nineties, he worked in galleries and other day jobs to support his painting until, yet again,
his mentors turned him on to something new: teaching. Miller entered the Art Education program in
2002, its inaugural year. “It was clear from the start that this was an intensive commitment,” says
Miller, “and that for one year of your life everything else was on hold. In a lot of ways, the fact that you
had to step up to the plate like that benefited me, in that it emboldened me to tackle the fundamental
challenge of teaching.” Miller was especially interested in discovering places to apply his degree outside
the traditional classroom and a class in museum education captured his imagination. “To be honest,
public speaking scared the hell out of me,” he recalls, referencing his current day-to-day life. “But the
program taught me to deal with that and find my footing.” Six months after graduating in 2003, he
began freelancing for New York’s Queens Museum of Art, which eventually led to his staff position as a
school and family educator.
Now 36, Miller teaches a wide variety of programs, in both the museum and after-school programs
for students of all ages. At the Queens Museum, he interacts directly with the kids and the institution’s
unique collection, most notably its prized possession, the Panorama of the City of New York, a 9,335
square foot architectural model of the Big Apple, originally built for the 1964 World’s Fair. He also
works in a program called Queens Teens once a week, where he mentors youth to explore the many
careers in the art world. The program was recognized last year in Washington, D.C., with a Coming Up
Taller Award, which is given by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. “You see
the kids responding, living in what they’re doing and opening up before you,” he says. “I’m privileged to
have an opportunity to witness that.”

(Left) Miller stands in front of


“Chupacabra,” a sumi-ink mural by
Lisa Iglesias that was included in the
museum’s latest biennial, Queens
International 4. (Right) “Like, A
Conversation” by Karolyn Hatton,
another piece in the exhibition.
“We run the school groups through all these
exhibitions, exploring the artworks with them,
engaging them in a way that asks them about
what they see, what’s going on, why did the
artist do this, etc.,” explains Miller. “The aim is
to navigate the content, but at the same time
empower them to read the work through their
own means.” (Left) An installation titled “Fast
Forward” by Ryan Humphry. (Right) Outside
a window of the museum sits the Unisphere, a
12-story icon of the World’s Fair, whose theme
was “peace through understanding.”
Located at 132 West 21st Street in Chelsea, the MAT Art Education Department
chair interview occupies the entire 4th floor—most of which is dedicated to a loft-like studio area with two

Rose Viggiano
bays of windows. The studio was designed to be a flexible art and teaching space that is left
open for lectures and for public events, such as exhibitions of children’s artwork. For
meetings of MAT and Art for Kids classes, a soundproof partition divides the studio into two
Rose Viggiano has been at sva for 30 years and her passion for teaching and enthusiasm and affection classrooms, each with its own materials closet, sink and entryway. Included in the depart-
for sva remain strong. “My background is in sculpture so my schooling was creative… but disorga- ment’s facilities are an ever-expanding library of books and periodicals on art and education
nized. In order to run the department, I had to get my doctorate, but I was happy to do it because I really topics as well as access to a secure Wi-Fi network. A lounge area, kitchenette and storage
love and believe in teaching. And I have a great faculty. They’re superb. I sit in on their classes because shelves for personal items are available for student use. The MAT Art Education Department
I learn so much from their techniques.” is within walking distance of Chelsea art galleries, art supply stores and the Photo District.
“…the program is
Students in Viggiano’s Art Education program are encouraged to keep making their own work, Other SVA facilities are close by including the Writing Resource Center and West Side
about taking artists Gallery, located just across the street.
though she admits this can be a challenge. “They do find it difficult, but they make it work with the
and shaping them into
help of studio classes and electives. And I look at portfolios and suggest what they might need to brush
something else. We

On any
up on. Really, though, the program is about taking artists and shaping them into something else. We
get people who want
get people who want to change careers, to do something more humanitarian. They’re all smart, but
to change careers, to
they may not have had hands-on experience with teaching, so we add a lot of that! It’s a challenge but
do something more

given day...
it’s a lot of fun.”
humanitarian.”
“Students teach a range of ages,” Viggiano explains, “so we include a detailed class in educational
psychology. They have to know what happens at what age, developmentally, which is a big undertaking
in one or two years, but vitally important. Teaching art has a cognitive dimension, a physical dimen-
sion, an emotional dimension…. You come here, you really get your head turned around!”
“We work with theater techniques in the first week or two,” Viggiano continues. “The time when
the students first arrive is very important. We try to get them to bond as a group. It’s not like the fine 8:30am – 2:30pm  Students report to student-teaching placement 6 – 9pm  The class travels to a homeless shelter for mothers and their
arts department where they’re looking primarily at work; we’re looking at people. And if students don’t sites where they work with cooperating teachers on class assignments, children, located on the Lower East Side, where they meet with Sandra
have the right people skills, they’re not going to make it as teachers. So we make sure to start with a development of lesson plans and classroom management techniques. Edmonds for Curriculum: Special Populations class, where student
dynamic group, then have them work through acting scenarios involving teaching and related situa- teams develop population-appropriate lesson plans and art activities.

tions. That immediately kills any lingering shyness. It isn’t exactly ‘therapeutic’ though, it forces you to Mike Filan and Lynn Seeney, Student Teaching Supervisors, conduct Class assignment example — Shelter students are shown a number of
daily site visits where they assess the progress of MAT student teachers collage portraits done by Eric Carle, Romare Bearden and Henri
question and test your purpose.”
as they lead a classroom lesson. Matisse. They discuss the visual and sensory qualities such as surface,
“Some feel really strongly about having their students develop a curriculum according to an exclusive
color, shape, size, texture and volume. Next they are introduced to the
pedagogical philosophy or emphasis, but I don’t believe in that. I believe that what really needs to be
3:30pm  Students report to the MAT department where they study, materials—paper, glue sticks, scissors and a variety of embellishments
encouraged is outreach: How do you connect with your community? That’s why we’ve been do­ing things
take a break or work on group projects in the lounge and classrooms. such as fabric and buttons—and through a demonstration are shown how
like working with a shelter for homeless mothers and kids. It’s important because it allows students to to begin their own self-portraits. Students receive individualized
work with a population they otherwise might not.” Barbara Salander, faculty member and thesis advisor, conducts instruction by SVA students and overlapping is emphasized. After
“A teacher,” Viggiano concludes, thoughtfully, “is someone who wants to be a student, because he individualized meetings with students to discuss thesis topics and completing the collages, students are given strips of paper and asked to
or she is always in a learning situation. Education is not ‘top-down.’ It’s very reflective and you have to research methods. use them to frame their collage self-portraits. The work is displayed so that
be able to take criticism.” each student can explain one aspect of his or her piece. This reflection
She grins. “It’s a real art!” Mike Filan, faculty member and Student Teaching Supervisor, conducts serves as an assessment of the project in which it is determined that every
individualized meetings with students to review their student teaching student has met the criteria of creating a collage self-portrait.
site work progress.

4 – 5pm  Students meet with Barbara Salander for Special Study, a


thesis advisement course. A guest lecturer, Dr. Michael Bitz, discusses
the Comic Book Project.

4 – 6pm  Art for Kids After School Portfolio Preparation class for
students in seventh and eighth grades. Class is taught by a master artist/
teacher. Seventh and eighth graders expand their knowledge of art ideas
and techniques while exploring a variety of materials, including charcoal,
pencils, cray-pas, watercolor, ink and acrylic paints.

Art Education 34 35 www.sva.edu/grad/arteducation


The Program  The Master of Arts in Teaching program provides the course work and student Sample Program
teaching required for the New York State Initial Certification in Art, pre-K through grade 12. We concentrate
on teaching students with diverse backgrounds and needs, and the gifted and talented. The uses of computer one-year program
technology in art education and integrated curricula are included. The program is also geared to teach FALL Semester Credits spring Semester Credits

effective collaboration with school administrators, parents and caregivers, members of the community, and Curriculum for Special Populations 3 Curriculum: Arts Integrated 3
Educational Foundations 3 Materials and Methods: Secondary 2
staff members of relevant agencies and cultural institutions. ¶ Course work relates directly to fieldwork
Materials and Methods: Elementary 2 Museum Studies: Theory and Practice 3
and student teaching through discussion of course development, classroom management and age-appropriate
New York State Teacher Certification 0 New York State Teacher Certification 0
application of educational theory. mat students will complete 100 hours of fieldwork and 40 days of student Exam (NYSTCE) Preparation Exam (NYSTCE) Preparation
teaching in public elementary, middle and high school placements under sva faculty supervision. Students Psychology of Special Populations 3 Special Topics Seminar 2 1
can choose to do additional fieldwork and thesis case studies in the following sva programs: Special Topics Seminar 1 1 Student Teaching in Public Secondary Schools 2
Student Teaching in Public Elementary 2 Technology in Art Education 3
XX Art Program for the Homeless: Students teach art to elementary-age children housed at a shelter for and Middle Schools Thesis: Data Collection and Presentation 1
homeless mothers and children. Thesis: Research and Observation 1

XX Weekend Art for Kids Program: Students provide art instruction to children from kindergarten summer Semester Credits

through ninth grade. Advanced Studio Art  3


Thesis: Compilation and Presentation 3
Degree candidates must successfully complete 36 credits, including all required courses, with a cumulative
grade point average of 3.0. Course work can be completed in a three-semester program, or in a part-time,
two-year program. In the final semester, each student is required to complete a thesis project, which must be two-year program
reviewed and approved by the thesis director and the department chair in order for the student to be eligible First Year
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
for degree conferral.
Curriculum for Special Populations 3 Museum Studies: Theory and Practice 3
New York State Teacher Certification 0 New York State Teacher Certification 0
Exam (NYSTCE) Preparation Exam (NYSTCE) Preparation
Psychology of Special Populations 3 Special Topics Seminar 2 1
Special Topics Seminar 1 1 Technology in Art Education 3

New York State Teacher Certification Examinations Second Year


FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
Annual Institution Report Program Year: 2009– 2010
Educational Foundations 3 Curriculum: Arts Integrated 3
Materials and Methods: Elementary 2 Materials and Methods: Secondary 2
Test Field Number Tested Number Passed Pass Rate: Institution Pass Rate: Statewide
Student Teaching in Public Elementary 2 Student Teaching in Public Secondary Schools 2
and Middle Schools Thesis: Data Collection and Presentation 1
Assesment of Teaching Skills–Written 17 17 100% 100%
Thesis: Research and Observation 1
summer Semester Credits
Visual Arts Content Specialty Test 17 17 100% 93%
Advanced Studio Art 3
Liberal Arts and Sciences Test 17 17 100% 99% Thesis: Compilation and Presentation 3

Summary Totals and Pass Rate 17 17 100% 99%

Art Education 36 37 www.sva.edu/grad/arteducation


Course Descriptions Faculty

Advanced Studio Art Museum Studies: Theory and Practice Technology in Art Education Rose Viggiano, chair
This course will offer MAT candidates an opportunity to reconnect This course will examine and explore the theory and practice of The digital revolution has brought about a tidal wave of technical Fine artist, art educator
with their art-making practice and develop works of art. We will dis- museum education. We will focus on how to talk about art with innovation, and produced an essential shift in human perception. This Education: BFA, Philadelphia College of Art; MA, SUNY Albany;
cuss the relationship between teaching art and art-making, and develop elementary- and secondary-school students, including discussion course will explore the wide-ranging communities of thought, action EdD, Columbia University
a theme for an exhibition of students’ work at SVA’s Westside Gallery. of contemporary art from other cultures and genres such as abstract and expression that permeate the Web, as well as some of the issues, One-Person Exhibitions include: SOHO20 Gallery; Museo del
Group and one-on-one critiques, presentations on contemporary artists art. Guest lectures by museum educators and field trips to museums concerns and possibilities they present for educators. During the course Pueblo de Guanajuato, Mexico
and visits to galleries in Chelsea will be included. and galleries are included. of the semester, students will develop multimedia projects that involve Group Exhibitions include: Whitney Museum of American
video, sound and still images as a means of exploring how new tech- Art, Downtown Branch; 80 Washington Square; Port Authority Bus
Curriculum: Arts Integrated NYSTCE Preparation nologies available to students—in particular the smartphone—can Terminal; Henry Street Settlement; Hudson River Museum; Benton
The purpose of this course is to create educators who will be compe- This course prepares students to take the New York State Teacher provide a rich outlet for creative exploration and interface in the glo- Gallery
tent in the numerous new demands that educational reform is making Certification exams. The Liberal Arts and Sciences Test, Content balized world. Awards and honors include: CAPS, New Jersey State Council on
of the learning community. Areas addressed will include: the New Specialty Test in Visual Art and Assessment of Teaching Skills– the Arts, Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture
York State Education Depart­ment’s learning and performance stan- Written, required for New York State art teacher certification, will be Thesis: Compilation and Presentation
dards in social studies, science and English language arts; cross-cultural included. Test-taking strategies will be discussed, and several sample This seminar gives students the opportunity to synthesize and docu- Sandra Edmonds
issues and curriculum; integration of the visual arts with other subject exams will be given. ment their completed research, particularly in AEG-5080, Thesis: Fine artist, fashion/costume designer, art educator
areas; and how to develop the listening, speaking, reading and writing Research and Observation, and AEG-5085, Thesis: Data Collection Education: BA, MA, College of New Rochelle; EdD, Columbia
skills of all students, including English-language learners. Psychology of Special Populations and Presentation. We will meet as a group to discuss progress of thesis University
This course will provide students with the psychological foundations projects. Each student will make a final presentation to the department Exhibitions include: Macy Gallery, Teachers College, Columbia
Curriculum for Special Populations and implications for practice of teaching special needs populations. It chair and faculty. University; ABC No Rio; Lumen Gallery, New Rochelle Library, NY
Understanding the needs of special populations and how disabilities, will address learning, development, motivation, intelligence research honors include: Kappa Delta Pi
home situations and socioeconomic levels affect learning will be and effective instruction with a range of students with special needs Thesis: Data Collection and Presentation
the focus of this course. Students will hold workshops for elementary who require accommodations and modifications in the classroom. Methodologies for conducting action-based research in classroom Michael Filan
school-age children at a shelter that houses displaced mothers and Populations with learning, physical and developmental disabilities, situations and data collection will be introduced in this course, and Painter, printmaker, art educator
their small children. The role of art activities in fostering self-esteem including autism spectrum disorder will be discussed. We will also students will finalize their thesis proposals. Research techniques and Education: BFA, MPS, Pratt Institute
and confidence in children will be explored, with emphasis on group cover the Response to Intervention (RTI), pre-referral strategies, and compilation will provide the necessary background for thesis projects Group Exhibitions include: Virginia Center for the Creative Arts,
management, discipline and development of population-appropriate collaborative models of planning and instruction with other teach- to be completed during the summer semester. Sweetbriar; Lehman College Art Gallery; SUNY Fredonia; Food Stamp
lessons. A special education component will focus on individualized ers (including inclusion models). The areas of instructional strategies, Gallery
instruction, legal responsibilities and ethical considerations for formal and informal assessment, assisted technology and classroom Thesis: Research and Observation Collections include: Heinz Corporation
students with disabilities. management as pertaining to the psychological well-being of children Weekly meetings to assist students in the development of the thesis Awards and honors include: Virginia Center Fellowship, Studio
will be stressed. project will be held throughout the semester. Students will conduct lit- in a School Association, Bronx Council on the Arts
Educational Foundations erature searches, prepare a literature review and conduct field research
Art education will be explored through an examination of its cultural, Special Topics Seminar 1 & 2 in SVA’s children’s programs or other placements and develop their Valerie Foster-Adam
social, psychological, environmental and aesthetic foundations. Art and Lectures will provide information on substance abuse for use in ideas for a thesis topic. Art instructor, Poughkeepsie Day School
its teaching will be situated within the contexts of psychosocial, cogni- curricula that promote health and physical fitness to students from Education: BFA, University of North Texas; MA, Brooklyn College;
tive and artistic development of children and adolescents. Research pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. How to identify and report School of Visual Arts
methodologies will also be introduced. suspected child abuse (or maltreatment), the prevention of child
Jerry M. James
Materials and Methods: Elementary
abduction and violence, and instruction in fire and arson will be
included. In the second semester, we will address the use of art to Professional Opportunities Fine artist, Lincoln Center Institute
The methods and materials appropriate for art experiences suitable support student learning in reading and literacy. The MAT Art Education Department offers its students Education: BFA, Old Dominion University; MFA, Yale University;
for pre-kindergarten through middle school will be examined, including EdD, Columbia University
research opportunities as well as experience in the application
problem-solving approaches to various teaching situations, classroom Student Teaching in Public Elementary and Middle SchoolS Exhibitions include: Searles Spicer Gallery, Macy Gallery, National
of educational theory and practice. Teaching sites provide
management and discipline. Based on cumulative, developmental learn- Student teachers will be placed at elementary- and middle-school sites Arts Club
resources for the development of a personal teaching philosophy
ing experiences in the visual arts, students will develop strategies and to observe classes, prepare lesson plans and teach their lessons. After Publications include: Rulers in the Land of Imagination, Art
and the thesis project. These sites have included: SVA’s Art for
procedures for teaching art, including sequential lesson plans that they two weeks of fieldwork, participants will work with an art teacher for and Cognition, Teaching Artists Journal
may use in their student teaching. 20 full days of student teaching. Observation and evaluation by School Kids Programs , a shelter for homeless mothers and children, Awards and honors include: Teachers College Merit Scholarship;
of Visual Arts faculty and cooperating teachers will be given on an and New York City public schools and museums. Virginia Center for the Creative Arts; Ely Harwood Schless Memorial
Materials and Methods: Secondary ongoing basis. Fund Prize, Yale University
The objectives and practical methodology involved in teaching art on
the secondary level is the focus of this course. Topics include devel- Student Teaching in Public Secondary Schools
opment and organization of appropriate content and design for a Student teachers will be placed at secondary-school sites to observe
secondary-school curriculum, classroom management and discipline. classes, prepare lesson plans and teach their lessons. After two weeks
Sequential lesson plans for the development of age-appropriate skills of fieldwork, participants will work with an art teacher for 20 full
may be devised and implemented at the student teaching sites. days of student teaching. Observation and evaluation by School
of Visual Arts faculty and cooperating teachers will be given on an
ongoing basis.

Art Education 38 39 www.sva.edu/grad/arteducation


Guest Lecturers

Jaime Permuth Lynn Seeney Gary Bates Peter Mason Mary Sullivan
Visual artist, art educator Fine artist; arts administrator; lecturer, Museum of Modern Art. past president, The New York NYC Board of Education artist
Education: BA, Hebrew University, Jerusalem; Formerly, executive director, Collaborative Projects, Inc. State Art Teachers Association Wayne Miyamoto Bruce Wands
MPS, School of Visual Arts Education: BA, Tyler School of Art; MA, New York University
One-person exhibitions: Instituto Guatemalteco Americano, One-Person Exhibitions include: Asyl Gallery Michael Bitz artist, art educator chair, MFA Computer Arts,
Guatemala; Palacio Nacional, Guatemala Group Exhibitions include: VIA #7 International Arts Festival, founder, director, Eva Pataki School of Visual Arts
Group exhibitions: Mary Barone Gallery, New York; Centro Cultural Paris; Musée de la Poste, Paris; P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center
Metropolitano, Guatemala; Museum of Modern Art, New York Publications include: The New York Times, New York,
The Comic Book Project art educator, New York State Ejay Weiss
Publications: Forty Cent Tip: Stories of New York City Immigrant Newsday, Art/World John Broughton Board of Education artist
Workers, New American Photography, Los Angeles Times Curatorial works include: “Monumental Vision: Abstraction
Awards: Artist-in-residence, Centro Cultural Metropolitano, Today,” “Gods of the Modern Age: Art and Technology,” Bronx
educator Joyce Raimondo Nancy Wells
Guatemala; Paula Rhodes Award, School of Visual Arts; Texas River Art Center and Gallery Judith Burton author, artist artist
Commission on the Arts Grant
Devin Thornburg
art educator David Sandlin Susan Edmonds Wiggins
Barbara Salander Psychologist; director, childhood education, educational leadership, Dan Cemeron artist director of special education,
Fine artist; thesis director, MAT Art Education Department, Adelphi University
School of Visual Arts Education: BS, cum laude, Tulane University; M.Ed., Harvard
curator, artistic director Lonnie Saunderson Sherman School, CT
Education: BA, Barnard College; MA, EdD, Columbia University University; PhD, New York University Sandra Carey teacher, recruitment manager,
Exhibitions include: Lori Bookstein Fine Arts; Mana Fine Art, Publications include: Pathway to Inclusion: Voices from the Field;
Jersey City; Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, Utica, NY; Projects in After Schools: Diverse Learners and School Achievement
communications instructor NYC Department of Education
Peters Gallery, Houston Awards and honors include: U.S. Department of Education, Jennifer Carroll Natalie J. Schifano
Publications include: The Mirror and Adolescent Identity Greentree Foundation, New York City Department of Education, After
Formation: Adolescents’ Reflections on Reproductions of School Corporation, Booth Ferris Foundation
actor art educator
Paintings with Mirrors; Watching Yourself Teach: A Teaching Antonia Demas Graeme Sullivan
and Learning Experience
Awards and honors include: Kappa Delta Pi
founder, Food Studies Institute art educator
Barbara Ellmann
artist
Joan Goodman
art educator
Joel Handorff
Tel: 212.592.2445

Contact Us
artist
Dorothee King Fax: 646.336.7702
architect
Phyllis Kornfeld
E-mail: matarted@sva.edu
artist www.sva.edu/grad/arteducation
Kimberly Lane
elementary art teacher We encourage applicants to visit our department prior to submitting
application materials.
Rick Lasher
past president, Minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Art Educators of New Jersey Come to our Departmental Information Sessions, or contact us directly to schedule a tour.
Tara Maceyak Departmental Information Sessions: October 25, 2011 and November 5, 2011.
curriculum specialist All times and locations will be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit

To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website or contact the
Office of Graduate Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu.

Art Education 40 41 www.sva.edu/grad/arteducation


XX Multidisciplinary program that addresses the intellectual, aesthetic,
technical and practical concerns of the artist
XX Three-year low-residency format combines online coursework with
three summers of studio practice in NYC
XX Students will engage with artists, designers, curators and others from
New York’s art world and beyond

The Art Practice program offers a fully interdisciplinary approach to an mfa degree. Artists in
the program are not defined or separated by medium or discipline. In this post-conceptual, post-studio
era, artists pursue their practice by engaging an idea first, and then developing a plan that may involve
a combination of media, technologies and techniques, some of which are linked to traditional art
media, and some of which find the artist working with technologies and industries not usually associ-
ated with art-making.
We aim to prepare artists to feel secure in their ability to produce works of art using traditional
and nontraditional media in both traditional and nontraditional settings. To accomplish this, we bring
together a carefully selected, small group of mfa candidates who will devote three successive
summers and the two intervening years to a program in which they will engage with artists, designers,
art historians and museum curators, including Vito Acconci, Suzanne Anker, Cory Arcangel, Roger
Black, Maurice Berger, Dara Birnbaum, Kathy Brew, Mel Chin, Liz Diller, Liam Gillick, Susan
Hefuna, Lee Mingwei, James Harithas, Glenn Ligon, Steven Henry Madoff, Douglas Nickel, Martha
Rosler, Tim Rollins, Gary Simmons, Philippe Vergne, Carrie Mae Weems, Lawrence Weiner, Robin
Winters and Terry Winters.
Like the nature of the work we hope to help students produce, this program itself is work in progress,
and will be continuously refined as a function of the experience of all its participants. This is an exciting
time for us, and another example of why SVA is seen as an art college for the 21st century.

David A. Ross, chair

MFA
Art
Practice
www.sva.edu/grad/artpractice
43
department site: artpractice.sva.edu
Dara Birnbaum’s
apartment in Soho
is both her home
and studio.

An Artist
at Work
at Home
Faculty Profile: Dara Birnbaum
Some music from Birnbaum’s
home collection. Birnbaum,
most known for her video and
installation art, has collaborated
Imagine having to break the law in order to acquire and manipulate footage from a popular TV with numerous musicians
show. It seems absurd: the idea of having to break the law to, say, slow a scene down, or repeat a throughout her career. She will
be mentoring students in their
scene a few times, or re-assemble scenes in a way that reveals something new or possibly latent in the studio work where they will be
show. But Dara Birnbaum did just this in 1978, with Technology Transformation: Wonder Woman, encouraged to experiment with
in order to execute her idea: which was to pull out the show’s latent gender stereotypes. She had a different art mediums.

degree in painting, but she knew that painting wouldn’t articulate what she wanted as effectively as
going into the source material and changing it. So that’s just what she did, with the help of friends
in the industry, none of whom likely knew they were aiding and abetting Birnbaum in her inspired
production of what many consider to be the original “scratch video.”
An architect by training, Birnbaum has produced many acclaimed art works since she began
working as an artist more than 35 years ago, varying in form from single to multi-channel videos that
re-contextualize pop cultural figures and TV genres, to operatic, un-appropriated installation works.
A crucial thread that connects all her formally and thematically disparate work is her thinking, her
ideas – which makes her a great fit as pilot core member of SVA’s innovative MFA Art Practice program.
Like Birnbaum, the Art Practice program has no prejudice toward any one medium. It’s designed
instead to help artists identify the medium best equipped to realize their ideas, and then to match
them up with state-of-the-art studio facilities where they can work those ideas out.
Birnbaum has frequently worked with video, so she’ll be conducting weekly media seminars, but
her participation in all the changes that have electrified the art world the last 35 years makes her
invaluable also as an instructor who can speak from experience. It’s no surprise that she’s also a fre-
quent international lecturer, collaborator, a former SVA instructor, (Film and Video), and the recent
subject of a major retrospective and beautiful companion monograph titled, Dara Birnbaum:
The Dark Matter of Media Light.
“For me it’s a thought process that, after a while, builds up enough to where I can finally enter a post-
production house, or go into a studio, and work,” Birnbaum says. SVA is pleased, and lucky, to have her
in a program designed to help other artists trace that same exciting but tricky line from idea to artifact.
Birnbaum works both day and night on her
art, while also corresponds with students
as well as various art professionals. For
the summer session of the Art Practice
program students are encouraged to work
on their art some six hours per day.
chair interview

David A. Ross
“SVA is a remarkable institution,” says David A. Ross, “in many ways it represents a nearly perfect
school for the teaching of art, design, and interrelated areas of art education. The College is blessed with
ambitious students, an enthusiastic (and energized) faculty, and an administration that seems to have
figured out what it takes to keep this kind of institution lively and relevant. But what impresses me most
about the College is that it refuses to rest on its laurels, and continues to consider ways in which the
“(The program) will
idea of an art school can be improved—reinvented if necessary.”
function both as a
“Starting last year with the Digital Photography program,” Ross continues, “SVA began exploring the
laboratory for the
ways in which it could use an Internet-based low-residency framework to deliver a highly technical course
exploration of new

On any
in state-of-the-art digital imaging. Now we are taking the next step, with a full MFA program that will
directions in art
make use of both online courses and a series of intensive six-week studio, seminar and workshop sessions.”
practice, as well as
Ross is enthusiastic about the possibilities, “The program welcomes self-motivated students who have
a program that will

given day...
completed undergraduate degrees in any discipline and who have already spent some time out of school
engage students and
exploring their professional options and opportunities. It will function both as a laboratory for the
faculty in an intense
exploration of new directions in art practice, as well as a program that will engage students and faculty
give and take.”
in an intense give and take. A working premise of the program is that students and faculty should, to
the extent possible, work within a non-hierarchical framework in which the blur between teacher and
student becomes increasingly apparent as the program progresses through its three-summer structure.”
“One feature that I feel will be quite useful and valued is our mentor program. Each student will select
one core faculty member as his/her mentor, and over the three summers and two intervening years of 8am  Though the morning seminar begins at 9 am, students will meet 7pm  Two evenings each week, all students and faculty meet for a group
for coffee before class starts, to compare notes and prepare for the day. critique with a visiting critic or curator. Tonight Dia director Philippe
the program, those relationships should become increasingly important to both student and faculty alike.”
Some will engage in yoga or stretching exercises in neighborhood gyms. Vergne, and artist and filmmaker Shirin Neshat join in the discussion.
“I suspect that our students will be artists who may have already found work teaching, or in some
allied creative field, and who now feel ready to re-engage the educational process—albeit with some real-
9am  Today’s seminar guest speaker is the artist-designer Vito Acconci 10pm  Exhausted but energized, some students go home, some head
world experience in addition to their undergraduate degrees.”
who will talk about his career as a poet, performance artist, sculptor and back to their studios, while some head out into the warm New York City
“We have a fantastic faculty and a group of distinguished guest lecturers and mentors from all
architect/designer. Students will engage in a three-hour give and take summer night.
areas of the visual arts,” continues Ross, “Such notables as the video art pioneer Dara Birnbaum, who with Acconci and with MFA Art Practice chair David A. Ross and seminar
specializes in complex narrative video installations, and Gary Simmons, who produces large-scale leader Gary Simmons.
wall drawings and sculptural installations exploring the profound social and psychological nuances of
American culture. In addition to core seminar faculty, visiting critics, curators and art historians—in- 1pm  Studio time begins after the morning seminar. Studio Practice men-
cluding Thomas Crow, Elisabeth Sussman and Robert Pincus-Witten—will share their perspectives and tor Dara Birnbaum will meet one-on-one with students in their individual
experiences with students.” studio space.

Art Practice 50 51 www.sva.edu/grad/artpractice


The Program  As the nature of the mfa in Art Practice assumes students are seeking a fully
interdisciplinary program, the course of study addresses a wide range of intellectual, aesthetic, technical Course Descriptions
and practical concerns. An underlying thread running through the three-year low residency program is the
ability to situate one’s creative practice within a thoroughly considered social context, and the ability to
remain open to the revision of one’s operating premises. In addition to enhancing communication skills, the
program seeks to refine and enhance critically necessary technical skills, and encourages experimentation
without fear of failure. ¶ As the program makes use of a low-residency framework, students participate in
six weeks of nyc-based coursework and studio practice for three successive summers. During the intervening
academic semesters, participants engage in rich-media online coursework carefully supervised using sva’s ADVANCED DIGITAL IMAGING WORKSHOP ART BUSINESS PRIMER
Imagery technology is advancing at a rapid pace, and it is important It is critically important that artists have a firm grasp of the basic busi-
“Moodle” virtual learning environment. ¶ Degree candidates must successfully complete 66 credits, including to master the techniques necessary to the production of digital work, ness principles and procedures necessary to managing and maintaining
all required courses, and must maintain a 3.0 grade point average. In the final summer session, degree and to have a thorough understanding of the technology itself. Each an independent artist’s studio practice. An overview of studio manage-
student will shoot video footage prior the start of the workshop, and ment, budget-making and cash-flow, and a basic understanding of the
candidates complete a thesis project, which will usually take the form of a thesis exhibition, but, upon prior then edit the material using Adobe Photoshop and a variety of digital ins and outs of buying real estate, will be covered in this workshop.
approval, can be presented in other formats. All candidates must have their thesis project approved by the imaging postproduction tools. Advanced audio and video editing struc-
tures and processes will be covered. While this workshop will be held ART LAW PRIMER
department chair and thesis committee before the start of the third and final summer residency period. in SVA’s state-of-the-art digital photography studios, additional train- Artists must comprehend the complex nature of changes in intellectual
ing and support for the production of prints and for the use of images property law. In addition, it is increasingly necessary for artists to have
online, and in interactive telecommunications is included. a strong professional overview of the legal and basic business practices
central to independent art practice. This workshop will provide an
Sample Programs ADVANCED VIDEO AND SOUND EDITING WORKSHOP overview of current art law, with an emphasis on intellectual property
The production of single-channel videos or multiple channel video rights and basic contract law.
installations first requires an ability to master a range of postproduc-
first year tion strategies and techniques. Assuming basic video production ARTISTS’ WRITING
and postproduction skills as a prerequisite, this workshop will assist The significant interventions that visual artists have made through
summer Semester Credits fall Semester (online) Credits
students in mastering advanced video and audio editing techniques. their own writing into the art criticism of their time will be the focus
Advanced Video and Sound Editing Workshop 3 Art History I: Exploring the Interdisciplinary 3 Each student will shoot footage prior the start of the workshop, of this course. We will also explore a range of artists’ writing forms
Graduate Seminar I 3 Autobiography of a Place I 3 and then script and complete the postproduction of a finished video such as journalism, manifestos, poetry, theoretical writing, letters,
Studio Practice I 6 Studio Practice Review I 1.5 work–of any type–during this workshop. Apple Final Cut Pro and artists’ books and artist-run publications. The course will also examine
a variety of video and audio postproduction tools will be covered. some key artists’ writings from Russian constructivism to the Bauhaus,
Training and support for the production of a video installation will surrealism, abstract expressionism, minimalism, conceptual art and
spring Semester (online) Credits
also be provided. feminism. Assigned readings, writings and online group discussions
Autobiography of a Place II 3 are included. The role of social engagement in the production of indi-
Foundations of Criticism I: Becoming the Image 3 ART HISTORY I: EXPLORING THE INTERDISCIPLINARY vidual (or collective) practice will be emphasized, and students will
Studio Practice Review II 1.5 To better understand the role of art history in preparing and develop- acquire an understanding of the influence of artists’ writings on
ing one’s own artistic direction, this course will explore and critique various forms of art criticism. A deeper understanding of one’s own
the conventional masterpiece-based notion of art history, from several writing in relation to the development of one’s practice will be under-
perspectives. We will trace the history of modernism in relation to the scored throughout the semester.
second year notion of interdisciplinary art. Starting in the mid-19th century with
examples of gesamtkunstwerk, the course examines the impact of this AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A PLACE I & II
summer Semester Credits fall Semester (online) Credits
kind of thinking through an exploration of key examples of contem- Where and how we live, how we connect to the communities in which
Art Business Primer 0 Art History II: Challenging Conventions 3 porary interdisciplinary art. In response to a wide range of primary we live and work, and how we situate creative practice into our every-
Graduate Seminar II 3 Artists’ Writings 3 source readings, audiotapes, video and film, students will write a series day lives are the subjects to be explored in this course. During the
Performance Workshop 3 Studio Practice Review III 1.5 of critical responses to the readings, and participate in online group summer session, students will share works in process with faculty,
sessions and discussions. mentors and fellow students, and will continue to gather material for a
Studio Practice II 6 rich, multimedia self-portrait/autobiography. In this online workshop,
ART HISTORY II: CHALLENGING THE CONVENTIONAL students will script and gather and prepare material using video, film,
spring Semester (online) Credits
Looking at the history of modern art from a non-Western perspective still photographs and audio recording, and plan the manner in which
Foundations of Criticism II 3 requires the complete suspension of several commonly held assump- the work will be edited and presented.
The Journal: A Writing Workshop 3 tions about art history. That would not make any more sense than a
Studio Practice Review IV: Thesis Preparation 1.5 blind acceptance of the prevailing historical paradigm. This course will
contrast the canonical history of modernism with the emerging histo-
ries that rely upon a very different reading of the social and political
third year context in which art history is conventionally taught. In response to
a wide range of primary source readings, audiotapes, video and film,
summer Semester Credits
students will write a series of critical responses to the readings, and
participate in online group sessions and discussions.
Advanced Digital Imaging Workshop 3
Art Law Primer 0
Graduate Seminar III 3
Studio Practice III 3
Thesis  3

Art Practice 52 53 www.sva.edu/grad/artpractice


Faculty

FOUNDATIONS OF CRITICISM I & II using new media, including blog writing, video journals, and hybrid David A. Ross Kathy Brew
Understanding prominent theoretical positions within art criticism— forms. The intent of the course is to reach a full understanding of the Chair, MFA Art Practice Department, School of Visual Arts; writer, Producer, video maker, media arts curator
past and present—is the focus of these two online courses. Part I, ways in which maintaining a journal allows for the ongoing self-exam- curator Education: BA, cum laude, Middlebury College
explores theories of the image from cave paintings to advertising, ination of each student’s creative practice supporting the continual Education: BS, Syracuse University Professional experience includes: Co-director, Margaret Mead
film theory to the comic strip, video to the digital image, and cur- refinement and integration of one’s work and life. Professional experience includes: director, San Francisco Film & Video Festival, American Museum of Natural History; direc-
rent debates in animation studies. Students will read classical writ- Museum of Modern Art; director, Whitney Museum of American tor, Thundergulch/Lower Manhattan Cultural Council; senior associ-
ings from philosophy (e.g., Plato), art history (Panofsky, Greenberg, PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP Art; director, Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston; associate direc- ate producer, City Arts, WNET
W.J.T. Mitchell) and film theory (Eisenstein, Bazin), as well as writers As performance has become central to the contemporary definition of tor, chief curator, University Art Museum, Berkeley; deputy director, Video projects include: ID/entity: Portraits in the 21st Century;
such as Apollinaire and Delillo. We will also cover semiotics, feminist sculptural practice, this workshop will help to refine students’ capabili- curator of video art, Long Beach Museum of Art; curator of video art, Paradise Now: Picturing the Genetic Revolution; Penetration and
theory and institutional critique reading key theorists such as Barthes, ties to plan and execute performance and performance-based instal- Everson Museum of Art Transparency: Morphed; Mixed Messages; Regret to Inform
Benjamin, Baudrillard, and Debord among others. In the second part lation works. Students will explore and master the technical aspects Curatorial projects include : “Tomorrow,” Kumho Museum, Curatorial consultant: “Engaging Characters,” Art Interactive,
of this course, the focus will be upon interdisciplinary concerns, par- of gallery-based (as opposed to theatrical) performance art, and study Artsonje Center, Seoul and Long March Space, Beijing; “Peter Cambridge, MA; Reel New York, WNET; Reframe, Tribeca Film
ticularly the intersection of art and music history, art and the history historic performance works. The history and various theories of per- Campus: A Survey,” Antico Collegio de San Ildefonso, Mexico Institute; Scanners: The New York Video Festival
of science, and the relationship of critical theory to changes in technol- formance and theater will be examined. Students will develop and City; “Lorna Simpson: 31,” Claustro Sor Juana, Mexico City; Publications include: Women, Art, and Technology; Shift;
ogy and evolving concepts of authorship, originality, and ownership. hone performance skills, including planning, production and the per- “Quotidiana,” Museum of Contemporary Art, Castello di Rivoli, Italy; Documentary; Civilization; High Performance; San Francisco Bay
Assigned readings and writings, as well as weekly Web-based group formance itself. The workshop will conclude with the presentation of a “KoreAmericaKorea,” Sonje Museum, Seoul; “Bill Viola: a 25 Year Guardian; San Francisco Focus; Artcoast
discussions are required. performance or performance-based installation work. Survey,” Whitney Museum of American Art, traveling exhibition: Awards and honors include: Emmy Award, CEC ArtsLink
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam;
GRADUATE SEMINAR I & II STUDIO PRACTICE I, II, & III Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt; San Francisco Museum of Katrin Eismann
The cognate areas of art and relevant issues that have lead to a blur- The core of the summer sessions is studio practice. Studios are Modern Art; Art Institute of Chicago Chair, MPS Digital Photography Department, School
ring of the boundaries between formerly discrete aspects of the art available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Students of Visual Arts; photographer; author
world are examined in these seminars. As the program supports a view are required to spend six hours a day at minimum working in Suzanne Anker Education: BFA, Rochester Institute of Technology; MFA, School of
of contemporary practice that combines a conventional approach to the studio. The objective is to produce original, advanced work Chair, BFA Fine Arts Department, School of Visual Arts; fine artist, Visual Arts
visual art-making, criticism and curatorial work, the series consid- with instruction and support from faculty and under the specific theorist Author: Photoshop Masking & Compositing, Photoshop Restoration
ers the shifts in contemporary society that underlie these profound guidance of an individual mentor, who will offer ongoing Education: BA, Brooklyn College; MFA, University of Colorado, and Retouching. Co-author, The Creative Digital Darkroom, Real
changes. Topics of central concern will include government and com- critical evaluation. While studios are available at all times, reviews Boulder World Digital Photography
mercial censorship, the continuing impact of technological innovation, will take place Monday through Friday, with weekly group critiques One-person exhibitions include : Medizinhistorisches Museum Clients include: Apple Computer, Eastman Kodak, Adobe Systems,
changing social relations as a function of the politics of identity and in the evening. Studio Practice is the central element and primary der Charité, Berlin; Center for Cultural Inquiry, Berlin; Universal Fuji Film, U.S. Navy, Nikon, PMA, PPA, ASMP
ways in which power relationships within the art world have been requirement of the program. As such, it is expected that students will Concepts Unlimited; Greenberg Wilson Gallery; Richard Gray Gallery; Publications include: Photo District News, American Photo,
transformed. Assigned readings form the basis of discussions and will make notable progress in their individual practice. Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN Popular Photography, Step by Step Graphics
relate to ongoing work in studio production. The second seminar will Group exhibitions include : J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Award: Photoshop Hall of Fame
include focused conversations concerned with the nature of the chang- STUDIO PRACTICE REVIEW I, II, & III Angeles; Basel Art Fair; Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY; Website: www.katrineismann.com
ing world of art and ideas. Working in rich-media (multimedia) par- During the fall and spring semesters, online study sessions will take P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center; Pera Museum, Istanbul; National
ticipants will generate an extended essay on a topic to be determined place, and students are expected to continue their studio work from Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto; Phillips Collection, Washington D.C.; Thyrza Nichols Goodeve
during the second summer session. their home location. Students and mentors will remain in contact Kunsthaus Merano, Italy; Museo de Arte Extremeño e Iberoamericano Critic, writer. Formerly, research associate, Whitney Museum of
online. At least one on-site review of work-in-progress during the fall or de Arte Contemporáneo, Badajoz, Spain American Art
GRADUATE SEMINAR III spring semester will take place. In the second year, students will begin Collections include: Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Cleveland Education: BA, Sarah Lawrence College; MA, New York University;
A continuation of the readings, writings and discussion that formed work on their thesis projects under the supervision of their mentor. Museum of Art, Oakland Art Museum, New York Public Library, The PhD, University of California, Santa Cruz
the intellectual core of years I and II, Seminar III adds a discussion New School, Denver Art Museum, St. Louis Art Museum Publications include: How Like A Leaf; The Monster’s Progress:
of the ways in which private and public patronage have affected the STUDIO PRACTICE REVIEW IV: THESIS PREPARATION Publications include: Artforum, Art in America, ARTnews, Flash The Art of James Barsness; When Pain Strikes; The American Art
history of art, the current status of the schism between public and During the second spring semester, online study sessions will take Art, The New York Times, Art Journal, Newsweek, The Economist, Book; catalog essays for Tony Oursler Retrospective, Hanover Gallery,
private sculpture, the nature and function of art collecting (both public place, and students will continue their studio work from their home Nature, Tema Celeste, M/E/A/N/I/N/G Germany; “PUPPY,” Guggenheim Magazine
and private), and the ways in which the institutions of art (including location. Students and mentors will remain in contact online. At least Awards and honors include: New York Foundation for the Arts,
schools) function in this blurring art world. Students will begin to one on-site review of work-in-progress during the semester will take Artists Space, Zentrum für Literatur- und Kulturforschung
conceptually frame their final thesis projects. Topics will address the place. Students will begin work on their thesis projects under the
differences in conception of artistic practice, including historical devel- supervision of their mentor. Dara Birnbaum
opments and basic philosophical formulations, the rhetoric of contem- Visual artist
porary art practice, and the social and ideological shifts in contributing THESIS Education: B.Arch., Carnegie Mellon University;
to changing ideas of artistic practice. Each student will produce a complete body of new work with guid- BFA, San Francisco Art Institute
ance and support from faculty and under the specific guidance of Represented by : Marian Goodman Gallery
THE JOURNAL: A WRITING WORKSHOP an individual mentor. The thesis exhibition represents the culmination One-person exhibitions include : S.M.A.K. Stedelijk Museum
Using the skills developed in the first year of study, this workshop of the program, and is a central requirement for the successful comple- voor Actuele Kunst, Ghent, Belgium; Museum of Modern Art
explores the production of the individual artist’s journal. Students will tion of the degree. Group exhibitions include : Kunsthalle Düsseldorf; Museum of
produce a daily journal employing a conventional written form or Malmö, Sweden; P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center; Whitney Museum
of American Art

Art Practice 54 55 www.sva.edu/grad/artpractice


Susan Hefuna Ernesto Pujol Gary Simmons Robin Winters
Visual artist Performance artist Visual artist Multimedia artist
One-person exhibitions include: Galerie Grita Insam, Vienna; Education: BA, magna cum laude, Universidad de Puerto Rico, San Education: BFA, School of Visual Arts; California Institute of the Arts One-person exhibitions include: Berkeley Art Museum and
Rose Issa Projects, London; Third Line Gallery, Dubai; Albion Juan; MFA, School of the Art Institute of Chicago One-person exhibitions include: Metro Pictures; Museum of Pacific Film Archive, CA; Mary Boone Gallery; The Renaissance
Gallery, London and New York; Townhouse Gallery, Cairo; Bluecoat, One-person exhibitions and performances include: Salina Contemporary Art, Chicago; Studio Museum in Harlem; Jan Weiner Society at the University of Chicago
Liverpool; South African National Gallery, Cape Town; Paul Kasmin Art Center, Kansas; Chicago Cultural Center; Galeria Ramis Barquet; Gallery, Kansas City, MO; Margo Leavin Gallery, Los Angeles; Group exhibitions include: De Appel, Amsterdam; Dinter Fine
Gallery; Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig, Vienna; Sigmund Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston; McNay Art Museum, San Anthony Meier Fine Arts, San Francisco; SITE Santa Fe, NM Art; Arizona State University Art Museum, Tempe; Paula Cooper
Freud Museum, Vienna Antonio, TX Group exhibitions include: Center for Art and Visual Culture, Gallery; Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art, Rotterdam;
Group exhibitions include: Museum of Modern Art; Venice Group exhibitions and performances include: Magnan Metz University of Maryland, Baltimore; Krannert Art Museum, New Museum of Contemporary Art; Contemporary Arts Museum,
Biennale; Victoria & Albert Museum, London; Seville Biennial; Gallery; P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center; Miami Art Museum; Exit Champaign, IL; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Museum Villa Houston; Museum of Modern Art; Silverstein Gallery; Plus Ultra
Sharjah Biennial; New Museum of Contemporary Art; Modern Art Art; Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan; Kunstmuseum Stuck, Munich Gallery; Queens Museum of Art
Museum of Algiers; Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin Ahlen, Germany; Herzliya Biennial for Contemporary Art, Israel; Van Collections include: Portland Art Museum, OR; Saint Louis Collections include: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art;
Collections include: British Museum; Institut du Monde Arabe; Abbemuseum, The Netherlands Art Museum; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden; Walker Art The Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia; Netherlands Media
Sharjah Art Museum; University of Colorado, Boulder; Victoria and Collections include: Bronx Museum of the Arts; Museum of Center; Museum of Modern Art; Whitney Museum of American Art Art Institute Montevideo
Albert Museum Art, Rhode Island School of Design; Museo del Barrio; Museo Rufino Awards and honors include: USA Gund Foundation Fellowship; Publications include: Art in America, The New York Times,
Awards and honors include: ZKM Center for Art and Media Tamayo, Mexico City; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles Penny McCall Foundation Grant; Interarts Grant, National The Village Voice, The New Yorker, Miami Herald, Art International,
Grant, Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg, Akademie Schloss Solitude Publications include: Art in America, Time Out New York, NY Endowment for the Arts Artforum
Fellowship Arts, The Village Voice, The New York Times, San Juan Star, Art Awards and honors include: New York Foundation for the Arts,
Website: www.susanhefuna.com Nexus, Artforum, Michigan Quarterly Review, Atlantica International, Jovana Stokic John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship, National
El Nuevo Herald, Sculpture, Art Journal, El Diario, La Prensa, Art historian, curator Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts
Daniel Kunitz ARTnews Education: BA, Belgrade University; MA University of California,
Executive editor, Modern Painters; contributing editor, The Paris Awards and honors include: Art Matters Inc.; New York Riverside; PhD, New York University Linda Yablonsky
Review Foundation for the Arts; Joan Mitchell Foundation; Pollock-Krasner Professional experience includes: Researcher, Whitney Writer; art critic; columnist, Artforum, T: The New York Times Style
Education: DEUG, University of Paris, Sorbonne; BA, cum laude, Foundation; International Association of Art Critics; Distinguished Museum of American Art; curator, video selection, Montehermoso Magazine; contributing editor, ARTnews
University of Wisconsin, Madison; MFA, Columbia University Fellow, Interdisciplinary Art Practice, School of the Art Institute Cultural Center; curator, Kimmel Galleries, New York University Education: BA, New York University
Professional experience includes: Editor-in-chief, Mediabistro; of Chicago; Cuban Artists Fund; Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation Curatorial projects include: “Off Center Femininities: Regards Author: The Story of Junk: A Novel. Co-author, Face Addict
managing editor, The Paris Review; U.S. editor, ArtReview; art critic, Fellowship; Artist in the Marketplace, Bronx Museum of the Arts from Serbia and Montenegro,” Robert Else Gallery, California State Books include: Contributor, The Concert I Can’t Forget; The
The Village Voice, New York Sun; travel editor, literary editor, Details Website: www.ernestopujol.org University, Sacramento; “New York as an Open Market: Individual in Creative Time Book; Okay You Mugs: Writers on Movie Actors;
Publications include: Modern Painters, The Village Voice, The Global Spectacle,” Ozone Gallery, Belgrade Curve: The Nude in Contemporary Art; Time Out Book of New
Paris Review, Wall Street Journal, ArtReview, Details, Vanity Fair, Sarah G. Sharp Publications include: La Fabrica, ARTMargins. Catalog essays York Walks: 23 Walks Around the Big Apple; Bomb! Speak Fiction
Harper’s, ARTnews, New York magazine, Slate, Salon, Bookforum, Visual artist; video consultant include: “Leaving the Balkans, Entering the Other Side,” Marina and Poetry; Low Rent: A Decade of Prose and Photographs from the
Art & Antiques, New York Observer, Los Angeles Times Book Education: BA, Evergreen State College; MA, MFA, SUNY Purchase Abramovic: The Artist is Present; “Forbidden Games: Marina Portable Lower East Side
Review, London Times Literary Supplement. Catalog essays for: One-person exhibitions include: Gallery 1724, Houston; Shine Abramovic’s 8 Lessons on Emptiness with a Happy End,” Galerie Publications include: The New York Times, W, Bloomberg News,
“Zhang Huan: Blessings,” PaceWildenstein; “Kirstine Roepstorff,” The Studio, East Hampton, NY; Richard & Dolly Maass Gallery, Purchase Guy Bärtschi Time Out New York, Art & Auction, Elle Decor, Art on Paper, Art in
Drawing Center; “John Dubrow,” Salander-O’Reilly Gallery; “Caio College, NY; Red Mill Gallery, Johnson, VT America, The Village Voice, Art Newspaper
Fonseca,” Instituto Valenciano de Arte Moderno Group exhibitions include: Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Mark Tribe Awards and honors include: Peter S. Reed Foundation. Artist
Art, Ridgefield, CT; Real Art Ways, Hartford, CT; Stephan Stoyanov Visual artist; founding director, Rhizome residencies include: Yaddo, MacDowell Colony
Steven Henry Madoff Gallery; Frederieke Taylor Gallery; Broadway Gallery; Homestead Education: BA, Brown University; MFA, University of California,
Art critic, poet, curator. Formerly, executive editor, ARTnews Gallery; 55 Mercer Street Gallery San Diego
Education: BA, Columbia University; MA, Stanford University Publications include: The New York Times, Hartford Courant, Co-author: New Media Art
Books and catalogs include: Modern Melancholia: Thoughts On Jan Greenwich Time Projects include: The Port Huron Project, StarryNight
Hafstrom’s Art; Y. Z. Kami. Co-author, Marina Abramovic: Balkan Awards and honors include: Art Connects New York, BRIC Exhibitions include: DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park,
Epic; Christopher Wilmarth: Light and Gravity; Rebecca Horn: Moon Media Arts Fellowship, Getty Research Institute Library Grant. Artist Lincoln, MA; Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions; Trinity Square
Mirror; James Drake. Editor, Art School (Propositions for the 21st residencies include: Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, Video, Toronto; Arlington Arts Center, VA; Cranbrook Art Museum,
Century); Pop Art: A Critical History Vermont Studio Center Bloomfield Hills, MI; Park Avenue Armory; National Center for
Publications include: Time, The New York Times, Artforum, Art Website: www.sarahgsharp.net Contemporary Art, Moscow
& Auction, Modern Painters, ARTnews, Vogue, Christian Science Publications include: Artscope, Now Toronto, Los Angeles
Monitor, Tate Etc., The Nation Times, Washington Post, Art Papers, Frieze, The New York Times,
Awards include: Access to Artistic Excellence Grant, National Atopia, Artforum, Zing
Endowment for the Arts; Best Scholarly Art Book of the Year Award, Awards and honors include: Silver Award, I.D. Interactive
Association of American Publishers Media Design Review; New York Foundation for the Arts; Elizabeth
Foundation; Creative Capital; New York State Council on the Arts;
Greenwall Foundation; Jerome Foundation; Rockefeller Foundation;
Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts; CEC ArtsLink
Website: www.marktribe.net

Art Practice 56 57 www.sva.edu/grad/artpractice


Visiting Artists,
Studio Mentors and
Guest Lecturers
For an up-to-date roster of individuals who will serve the MFA Art Practice program, please visit our department online at www.sva.edu

Vito Acconci Charles T. Danziger Izhar Patkin Elisabeth Sussman


visual artist, writer and designer, Partner, Danziger, Danziger & Muro, assistant visual artist
 curator, Whitney Museum of American Art
principal Acconci Studio general counsel, The Museum of Modern Art Adriano Pedrosa Andras Szanto
Cory Arcangel Thomas Danziger curator, director writer, Senior lecturer in Arts Business,
visual artist
 partner, Danziger, Istanbul Biennial Sothebys Institute of Art, New York
John Baldessari Danziger & Muro Christopher Phillips Philippe Vergne
visual artist
 Liam Gillick curator, International Center for Photography (ICP)
 director, Dia Center
Lynda Benglis visual artist
 Robert Pincus-Witten for the Arts

sculptor
 George Gittoes art historian, critic
 Carrie Mae Weems
Maurice Berger painter, filmmaker, Tim Rollins visual artist

art historian photographer
 visual artist
 Lawrence Weiner
Roger Black Martin von Haselberg (Harry Kipper) Martha Rosler visual artist

graphic designer performance artist, visual artist
 Terry Winters
photographer
 visual artist

AA Bronson David Rothenberg
fine artist, director, Glenn Ligon composer, musician,
Printed Matter
 visual artist
 philosopher
Eric and Heather Chanschatz Terence Koh
visual artists visual artist


Thomas Crow Lee Mingwei


art historian visual artist


Contact Us
Tel: 212.592.2781
Fax: 212.493.5405
E-mail: artpractice@sva.edu
www.sva.edu/grad/artpractice
department site: artpractice.sva.edu
We strongly encourage applicants to visit SVA prior to submitting application materials.

Come to our Departmental Information Session, or contact us directly to schedule a tour.

Departmental Information Session: October 29, 2011


All times and locations will be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit

To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website or contact
the Office of Graduate Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu.

Art Practice 58 59 www.sva.edu/grad/artpractice


XX The MPS Art Therapy program is committed to developing students into working
professionals, via coursework and a clinical internship program, and to serving the
community locally, nationally and internationally.
XX In addition to writing a thesis that is clinical in scope, second-year students choose
from two unique specialization tracks—Challenged Populations (physical, emotional
or mental challenges) or Addictionology (substance abuse and non-drug addictions).
XX The program offers numerous opportunities to work with a variety of populations on a
short-term basis through a unique Special Programs & Projects component, allowing
students to enhance clinical skills and to supplement their training and experience.

Artists intuitively understand the inherently beneficial aspects of the creative process. Art therapy is an
innovative profession that provides a valuable contribution to the care of people living with psychologi-
cal and physical challenges. The mission of the mps Art Therapy program at sva is to offer students
this avenue of helping others through creative expression. Students are trained within a humanistic
framework, coupled with the theory and practice of art therapy. The program offers coursework taught
by working professionals, innovative internship opportunities and workshops, lectures and special
projects reflective of current trends within the profession.
The internship requirement is a significant part of the training, giving students the opportunity
to work directly with clients on an ongoing basis, in both individual and group settings. Students are
supervised by registered and licensed art therapists as well as members of the mps Art Therapy faculty,
and begin internships in the first semester of study, ensuring that theory and practice are integrated
from the start. The program’s full-time Internship Coordinator meets individually with students to choose
a placement from a wide array of settings, including treatment centers, schools, hospitals and shelters.
Community outreach via Special Programs & Projects affords students additional opportunities to work
with clients outside of their internship experience.
The diversity and density of New York City’s population make it a unique location for cutting-edge
treatment, technology and technique. The thousands of working professionals, including art therapists,
psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, educators and artists, provide the program a remarkable pool
of talent and experience from which to select faculty, internships and guest lecturers. The mps Art
Therapy program, an educational provider fully approved by the American Art Therapy Association, is
committed to serving the community and to training students to work and thrive within this demanding
profession, as well as aiding alumni in their post-graduation growth. The program looks forward to
seeing the accomplishments of its alumni, and the role they will play in promoting and developing the field
in the years and decades to come.

Deborah Farber, chair

MPS Art Therapy


www.sva.edu/grad/arttherapy
department site: arttherapyblog.sva.edu

61
Lesley Achitoff was a decorative
painter for over a decade before
studying Art Therapy at SVA. She

Making a
is photographed at her school in
Manhattan, where she works with
court-involved teenage girls.

Difference
One Student
at a Time
Alumni Profile: Lesley Achitoff
The field of art therapy enables artists to combine art and psychology as a vehicle for healing,
communication, self-expression and personal development. Lesley Achitoff, a 2004 graduate who
changed careers after being a decorative painter for 15 years, is now the only art therapist on staff
at Community Prep High School in Manhattan, a transitional high school for court-involved adoles-
cents. The school was created to help the students raise their grade levels and address the behavior
issues that impede their academic achievement so that they will succeed in diploma-bearing high schools
or ged programs.
Lesley teaches a daily group advisory class with an art therapy focus for girls ages 14 to 18.
Female students make up just 25% of the school’s population. “Art gives these students an opportunity
to express themselves in a non-verbal way,” she explains. “Therapy helps counter their resistance
and builds trust. Art therapy helps them to discover their creativity and raises their self-esteem, which
in turn helps them do better in school.”
Achitoff believes that in this line of work, small victories make all the difference. One student,
who struggles with the effects of trauma, has made significant progress in her schooling and therapy.
“She is leaving the program with patience and focus and even wants to go to college.” Achitoff
emphasizes that she is not trying to change the students but to help them recognize their own strengths
through the art therapy process. But just like any artist, her work is never truly done.

Art therapy helps at-risk youth communicate their


emotions without words. This mask was made
by a student to express what she thought others
saw when they met her.
Achitoff holds up a roll
of paper that students
worked on together
that blends collage,
drawings and poetry.

Achitoff also works with her students on personal journals.


“The girls put down their thoughts, experiences, poems and
photographs. Some of them draw,” says Achitoff. “There are
times I give them the freedom to do anything they want in
the books. Other times I’ll ask specific questions which they
can answer in any medium they choose.”
The MPS Art Therapy Department is housed in an expansive space
chair interview that includes an open studio with an observation area for hands-on training

Deborah Farber
of students working with clients in the creative art therapies. The open studio,
as well as two classrooms, are designed and operated based on the humanistic
philosophy that art therapy and art therapy training should be a collaboration
What ideas guided you in creating the mps Art Therapy program at sva? “From the beginning of the mediated by artistic processes and human interactions. It is modeled after
program,” recalls Deborah Farber, “I was interested in community outreach. And I had the idea that an “enabling space,” or sanctuary, in which the connection between creativity and
it should be multidisciplinary. I thought students should hear from different members of treatment teams, healing can be made. This environment, and all that happens within it, reinforces
not only art therapists, but other people in the hierarchy. So we have psychologists who are also artists the notion that by treating clients with respect and dignity and introducing them
teaching as one way to vary the approach, learning style and material. And we look for a totally hetero- to art as a special language for self-expression, the power of the creative process
“Internships are a
geneous mix of students,” Farber stresses, “because in group therapy, that’s the ideal situation.” can be utilized as a form of therapeutic treatment.
key element of the
Why did you add the addictionology track to the curriculum? “We arrived at the twin-track struc-
program. We have
ture of the program by thinking about the usefulness of a substance abuse counseling certification.
over a hundred

On any
I wanted the equivalent of that qualification to be incorporated into the program because I thought it
placements in
would enhance the training’s practicality. And sure enough, we quickly began to find that our gradu-
the New York
ates had a huge advantage when trying to get art therapy jobs in addictions facilities.”
metropolitan area.”
Can your students balance their artistic development with the demands of graduate study? “Stu-

given day...
dents are encouraged to maintain their own art practices.” Farber explains. “We have an open studio
all day on Friday, and we incorporate a lot of art-making into classes, so they’re always using art
materials. Creation is universal, and the creative process is a healing process. Students need to be fluent
in two languages, clinical language and the language of creativity. Whether or not their clients
are ‘talented’ has nothing to do with it.”
How is the internship component structured? “Internships are a key element of the program. We
have over a hundred placements in the New York metropolitan area. When someone is accepted into First-Year Student: Second-Year Student:
the program, they meet with our internship coordinator, who works full-time to set up legal contracts
9 – noon  Raquel Stephenson’s Adult Development & Aging class, 9 – noon  Students meet with thesis instructors Eileen McGann and
with our affiliates and to assist students in their placement. We work with every type of population such
students discuss “Creativity & Aging” and Rudolf Arnheim’s essay Raquel Stephenson for Thesis Project class and discuss putting finishing
as therapeutic nursery schools, day treatment programs for substance abusers, assisted living programs
“On the Late Style.” touches on their theses as well as upcoming thesis presentations.
for the elderly, and everything in between.”
What are students working toward? “The thesis is a culmination of everything they’ve learned.
noon – 3pm  Rebecca DiSunno’s Expressive Therapies class covers noon – 3pm  Break. Students catch up on paperwork from internship
They come up with a clinical question, something that involves research and a hypothesis. It’s done
“Film & Photography.” The documentary Born into Brothels is screened. sites; some work on submissions for In Touch, the Art Therapy Depart-
in measurable steps and they discuss their research with instructors as well as with the entire group.” ment’s online newsletter; some attend a planning meeting for an upcoming
How do mps Art Therapy alumni contribute to the field? “I have one student,” Farber enthuses, 3 – 6pm  Break. Students conduct research at the Visual Arts Library; Special Project with coordinator Val Sereno; some meet with clients in
“who worked with abused children and wrote her thesis on adolescents with attachment disorders. some catch up on paperwork from their internship sites; some work on the MPS Art Therapy Department’s Counseling Center.
It was recently published in the American Art Therapy Journal. Another student was an animator their watercolor technique for an upcoming Visiting Artist Workshop
who wanted to go into art therapy. He started his own nonprofit and works all over the metropolitan given by watercolorist Judi Betts. 3 – 6pm  Community Access Through the Arts class. Students
area, hiring art therapists to work using animation with at-risk adolescents. He’s got all kinds of participate in a collaborative art therapy/museum education project at
grants already, and he’s only been out of the program for two years!” 6 –9pm  Supervision Class: students hand in process notes from the Whitney Museum of American Art.
internship sites and conduct case presentations.
6 – 9pm  Clinical Topics in Challenged Populations class for students
in the Challenged Populations track, guest lecturer Marcia Cohen-
Liebman discusses Forensic Art Therapy.

Art Therapy 68 69 www.sva.edu/grad/arttherapy


The Program  The mps in Art Therapy curriculum is interdisciplinary in approach, drawing from art,
clinical and educational applications, and the social sciences. The first year of study covers the general theory and
practice of art therapy and is designed to help students understand the relationship between cognition, emotion
and behavior as well as how these areas relate to art diagnosis and treatment. In the second year, students choose
between two areas of specialization: addictionology and challenged populations. ¶ Degree candidates must
successfully complete 60 credits, including all required courses, with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0.
A residency of two academic years is required, but there is a three-year and four-year part time option for students
unable to attend the program on a full time basis. In the final semester, each student is required to complete a
thesis project, which must be reviewed and approved by the thesis committee and the department chair in order
for the student to be eligible for degree conferral. ¶ In exceptional instances, students may be allowed to transfer
up to 15 credits from other accredited graduate programs. Decisions concerning transfer of credit and course
exemptions are made by the committee on graduate admissions.

Specialization
Addictionology:   The addictionology track focuses on both Challenged Populations:   The challenged populations track
substance abuse and non-drug addictions. Students will learn about focuses on the uses of art therapy in a variety of settings, including
diagnosis and treatment, and gain a thorough knowledge of the physical, mental and emotional challenges. Counseling methods
physiology of addictions and of how to work with affected families. and the impact of disability on the family are among the subjects
addressed.

Sample Programs
first year
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits

Child Art Development 3 Adolescent Art Development 3


Internship/Supervision in the Studio I 3 Adult Development and Aging 3
Interviewing and Counseling Skills for 3 Group Therapy and Practice 3
Challenged and Addicted Populations Internship/Supervision in the Studio II 3
Methods and Materials in Art Therapy 3 Psychiatric Populations and the 3
Theoretical Foundations of Art Therapy 3 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM IV)

second year: addictionology


FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits

Art Assessment and Diagnosis 3 Community Access Through the Arts 3


Clinical Topics in Addictionology 3 Family Art Therapy: The Impact of 3
Internship/Supervision in the Studio III 3 Disability and Addiction
Multicultural Issues in Art Therapy 3 Internship/Supervision in the Studio IV 3
Thesis Project I 3 Physiology of Addictions 3
Thesis Project II 3

second year: challenged populations


FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits

Art Assessment and Diagnosis 3 Clinical Topics in Challenged Populations 3


Art Therapy in Disabilities 3 Community Access Through the Arts 3
Internship/Supervision in the Studio III 3 Family Art Therapy: The Impact of 3
Multicultural Issues in Art Therapy 3 Disability and Addiction
Thesis Project I 3 Internship/Supervision in the Studio IV 3
Thesis Project II 3

A grading rubric for Leslie Achitoff’s class: “The students


are graded on a point system to help them to be more
Art Therapy 70 aware of their behavior and contribution to the class.”
Course Descriptions Internship Opportunities
The Art Therapy Department has developed internship affiliations
with hospitals and agencies in the metropolitan area. Internships
provide students with the opportunity to integrate theory with
art therapy practice and to gain professional skills. Internship
sites include, but are not limited to: New York Foundling Hospital,
Refrew Center, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, HeartShare Human
Services, Coalition for Hispanic Families, NYC Public Schools,
St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital, Lutheran Medical Center, Interfaith
Adolescent Art Development Art Therapy in Disabilities COMMUNITY ACCESS THROUGH THE ARTS Medical Center, New York Presbyterian Hospital, North Bronx
As art therapists, it is essential that we have an understanding of the This course will examine the relationship of art therapy intervention The professional role as an art therapist, with regard to function and and Jacobi Hospitals, NYU Medical Center, and Queens Children’s
individuals with whom we may work. This course will provide a in persons with physical and emotional challenges. Emphasis will be relationships with other mental health providers, including knowledge Psychiatric Center.
theoretical framework in which to examine adolescence in terms of placed on the facilitation of coping strategies. Case presentations, slide of professional organizations, credentialing and licensure, public pol- The Department employs a full-time internship coordinator
developmental processes in art expression, cognition, intra-psychic and video illustrations, readings, research and clinical implications for icy, advocating for the profession and client advocacy will be explored. who works with students in their clinical placement, and
dynamics, external environmental influences and the interrelation- treatment will be offered. Students will learn how to create an in-service presentation, which communicates with on-site and faculty supervisors in assessing
ship between the two. Attention will be given to increasing the stu- will include didactic materials and client work, to appeal to various each student’s progress.
dent’s understanding of the role and impact family, society, culture CHILD ART DEVELOPMENT audiences. Alternatives to traditional methods of psychotherapeutic
and trauma have upon adolescent development and functioning. The course will focus on the behavior of children from birth through treatment will be explored, such as psychosocial clubs, peer-led sup-
Establishing a safe arena and therapeutic alliance in order to effectively pre-adolescence. Through case presentations, readings and discussion, port groups and consumer-run centers. Field visits will be included for
implement art therapy as assessment, intervention and in ongoing students will examine the physical, emotional and intellectual growth observation and presentation purposes. Students will receive instruc- internship/supervision in the studio I, II, III & IV
treatment with the adolescent will be a continual area of discussion. of children, and explore the psychological and physiological factors tion in preparing to enter the job market, including practice in resume The SVA Art Therapy Department has developed numerous affilia-
involved in learning, creativity and personality development. Normal writing and professional interviewing skills. Occupational counseling, tions with a wide variety of institutions in and around New York City.
ADULT DEVELOPMENT and AGING development, psycho­pathology and art therapy treatment approaches career development theory, information and resources, diversity fac- Working with the field placement coordinator, each student will be
Students will examine the physical and emotional growth of adults will be included. tors, supervision and ethical and legal issues, and the development placed in a supervised internship that corresponds with his or her area
and will explore the psychological and physiological factors involved. of art therapy-based career counseling will be covered, along with of specialization. Students are required to spend 16 hours per week
Specific emphasis will be placed on the variations of the aging process CLINICAL TOPICS IN ADDICTIONOLOGY knowledge and skills considered essential in enabling individuals and at an internship site each semester. Small-group supervision will also
and how these manifest themselves in behavior and creative expres- A broad overview of the changing and expanding field of addictions organizations to positively affect career development and aptitude. be provided by SVA faculty members through a unique studio-based
sion. Normal development, psychopathology and art therapy treatment will be presented. Topics will focus on the psychological nature of component of this course. This will give students a regular opportunity
approaches will be included. substance abuse (including the so-called “para-addictions”), the vari- FAMILY ART THERAPY: THE IMPACT OF DISABILITY AND ADDICTION to reflect on their work with clients and to further their own artis-
ous theories that attempt to explain it, and how we, as clinicians, can Systems theory will provide the theoretical foundation for this course; tic development as they explore the challenges of artist-as-therapist.
ART ASSESSMENT and DIAGNOSIS begin to have an impact. Special emphasis will be placed on ways in family art therapy and strategic learning will be explored and experi- Students will explore professional identity, professional ethics and the
Art assessment and diagnostic materials will be explored through expe- which art therapy can begin to address difficult treatment issues. enced. To conceptualize the emotional phenomena within the family ethical practice of art therapy and the proper application of ethical
riential sessions, didactic learning and casework. Students will learn the of origin offers practitioners the skills to maneuver in complex waters. and legal principles of art therapy practice, and gain familiarity with
fundamentals of art therapy assessment, statistical concepts including CLINICAL TOPICS IN CHALLENGED POPULATIONS When addiction, mental illness and physical disabilities exist within the the ethical standards of the American Art Therapy Association and Art
reliability and validity, selection of the assessment tool and familiarity This course will offer a range of art therapy applications and issues, system, every member is impacted with a life-altering experience. To Therapy Credentials Board as well as other related fields.
with a variety of specific art therapy instruments and procedures used presented by a series of clinicians with specific areas of expertise. restore a functional adjustment and balance is the goal of the family
in appraisal and evaluation, and will gain an understanding of develop- Client populations, treatment approaches and related professional art therapist. Research, genograms, case studies and literature will be INTERVIEWING and COUNSELING SKILLS FOR Challenged and
mental levels, cultural factors, psychopathology and psychological health aspects in isolation, trauma and chronic disease will be examined. part of the learning experience. addicted populations
manifested in artwork and art-making. Additional topics to be discussed Phenomena within the treatment setting explored will include inter- Students will be introduced to assessment and evaluation techniques
include, administration and documentation of art therapy assessment; disciplinary collaboration, co-treating, contributing to the treatment GROUP THERAPY and PRACTICE for the treatment of challenged populations, chemically dependent
formulation of treatment goals; objectives and strategies related to assess- record, ethics and standards of practice. Students will explore the This course will assist in the development of clinical skills through clients and their families. Intake strategies for both short- and long-
ment and evaluation, including historical perspectives of assessment; basic potential of the therapeutic arts discipline within the treatment milieu. an exploration of techniques and practices. Topics will include stan- term settings, and how to develop counseling skills will be the primary
concepts of standardized and non-standardized testing and assessment, dards and methods of documentation, treatment planning, treatment focus. Students will learn the historical development of counseling and
fundamentals of psychological testing; biopsychosocial assessment; statisti- team reports (oral and written) and case presentation. Emphasis will psychological theories, understanding of systems perspective, applica-
cal concepts including reliability and validity; strategies for selection of be placed on theoretical and experiential understanding of group art tion to case material and critical thinking with regard to similarities
the assessment tool and familiarity with a variety of specific instruments therapy techniques: group dynamics and process, counseling methods, and differences between art therapy intervention and counseling inter-
and procedures used in appraisal and evaluation. Projective tests such as leadership styles and approaches, member roles and behaviors, selec- vention. Case material and presentations, role-playing, videotaping,
the Diagnostic Drawing Series (DDS), Levick Emotional and Cognitive tion criteria, short- and long-term group process, therapeutic factors contemporary theories such as the Minnesota Model for treatment of
Art Therapy Assessment (LECATA), Mandala Assessment Research and stages of group development. Contemporary theorists will also be substance abuse, behavioral, cognitive, educational, creative arts, lec-
Instrument (MARI), Silver Drawing Test of Cognition and Emotion, critically surveyed. In addition, research methodologies and design will ture and experiential work will be offered.
Ulman Personality Assessment Procedure (UPAP) and other psychometric be explored for thesis/special project preparation.
instruments will be explored.

Art Therapy 72 73 www.sva.edu/grad/arttherapy


Methods and Materials in Art Therapy
This course will enable students to examine the use of paints, inks,
organic art processes, sculpture materials and other traditional and
Psychiatric Populations and the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual (DSM IV)
Psychopathology, as determined by the DSM multi-axial system, will
Special Projects
non-traditional art media and their uses with particular client popula- be examined in depth. Case material will be presented for each diag- Special Projects are a distinctive element of the MPS Art Therapy program, as
tions. Salient features of particular materials and expressive dimen- nostic category, and the clinical implications for the art therapist will they afford students additional opportunities to work with clients outside of
sions will be explored. Discussion of computer applications relevant be explored. Treatment approaches will be considered, as will indica-
to art therapy will be included. Students will explore the impact of tors of functional and organic disorders in behavior and artwork of their internship setting. Special Projects are innovative short-term art therapy
art processes and materials through ongoing participation in personal clients. Types of psychopharmacological medications will be covered. experiences facilitated by students and a board certified art therapist. Students learn
art-making. By strengthening their connection to the creative process,
students will gain an understanding of personal symbolic language- THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF ART THERAPY to create client-specific directives, encourage community partnership and assess
and arts-based learning, allowing for the opportunity to integrate intel- The history of the theoretical aspects of art therapy will be explored. project objectives and results. Special Projects are facilitated with a wide range of
lectual, emotional, artistic and interpersonal knowledge. Analytic, behavioral, cognitive, interpersonal and humanistic
approaches, important events, practitioners and the development of client populations, in such venues as social service agencies, healthcare facilities,
MULTICULTURAL ISSUES IN ART THERAPY art therapy as a distinct therapeutic practice will be reviewed through community centers, schools, corporations and alternative sites.
The effect of ethnicity and culture in the therapeutic process will be readings and didactic and experiential sessions. Ethical and legal issues
examined through case material, slide illustrations and didactic and of art therapy practice, including certification, values, malpractice and
experiential sessions. This course will explore cultural determinants confidentiality, and an overview of psychotherapy theories relevant to
of problems encountered in the field of art therapy, and provide a
foundation of knowledge in cultural diversity theory and competency
models applied to an understanding of diversity of artistic language,
art therapy will also be included in discussions and examined through
case presentations and lectures. Mandated Reporter
Training Seminar
symbolism and meaning in artwork and art-making across cultures THESIS PROJECT I & II
and within a diverse society. Students will investigate the role of the Students will be supervised by members of the art therapy faculty in
art therapist in social justice, advocacy and conflict resolution, includ- the development of a thesis topic. Each project must be clinical in
ing theories of counseling and development of competencies essential scope, present an original point of view and include supporting docu- Students are required to receive training in the identification and reporting of child
for a culturally responsive therapist with regard to age, gender, sexual mentation of its concepts and findings. In addition, students may opt
orientation, ethnicity, nationality, socio-economic status, develop- to explore grant-writing opportunities. Structured methods and formats
abuse offered by a New York State approved provider. Students are instructed in
mental disability, education, family values and religious and spiritual such as quantitative and qualitative research, formal case studies and how to effectively report child abuse or maltreatment/neglect to the NYS Child
values. Cultural self-awareness through self-assessment, strategies for arts-based research will be discussed. Students are required to present
working with diverse communities and critical thinking with regard to their thesis projects to peers and faculty. The department chair will
Abuse and Maltreatment Register, evaluate situations to determine whether there is
attitudes, beliefs and competent practice will be explored. Students will oversee all projects. reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or maltreatment, and identify the physical
be encouraged to share their own cultural beliefs and attitudes in rela-
tion to the practice of art therapy.
and behavioral indicators commonly associated with child abuse. This seminar is
offered at the beginning of each academic year.
PHYSIOLOGY OF ADDICTIONS
A consideration of contemporary neurochemical theories of addictions.
Neuroanatomy and physiology, and the use of psychotropic medica-
tion in the treatment of substance abuse will be examined. An in-depth
look at theories regarding the genetic etiology of substance abuse will
be reviewed.

Art Therapy 74 75 www.sva.edu/grad/arttherapy


Faculty

Deborah Farber, chair Rebecca Di Sunno Robert Abel Grant Renee Obstfeld
Art therapist, ATR-BC, LCAT Art therapist, ATR-BC, LCAT; clinical nurse specialist Art therapist, ATR-BC, LCAT Art therapist, ATR-BC, LCAT
Education: BA, Herbert H. Lehman College; MPS, Pratt Institute; Education: MA, PhD, New York University Education: BA, Long Island University; MPS, Pratt Institute Education: BA, Sarah Lawrence College; MA, New York University
Substance Abuse Counseling Certificate, Marymount Manhattan College professional experience: Art therapist, East End Hospice; art professional experience: Art therapist, clinical supervisor, PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Art therapist, Robert Mapplethorpe
professional experience: Art therapist, Holliswood Hospital; therapy program coordinator, International Child Art Foundation, Family Service Programs; post-adoption coordinator, HeartShare Residential Treatment Facility
alcoholism psychotherapist, Freedom Institute; activities director, World Children’s Festival Human Services; art therapist, Graham Windham Services to Children Publication: American Journal of Art Therapy
High Point Hospital; activities therapist, Association for the Help of Publications include: American Journal of Art Therapy, East and Families; consultant, New York Urban League: Manhattan Branch
Retarded Children; curator, “Annual Art Therapy Exhibition,” School Hampton Star Family Redirection Program Meagan O’Connell
of Visual Arts exhibitions include: Baca Downtown Theater and Gallery, Long Art therapist, ATR-BC, LCAT; director, therapeutic services &
publications and presentations include: “Rebuilding Hope Michael Fisher Island University, New York Art Therapy Association, Art in General creative arts therapies, Incarnation Children’s Center
One Block at a Time: Collective Art in New York City,” American Senior psychologist and outpatient program coordinator, Education: BA, Manhattanville College; MA, New York University
Art Therapy Association Annual Conference; “Child Art Therapy,” Comprehensive Addiction Treatment Center, Jacobi Medical Center; Markus J. Kraebber PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Senior child life specialist, Mount Sinai
Montclair Art Museum; panelist, Arts and Humanities Confer­ence, associate director, The Mimesis Institute; private practice Psychiatrist Medical Center; advisory board, Splashes of Hope
School of Visual Arts; “Art Therapy and Literacy with Children,” Education: BA, SUNY Binghamton; MA, Yeshiva University; Education: BA, Harvard University; MD, Jefferson Medical College Presentations include: “The New Psychosocial Morbidity: A
International Reading Conference; Encyclopedia of Disability and PhD, Long Island University; postgraduate training, Eastern Group professional experience: Attending psychiatrist, pediatric con- View from the 21st Century,” Mount Sinai Pediatric Grand Rounds;
Rehabilitation; Ferguson’s Careers in Focus: Art Psychotherapy Society; New York Milton Erickson Society for sultant, New York Presbyterian Hospital; Massachusetts General “Weaving Creative Arts Modalities into Child Life Practice,” Bank
Psychotherapy and Hypnosis Hospital/Chelsea; Eric Lindemann Mental Health Center; Volunteers Street College of Education; “Weaving Creative Arts Processes
Claudia Bader presentations include: “Unconscious at Play: Utilizing the of America, Inc.; ACI, Inc.; Lenox Hill Hospital; Bellevue Hospital Into Child Life Programming,” Child Life of Greater New York
Art therapist, ATR-BC, LCAT; psychoanalyst; executive director, Mimesis Process,” Institute for Expressive Analysis; “Chemical CPEP; research assistant, Diabetes Research Center, University of Professional Development Conference; “Child Art Therapy,”
Institute for Expressive Analysis. Formerly, art therapist, Manhattan Dependency in the Workplace: Establishing a Chemical Dependency Pennsylvania Medical School; corporate finance analyst, Smith Barney New School University
Psychiatric Center Program,” Lenox Hill Hospital publications include: “Blood Pressure Changes, Evaluation
Education: BA, University of California San Diego; MPS, Pratt of Fever,” On Call Psychiatry; “Validation and Utility of a Self- Valerie Sereno
Institute Lisa Furman Report Version of Prime-MD,” Journal of the American Medical Art therapist, ATR-BC, LCAT; coordinator, special programs and
Art therapist, ATR-BC, LCAT Association; “Effect of the Hypoglycemic drug AZ DF 265 on ATP- projects, MPS Art Therapy Department, School of Visual Arts
Irene Rosner David Education: BFA, Rhode Island School of Design; MA, New York Sensitive Potassium Channels in Rat Pancreatic beta cells,” British Education: BA, Marymount Manhattan College; MA, New
Art therapist, ATR-BC, LCAT University Journal of Pharmacology York University
Education: BA, City College of New York; MA, New York professional experience: Clinical psychotherapist, New York Professional experience: Art therapist, 9/11 School Recovery
University; PhD, Union Institute Foundling Hospital; Danbury Hospital for Children and Adolescent Carol Greiff Lagstein Program, PS 89, PS 124; Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center;
professional experience: Board of directors, Ameri­can Treatment Services; Long Island College Hospital; New York Institute Art therapist, ATR-BC, LCAT Montessori Manhattan School, St. Luke’s Hospital
Art Therapy Association; director, Therapeu­tic Arts, Bellevue for Special Education Education: BFA, California College of the Arts; MPS, Pratt Institute; Presentations include: “The Creative Arts Therapies’ Response
Hospital Center presentations include: “When a Scribble Is Not Just a Scribble: MSW, Columbia University to 9/11,” New York University; American Art Therapy Association
publications include: Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Diagnostic Implications of the Content and Process of Art,” Department Professional experience: Private practice; student assistance Conference; Psycho-Oncology Conference, Heidelberg
Therapy Association; American Journal of Art Therapy; Time Out of Psychiatry, Harlem Hospital Center; “Using Art Therapy with counselor, Clarkstown Central School District, NY; co-founder, facili-
New York; Photo District News; New York Newsday Children in Foster Care,” Council of Family and Child Caring Agencies tator, Teen Power Raquel Chapin Stephenson
awards and honors include: Distinguished Service Award, (COFCCA); “A Touching Sight: Art Therapy with Blind Children,” Presentations include: “Creative Genograms,” American Art Art therapist, ATR-BC, LCAT
Clinician Award, American Art Therapy Association; Honorary Life Annual Conference, American Art Therapy Association Therapy Association Education: BFA, University of Michigan; MA, New York University
Member Award, Dis­ting­uish­ed Service Award, New York Art Therapy Publication: The Whole Mind: The Definitive Guide to PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Program coordinator, clinical supervi-
Associa­tion Stephanie Gorski Complementary Treatments for Mind, Mood, and Emotion sor, New York University Creative Aging Therapeutic Services; art
Art therapist, ATR-BC, LCAT therapist, St. Luke’s Hospital
Elizabeth DelliCarpini Education: BA, SUNY Geneseo; MPS, Pratt Institute Eileen P. McGann publications include: The Older Learner, Generations
Art therapist, ATR-BC, LCAT; internship coordinator, MPS professional experience: Clinical coordinator, New York Art therapist, ATR-BC, LCAT
Art Therapy Department, School of Visual Arts Foundling Hospital; social worker, South Brooklyn Prevention Education: BFA, Manhattanville College; MA, New York University
education: BFA College of New Rochelle; MAAT, School of the Program; art therapist, Blueberry Treatment Center; adoption social professional experience: Senior art therapist, Jewish Board of
Art Institute of Chicago worker, New York Spaulding for Children Family and Children’s Services
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Art therapist, Community Prep HS for publications include: Pratt Institute Creative Arts Therapy Review One-person exhibition: Molloy College Art Gallery
court-involved adolescents; Brooklyn Community Counseling Center Award: Sr. Teresa Vincent McCrystal Excellence Award group exhibitions: New York University, Rye Art League,
9/11 Outreach; Catholic Charities homelesss adult employment pro- Manhattanville College, Kean Mason Gallery
gram; child welfare coordinator, Jamal Place residential program publications include: American Journal of Art Therapy, Art
PRESENTATIONS INCLUDE: “Boys: Art & Destruction,” American Art Therapy with Older Adults, The Arts in Psycho­therapy, Journal of
Therapy Association; “Working with Young People in Challenging the American Art Therapy Association, Journal of Emotional Abuse,
Situations,” Fund for the City of New York; “Working with Girls in Racism and Racial Identity
the Juvenile Justice System,” Legal Aid Society

Art Therapy 76 77 www.sva.edu/grad/arttherapy


Guest Lecturers

Bonnie Allie Lawrence Brown Barbara Fish Scott Green Marilyn LaMonica Shaun McNiff Joan Phillips Daniel Siegel
art therapist physician art therapist, director, Art head of Fine Arts, art therapist, psychoanalyst art therapist, founder, art therapist psychiatrist, executive
Therapy Associates University of Derby Institute for the Arts and director, Mindsight Institute
Corinne Arles Ani Buk Carol Lark Shirley Riley
expressive arts therapist, art therapist Linda Gantt Ellen Horovitz art therapist, psycho- Human Development art therapist Ellen Speert
Free Arts NYC art therapist art therapist therapist, director, The Art Nancy McWilliams art therapist; founder,
Marcia Cohen-Liebman Diane Rode
Brian Austin art therapist Natalia Gomez Joseph Jaworek Therapy Center psychotherapist art therapist, Kravis California Center for
art therapist art therapist art therapist Laura Loumeau-May Rebecca Beers Miller Children’s Hospital at Creative Renewal
Barbara Cooper
Liz Baring art therapist, SuperKids David Gonzalez David Read Johnson art therapist art therapist Mount Sinai Bobbi Stoll
art therapist, psychoanalyst music therapist director, Institute for the Paola Luzzatto Bruce Moon Judith Aron Rubin art therapist
Margaret Hills de Zárate
Arts in Psychotherapy; co- art therapist art therapist art therapist Brian Tepper
Ted E. Becker Jr. art therapist Robin Goodman
director, Post Traumatic art therapist
psychiatrist Ashley Dorr art therapist and clinical Linda Levine Madori Cathy Moon Andree Salom
Stress Center
Chris Belkofer art therapist psychologist; Director of art therapist art therapist art therapist Nicolas Touron
the Bereavement Center Lynn Kapitan sculptor, ceramist
art therapist Gail Elkin-Scott Cathy Malchiodi Thomas Moore Brenda Seckerson
at A Caring Hand, Billy art therapist
Judi Betts art therapist art therapist, Director of the author expressive arts therapist, Annette Vaccaro
Esposito Foundation Gussie Klorer Institute for the Arts and Free Arts NYC art therapist, social worker
watercolorist Mimi Farrelly-Hansen Bereavement Center Larry Norton
art therapist, social worker Health
Elaine Breiger art therapist deputy physician-in-chief Karen Seeley Bessel van der Kolk
Christina Grosso Judith Kuspit Shannon McGinn and director of breast can- psychologist psychiatrist
printmaker Kimberly Faulkner art therapist psychologist, psychoanalyst art therapist; staff attorney, cer programs at Memorial
art therapist Laura Seftel Judy Weiser
Prisoner Reentry Project, Sloan-Kettering Cancer art therapist psychologist, phototherapist
Legal Services of Center
New Jersey Suellen Semekoski Stephanie Wise
Peggy Papp art therapist art therapist
Carole McNamee social worker, Ackerman
marital and family therapist Institute Katherine Shargo Gaelyn Wolf-Bordonaro
art therapist, New Jersey art therapist
Sojung Park Department of Corrections Irvin D. Yalom
Tel: 212.592.2610 art therapist
Contact Us

psychiatrist
Saadia Parvez
Fax: 917.606.0461 art therapist
E-mail: arttherapy@sva.edu
www.sva.edu/grad/arttherapy
department site: arttherapyblog.sva.edu
We strongly encourage applicants to contact our Department to schedule an informational
meeting and receive a tour of our facilities prior to submitting application materials.

Departmental Information Session: November 5, 2011.


All times and locations will be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit

To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website or contact
the Office of Graduate Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu.

Art Therapy 78 79 www.sva.edu/grad/arttherapy


MPS XX Create frameworks to guide brand, design and business development
XX Critically evaluate brand, business, marketing and design strategies

Branding XX Master the intellectual link between leadership and creativity

The Master of Professional Studies in Branding is a one-year degree program that examines
www.sva.edu/grad/branding the relationship between design and strategy, and the power of design thinking as a way to

department site: branding.sva.edu combine creative skills with the problem-solving and decision-making processes of design and
business. Students graduating from this program will be able to take advantage of new market
opportunities, and to deliver innovative, successful and sustainable project outcomes in the worlds
of design, advertising, marketing and business.
During the year, students develop an understanding of diverse branding strategies, brand
valuation, and brand development life cycle. We’ll explore important themes in behavioral science
and relevant cultural themes as they relate to branding. We’ll investigate marketing challenges
involved in creating and sustaining brands and gain an understanding of and experience with
senior corporate management discourse.
The thesis is a critical part of the mps in Branding that is developed and completed in the summer
semester. Students will develop their thesis, formulating and developing the central idea that will
become their thesis, and will consider appropriate strategies for the research, form, presentation
and distribution of their ideas. The thesis class will provide students the opportunity to meet
as a group and with a faculty member to discuss issues related to the development of their theses,
as well as review portions of each other’s work. Students should emerge from this process with
a significant body of work.

Debbie Millman, chair

81
Designing
Smartly:
Bringing
30 Years of
Experience
to theFaculty Profile:
Dan Formosa, PhD

Classroom
Smart Design’s studio in NYC. Dan
Formosa is a founding member of Smart
Design, a group based on the idea the
design should be about people, not things.
A wall shows current projects being
worked on. Their clients include the
Guggenheim Museum, MoMA and the
Whitney Museum of American Art.
“I try to give students an overview of every topic that is of the bowl validated the research they built into the design, and
represented by design: biomechanics, physiology, psychology, sta- paved the way for the next Corning product: sunglasses whose de-
tistics, information, and happiness, to name some. I also discuss the sign was, essentially, a crystallization of fresh anthropometric data
differences between design research and market research, because about the face and cognitive psychological data about perception.
the two often get confused – especially by marketing people, who often The sunglasses were a hit, too – doubling the number of consumers
don’t have an exposure to design. But the techniques and the ground satisfied with Corning’s previous line.
rules of design research and market research are quite different.”  His designs work because he designs for everyone on the con-
This is mps Branding instructor Dan Formosa’s perspective sumer spectrum—not just the “average consumer”—and so more
today. It’s also been his perspective for the past 30 years. When he people actually respond to them. Smart Design has continued to
was starting out in the late 70s, it was common, he says, for market- grow under Dan’s vision, scoring major hits with the first ibm pc,
ing research to limit a designer’s focus to the appearance of the best-selling kitchen tools for Oxo, syringes that insure safe and
object. But Dan thought a designer’s focus should be on the person, regular use in home users, and SmartGauge, a digital interface
not the object, and that research shouldn’t come from the market- designed for the award-winning Ford hybrid, the Fusion, which tells
place, but from behavioral sciences like ergonomics, biomechanics, drivers when to modify and/or sustain their driving behaviors in
and psychology. order to optimize the car’s performance.
This approach tended to rankle marketers early on in his career. This is maybe where Dan’s value as a thinker and designer (and
He co-founded Smart Design to create products from research that new faculty member at sva) truly lies: he not only makes the rela-
drew subsequent skepticism: A Pyrex bowl with a finger-tab, for tionships between people and objects more personal and functional,
example, that could go from the freezer to the stovetop without he also creates successful commercial products that originate from
cracking. The bowl failed in the marketing studies, but Corning the idea that design can improve people as people improve design.
pushed it through anyway, and it became a best seller. The success We’re excited to have Dan share his vision at sva.

Dan’s product design work has always relied on physical


models as opposed to sketches. An extensive shop allows ideas
to go from rough mockups (or “three-dimensional sketches”) to
final working prototypes, as various concepts are explored and
continuously “reality-checked.”
Dan’s design career began with a degree in product With clients worldwide, Smart Design has offices in
design. Studies soon reached to biomechanics and New York City, San Francisco and Barcelona.
ergonomics, while work expanded to include information
design, interaction, service design and design strategy.
The Branding Studio is located on West 21st Street in Chelsea,
chair interview where classes are conducted. The following is a typical day in the life

Debbie Millman
of the MPS Branding Department at SVA.

“Human beings have a need to make things and to mark them—we’ve been doing it throughout
our history, marking ourselves as part of something bigger than just the individual,” reflects Debbie
Millman from her office at influential midtown agency Sterling Brands. “Branding is an interesting
discipline in that it involves a slew of other fields,” she continues. “You need to have an expertise in
cultural anthropology, behavioral psychology, and supply chain management as well as in marketing
“I’m hoping that our and design. In the program at SVA, we teach a sort of unified theory of branding, looking at real-life
graduates will be brands, their history, evolution, and sustainability within the business models they embody. We’ll look
able to change our at how and why certain brands stumble and fail—or stumble and recover—and use that knowledge
world, because they

On any
to analyze in depth how brands contribute to the way we live.”
will understand what “Branding has always been about the man behind the curtain,” Millman concedes with a smile.
the tactics are to “This program is about pulling the curtain away and focusing on things that have been, for the most
make that change.” part, either taught in business school or learned on the job. Our approach takes the world as a case

given day...
study. There are other graduate programs that have an aspect of branding to them, but they tend to
couple it with either advertising, strategy, or what’s called ‘design thinking.’ This MPS gives students
the vocabulary they need to participate in the conversation around branding in a much more significant
and meaningful way, by applying an understanding of the language of business to whatever they’re
passionate about. I’m hoping that our graduates will be able to change our world, because they will
understand what the tactics are to make that change.”
Millman is thrilled by the many new opportunities that the program offers. “Everything was built 9am Chair Debbie Millman meets with Steve Ginsberg at M&M Mars 5pm  Graduate advisor J’aime Cohen meets with publisher to go over
from scratch,” she says excitedly, “the curriculum, the materials, the space, everything. And it uses to discuss student mentorship program book about the program
progressive technology throughout. We have a podcast space and every lecture is documented on video.
We anticipate having an online program in the future, and a summer workshop. There’ll be a lot going 10am  Millman speaks with Ric Grefé at AIGA Headquarters to arrange 7pm  Guest lecture with cultural anthropologist Grant McCracken
on! We’re positioning the department like a think-tank, a place where brands can be researched and for students to tour the AIGA Archives

analyzed, built and developed outside the realm of corporate culture and
11am  Josh Liberson meets with Malcolm Gladwell to plan his
commercial pressure.”
guest lecture
How will participants gain both practical experience and theoretical insight? “Students work on
building a brand as part of their thesis. And it isn’t a brand in a box that no one sees; it is sustainable in-
12pm  Lunch with students at the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum, and
side and outside the classroom. Brands are used to project an image to an audience, and we’re interested
tour of the latest exhibit
in examining the management of that projection.” Millman stresses that branding has political and
ethical as well as commercial power. “Whether we’re talking about brand or anti-brand, Democrat or 3pm  Millman’s “Design Matters” podcast taping with Dan Pink
Republican, pro-life or pro-choice, many of the same tools are used. We’re looking at branding as both
a science and an art, and we’ll be able to speak honestly and truthfully about its powers and its perils.”

Branding 88 89 www.sva.edu/grad/branding
The Program  The required coursework for this degree program is organized into five progressive
segments: Culture, Behavior, Business, Commerce and Creative. Each discipline works both independently and Course Descriptions
cohesively with the others, but rigorous attention will be paid to each field to determine and define the modern
practice of branding. Degree candidates must successfully complete 36 credits, including all required courses, with
a cumulative grade point average of 3.0. A residency of one academic year is required. ¶ There is a mandatory
Guest Speaker Lecture Series bringing exposure, interaction and inspiration from esteemed practitioners in the
branding and business community. ¶ The summer semester is dedicated to the thesis. The outcome of the Master
of Professional Studies in Branding is a comprehensive conference and exhibit that allows students to show,
display, articulate and defend the premise of their new brand and showcase their work to the design, business Analysis, Insight and Forecasting identification, idea generation, design, testing, launch. The goal is
Cultural change is neither unpredictable nor random. The seeds of to develop and/or create a brand with an existing organization or
and branding communities. Ultimately, the thesis must be reviewed and approved by the thesis committee and the next are buried in the now, in the psyche of the individual and in to as a solo proprietor.
the department chair in order for the student to be eligible for degree conferral. the collective mind called “culture.” In this course, students will learn
to read deeply and carefully the cultural signs that surround them in The Evolution of CPG Brands and Package Design
order to recognize underlying patterns and learn to translate these pat- Consumer brands, and the retail marketplace that supports them,
terns into actionable human and cultural insights, valuable throughout have evolved through several stages in the last 150 years. Each has
Sample Program the lifecycle of any product or brand. We will also explore how to been strongly influenced by culture, events and the changes of the
leverage trend analysis to forecast paradigmatic shifts in human behav- retail markets of which they are a part. The first three stages, from the
ior and culture as well as in the marketplace. Students will complete 1850s through the 1990s, can be described as the era of the retailer,
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
the course with the means to identify and leverage the patterns under- the era of the manufacturer and the era of the brand. The last decade
Business Strategies  3 Analysis, Insight and Forecasting  3 lying the most powerful and beloved cultural artifacts and brands. has seen an evolution of brand activity toward a focus on consumer
Foundation of Visual Branding and Strategy 3 Brand Design Leadership  3 experience and lifestyle. Where does the CPG brand stand today and
The Meaning of Branded Objects  3 The Evolution of CPG Brands and Package Design  3 Brand Design Leadership what is its future? This course will review the historical evolution
Every day, from the moment we wake up to the sound of our iPhone of CPG brand identities though the lens of retail brand identity and
A Unified Theory of Branding  3 Practices in Design and Market Research  3 alarm and drink our first sip of Starbucks, to the second we put down package design. We will review, decade by decade, the relatively brief
Lecture Series I 3 Lecture Series II 3 our Crest and crawl into bed, we interact with brands. Great brands history of CPG brand identities, and the aesthetic and cultural influ-
have been passionately, holistically, reverently and thoughtfully created ences that have shaped their path. While reviewing these historical
and nurtured by managers within corporations with the support of precedents, students will develop an informed judgment on where CPG
SUMMER Semester Credits consumers, researchers, trends experts, designers, engineers, anthro- brand identities are today and where they may be headed.
Creating Brands, Identity and Experiences 6 pologists and strategists, to name a few. But how is design designed?
How does a branded image transform from a business need to a tan- Foundation of Visual Branding and Strategy
gible identity? This course will unravel the pieces of the brand design Beginning with the history and underlying ideas of branding, this
process, and transport you from market-driven need to fully realized course will examine the development of classic brands such as Bass
brand. We will begin with the mechanics of a corporation and a need Ale and Coca-Cola, as well as seminal identity designers and design
as a business defines it, through the scenarios that occur as design studios, including William Morris, Paul Rand, Landor Associates and
managers and brand design firms respond, convince and create a brand Pentagram. We will examine contemporary examples that highlight
identity. We will use actual business examples and work individually the challenges of brand and identity creation in specific contexts: retail
and in teams to create methodologies, develop guidelines, present and experiences; the arts and the nonprofit sector; the branding of loca-
critique design and hone the art and science of creating a point of view tions, politicians and political ideas. A look at the future of brands
worthy of a creative partnership. and identity design will be given. The second half of the course will
explore brand strategy: how an audience perceives a brand and how
Business Strategies that perception might evolve. Students will work on projects that aim
From developing a brand personality to discovering invisible brand to visually address the strategic concerns of several brands. Reducing
assets, this multidisciplinary course is about creating brand value, a visual identity to its most elemental parts and then incorporating
strategy and business literacy. We’ll review core branding disciplines material to create a visual context will be addressed, and students will
such as developing brand positioning, mission statement, brand char- create matrices to determine what audience a brand addresses. We
acter, naming and brand architecture. We’ll take a look at financial will also mine a brand’s history for new opportunities, and conduct
valuation models, as well as creative methods for discovery and ide- SWOT-style analyses that define innovation opportunities and chart a
ation, and why a strong brand strategy is like an organization’s DNA, course for future growth. Guest lectures by contemporary practitioners
serving as a blueprint for strategy and informing other activities such will complement course work.
as leadership, marketing, product development, communication, design
and advertising. Discussions based on case studies and readings will Lecture Series I and II
also use worksheets as a lens, and provide a platform to examine The aim of the lecture series is to bring students in contact with a
forces and dynamics that shape brands from traditional corporate to wide variety of professional perspectives and to introduce them to
entrepreneurial startups. We’ll touch on globalization, technology, experts in the field. Some lecturers will discuss practical aspects of
critical thinking, culture and lifestyle. their critical endeavors and others will focus on intellectual issues.
Topics to be addressed include: practices in market research; mass
Creating Brands, Identities and Experiences vs. class brands; practices in cultural anthropology; why we shop:
The summer semester will be entirely focused on the development marketing, economics and brands; understanding consumer behav-
and creation of a real-world brand. We will continue to investigate ior; nomenclature and visual language development; branding,
the challenges of bringing elegant, innovative and efficient solu- cognition and culture.
tions to market targeted to strong customer needs. The course is
structured around the following innovation process: opportunity

Branding 90 91 www.sva.edu/grad/branding
Faculty Guest Lecturers

The Meaning of Branded Objects Debbie Millman, chair Virginia Postrel Malcolm Gladwell Daniel H. Pink
Brands transform objects into meaning-bearers. This course will President, Design Division, Sterling Brands; radio show host, Author; editor-in-chief, Deep Glamour writer, The New Yorker; entrepreneur; speaker;
explore the collective and individual history of this transformation. Design Matters with Debbie Millman. Formerly, senior vice Education: Princeton University author, The Tipping Point, author, A Whole New Mind,
As we have evolved from hunter-gatherers into robustly cultural president, Interbrand Professional experience includes: Contributing editor, Culture
beings, objects themselves have also evolved: from disposable, purely Education: BA, SUNY Albany & Commerce columnist, The Atlantic; editor, Reason
Blink, Outliers The Adventures of Johnny
functional extensions of the body to deeply personal, even cherished, Clients include: Tropicana; Pepsi; Unilever; Pepperidge Farm; Author: The Substance of Style: How the Rise of Aesthetic Value DeeDee Gordon Bunko: The Last Career
expressions of an individual’s life. We will examine the history and Campbell’s; Gillette; Nestle; Colgate; Mars, Inc.; Georgia Pacific; Is Remaking Commerce, Culture & Consciousness; The Future and
co-creator, L Report, Look- Guide You’ll Ever Need
insights of individual and social psychology in shaping the context GlaxoSmithKline Its Enemies: The Growing Conflict Over Creativity, Enterprise, and
for 21st-century perceptions of, and relationships with, the things books include: How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer, Progress. Co-author, Glamour: Fashion, Industrial Design, Architecture Look Magazine Cheryl Swanson
that surround us. Concretely, we will investigate the increasingly Essential Principals of Graphic Design Publications include: I.D., The New York Times, Forbes,
Stanley Hainsworth founder, Toniq. Formerly,
sophisticated manner in which brands have gained and integrated Publications include: Speak Up, Step, Creativity, HOW, Graphic D Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Print, New York Post, Slate, Boston
chairman, chief creative senior vice president,
quantitative and qualitative insights into our lives (and our cultural Design USA, The New York Times, Adobe Proxy, Design Globe, The Best American Science and Nature Writing, Wall Street Journal
contexts) to create opportunities for complex, meaning-centered Management Journal, Print Awards and honors include: Phi Beta Kappa; Mencken officer, Tether. Formerly, Wallace Church Associates
relationships between people and things. Students will use their own Award for Commentary, Free Press Association; Katie Award for global creative director, Gong Szeto
experiences as the starting point for this exploration into the lived- Sem Devillart Commentary, Press Club of Dallas; Media Fellow, Hoover Institution,
meaning of individual brands and their collective role in the con- Co-founder, managing partner, Popular Operations Stanford University
Starbucks; global creative entrepreneur; lecturer.
struction of modern personal identity. Education: MA, Domus Academy; Universität Tübingen Website: www.dynamist.com director, Lego; creative Formerly, director of design
Clients have included: Christian Dior, Camper, Daimler, L’Oreal, director, Nike and product design, PEAK6
Practices in Design and Market Research Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo, Philips Design, BBC Richard Shear Investments; designer,
Brands have historically relied heavily on marketing techniques to help Founding principal, creative director, The Shear Partnership; author, Jonah Lehrer
establish and strengthen their presence. That is changing quickly, as Dan Formosa The Package Unseen editor, Wired; author, How OptionsHouse
instant global communication and various forms of social networking Consultant, product design and design research. Formerly, Education: BFA, Tyler School of Art We Decide, Proust Was a Rob Walker
have replaced the need for consumers to rely on brands for confidence co-founder, Smart Design Professional experience includes: Officer, founding board
in a purchase. In this project-based course, students will learn how to EDUCATION: BFA, MA, PhD, New York University member, AIGA Metro-North Chapter; president, Package Design
Neuroscientist author, Buying In: The
create a research plan, find participants, and integrate research meth- CLIENTS INCLUDE: Johnson & Johnson, OXO Good Grips, XM Council; past president, AIGA Brand Design Association; Grant McCracken Secret Dialogue Between
ods in the context of a specific branding project. Some of the topics Satellite, Hewlett-Packard, SmartGauge Clients include: Ahold, Coca-Cola, Hasbro, IBM, Johnson &
educator, author What We Buy and Who We
explored will be qualitative, quantitative, online and ethnographic books INCLUDE: co-author, Baseball Field Guide Johnson, Pernod Ricard, Procter & Gamble, Duracell, Motorola, Are; writer, The New York
interview techniques, video and photo documentary, immersion, par- COLLECTIONS INCLUDE: Museum of Modern Art Kraft, Estée Lauder
ticipant-aided data gathering, prototype assisted observation, methods Awards and honors include: Gold Medal, San Francisco
Times Magazine; founder,
for organizing data, finding patterns and distilling insights that lead to Tom Guarriello World Spirits Competition; AIGA; CLIO; Graphis; Industrial Murketing
actionable and inspiring design directives. We will also explore the dif- Chief idea officer, principal, TrueTalk, Inc. Formerly, clinician Designers Society of America; Pentawards
ferences between market research and design research, and understand EDUCATION: MA, University of Dayton; PhD, Duquesne University Website: www.shearpartnership.com
the goals and appropriateness of each.
Scott Lerman
A Unified Theory of Branding Chief executive officer, founding partner, Lucid Brands
Leading the definition and evolution of a world-class brand requires Education: MFA, The Cooper Union
more than intellectual rigor and insight. You must unify and lever- Professional experience includes: President, Siegel+Gale; presi-

Contact Us
age the expertise and efforts of an astounding array of people—lead- dent, chief executive officer, Enterprise IG (Americas)
ers, followers, scientists, artists, magicians (consultants), engineers, Clients have included: America’s Second Harvest, The
establishmentarians and revolutionaries. In this course, you will learn Weather Channel, LYCOShop, Click Radio, TreasuryPoint, Kodak, Tel: 212.592.2719
to use powerful frameworks that harmonize and focus the efforts of NationsBank, PNC Bank, Caja España, Bayer, Golden Books, Good
diverse teams as they develop ambitious brand programs. Using real- Housekeeping, Xerox E-mail: branding@sva.edu
world case studies—including Caterpillar, Bank of America, DuPont, Publications include: Design Management Journal, Wall Street
Harley- Davidson and National Semiconductor—we will look inside
the processes that enable organizations to define the future of their
Journal, The New York Times, Identityworks, Revolution
Website: www.lucidbrands.com
www.sva.edu/grad/branding
brands. The course will provide you with a unique perspective of how
research, strategic definition, identity, expression, communications and department site: branding.sva.edu
behavior are shaped into great brands. Come to our Departmental Information Session or contact us directly for more information.

Departmental Information Session: Saturday, November 5, 2011.


All times and locations will be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit

To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website or contact the
Office of Graduate Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu.

Branding 92 93 www.sva.edu/grad/branding
MFA XX Goal of the program is developing artists who will produce significant creative

Computer Art
work throughout their careers and become leaders in their chosen field
XX Faculty is comprised of internationally renowned artists, curators, critics,
theorists and industry professionals—a who’s who of New York’s art world
XX Recently renovated, state-of-the-art facilities; named one of top ten digital art
www.sva.edu/grad/computerart
schools in the world
department site: mfaca.sva.edu

The mfa Computer Art program continuously redefines itself through creative experimentation and
the discovery of new uses for today’s technology. Our approach is multidisciplinary and each student
pursues a course of study that is individually tailored. The largest graduate department at sva, we
offer more than 40 courses per semester in state-of-the-art facilities, which were completely renovated
in 2007. Creativity and the development of a personal artistic style are the program’s cornerstones.
Our greatest strength is our faculty, a literal who’s who of the New York art world, composed of inter-
nationally renowned artists, curators, critics, theorists and industry professionals.
Recently named one of the “Top Ten Digital Art Schools in the World” by ImagineFX magazine,
the mfa Computer Art program was also ranked fifth in Multimedia/Visual Communication by U.S.
News & World Report in 2007. Graduates of the department are employed by the most prestigious digi-
tal studios: Industrial Light & Magic, Pixar, DreamWorks, Disney, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Rhythm
& Hues, Digital Domain, Blue Sky Studios, mtv and Electronic Arts. Other alumni choose the entre-
preneurship of their own businesses. Those who pursue fine art careers exhibit their work in museums
and galleries, including: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, p.s.1/moma, Whitney Museum of American
Art, Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Smithsonian
American Art Museum and Tate Online.
Students come from around the world to study in our program, and the international representation
provides unique perspectives that offer different cultural approaches to the creative process. First-year
courses in studio, art history, computer systems and programming build the foundation for second-
year thesis work, which is supported through weekly critiques and related advanced areas of study.
The digital art seminar series, software workshops, guest lectures and visiting artist program provide
in-depth exposure to all areas of digital art.
Awards have been bestowed upon our students by major international competitions, including
Student Academy Awards (2004, 2007, 2008 and 2009); Adobe Design Achievement Award (2006);
YouTube Award (2006); Prix Ars Electronica; siggraph Electronic Theater and Art Show;
Webby Awards; isea; and the Leonardo Award for Excellence. Student works have appeared in such
acclaimed film festivals as Cannes, Tribeca and Sundance, and animation film festivals in Annecy,
Ottawa and New York, among dozens of others. The goal of our program is to develop artists who will
produce significant creative work throughout their careers and become leaders in their chosen field.

Bruce Wands, chair

95
Creative
Career
Change
Alumni Profile:
Myung Lee Myung Lee (MFA ’04), in her cubicle at Charlex,
a major digital design studio in New York.
The company designs and produces commer-
cials and movie trailers. Its services include
3D, effects, graphics, and branding.
The career path of Myung Lee, a graduate of the MFA Computer Art program, is as close to an
American parable as you’re going to get. She was raised in South Korea and traveled frequently due to
her father‘s career as a diplomat. She then attended school in Paris and later Georgetown, hoping to
Lee stands in front follow in her father’s footsteps by studying political science and international relations. But longing
of the job board. She
supervises dozens for something else, she decided against taking the Foreign Service exam and ended up doing paralegal
of digital artists in the work. “I could envision a life in law, but it just wasn’t creative enough,” she recalls.
3D department. Lee had always painted, but never considered something artistic as a viable career. After all, what
would her typically doting Korean parents think? But after taking a continuing education class in 3d
Animation at sva, she was “blown away.” So, after a meeting with department chair Bruce Wands,
and without any formal art training, she applied for the mfa program. “The only thing I knew
about computers was WordPerfect,” she laughingly admits. While mom and pop preferred her to attend
nyu, she chose sva. “nyu didn’t have sufficient 3d teachers that had experience in the field. And
sva’s labs updated their equipment and software every year. Staying up-to-date with the latest technology
was really important to me.”
As a testament to her studies, her collaborative thesis short film, Cold War, was a finalist in the
2004 Student Academy Awards. And her instincts about the faculty were dead on: an alumni con-
nection landed Lee her first job at Nickelodeon, which defined her career.
Fast-forward to today, and Lee is working as a cg supervisor of over 30 artists at Charlex,
a 200-plus-person production house that creates everything from TV commercials to music videos.
While she admits her experience at sva was a challenging one, Lee wouldn’t trade it for anything.
In fact, she gives her alma mater the highest honor. “sva turns out the best students because they
have the most prepared skill set,” she says. “That’s why I recruit from there today.”
And her parents? “They don’t worry anymore.”

Walking through the 3D department,


she passes the animation room. She
previously worked at Nickelodeon
Digital as a lighting technical director.
Lee works with the talents in the animation
department on their projects. On the back
wall are sketches of fellow employees, drawn
by the animators, all in good fun.

Lee sits in one of Charlex’s client


review rooms, working with the
computer program Maya. This room
is frequently used to work directly
between clients and animators,
designers, and editors.
The MFA Computer Art Department provides students with
chair interview exclusive 24/7 access to 75 networked Macintosh and PC workstations,

Bruce Wands
divided among five classrooms, an AV studio, a high-end HDTV/
surround-sound edit room, two edit rooms attached to a sound recording
booth, a video transfer/edit room and a computer art lab. We also have a
“My first exposure to computer graphics was in 1976,” recalls Bruce Wands. “I was studying televi- Chelsea studio/gallery space and workshop for those focusing on digital
sion and radio at Syracuse University, making my living as a musician, and I took some courses in fine art and installation. Students can sign out laptops, HD cameras, light
the experimental studio which taught computer graphics. We began by programming the university’s kits, tripods, audio recorders, musical instruments, DSLR cameras and a
mainframe to make art, and I could see then that computers were going to be a major force, particu- wide variety of other equipment for their creative work outside the lab.
larly in terms of graphics and networking. That perception redirected my whole career.”
“The program continually
“Computer Art is the largest graduate program at sva,” Wands expands. “The program is multidis-
evolves,” Wands says,
ciplinary, but animation has always been the core of the department. We’ve won six Student Academy
“and there’s virtually no
Awards. There is always a group of students who focus on fine art, and we have studio space to sup-
technology in our lab

On any
port them. The other parts of the program alter according to shifts of emphasis in the art and business
that’s been here for more
worlds. In recent years, for example, there’s been an increasing interest in digital video and motion
than five years.”
graphics. We maintain a diversity of courses because our students’ creativity is stimulated by interacting

given day...
with people working in different areas.”
“The program continually evolves,” Wands says, “and there’s virtually no technology in our lab
that’s been here for more than five years. Our curriculum and equipment choices are based on what
the faculty do in the professional world. My relationships in the industry, tours of studios, discussions
with faculty and visits to trade shows and conferences all help determine how we equip ourselves. We’ve
always been forward-looking in terms of both the curriculum and the technology.”
Are incoming students already technically adept? “Yes, they are,” Wands replies, “but the program 9am  Student arrives early in the lab and has access to several computers, noon – 6pm  Classes: Video Art and Beyond with Barbara London,
is still very challenging, and students focus more on developing their creativity, rather than just becom- and gets to work in a quiet environment. Video Curator at the Museum of Modern Art; Sound Design with
ing technical wizards. One of the challenges of working in the way we do is to make the technology Edgar Grana; Animation Culture with Trilby Schreiber; Stereoscopic

become almost invisible, so that the end result is more about the content than the way it was produced.” 10am  Student returns HD camera, light kit and laptop he or she signed 3D with Gerald Marks; Visual Effects for Video and Motion Graphics
out of the library. with Eric Eiser.
How do students apply what they learn in the program? “Many of those who focus on animation go
on to work for feature film companies like Industrial Light and Magic, DreamWorks, Pixar and Sony
10am – noon  Staff arrives. Students ask systems administrators for 6 – 8pm  Check out Canon 5D Mark II camera to photograph New York at
Pictures Imageworks. A fair amount stay in New York and work at the commercial production houses.
help with some of their technical issues. Students meet with our advisor night while visiting Chelsea galleries as part of Digital Art Seminars II.
We have students who go on to successful fine art careers. Several graduates are now working at the
Hsiang Chin Moe to discuss their class choices and possible internships Attend free workshop on ZBrush, then go to Greenwich Village to see
American Museum of Natural History, supporting its multimedia environment. We have one or two that
over the summer. The director of operations, Diane Field, checks in newly some live music.
go on to PhD programs each year, plus others that go into teaching. So there are quite a variety of options!” arrived equipment. Students meet with Bruce Wands, chair, to discuss
“The most important part about what students do here is to express their creativity and develop their thesis ideas and progress. Students meet with Bruce Wands,
an individual vision and style as an artist. We don’t focus too much on slotting people into an industry, Diane Field, and Hsiang Chin Moe for monthly Student Representative
because ultimately creativity is the most valuable commodity. One of the things I really try to instill in meeting to discuss how things are going, plan workshops and discuss any
students is that they should pursue their own personal creative work throughout their entire career. That’s software or hardware needs.
something that they’re in control of, something that brings them joy, and something that people in Get together with classmates in the lunchroom to talk about classes,
the industry hold in high regard. They won’t burn out if they continue to create and enjoy what they do.” events and life.

Computer Art 102 103 www.sva.edu/grad/computerart


SVA Spaces
Students log in to the wireless
network in the computer art
lab, and exhibit their creative work
in the hallway gallery (right).
The Program  The mfa Computer Art program is multidisciplinary and features several areas of Sample Program: Installation Art / Digital Fine Art / Performance
concentration: animation, motion graphics, digital video, installation and digital fine art, interactive media, and
performance. The following courses are required of all students: Digital Art Seminars I and II, two art history first year
courses, two programming courses, Computer Systems I, Thesis I and II, and Thesis Research and Writing I and II. FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits

The remainder of the program is individually tailored to each student’s interests through meetings with the Computer Systems I 3 3D for Fine Artists 3
Digital Art Seminar I 0 Contemporary Voices 3
department advisor. The first-year curriculum strengthens and broadens the students’ knowledge of and creative
History of New Media in the 20th and 21st Centuries 3 Digital Art Seminar II 0
approach to digital art in preparation for the thesis year. The second year revolves around the thesis process—the
Programming for Artists I 3 Max/MSP/Jitter I 3
completion of a body of creative work, combined with academic research and an artist’s statement. Critique and Sound Workshop I 3 New Forms in Video 3
the refinement of a personal aesthetic vision are the two most important elements of the second-year curriculum. Video for Computer Artists I 3 Physical Computing I 3
The first- and second-year academic programs are supplemented by workshops, visiting artists, guest lectures and
outreach opportunities. Degree candidates must successfully complete 60 credits, including all required courses,
and maintain a 3.0 grade point average. A matriculation of two academic years is required. In the final semester,
second year
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
students complete their thesis project and participate in a public presentation. The project must be reviewed and
Digital Sculpture I 3 Digital Sculpture II 3
approved by the thesis committee and the department chair in order for the student to be eligible for degree
Max/MSP/Jitter II 3 Max/MSP/Jitter III 3
conferral. Although most students earn their degrees in four semesters, some find it necessary or desirable to study Physical Computing II 3 Physical Computing III 3
for five or six semesters before completing the thesis process. Extended study is determined on an individual basis Thesis I 6 Thesis II 6
and important considerations such as course work, visa extension and financial aid must be resolved before Thesis Research and Writing I 0 Thesis Research and Writing II 0
extended study can be approved. Decisions concerning transfer of credit and course exemptions are made by the
committee on graduate admissions. Graduate students are also allowed to audit four undergraduate or continuing
education courses at no charge.
Sample Program: Interactive Media

Sample Program: Animation first year


FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits

first year Computer Systems I 3 Digital Art Seminar II 0

FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits


Digital Art Seminar I 0 Multimedia Studio II 3

3D Modeling and Animation 3 Advanced Modeling and Rigging Concepts 3 Multimedia Studio I 3 New Media Theory 3

Animation Culture 3 Character Animation I 3 Networked Media Seminar 3 Physical Computing I 3

Computer Systems I 3 Digital Art Seminar II 0 Sound Workshop I 3 Thesis Development 3

Digital Art Seminar I 0 Ecstasy and the Apocalypse 3 Web Programming I 3 Web Programming II 3

Story Structures I 3 Technical Direction 3


UNIX3 Thesis Development 3
second year
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits

second year Game Design 3 Advanced Interface Design 3


Interface Design 3 App Culture–The New Medium of Mobile Software  3
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
Production Issues: Interactive Media I 3 Production Issues: Interactive Media II 3
Character Animation II 3 Production Issues: Animation II 3
Thesis I 6 Thesis II 6
Dynamics and Particle Systems 3 Seminar in Musical Choices 3
Thesis Research and Writing I 0 Thesis Research and Writing II 0
Production Issues: Animation I 3 Stereoscopic 3D 3
Thesis I 6 Thesis II 6
Thesis Research and Writing I 0 Thesis Research and Writing II 0

Computer Art 106 107 www.sva.edu/grad/computerart


Course Descriptions

3D for Fine Artists Animation Culture Character Animation I & II Digital Compositing
This course will introduce the possibilities, techniques and strategies Why do we love animation? What is it doing for us—or to us? This These courses are designed to deepen students’ understanding and This course will survey a range of aesthetic issues, practical techniques
of incorporating 3D animation and modeling software into a contem- course will explore the impact of animation on our perception and skills in 3D character animation through lectures, critiques, tutorials and software applications used for digital compositing. The role of
porary fine art practice. It is intended for students who are not neces- culture through screenings, discussions and written work. We will and short projects (including team assignments). One of the impor- compositing in feature film and television commercial production will
sarily pursuing 3D animation as a specialization. Maya will serve as discuss how pervasive animated worlds influence people through tant elements of character animation is developing a character that be examined in depth through practical examples. Students will be
the exploratory platform and will be introduced through a series of entertainment, games, advertising, broadcast media, medicine, law and is believable through giving the character a strong personality and assigned short projects that reflect the ideas and techniques discussed
lectures and assignments. The course will also survey the historical and architecture. The use of animation as commentary on topics such as focusing on the character’s (and animator’s) acting performance. In in class and will present their creative work for critique.
contemporary use of 3D computer graphics in fine art. Assigned proj- politics, emotional life and intimacy will be considered. The culture of Character Animation I, students will study model rigging, animation
ects will include both still and time-based imagery. animation itself—as represented by legendary companies, people and techniques, camera angles, texture mapping and other topics central Digital montage
practices of this multifaceted art form—will also be addressed. Guest to the practice of character animation. Character Animation II will The theoretical function of montage will be investigated by examin-
Advanced Interface Design speakers and field trips are included. focus on the critique of student work. Advanced animation techniques ing how digital compositing tools and techniques have impacted the
Strategies for interface design will be explored within a conceptual such as inverse kinematics, model deformation (morphing), lip synch creation and perception of still and temporal imagery. The history
framework of content, usability and visual design. This course will App Culture: The Medium of Mobile Software and facial expressions will be explored. of montage will also be explored through selected theoretical read-
investigate the development of interactive media content and informa- This course is an introduction to designing and programming apps ings that will help students to place their personal practice within the
tion architecture as it applies to user-centered design and the specific for mobile devices, such as the iPhone and iPad. We will examine the Computer Systems I & II broader context of digital art and culture. Work will progress from the
ways of building usable, effective and meaningful interfaces. Concepts iPhone application development process using Cocoa Touch/Objective-C These courses will demystify hardware and software components of creation of still imagery to motion graphics using Adobe Photoshop,
and design strategies that incorporate layout, color, graphics, symbols, within the X-Code IDE, and students should be comfortable with the computing systems in general, and will empower students with practi- After Effects and other software. Class time will be divided between
grids and typography will be the foundation for producing interface fundamentals of programming. Lectures will address writing software cal decision-making skills of a technical nature. Lectures will cover the critical discussions and studio projects.
designs for the Web, mobile devices and kiosks. Students will create code and include a larger discussion on app culture. The steps in devel- user-interface, operating system, CPU technology and bus architecture
content and design interfaces for a variety of media. oping an app are traced from Interface Builder to deployment in the App of the platforms in the MFA Computer Art Lab and other studio Digital Sculpture I & II
Store. Each student will produce an app for the final project. computing environments. We will undertake a comparative study of In these courses, students will learn several methods of virtual to digi-
Advanced Modeling and Rigging Concepts programming languages. Further discussion will include mass storage, tal output. While in the past, high-end fabrication techniques and tech-
Creating animated characters is one of the most challenging aspects Art, Technology and the New York Avant-Garde input/output devices and networking. In addition to lectures, field trips nologies had been far from the artist’s reach, the machines, software
of contemporary filmmaking. In this course, students will learn how Computer technology in this course will be examined in the context will be made to state-of-the-art facilities. and work flows that only industry had access to are now available to
to create 3D characters from design to modeling and setup through of the artistic New York avant-garde. We will delve into discussions of digital artists to plug into and produce their own creations. Weekly
the development of a character pipeline. Considerations in charac- essential Dada and neo-Dada concepts, procedures and artists relevant Contemporary Voices assignments will familiarize students with 3D scanning, 3D printing,
ter design and how to develop a flexible nonlinear work flow will to computer technology (e.g., interactivity, hypermedia, immersion, Guest artists will discuss their work with the class in a forum designed laser and CNC milling and cutting machines, and other techniques.
be covered, as well as issues such as geometry types and topology. virtual reality and other aspects of digital art). Audio art and multi- to help students understand the work of their contemporaries. By The classes will cover all the software programs that are needed to suc-
Rigging topics will include inverse and forward kinematics, expression media will be examined in detail in this context as will the impact of exposing students to a spectrum of computer art-making possibilities, cessfully translate artistic ideas into a file format that the machines will
and binary nodes, joint placement and orientations, and binding and digital technology on the practices of poetry, painting, sculpture and this course inspires creative work and provides an opportunity to meet use to print, cut or machine build the project. This software includes,
deforming skin geometry. architecture. Students will be assigned weekly readings and must com- prospective thesis advisors and professional digital artists. but is not limited to Solidworks, Rhino, Modo, Sketchup, Sculptris,
plete a research assignment. Content will be divided into four major Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Geo Magic, Master Cam, Vcarve
Advanced Video Projects topics that reference the history of the New York avant-garde and its Digital Art Seminars I & II Pro and Cut 3D. The work of well-known artists using these tech-
After mastering the basics of creating, editing and compositing digital relevance to digital culture. These seminars address many aspects of digital art history and theory, nologies will be reviewed, as well as the history of this type of artistic
video image sequences, the issues of refining a directing style and con- including the evolution of digital technologies through an examina- production. After having mastered the basics of digital and mechanical
tent choice become relevant. Students will produce short video projects tion of the key theorists and practicing artists who have defined the methods of making art, students will begin to work on advanced proj-
and/or webcast programs that will be presented for group critique. digital media field. The primary goal is to expose students to the broad ects in the second semester. Class time will include individual, as well
Lecture topics will include directing styles, editing philosophies and range of ideas and forms of expression that the digital arts encompass. as group critique and discussions on the evolving aesthetics of this type
advanced topics. Students will clarify and expand their personal creative niche within of work. Students will be expected to produce several projects during
the context of contemporary art and culture, through research, short the course of the semester, or may use these classes as an adjunct to
written assignments and creative experimentation. This series offers fabricating their thesis project.
a historical and theoretical foundation in the digital arts, along with
establishing a familiarity with contemporary art in New York City
through gallery visits, artist talks and guest lectures.

Computer Art 108 109 www.sva.edu/grad/computerart


Dynamics and Particle Systems History of New Media in the 20th and 21st centuries Motion Graphics I & II Multimedia Studio I & II
Particles and dynamics will be used in this course to explore a variety This course will explore artistic developments in new media over the Encompassing drawing, two- and three-dimensional animation, video, Offering a context for producing multimedia and addressing issues
of special effects families, including: explosions, chemical reactions, past several decades, with a particular focus on artistic practices that stop motion, photography and typographic elements, motion graphics relating to audiovisual production and aesthetics, these courses will
flocking animals, complex morphing, meteorological phenomena, examine or embrace new circumstances in the media and technologies extend beyond the commonly used methods of frame-by-frame anima- give a solid grounding in the design and execution of multimedia,
glows, magical effects, dust and tornadoes. The effects will be built of our time. Key works will be presented and discussed in light of the tion and live action and create a conglomeration of multiple visual including interactive and network-based media artworks. In addi-
from scratch and then we will identify, refine and control the most evolution of creative expression. Students will also research and discuss styles. Motion graphics can be used to creatively go beyond the rules tion to lectures, discussion and group critique, students will work on
essential aesthetic parameters. Topics will include: particles, fields, the concepts presented by critics and theorists. The term “new media” of representation, thus augmenting the various ways that media art- short creative assignments as well as a personal project. Multimedia
goals, collision detection, the instancer, springs, paint effects, hard and will be treated broadly to include developments in contemporary art, ists can delve into their imaginations and express unique visual and is assumed to be a time-based concentration; therefore, assignments
soft bodies, deformer interaction, shader networks, glows, software interaction, Internet-based work, film, photography and radio, as well aural works. While the primary software for this course is Adobe After will incorporate audio, synchronization and motion graphics elements.
and hardware render compositing, and lighting. Students will develop as the beliefs and expectations that accompany new technologies. Effects, students are strongly encouraged to explore the creative soft- Emphasis will be placed on studio practice using Adobe Flash. The
a strong foundation in MEL (Maya Embedded Language). ware available to them, as well as experiment with traditional media. second part of this course will focus on the conceptualization and
Independent Study Project critiques will be given to develop an informed sense of refined production of interactive and networked media artworks. Emphasis
Ecstasy and Apocalypse Independent study is granted to students who wish to pursue a spe- creative expression. Motion Graphics II is intended to develop creativ- will be placed on studio practice using Flash ActionScript as the pri-
In this course, we will study selected science-fiction utopias and dys- cial project not covered by the parameters of the course curriculum. ity and a personal style, as well as hone professional and artistic skills. mary exploratory platform. Topics will focus on advanced interactivity
topias in popular culture, literature, cinema and theoretical writing Students work independently, under the tutelage of an appropriate It will focus on an innovative approach to producing motion graphics using database and rich media structures to incorporate video, audio,
from the 19th century to the present. We will begin with the question, faculty member or professional sponsor. Prior to beginning indepen- projects, including crossover (designers as artists, artists as designer), graphic imagery and typography for stand-alone, networked, and
“Why is science fiction our political theory?” in order to use the genre dent study, students must submit a detailed proposal that outlines their inspiration, osmosis and looking beyond the screen to the world mobile creative solutions. The course will consist of lecture, discussion,
to analyze relations of power and control; capitalism and the media; goals. At the end of the semester, a summary of the completed work around us. The art of title design for opening sequences will also be several creative assignments, and group critique.
ethics and freedom; and definitions of gender and race in an increas- is required. Independent study proposals must be approved by the addressed. Self-directed short- and long-term projects within an artistic
ingly bioengineered world. Among the texts will be George Orwell’s departmental advisor and the department chair. design framework will be supported, and group critiques will help to Networked Media Seminar
1984, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and develop communication and visual analytic skills. Reel building will be Students will be introduced to the history and critical theory surround-
Crake, as well as essays by Donna Haraway, Tom Moylan, Frederic Interface Design examined to further professional development. This course is for flex- ing artworks that utilize computer networks and interactive telecom-
Jameson, Scott Bukatman, Allucquére Rosanne Stone, H. G. Wells, This course will examine advanced issues and techniques of user- ible, open-minded thinkers who want to explore their creative vision munications technologies. The course will also outline the history of
Samuel Delany and Jean Baudrillard. Students will have the choice of centered design. In addition, a general approach to interface design and learn the art of communication through moving imagery. tele- and network communications and basic Internet technologies as
writing a seminar paper or creating a serious critical work in another will be explored through review of other interactive environments and well as the forms and concepts of interaction and participation related
medium for their final project. kiosk-based works. Students will be challenged to achieve unique and Multimedia Programming I & II to them. We will examine aesthetic and technological possibilities for
workable design decisions and will test their projects with prototypes. Multimedia programming concepts using Flash Action­Script as a artworks in networked environments ranging from the Internet and
Game Design Field trips and guest lectures by leading interface designers will provide foundation will be introduced in the first semester. Topics include networked installations to locative media projects using mobile devices
The study of interactive design is at the core of what is unique to cre- a forum for discussion. variables, data types, scope, conditionals, loops, functions, and pro- such as PDAs, cell phones and GPS. Through readings, discussions and
ating art on the computer. Game design is the creation of interactive, gram flow. Similar compatible languages, such as JavaScript, PHP and written assignments, class members will learn to articulate their inter-
self-contained systems of rules that usually contain a challenge and a Internship Processing, will be discussed briefly, with an emphasis on language ests and concerns as artists working with these technologies.
victory condition. This course is geared not only toward those inter- Students can gain valuable professional exposure and experience similarities and differences. Additional technologies, such as audio,
ested in the game industry, but also toward those interested in creating through an internship project with a professional sponsor or an video, XML, authoring for mobile devices and external sensors and New Forms in Video
compelling and meaningful interactivity. This goal will be met through employer. The department advisor and department chair can assist in controllers, may also be explored. These comparative looks at pro- A half century ago, video was only available through the medium of
the exploration and critique of the work of interactive artists and locating internships that reflect individual student goals. To receive gramming approaches will help students determine which will be television. Today, it is accessible through the Internet, installations,
commercial game designers. The course will include guest lectures by credit, students must get departmental approval in advance, begin the most useful during thesis development. Multimedia Programming II sculpture, performances, mobile phones, etc. The objective of this stu-
artists and game designers; readings; hands-on assignments to conceive internship by the third week of the semester and receive a positive focuses on producing highly interactive creative work, such as games, dio course is to investigate multiple means of creating and distributing
and create paper prototypes for games, and critique of student assign- evaluation from the sponsor/employer at semester’s end. installation art and rich media websites. Advanced programming top- video art. Gathering imagery using both lens-based and non-lens-based
ments, commercial games and fine art games. Students are expected ics related to the design and creation of interactive media as well as technologies will be explored, including various types of video cam-
to research and play games that lie outside the course syllabus and to Max/msp/Jitter I, II & III object-oriented programming and design will be explored through a eras such as “pinhole” CCD cameras that are used for surveillance
share those experiences in a thoughtful and meaningful way. Max/MSP is an object-oriented programming tool for creating interac- series of short assignments. applications, stop motion and time-lapse techniques. Interactive forms
tive environments with MIDI (Max), real-time audio processing (MSP), of video will be examined. We will also explore the many ways that
and real-time graphics and video processing (Jitter). Max can be used video can be displayed and acted upon, such as projection and LCDs.
for developing interactive installations and improvisation/performance Alternative distribution technologies will be covered. Students will be
systems. The first semester will cover the fundamentals of designing assigned a semester-long project to be completed in at least two of the
programs in Max, as well as how to integrate simple hardware systems following media: Internet, installation, performance, interactive screen-
and the basics of real-time sound and video processing. In the second based application, sculpture, DVD or hybrid.
semester, topics such as audio and video analysis, application develop-
ment, generative sound and 3D graphics will be covered. Max/Jitter III
is geared for students working on thesis projects in the areas of instal-
lation art, interactive video, sound art and performance, and will focus
on advanced features and application development using Max soft-
ware. Topics will also include real-time 3D graphics, improvising with
algorithms and using Max with a network.

Computer Art 110 111 www.sva.edu/grad/computerart


New Media Theory Production Issues: Interactive Media I & II Social Change in the New Media Age Stereoscopic 3D
The history and theory of new media from aesthetic, cultural and politi- These courses will examine the production process in detail, including Rather than simply looking at a series of ‘political artworks’ or Stereoscopic 3D, which provides separate images for each eye, has
cal perspectives will be outlined in this course. Key texts from science, concept development, design, budgets, contracts, scheduling, staffing, ‘political artists,’ this course aims to encourage students to reflect on been part of imaging since the dawn of photography. Working with
technology, cultural theory and philosophy will be used to illustrate testing and postproduction. Emphasis will be placed on student thesis political and ethical judgment within the terms of our contemporary stereo imagery has become increasingly valuable in entertainment and
how mediation in various forms has impacted perception, communica- projects, with the aim of teaching production methods as they are prac- cultural condition. It is organized around a series of key political and the arts and sciences. It also offers a window into visual perception
tion, information systems and cultural production. Prominent theories ticed in the professional world. By gaining a thorough understanding philosophical issues such as the public sphere, social media, intellec- and the opportunity to re-examine many of the techniques and issues
will be referenced to trace the development of the term “new media.” of these practices, students will be prepared to make the transition from tual property, privacy, technology, the nation-state, genetics and the confronted in conventional image work. This course will cover all of
Other topics include the logic of the database as a new cultural form the academic to the professional environment. In the second semester, environment. We will consider the fate of these concepts within an the diverse methods and artistic possibilities for producing and display-
as well as notions of software and the power of code’s structures and advanced programming techniques in Java­Script, ActionScript and evolving social space increasingly re-defined by new technologies of ing stereo imagery. Students will produce several projects using video,
rules. How networks affect cultural production—from social network- Lingo, as well as audio and video issues will be covered. communication, circulation and retrieval. The course will ask what still images or animation.
ing to semantic filtering to intellectual properties and urbanity—will be role art might play in charting new social, political and ethical frame-
explored. Through lectures, reading assignments and discussions, new Programming for Artists I & II works to address present circumstances. Story Structures I & II
media will be positioned in this larger cultural context. Through lectures and short weekly assignments, students will explore Story Structures I will study the structural elements underlying animated
various applications of computer programming and discuss their Sound Design entertainment, visual music and experimental linear and nonlinear art
Physical Computing I, II & III advantages over commercially available software products. Topics The fundamentals of sound design will be the focus of this course. forms. Traditional story and musical structures will be examined to
Through lectures, demonstrations, critiques and field trips, these will include understanding computer architecture, basic program- Underscoring the visual image and how the principles of music work discover what kinds of experience can be conveyed within electronic
courses will examine artworks and technologies that interface com- ming constructs, a survey of languages and their applications, proce- with time-based and interactive media will be addressed. Topics will entertainment and art. Story Structures II will focus on honing the craft
puting with objects and spaces in the physical world. In Physical dural vs. object-oriented programming, and graphics programming, include: selection and use of prerecorded material; creation of music of writing the screenplay and storyboard structure. Students will further
Computing I, students will become familiar with basic electronics, as well as an introduction to the Processing programming language and audio content; music and sound production time constraints for develop concepts such as the central dramatic question, inciting incident,
sensing technologies, simple microcontrollers, and computer-controlled and environment. Programming for Artists II concentrates on object- animations, websites, DVDs, videos and other digital media projects idiosyncratic characters and environments, conflicts and needs, mount-
motors and other actuators. Installations, robotics, telepresence and oriented and graphics programming, and will introduce the Java and developing the final track. Discussions will center on the differ- ing tension, turning points, reversals and denouement. Throughout both
network-based projects that utilize these technologies will be exam- programming language and environment. Understanding computer ences between working with sound in a narrative and an interactive semesters, students will develop an original story concept or adaptation
ined. Physical Computing II will offer an in-depth examination and architecture, 2D and 3D image processing, intermediate program- environment. Projects will be presented for in-class critique. realized as an animatic with sound.
discussion of available technologies for creating interactive artworks ming constructs and rich media Web solutions will be addressed.
and installations. Physical Computing III will focus on exploring Sound Workshop I & II Technical Direction
solutions for individual student projects. While the emphasis of these Seminar in Musical Choices Intended as an introduction to the creative possibilities of the medium A technical director manages the relationship between software
courses is highly technical, the development and realization of art- Guiding students toward a process for designing a sound environ- of sound, Sound Workshop I gives equal emphasis to conceptual ideas options and computational processes in the animation production
works will be the primary focus. ment that is properly connected to their visual concept is the premise relating to sound composition—structure, form, texture—and technical pipeline in order to achieve optimum visual results using the most eco-
of this course. The process will provide a sound accompaniment to considerations in gaining competency with the equipment. Concepts nomic means. This course will study script-based approaches to model-
Production Issues: Animation I & II help students better realize the story line and the motion of characters relating to the physics and biology of sound, as well as the history of ing, rigging and constraints, texture mapping and shaders, illumination
Through an examination of the production of animation projects, involved in their animations. website designers and installation art- sound recording technology, are included. The focus is on creating and algorithms, renderers and rendering, compositing and other 3D anima-
these courses will explore such topics as animation choreography, cam- ists can achieve a strong musical reference point in order to formulate refining “sound art” compositions. Students will also learn the process tion tools and techniques. Shell scripting, MEL and the Maya expres-
era and character motion, texturing, lighting, visual effects, rendering a soundtrack that parallels to their visuals. Students will learn how of “sound design” that refers to creating sound to accompany video or sion language will be examined in detail.
and compositing. The main focus will be the creation of thesis projects, to make music choices for projects that will guide artistic vision or film imagery. Sound Workshop II will introduce conceptual and tech-
with the aim of teaching production methods as they are practiced in enhance what is already conceived. nical contexts for the composition of music. Course work will include
the professional world. Assignments focus on the conceptualization, creative projects, in-class listening, critique, lecture and discussion.
design, scheduling and techniques of animation production. Digidesign Pro Tools will be the primary digital audio editing soft-
ware/hardware em­ployed. Music composition using MIDI sequencing
and real-time “surround-sound” mixing is included.

Computer Art 112 113 www.sva.edu/grad/computerart


Theory, Criticism and History of Time-Based Media Thesis Research and Writing I & II Video for Computer Artists I & II Visual Effects for Video and Motion Graphics I & II
As the first time-based medium, film quickly became a primary means Intended to help students to better articulate thesis ideas, concepts and In the analog and early digital eras of video technology, working with The field of visual effects continues to evolve as an important creative
of cultural expression and an icon of popular culture. Early works by context, this course will focus on preliminary research, finalizing the the- video as an artistic medium was expensive and complicated. Now, cornerstone of film and video production. Increasingly being used to
Thomas Edison included live action, stop motion and animation, lay- sis proposal, and writing the research paper. Students will meet with the however, video literacy is becoming a skill set for millions of people create a montage of live action, 3D animation, 2D animation and stop
ing the groundwork for digital video, motion graphics and computer instructor in groups and individually. In the second semester, an artist’s every year. This entry-level studio course will cover video produc- motion, it has spawned a new creative discipline called motion graph-
animation. Although digital projection, 3D and Web-based technologies statement, project description, resume and short biography will be writ- tion and postproduction from a self-reliant standpoint; being able to ics. In these courses, students will learn live action camera techniques,
have begun to supercede the film medium, its history, including video ten. These materials, along with the thesis proposal and research paper, acquire and edit video imagery without the need for a huge budget, lighting, motion capture, editing and compositing, in order to incor-
and animation, provides a wellspring of ideas and practices that demand will prepare the student to enter the professional world. cast and crew. Students will learn to use various types of SD and porate live video into synthetic virtual environments, and vice-versa.
theoretical and critical analysis. This course will address the vocabulary, HD camcorders, microphones, lighting, Final Cut Pro and various From the basics of how to prepare and design a scene for a chroma
grammar and syntax of experimental and mainstream film language, 3D Modeling and Animation hardware and software resources. Video for Computer Artists II will key shot, to creating the digital elements that blend with the live
while examining and analyzing basic film constructs, genres and forms. The technical concepts of creating computer-generated 3D imagery as center on further exploration of the conceptual and technical possibili- action, students will become adept at seamlessly integrating live and
Focusing on these issues from an international perspective, students well as the application of the aesthetic concepts of traditional animation ties inherent in creating video artworks. Students will have creative digital elements. Students will work as a team, as well as be assigned
will explore time-based media through the works of theorists, critics and to 3D animation will be examined in this course. Geo­metric construc- latitude to pursue subjects that interest them, culminating in a final individual projects. In the second semester, experimenting with
practitioners. Reading and writing assignments will be complemented tion techniques, surface texturing, scene illumination and cameras will project of their choosing. In addition to learning more about produc- advanced techniques, strengthening design, work flow, scheduling and
by student presentations, guest lectures and discussion. be covered. Techniques such as squash-and-stretch, anticipation, fol- tion and postproduction, we will examine modes of distribution, such software skills will be demonstrated in concert with in-progress thesis
low-through, overlapping action, arcs of motion, exaggeration, staging as preparing video for Net-based, optical media-based or installation projects and class assignments. Industry experts will guest lecture,
Thesis I & II and appeal will also be explored. Assignments will integrate technical art projects. show their work, answer questions and lead discussions on the current
The thesis project is the body of creative work students produce to and aesthetic information into short, creative 3D animation projects. trends and commercial aspects of film/video production, animation
earn their degree. In Thesis I, students will finalize a written thesis Virtual Reality Seminar and motion graphics, as well as critique student work.
proposal, conduct research and begin their creative work. Students are UNIX This course is designed to investigate the theoretical and historical
expected to present their work and attend group critiques on a weekly The UNIX operating system remains an essential tool to the computer bases of immersive virtual reality (VR) art. It will primarily do so by Web Programming I & II
basis. Thesis II will guide students in the final stages of thesis produc- artist. This course will strive to prepare students to go beyond the investigating immersion, the experience considered as the indispensable Students will be introduced to the Web programming software used
tion by providing a forum for discussion and critique of work-in-prog- basic functionality of UNIX and into the realm of scripting—where the characteristic of VR. Lectures, readings and discussion will demon- by professional design firms as well as the concepts used to create
ress. Students will work closely with their thesis group leader and meet real power and flexibility of the operating system lies. Along the way, strate that immersion into virtual electronic space is the cornerstone dynamic content for the Web. The course will cover HTML code and
with the department chair throughout the process. Guest critics will we will explore topics that will help students to understand and con- to understanding contemporary VR culture, as well as certain key Adobe Flash. JavaScript will be used for client-side dynamic pages;
also be brought into the thesis classes to provide additional input. At trol the environment in which they work, and learn the tools that will aspects of previous cultures. This investigation will lead the student CSS, XML, JSP and introductory database techniques will be explored
the end of the year, students will present their completed work to the help achieve goals more quickly and efficiently. to the formulation of an aesthetic theory of immersive consciousness, to add functionality to a Web application. How to learn new software
public at the MFA Computer Art thesis presentations, giving students indicative of immersive culture, by joining choice examples of simula- as it becomes available and how to modify existing codes will also be
the opportunity to present their work to professionals and recruiting Video Art and Beyond cra technology into mental connections, with relevant examples from examined. Integration of browser-based scripting and server-side tech-
companies. The thesis exhibition at the Visual Arts Gallery in Chelsea This course begins by examining the emergence of video art in the art and architecture, as well as technology, myth, space, gender studies niques will be covered in depth. A technical foundation for meaningful
provides a venue for exhibition in a gallery setting. 1960s, through structuralist films and the freewheeling days of “feed- and philosophy. interactivity using the Internet will be the primary goal of the course
back” and “real-time” manipulation of the analog electronic signal. and students will conduct research into the programming techniques
Thesis Development Students will examine how the barriers between artistic disciplines demonstrated. Topics will also include: coordinating the use of various
Intended to assist students in the defining and production of a thesis broke down as artists took up portable video cameras, experimented languages, such as JavaScript, HTML, PHP and ActionScript; debug-
proposal, this course will examine approaches to clearly articulate with installation, staged actions and went outdoors to build land art. ging of programs; the Document Object Model that underlies Dynamic
the central concept of the thesis and the implementation of idea to the Works of contemporary video artists who move freely between paint- HTML; application servers; file and socket operations; and ECMA
creative process. Through short readings and written exercises that ing, sculpture, photography, film, performance and other media will be script and databasing.
introduce students to the major texts and resources in their chosen field discussed, as well as the contributions by musicians toward developing
of interest, we will focus on initial research strategies for the develop- new working methods. The course will consist of weekly screenings,
ment of a thesis project. Students will undertake a series of short analysis of installations, readings and written assignments.
projects that include documentation, proposals, book reports and pro-
totypes. Students will also gain experience presenting and discussing
their creative ideas in class.

Computer Art 114 115 www.sva.edu/grad/computerart


Professional Faculty
Barbara London, associate curator,
Department of Media and Performance
Art, Museum of Modern Art, walks through
the MoMA interior. London teaches the
Video Art and Beyond class at SVA. (left)
The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture
Garden at MoMA.
Faculty

Bruce Wands Robert Bowen Kathy Brew Joshua Davis


Chair, MFA Computer Art Department, director of computer Principal, Robert Bowen Studio. Formerly, director, RGA Print, RGA Producer, curator. Formerly, co-director, Margaret Mead Film & Principal, Joshua Davis Studios
education, School of Visual Arts; artist/writer/musician; producer/ Digital Studio Video Festival, American Museum of Natural History; director, clients include: Bad Boy Online, Sony, Nike, Barney’s New York,
director, Wands Studio; director, New York Digital Salon Education: BA, St. Lawrence University; MFA, Pratt Institute Thundergulch/Lower Manhattan Cul­tural Council; senior associate PS1/MoMA, Motown Records, Canon, Whitney Museum of American
Education: BA, cum laude, Lafayette College; MS, Clients include: Adobe, Disney, Intel, Kodak, AT&T, American producer, City Arts, WNET Art, Diesel
Syracuse University Express, Coca-Cola, Silicon Graphics, Bacardi Education: BA, cum laude, Middlebury College Awards include: Golden Nica, Prix Ars Electronica
Author: Art of the Digital Age, Digital Creativity publications include: Cabinet, Camerawork, Afterimage, video projects include: Regret to Inform; ID/entity: Portraits in
Group exhibitions include: Art in the Digital Era, Tampa, FL; Pinhole Journal the 21st Century; Paradise Now: Picturing the Genetic Revolution; Andy Deck
D-ART Online Digital Art Gallery; Computer Graphics Invita- exhibitions include: MF Adams Gallery; Haim Chanin Fine Arts; Penetration and Transparency: Morphed; Mixed Messages Media artist; co-founder, Transnational Temps
SIGGRAPH; Vanderbuilt University; 55 Mercer; Collective for Living Curatorial consultant: Scanners: The New York Video Education: BFA, BA, University of Michigan; MFA, School of
tional, Greeley, CO; Electronics Alive III, IV, V, Tampa; Creativity
Cinema; Paulo Salvador Gallery; Boston Museum of Science Festival; “Engaging Characters,” Art Interactive, Cambridge, Visual Arts; Post-diplôme, École Nationale Supérieure des Arts
& Cognition, Goldsmith College, London; International Digital
collections include: Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum MA; Reel New York, WNET; ReFrame; Tribeca Film Institute; Décoratifs, Paris
Media and Arts Exhibition, Florida; First Beijing International of American Art, Brooklyn Museum Redhouse Cultural Center Exhibitions include: Peer2Peer, Los Angeles; Telspan,
New Media Arts Exhibition; ASCI Digital 01 Exhibition, New awards include: Best Computer Graphics, Best Digital Photography, Publications Include: Women, Art, and Technology; Washington, DC; “Copy It. Steal It. Share It.,” Istanbul; Social
York; Art and Science International, National Museum of Fine Art, Best in Show, Kodak VIP Image Search; Gold Award, special effects, Documentary; Civilization; High Performance; Art Coast; Shift Capital; Net_Condition, Karlsruhe; Ciberart, Bilbao; “Andy Deck
China; SIGGRAPH Art Gallery; Hong Kong Arts Centre; Museum Advertising Photographers of America; Gold Award, International Awards and honors include: Emmy Award, CEC ArtsLink Retrospective,” Furtherfield.org; “Conexion Remota,” Barcelona;
het Toreke, Tienen, Belgium; New-York Historical Society Film and Television Institute Fellowship Ars Electronica, Linz; “Medi@terra 2000,” Open Source Lounge,
Conferences include: Victoria & Albert Museum, London; Athens; Glimpses, Athens; VIDA 4.0, Madrid; Mejan Labs, Stockholm;
British Computer Society, London; University of London Inter- Ed Bowes Todd Brous Artport, Whitney Museum of American Art; P.S.1/MoMA; Machida
national Conference on the Arts in Society, Venice; International Video producer, director, writer Co-founder, Untwist Technology, LLC City Museum, Tokyo; Moving Image Gallery; Postmasters Gallery;
Conference on Interaction Design, Tsinghua University, Beijing; Education: LeMoyne College Education: BS, Tulane University; MFA, School of Visual Arts Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; ZKM Center for Art and Media,
Film and Video Works include: Producer, Fatachee. Producer, Clients include: Morgan Stanley/Dean Witter, Nickelodeon Digital, Karlsruhe, Germany
ISEA, Singapore; College Art Association
director, writer, Picture-Book; Spitting Glass; How to Fly; Better, Mass Illusion Visual Effects, WCBS-TV, Quiet Man Publications Include: From Technological to Virtual Art; Internet
Grants include: National Endowment for the Arts; Rockefeller
Stronger; Romance. Director of photography, Split Britches, Two Art; WWW.Animation: Animation Design for the World Wide Web;
Foundation; New York State Council on the Arts; National En- Moon July, Everglade City, Born in Flames. Writer, Nets; Oh, No, Kevin Brownie Net_Condition: Art and Global Media; Art of the Digital Age
dowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA, U.K.) Paula; Headlands; Angles Layout and storyboard artist Awards include: First Place, Shift­Space Commission
Awards and honors include: National Science Foundation Awards and honors include: New York State Council on the Education: BFA, Concordia University, Montreal website: www.artcontext.net
panelist; New York State Council on the Arts panelist; “One of Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Jerome Foundation, New TElevision and film Projects include: Beavis and Butt-Head,
the 99 People to Watch in 1999” Time Out New York; “Top Ten York Foundation for the Arts, Rockefeller Foundation, Art Matters Bugs Bunny’s Lunar Tunes Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers, An Carl Edwards
Digital Arts Schools in the World” ImagineFX, U.K.; Depart- Inc.; Distinguished Artist-Teacher Award, School of Visual Arts American Tale II, Heavy Metal, The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin, Computer graphics animator
ment Website named “100 Best Sites of 2002” for Best Original website: www.edbowes.org Dennis the Menace, Meerkats, C.O.P.S., TV Funhouse (Saturday Education: BA, University of Illinois, Chicago
Web Art, Yahoo Internet Life; Gold Medal, Chicago Film Festi- Night Live) Clients include: Sam Edwards Editing Group, Inc.; Lester Weiss
val; Silver Medal, New York International Film and TV Festival; Group Exhibitions include: Puchinello Gallery, Toronto; Galerie Computer Animation and Data Motion Arts; Doros Motion; Magno
Silver Award, Art Directors Club; NCGA Educator’s Scholarship; Monk Breton, Montreal; Village by the Grange, Toronto; Ottawa City Sound & Video; Transcom Media; Digital Animation; PM Audiovisual
Hall; Musée des Beaux Arts du Quebec
National Safety Council Award for Excellence. Board of directors,
Thyrza Nichols Goodeve
NYC/ACM SIGGRAPH; advisory board, 3D Design Conference;
Michael J. Connor Producer, writer. Formerly, research associate, Whitney Museum of
Keynote speaker: University of London, Wabash College Curator. Formerly, head of exhibitions, British Film Institute; American Art
Website: www.brucewands.com curator, FACT, Liverpool Education: BA, Sarah Lawrence College; MA, New York University;
Education: BA, with honors, University of North Carolina, PhD, University of California, Santa Cruz
Timothy J. Anderson Chapel Hill Books and Anthologies include: How Like a Leaf; Ellen
Audio editor, sound designer, composer Curatorial projects include: “Screen Worlds,” Australian Gallagher, A Painter in III Acts; Peter Halley; Louise Bourgeois;
Education: BM, Berklee College of Music; MFA, New York Centre for the Moving Image, Melbourne; “1001 Nights,” Postmasters The Monster’s Progress: The Art of James Barsness
University Gallery; “The New Normal,” Independent Curators International/ Publications include: Artforum, Parkett, Art in America, The
CLIENTS INCLUDE: Splash Studios, Flea Theater, Manhattan Ensemble Artists Space; “Tiny, Funny, Big and Sad,” British Film Institute; Village Voice, Guggenheim magazine
Theater, Berkshire Theater Festival, Marymount College, Toshiba/ “JODI: Computing 101B”, “Welcome to the Infinite Fill Zone,”
EMI, Douglas Cuomo, Miller Music FACT, Liverpool
Films and video projects INCLUDE: Dark Days, Let it Snow, Publications include: RealTime, Austin Chronicle, AlterNet.
War Zone, Kill by Inches, Tomorrow Night, Greener Grass, The org. Exhibition catalogs include: DIVE; The New Normal; JODI:
Adulterer, Edge City Computing 101B; Marina Zurkow

Computer Art 118 119 www.sva.edu/grad/computerart


Edgar David Grana Russet Lederman Jarryd Lowder Federico Muelas
Composer, music consultant Digital artist Media developer; systems administrator, MFA Computer Art New media artist
Education: BA, Washington & Jefferson College; MFA, University of Education: BA, Sarah Lawrence College; MFA, School of Visual Arts Department, School of Visual Arts Education: BFA, Universidad de Castilla;
Iowa; MM, Juilliard School New media exhibitions include: New York Digital Salon, Prix Education: BFA, University of Iowa; MFA, School of Visual Arts MFA, School of Visual Arts
WORKS INCLUDE: Moments: A Tribute to José Limón, Lincoln Center; Ars Electronica, Lab 01, Cast 01, Neovideo International Film Festival, Clients include: MTV, Organic, Nickelodeon, Luaka Bop, Tommy Group exhibitions include: Ars Electronica, Linz; Stuttgart
Six Pieces for Piano, Symphony Space; Stones, Time and Elements: ISEA, Sonar, Graz Biennial on Media and Architecture, European Hilfiger, Pseudo.com, Nuforia, Splash Studios Filmwinter Festival, Germany; PS122; Japan Media Festival, Tokyo;
A Humanist Requiem (with Kurt Vonnegut and Michael Brecker), Media Art Festival, Docs Online, Remote Lounge, Rotterdam Performances include: NTT/ICC, Tokyo; The Cooler; Metronom, Barcelona; Location One; Electrohype Biennial, Sweden;
Newport Classics; Lyric Episode for Orchestra, Bedford Springs International Film Festival, Stuttgarter Film Festival Postmasters Gallery; Roulette; Circulo de Bellas Artes, Madrid; ARCO 2005, Madrid; PikseliACHE Festival, Helsinki; New Jersey
Arts Festival, PA; music for Budd Schul­berg’s On the Waterfront; Publications include: Leonardo, The New York Times, Circa, Abstrakt Future Lounge; Transmedia Festival, San Francisco; Knitting Film Festival; Cuban Digital Salon, La Havana; Katzen Arts Center,
String Quartet No. 2 HOW, New Art Examiner, Art Journal Factory; Tonic; National Museum of the American Indian; Prix Ars American University, Washington, DC
AWARDS AND GRANTS INCLUDE: Chicago Film Festival; First Collections include: Swiss Federal Office of Culture; Smithsonian Electronica Recombinant, Linz Awards include: New York Foundation for the Arts, Life 7.0,
International New Music Festival; Platinum Record, Winger Institution, Washington, DC; Rhizome Artbase Awards and honors include: Roulette Emerging Artist SGAE, La Caixa, Spanish Cultural Council, UNESCO, Experimental
AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDE: Smithsonian New Media/New Commission Television Center
In Pyo Hong Century, Prix Ars Electronica, HOW magazine interactive, File Publications include: NYARTS, Rhizome Digest, Neo2
Computer graphics animator New Media Festival Robert Mahoney Magazine, Tentaciones, El Pais, Metro, El Ciberpais, untitled art
EDUCATION: BS, Kwang-Woon University; Art critic magazine, Art of the Digital Age
MFA, School of Visual Arts Boaz Livny Education: BA, College of the Holy Cross; MA, University of website: www.federicomuelas.com
Group Exhibitions and screenings include: Holland Animation Owner, Vision Animations Inc. Wisconsin at Madison
Festival, Hawaii International Film Festival, San Francisco Asian Education: MA, Bournemouth University Publications include: Time Out New York, Art in America, Joseph Nechvatal
American International Film Festival, Sedona International Film Clients include: Plus et Plus, The Wilderness, Beverage Media ARTnews, Art on Paper, D’Art International, Tema Celeste, Artnet Digital artist, writer
Festival, NY Asian American International Film Festival, Puchon Group Ltd., Iceberg Vodka, Suzy Systems, Walsh Family Media Education: BFA, Southern Illinois University;
Interna­tional Fantastic Film Festival, Japan Digital Animation Festival, Author: mental ray for Maya, 3ds Max, XSI: A 3D Artist’s Gerald Marks MFA, Cornell University
New York Digital Salon, Art for Healing Guide to Rendering Video director, printmaker, digital artist One-person Exhibitions include: Galerie Mabel Semmier, Paris;
Clients include: CBN Network, Sci Fi Channel, Credit Suisse, printed editions for: Helen Frankenthaller, Roy Lichtenstein, Galerie Karin Sachs, Munich; Galerie Antoine Candou, Paris; Galerie
Starbucks, Kenny Scharf Studio, Matrix Art Collective Barbara London Andy Warhol, Marisol, Robert Indiana, Alan D’Arcangelo, Red RLBQ, Marseilles; Moving Image Gallery; Brooke Alexander; Galerie
Awards and honors include: Grand Jury Prize, New York Curator of Video and Media, Museum of Modern Art Grooms, Leo Castelli Gallery, Tibor de Nagy Gallery Berndt, Cologne
International Film and Video Festival; Best Animation, Long Island Education: BA, Hiram College; MA, New York University Clients include: The Rolling Stones, Sony, Nashville Ballet, Books include: Selected Writings, An Ecstasy of Excess, Excess in
Big Fish Film Festival; Best Animation, San Diego Asian Film Festival; Curatorial works include: “Masters of Anima­tion: Hayao American Cinematographer, Atlantic Records, Metropolitan Transit the Technomediacratic Society
Lyon Asian Film Festival Miyazaki and Isao Takahata”; “TimeStream”; “Music and Media” Authority, Scholastic Publications Collections include: Israel Museum, Jerusalem; Los Angeles
Publications include: Leonardo, ARTnews, Shisedo, Art in Exhibitions include: Metropolitan Transit Authority; Sony County Museum of Art; Weatherspoon Art Gallery, NC; Museum of
Everett Kane America, Camera Obscura ExploraScience, Beijing; Alternative Museum, New York Hall of Modern Art; Musée Leon Dier, La Reunion, France; Moderna Museet,
Education program director, Location One; game designer; Awards and honors include: National Endowment for the Arts, Science, American Museum of Natural History Stockholm; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; National
3D character modeler/rigger; programmer CAC, Trust for Mutual Understanding, Locarno Video Festival, awards and honors include: Visiting scholar, Spatial Imaging Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
Education: BA, Princeton University; BFA, with distinction, Asian Cultural Council Group, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; artist-in-residence, Awards and Honors include: Massachusetts Council of the Arts;
MFA, Art Center College of Design Exploratorium, San Francisco; artist-in-residence, Mid-American National Endowment for the Arts; New York Foundation for the Arts;
Clients include: Klasky Csupo, Pixel Blocks, DZI, California Museum, Hot Springs, AK; design award, Villager; set design award, Foundation for Contemporary Performance Arts, Inc; Pollock-Krasner
Institute of Technology, Weiden & Kennedy, Vogue (Europe), Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival Foundation Award; CAPS. Artist residencies include: Cité des Arts
New York Festivals Internationale, Paris; Foundation Claude-Nicolas Ledoux, Arc-en-
Exhibitions include: Los Angeles Arboretum; Vinoli Gallery, Adam Meyers Seine, France; Arbois, France
Los Angeles; Vincent Gallery, Los Angeles; Art Center College of Producer
Design, Pasadena, CA; Pillers Gallery, Los Angeles; Schkolne EDUCATION: AD, Full Sail University
Projects, Los Angeles Clients include: Saturday Night Live, MTV, Bravo, Nickelodeon
website: www.homepage.mac.com/everettkane Group exhibitions include: Pegasus Galleries, Next Gallery,
Maxwell Gallery, Park Galleries
Jeannie Kang 
Senior user experience design consultant, Adobe Systems Incorporated  Nikita Mikros
Education: BA, Ewha Womans University; Software developer; consultant; partner, Flying Mikros Brothers
MFA, School of Visual Arts Education: BA, Queens College; MFA, School of Visual Arts
Professional experience includes: Art director, Digitas; Clients include: Public Health Research Institute, France
designer, R/GA Telecom, Association of American Publishers, SIGGRAPH,
Publication: W.E.B. (Korea) Pandemonium magazine
Website: http://www.jeanniek.net

Computer Art 120 121 www.sva.edu/grad/computerart


Professional Opportunities
Graduating students present their thesis work at the end of the
academic year in the SVA Theatre. Students also exhibit at open
studios, the Visual Arts Gallery and on the department’s Web
site. These events provide an opportunity for students to show their
work to recruiting companies, curators and gallery owners.
In addition, our students have received internships and employ­
ment with animation, video, interactive media and Internet
production facilities that include DreamWorks, Industrial Light
Kurt Ralske John F. Simon Jr.  Michele Thursz & Magic, Pixar, MTV, Nickelodeon, Rhythm & Hues, Disney,
Video artist, composer, programmer Digital artist  Curator; producer; consultant; director, founder, Post Media Network; Sony Pictures Imageworks, Charlex, and the American Museum
Education: BA, Hunter College Education: BA, BS, Brown University; MA, Washington University; founder, Moving Image Gallery of Natural History. Graduates have been awarded artist residencies
Performances and Exhibitions include: Bronx Museum of MFA, School of Visual Arts Curatorial projects include: “They Always Say That Time and exhibitions at Eyebeam, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum,
the Arts; Guggenheim Museum Bilbao; Prague Biennale; Contem­ One-person exhibitions include: Collezione Maramotti, Reggio Changes Things...,” Armand Hammer Museum of Art, University Whitney Museum of American Art and the Lower Manhattan
porary Art Museum, Istanbul; Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Emilia, Italy; Galeria Javier Lopez, Madrid; Gering & López Gallery; of California, Los Angeles; “Inflatable Architectural Body,” Andrew Cultural Council, as well as grants from the New York Foundation
Art; Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art; Palais des Beaux Arts, Sandra Gering Gallery; University Art Museum, SUNY Albany; Edlin Gallery; “Meme: Romanticism,” EFA Gallery; “public.exe: for the Arts and the Picasso Foundation.
Brussels; De Singel, Antwerp; SelfWare, Graz; American Museum of Knoxville Museum of Art, TN; SITE Santa Fe, NM Public Execution,” Exit Art; “Democracy is Fun?,” Whitebox; “Copy
the Moving Image Group exhibitions include: Digital Art Museum (DAM), it, Steal it, and Share it,” Borusan, Istanbul
Author, programmer: Auvi (http://auv-i.de) Berlin; iMAL Center for Digital Cultures and Technology, Brussels; Publications include: ArtByte, Forbes.com, Wired, ARTnews
Awards and honors include: First Prize, Transmediale Museum of Contemporary Art, Cleveland, OH; Shanghai Zendai website: www.michelethursz.com
International Media Art Festival, Berlin; National Science Foundation; Museum of Modern Art; Museo Extremeño e Iberoamericano de Arte
Renew Media Arts Fellow, Rockefeller Foundation Contemporáneo, Badajoz, Spain; Tweed Museum of Art, University of Erik Wesselak 
Minnesota, Deluth; Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei; Opelousas Animator, programmer 
Steve Rittler Museum of Art, LA; Visual Arts Gallery; Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Education: BS, MS, University of Illinois
Animator, illustrator New Zealand; Seoul Museum of Art, Korea; Stedman Art Gallery, Professional experience includes: Senior technical director,
Education: MFA, Pratt Institute Rutgers University, Camden, NJ; University Museums, University of California Academy of Sciences; production programmer, American
Clients include: Cyclotron, GLC Productions, Blink.fx, Disney Richmond, VA; Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, CT Museum of Natural History; technical director, Blink.f
Interactive, Image Design, Manhattan Transfer, W.W. Norton and Collections include: Museum of Modern Art; Solomon R.
Co., Image Interactive, Image Entertainment, Van Nostrand Reinhold, Guggenheim Museum; Whitney Museum of American Art; San Grahame Weinbren
Columbia University Law School, Crozier Keystone Health Service, Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Los Angeles County Museum Filmmaker; interactive cinema producer; film and video editor; princi-
W.B. Saunders Medical Publishers, Dismar Corp., Century 21 Real of Art; Brooklyn Museum; Ulrich Museum of Art; Progressive pal, Typhoon Sky Inc.; editor, Millennium Film Journal
Estate, United Steel Workers Corporation, Cleveland, OH; Ackland Art Museum; Albright-Knox Education: BA, University College, London; PhD, SUNY Buffalo
Publications and films include: Nor Gloom of Nyght, Art Gallery group Exhibitions include: Whitney Museum of American Art;
ARTBYTE, Morrigan, The Art of Three-Dimensional Computer Publications include: Art of the Digital Age, At the Edge of Art, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum;
Animation and Imaging, Principles of Three-Dimensional Computer New Media Art, Creative Code, New Media in Late 20th-Century Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge, MA; Museum of Contemporary Art,
Graphics Animation, JASTA Art, Art in America, Artforum, The New Yorker, ARTnews, The New Los Angeles; The Kitchen; Zecher Sollern, Dortmund, Germany;
Exhibitions and screenings include: Anima Mundi; Toronto York Times, Forbes, ArtByte, Wall Street Journal, New York maga- NTT/ICC, Tokyo
Worldwide Short Film Festival; Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema; zine, Art & Auction, Time Interactive cinema installations include: Frames, The Erl
California Sun International Animation Festival; East Lansing Film King, Tunnel, March, Sonata
Festival; Folioscope; Mendrisio Cartoon; Denver Underground Film Amresh Sinha Awards and honors include: Massachusetts Council on the Arts
Festival; Short Pictures International Film Festival; Los Angeles Filmmaker and Humanities, Arts Council of Great Britain, New York Foundation
International Short Film Festival; SIGGRAPH 2003 Art Gallery, San Diego Education: BA, Patna University; MA, Jawaharlal Nehru University; for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, New York State
Awards and honors include: Vancouver Effects and Animation MA, SUNY at Buffalo; PhD, York University Council on the Arts
Festival, Annecy Animation Festival, Motion Art Festival, WorldFest director: Convict & the Trial, Quit India Movement website: www.grahameweinbren.net
Houston, Canadian International Film & Video Festival, Chicago publications include: Connecticut Review; Spectacular Optical;
International Television Competi­tion, Brooklyn Film Festival The Making of Modern Bihar; Patriot; In Practice: Adorno, Critical Ada Whitney
Theory and Cultural Studies; Lost in the Archives; German Culture Creative director, Beehive. Formerly, art director, Broadway Video
Trilby Schreiber and Society; The Review of Education, Pedagogy, and Cultural Education: BA, Beloit College
Designer, illustrator, writer, producer Studies; Subtitles: On the Foreignness of Film; Film-Philosophy; Clients include: HBO, Showtime, ABC, ESPN, HGTV, PBS,
Education: BA, Harvard University Colloquy: Text, Theory, Critique; Scope Disney, MTV, NBC, Spike, AMC, Comedy Central, Time Warner
Clients include: Playboy, Cartier, Global Finance Cable, Quicksilver, Sundance, TNT
Honors include: Vice chair, program chair, NYC/ACM SIGGRAPH Kurt Teske  Exhibitions include: PS122; Executive Gallery; P.P.O.W.;
Writer, producer, director  Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, Buffalo, NY; A.I.R. Gallery;
Richard Shupe Education: BA, Harvard College; MS, Columbia University P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center
Principal, FMA, New York Professional experience: Executive producer, Soodalter Publications include: Res, Communication Arts, Shoot,
Education: BS, Lehigh University Associates / Sam Edwards Group; Harold Friedman Consortium Millimeter, Film & Video
CD Projects include: All Access: The Horde Tour; Freak Show; Author: Feng Shui for Success. Plays include: The Exarch of Awards include: Gold Award, International Monitor; Promax;
The Gingerbread Man; Bad Day on the Midway; Society of Mind; Buffalonia; The Heiress from Adesando; The Escape from Television Broadcast Designers Association; Communication Arts; Print;
The Complete Maus; Site kiosks, Ad Club of New York City. Screenplays include: Full Ratchet, Blindsided, Rumspringa Creativity; Art Directors Club; Type Directors Club
Clients include: Gotham Group; Barnett Group; Barry Blaue; Film and television projects include: Via Crucis, Tree
iVillage; LPNY; Simon & Schuster, Inc.; Prentice Hall; MTV; Connections. Producer of animation, graphics and editorial for com-
IBM; WGMS-FM; Sullivan & Co.; WNEW; Showtime; mFactory; mercials, including: Snickers, Citibank, Pepsi, General Mills, Kodak,
MacDirectory; WPLJ American Express, AT&T, Lever Bros., New York Lottery, Frito-Lay
Awards and honors include:  CLIO; Film Grant, CUNY

Computer Art 122 123 www.sva.edu/grad/computerart


Guest Lecturers

Cory Arcangel Lauren Cornell Yael Kanarek Jillian Mcdonald Rich Quade Vivian Selbo Victoria Vesna Jody Zellen
new media artist executive director, new media artist; digital video artist, educator supervising animator, network media artist new media artist, researcher networked media and
Benton-C Bainbridge Rhizome; adjunct founder, Upgrade! Asif Mian Pixar Animation Studios Robert Michael Smith Chiake Watanabe installation artist
video artist, musician curator, New Museum John Klima director, visual artist Michael Rees sculptor, digital artist visual music artist Hui Zhu
of Contemporary Art installation artist digital sculptor, animator, director
Tamas Banovich Paul Miller Kenneth Snelson Barry Weiss
curator, owner, Matt Costello Ken Knowlton a.k.a. DJ Spooky programmer sculptor, digital artist, writer sr. vice president, Eric Zimmerman
Postmasters Gallery game writer; consultant; artist, writer, DJ, artist, writer Don Ritter Animation Production, game designer; writer;
author, 7th Guest, 11th Hour Nina Sobell
Molly Barnes computer scientist Mark Napier interactive installation and new media artist Sony Imageworks co-founder, Gamelab
art consultant, author, Greg Dinkins Myung Lee network media artist, performance artist, writer Maciej Wisniewski Lori Zippay
3D photographer; Wolfgang Staehle
curator computer graphics programmer Ben Rubin networked media artist, executive director,
president, NY Stereoscopic executive director,
Howard Beckerman supervisor, Charlex Ben Neil media artist The Thing programmer Electronics Arts Intermix
Society
animator, author Phoebe Legere musician, multimedia artist Lillian Schwartz Michael Wright
Diana Domingues Mark Tribe
Zoe Beloff composer, performer, Bill Nelson artist, writer, research founder, Rhizome.org digital artist, painter
virtual reality artist, painter scholar
stereoscopic projection, educator, researcher entrepreneur, painter,
Camille Utterback
performance and Zachary Leiberman founding partner, Rare
Toni Dove installation artist
installation artist performance, installation Medium, Inc.
virtual reality, installation, and online artist
Jonah Brucker-Cohen and performance artist Barbara Nessim
researcher, networked Golan Levin computer artist, illustrator
media and installation artist Shelley Eshkar artist, educator, researcher
digital artist Carsten Nicolai
Nancy Burson Peter Levin media installation artist, DJ
photographer, writer, Xarene Eskandar producer, sound designer,
author, vE-JA: Art + Brad Paley
inventor, artist president, Splash Studios digital artist, programmer
Technology of Live
John Canemaker Audio Video Patrick Lichty Nina Paley
filmmaker, writer, animator, digital artist, writer, curator, animator, filmmaker
Mary Flanagan Tel: 212.592.2778

Contact Us
animation historian, artist activist, educator
digital artist, writer, Carol Parkinson
Jim Casey researcher, educator Margot Lovejoy executive director, Fax: 212.592.2509
entrepreneur; founding artist, author, educator
partner, Rare Medium, Inc. Adam Frank Harvestworks E-mail: mfaca@sva.edu
installation artist Kristin Lucas Debbie Pashkoff
Shu Lea Cheang
Lucien Harriot
digital, video, performance, art director, www.sva.edu/grad/computerart
multimedia artist, filmmaker intervention, sculpture,
director, principal, installation artist
Rhythm & Hues Studios department site: mfaca.sva.edu
Sarah Cook Mechanism Digital Jonah Peretti
new media curator, Kevin & Jennifer McCoy viral media artist; founder,
We strongly encourage applicants to visit our department prior to submitting application materials.
co-founder of CRUMB Tali Hinkis interactive media, film,
video and new media artist, Buzzfeed; co-founder, Come to our Departmental Information Session, or contact us directly to schedule a tour.
(Curatorial Resource for performance and Huffington Post
Upstart Media Bliss), UK co-creator of LoVid installation artists Departmental Information Session: Saturday, November 12, 2011.
Kenneth A. Huff Bill Plympton All times and locations will be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit.
digital artist: print and director, animator To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website or contact the Office of
installation Graduate Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu.

Computer Art 124 125 www.sva.edu/grad/computerart


MA Critical Theory
XX Focal points of the program in 2012-2013 are the Proseminar on the “Convergence
of the Arts in the 21st Century,” and the Serious Times Lecture Series, which will
pose the question “Why doesn’t the United States make social progress?”

and the Arts XX Fourteen students are selected annually by the Committee on Graduate Admissions.
Graduates of the MA in Critical Theory and Arts become ongoing members
of the Serious Times Lecture Series and the program’s intellectual community.
www.sva.edu/grad/cta
department site: cta.sva.edu Critical Theory and the Arts is a closely organized, yearlong study in critical social theory that focuses
on the arts in the broadest sense—inclusive of the visual arts, literature, music, dance, performance
and new media.
The program responds to a need: For thinking about art has never before been so protean, so
broadly inventive and urgently central to the whole of social, philosophical and political reflection.
Every major area of thought now turns considerable attention to art in expectation that art will
provide the key to solving its central questions.
At the same time, in art itself, every aspect of its reality presents dynamic conflicts and puzzles that
demand theoretical reflection. Those directly involved in the arts can no longer imagine that artists
proceed naïvely, mixing passion with thin air. While artists of earlier generations once struggled
to disguise the thinking labor that went into their work, today art theory has become part—often an
explicit part—of all art-making. To an unprecedented degree, developments in art theory can can
and do directly transform art.
What the arts once were, they soon enough will no longer be; in large measure, they have already
been irreversibly transformed. For artists and graduate students from several fields of inquiry, the need
collaboratively to understand what has happened, what is happening and what is at stake is salient.
The ma in Critical Theory and the Arts program thus engages a vital century-long reflection on
the arts through a curriculum modeled on the interdisciplinary framework of the Frankfurt School
of Social Research. Here “interdisciplinary” is not an approach that ignores the boundaries between
disparate fields. Rather, real criticism of the boundaries of knowledge takes its lead from the demands
of the problems in which the interdisciplinary work is integrated.
Key works of critical theory are therefore studied in conjunction with the philosophical,
sociological, political and art historical background that is needed to engage these works meaningfully.
An expert and collaborating core faculty draws on the breadth of thought and research from the
several fields needed for understanding the problems of art where they are tense with the complexity
of our own concerns for contemporary reality and the arts.
The focal points of the program are the Proseminar and the Serious Times Lecture Series. The
Proseminar in 2012–13 on the “Convergence of the Arts in the 21st Century,” broaches critical issues
in society, culture and the arts as an open forum. Students develop and experiment with the material
presented and attend discussions with leading New York City intellectuals and internationally ac-
claimed visiting artists. The Serious Times Lecture Series poses the question, “Why doesn’t the United
States make social progress?” Students engage in presentations and discussions of the most urgent
social problems facing us today. The program is completed in three consecutive semesters that conclude
with the Comprehensive Thesis.
Several teaching assistantships are available. Fall 2012 begins the program’s inaugural year.

Robert Hullot-Kentor, chair

127
chair interview

Robert Hullot-Kentor
“Students have an urgency about themselves these days that must be taken seriously.” Robert Hullot-Kentor,
chair of sva’s new ma degree in Critical Theory and the Arts, is emphatic about the program’s timeliness.
“These are serious times, to say the least.” When asked if this is why the program includes the Serious Times
Lectures Series, he nods, “Yes, certainly. And what has so impressed me over the past number of years is how
many very bright, talented and capable students there now are who are more than ready to engage what is go-
“Students have ing on in art today in a way that involves the entire history of art and society and the most important questions
an urgency about we have about our lives. While the value of higher education is being challenged by one part of society, there
themselves these are many students who are very ready to dig in, and feel they need to—when they can find real education.”
days that must be The program, Hullot-Kentor explains, is a yearlong involvement in the study of “the arts in the

On any
taken seriously.” broadest sense, the questions of understanding art and the puzzles in making art today.” He empha-
sizes the range of works that students will study, including materials drawn from “social theory, social
history, aesthetics, and a living art history.” That’s a lot for one year, isn’t it? Hullot-Kentor agrees, “It

given day...
is. And it is exactly enough time to get enough of a grip on the reality of the issues to be able to pursue
them when the year is over—whether as artists, as public intellectuals or as writers.”
Playing devil’s advocate, I ask Hullot-Kentor why art is so central to the course of study he has
mapped out? Hullot-Kentor seems to have a strong sense of humor and finds the question funny, or in
any case, he is smiling, “You know, there is no sense marching around waving a banner for art, ‘Go,
art!’ You can’t root for art. I’m not about to argue for art. At the same time, what is more important to “On any given day…” in the program in Critical Theory and the Arts, some
study than art? It is the most important thing we make, and what most of us want to make. Suzanne students may be working early in the department’s library, preparing for classes.
Langer said it a long time ago, art is how we shape import. We have no other way to do it. Art works
And it is also imaginable that…
ask us to think about the import that they shape. They urge us to think about them in a way that noth-
…at 11 a.m., artists Paul Chan and Jessica Stockholder join a …at 7:30 p.m., that evening, the Serious Times Lecture Series hosts
ing else does. In serious times, they get us to the heart of the matter.”
discussion with Robert Hullot-Kentor’s aesthetics class on the kinds of essayist, Eliot Weinberger—who has been named one of the 100
Hullot-Kentor spent many years in graduate school, starting at the Iowa Writers Workshop, then
problems that contemporary visual artists have in figuring out when a work “most innovative thinkers” in the world. Weinberger leads a discussion
doing graduate work in Clinical Psychology and studying philosophy and literature in Europe before
is complete; when it is “done.” The conversation turns to why this problem on the challenges he faced in writing What I Heard About Iraq,
he finished his doctorate, and he has taught at Boston University, Harvard and Stanford. So he isn’t first emerged so drastically only in 20th century art, and what this has to do recognized as an “International Book of the Year,” by the Times Literary
being immodest in pointing out that he has designed the entire program from top to bottom drawing on with why some artists today insist that one can no longer hope to make a Supplement. The discussion becomes a consideration of the long term
his own lengthy experience in the arts and education. “It’s rare — almost unprecedented — to have the “masterpiece.” The idea that “masterpieces” may now be impossible implications of the 9/11 attack and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan—
chance to make something like this out of whole cloth.” What pleases him most in what he’s designed, seems absurd to one group of students, but the other side of the table and the implications for the situation of artists as well. The students try
I wonder? “That the program makes sense as a whole. The parts illuminate each other meaningfully; insists to the contrary. Looking for answers the discussion turns to to talk Eliot Weinberger into coming back to join them all for dinner
they stand in a dynamically tense relationship to each other. Students will realize this right away. There questions of Cézanne’s unfinished canvases, and whether or not they are one evening soon, only to discover that people who actually make
is of course almost an endless amount to learn in the program, but still it isn’t about setting out to learn “masterpieces.” But what about Chan and Stockholder’s work? Are their things spend considerably less time going out to dinner than one might

everything. It is a matter of gaining a capacity for binding insight. The program wants to provide what works complete; would they hope to make “masterpieces”? imagine. Or, perhaps it turns out differently.

students need for thinking that knowingly, capably, strikes flint on stone. And I have brought together an
…at 3:30 p.m., the composer, pianist and distinguished musicologist,
exceptional group of faculty who are mutually aware of how the year fits together and are interested in
Stefan Litwin returns. Earlier in the week he presented a discussion-
collaborating with each other and with the students.”
performance dealing with sections of T. W. Adorno’s Philosophy of New
What haven’t we touched on? “Lots. But one thing special about the program,” he mentions, “is the
Music. This afternoon he meets with students to talk about the idea of
Graduate Associates. These are students who are advanced in—and sometimes finishing—graduate
musical space, and the transformation of musical space in modern music.
programs in philosophy, sociology, music, history, and studio art. They’ve been invited to participate in Students become curious about the ways in which these developments in
the program because they’re really interesting people and deeply involved in their own studies. They’ll music can, or cannot, meaningfully be compared with spatial transforma-
participate in the different seminars, and they will help students get a sense for where their own work tions in the visual arts. Late in the discussion a student wonders out
might go. It’s important that younger people are part of this faculty.” loud—thinking back to the morning discussion—if the problem of finishing
Hullot-Kentor will draw on the program’s New York City context and location by inviting a remarkable work in the visual arts is also a problem in modern music. Litwin, a
group of visiting artists and lecturers, both senior figures in their fields and key younger contributors. composer, talks about the kinds of problems that he must deal with in just
A few final words? “I’ve said it elsewhere, but at the end of the year, students in the program will this regard, and the ways in which this situation has changed in music since

still recognize themselves in the mirror, but much else will have changed.” the first part of the 20th century.

Critical Theory and the Arts 128 129 www.sva.edu/grad/cta


The Program  The program is unique in presenting the philosophical, sociological, political, art and
social historical contexts with which a student needs to be familiar to meaningfully pursue the questions that the Course Descriptions
contemporary situation of art poses. Society and art are studied in their actual tension, without reducing art to
society, or pretending, narrowly, that society amounts to the world of art. To emphasize this tension, the curricu-
lum is organized between two focal events of the year, the Proseminar—a forum devoted to a critical development
in the arts—and the Serious Times Lecture Series. ¶ Degree candidates are to successfully complete 36 credits
with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0.

Library and Research Resources


Art Theory and Aesthetics I and II The Comprehensive Thesis
The Visual Arts Library contains approximately 65,000 books, 400 current periodical titles and 160,000 The motivating concepts and history of aesthetic theory that continue The MA in Critical Theory and the Arts is completed in the third
slides. Electronic resources supplement these holdings with more than 30 online indexes and databases. These to shape contemporary thought is the focus of these courses. We begin semester with the Comprehensive Thesis. It is the occasion for can-
with a review of the Platonic and Neo-Platonic concerns with represen- didates for the MA to establish meaningful coherence in their year’s
include periodical indexes that allow users to search for magazine and journal articles owned by the library and tation and the social as well as epistemological status of the artwork. work, to continue to develop and integrate their thinking and research,
to access full-text information from more than 17,500 periodicals not found in the physical collection. Electronic An understanding of the developments that led up to Kant allows the to find new problems to investigate, and to sketch out plans for their
class to closely study Kant’s Critique of Judgment, which continues future with faculty and mentors.
resources include jstor. Other resources include image databases and online encyclopedias. In addition to the to be a basic work of reference in all thinking about art. This is fol- Preparation for the Comprehensive Thesis
research materials housed in the Visual Arts Library and the program’s own library, students in Critical Theory lowed by an investigation of the philosophical complex of thought Preparation for the Comprehensive Thesis begins with the student’s
that Kant’s aesthetics spawned in the writings of Friedrich Schiller and application to the program. Prospective students are asked to describe
and the Arts have access to the Bobst Library at New York University and its more than 3 million volumes. G.W.F. Hegel. The first semester aims to provide an historico-philo- the issues, problems, experiences or conflicts that motivated their
sophical undergirding for the theoretical and art historical work that application. On acceptance into the program, students begin to expand
Teaching Assistantships follows. The second semester is an intensive study of contemporary on these motivations, with the intention of developing four topics that
A small number of teaching assistantships is available. thought in aesthetics and art theory that concentrates on the major they craft and assemble in preparation for the summer semester work
developments of the 20th and 21st centuries, including, for instance, the for the Comprehensive Thesis. Students are encouraged to formulate
writings of Phillip Guston, Barnett Newman, Francis Bacon, Willem these topics in a way that builds directly on what they have been
de Kooning and Jacques Rancière. T.W. Adorno’s Aesthetic Theory is intensely studying for two semesters. It is an opportunity to remember,
closely read throughout the second semester. organize and develop important thoughts that have arisen during the
Curriculum year, whether in course discussions, readings, or in the student’s own
The Arts, Their History, and the United States I and II reflections and research. In one of the four topics the student is asked
This year-long course is organized around four studies of consider- to set out plans for future work, whether it is scholarly or artistic, and
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
able importance, heft and renown: Arnold Hauser’s Social History of thoughts about “what is next” in a way that the faculty can be of help
Art Theory and Aesthetics I 3 Art Theory and Aesthetics II 3 Art, Erich Auerbach’s Mimesis, Walter Benjamin’s Origin of German in considering and discussing those plans.
The Arts, their History, and the United States I 3 The Arts, their History, and the United States II 3 Tragic Drama and Alex de Tocqueville’s Democracy in the United Fulfillment of the Comprehensive Thesis
States. Together they provide historically substantive and highly Once a student has completed the statement of the four topics along
Proseminar I  2 Proseminar II 2
nuanced approaches to art, culture and society. In mastering these four with a brief supporting bibliography of the work to be undertaken,
The Serious Times Lecture Series 1 The Serious Times Lecture Series 1 works, students come away with a broad understanding of the entire and a faculty member has reviewed the statements favorably, the stu-
Social Theory, Social Criticism, and the Arts I 3 Social Theory, Social Criticism, and the Arts II 3 history of the visual arts; the single most reputed history of literature dent is ready to spend the final semester preparing research. During
and its techniques from Homer to Virginia Woolf; a penetrating and this period, the student consults with his or her faculty advisor for
unprecedented theory of art—Walter Benjamin’s—that continues to advice and direction. Over the last two weeks of the semester, students
SUMMER Semester Credits
hold a central role in contemporary thought; and knowledge of the present the Comprehensive Thesis through written response to ques-
Comprehensive Thesis  12 most important work written about the United States, whose insights tions formulated as ‘prompts’ on each of the first three topics.
are far from exhausted.

Critical Theory and the Arts 130 131 www.sva.edu/grad/cta


Faculty

Proseminar I and II The Serious Times Lecture Series I and II Robert Hullot-Kentor Ellen Levy
The current topic of the Proseminar is The Convergence of the Arts in Rather than reducing art to society, or society to art, the program in Chair, Critical Theory and the Arts, Master of Arts degree program, Writer
the 21st Century. Critical Theory and the Arts is organized at every point to maintain a School of Visual Arts; Philosopher Education: BA, magna cum laude, Princeton University;
The convergence of the arts may be the most striking aspect of art mutually illuminating dual focus. Thus, along with the Prosesminar, Education: BA, Marlboro College; MA, Goddard College; PhD, MA, Columbia University; PhD, Vanderbilt University
in the late 20th century and the 21st century. Today, artists, almost the Serious Times Lecture Series emphasizes the program’s other focus University of Massachusetts Author: Criminal Ingenuity: Moore, Cornell, Ashbery, and
as a rule, combine their many talents in hybridizing permutations: on social reality. Participants in the series read the work of a guest, Author: Things Beyond Resemblance: Collected Essays on Theodor the Struggle Between the Arts. Contributor, Encyclopedia of the
music is combined with sculpture, architecture with performance art, who leads the discussion. W. Adorno; Ice Flow: Essay and Commentary on David Salle; Terra New York School Poets
photography with painting and video with installation. This involves a In 2012, an election year, a fierce preoccupation with who is win- Infirma: The House that Mowry Baden Built Presentations include: John Ashbery in Paris International
complex dynamic. Because at the same time as the arts are converging, ning and who is losing will obscure the shaping, expression and dis- Editor: Current of Music: Elements of a Radio Theory; editor, Conference, Paris; American Literature Association Conference,
radically modern art has been marked by a strong tendency toward cussion of almost all real problems and concerns. The work of our translator, Philosophy of New Music; Aesthetic Theory; Kierkegaard: Boston; Modernist Studies Association conferences in Victoria, BC;
autonomy: just as the realm of art as such has tended to assert its sepa- seminar is, by contrast, to keep our minds on the hard questions by Construction of the Aesthetic Long Beach, CA; Nashville; University of Chicago; University of
ration from the rest of society, so the various arts have tended to assert asking, “Why doesn’t the United States make social progress?” For Awards and honors include: DAAD; Orion Visiting Artist, Wisconsin, Madison
their distinction from one another. In the first semester, we explore while there is no doubt that considerable technical progress is made, University of Victoria; J. Paul Getty Resident Scholar; J. Paul Getty Publications include: Modernism/modernity; Literary Imagination;
this central dynamic of the arts of our own moment, considering how and while there are certainly achievements in social equality—we External Scholar; Mellon Faculty Fellow, Harvard University and Tikkun; New York Review of Books; Raritan; Parkett; Dissent; The
the imperative toward what Clement Greenberg called “self-definition have an African-American president, for instance, and have ended the Boston University Nation; Critical Texts: A Review of Theory and Criticism
with a vengeance” came to take hold, and how the countertendency military’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” order—the society itself, as a whole, Awards and honors include: Associate fellow, Robert Penn
toward the mixing of the arts has been shaped and shadowed by the fails to progress. The real problems—why 10 million homes have been Devi Dumbadze Warren Center for the Humanities, Vanderbilt University; Francis
drive toward artistic autonomy. foreclosed, why the jobless recovery, why this is the nation with the Social philosopher, sociologist LeMoyne Page Creative Writing Award, Princeton University; Morris
The discussions involve all aspects of the year’s studies—in social largest prison population, why the continued degradation of the envi- Education: BA, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University; MA, W. Croll Poetry Prize, Princeton University
theory, social history, aesthetics, and art history—and become the ronment—are going unanswered. What vantages can we find on the Ruhr-University Bochum
focus for our understanding of the current crises in the arts. Contem- question—“Why doesn’t the United States make social progress?”—in Professional experience includes: Visiting scholar, The New Tom Huhn
porary artists and critics are frequent visitors to help us understand the midst of the election year pressures? And how does understanding School for Social Research; scientific assistant, lecturer, Institute Chair, Art History Department and BFA Visual and Critical Studies
what it is that the arts face today in the struggle to make new work. the structure of these problems help us understand the election itself? for Media Studies, Ruhr-University Bochum; lecturer, scientific Department, School of Visual Arts; coordinator, Honors Program,
Participation in the Serious Times Lecture Series is reserved for stu- editions coordinator, Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences, School of Visual Arts; philosopher; critic
dents in the program and invited guests. Graduates of Critical Theory Ilia Chavchavadze State University of Language and Culture Education: AB, Sarah Lawrence; MA, PhD, Boston University
and the Arts remain permanent members of the lecture series and of Books include: Co-author, Towards Organizational Management: Books include: Imitation and Society: The Persistence of Mimesis
the program’s intellectual community. Manual on Management. Co-editor, Critique of Political Philosophy: in the Aesthetics of Burke, Hogarth, and Kant; The Cambridge
Society, Contract, State II; Knowledge and Critique: Contemporary Companion to Adorno; The Wake of Art: Criticism, Philosophy, and
Social Theory, Social Criticism and the Arts I and II Positions. Translator, Schemezneba da interesi the Ends of Taste; The Semblance of Subjectivity: Essays in Adorno’s
In these courses, the structure of contemporary society is presented and Publications include: Festschrift für Burkhard Mojsisch, Tbilisi; Aesthetic Theory
carefully explicated, drawing on close readings of the seminal texts of Limes: Rivista Italiana di Geopolitica; Netgazeti; Jungle World; Publications include: New German Critique, Art & Text, Oxford
modern social theory and philosophy. Students develop in-depth com- Zeitschrift für Medienwissenschaft; Matsne: Series in Philosophy Art Journal, British Journal of Aesthetics, Art Criticism, Telos,
prehension of contemporary society and of the traditions of thought and Psychology Eighteenth-Century Studies, Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism,
that have considered how its antagonistic elements can be explicated Awards and honors include: Open Society Georgia Foundation; Oxford Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, Philosophy and Social Criticism,
and critically presented. The first semester focuses on the fundamental Munich Grant, Goethe-Institut; DAAD; Freedom Support Exchange Art Book
concepts of the founders of sociology in Émile Durkheim and Georg Program, United States Information Agency Curatorial works include: “Ornament and Landscape,” Apex
Simmel and on what distinguishes modern society from other social Gallery; “Still Missing: Beauty Absent Social Life,” Visual Arts
structures as understood by Max Weber and Karl Marx. The second Museum and Westport Arts Center, CT
semester examines particular aspects of contemporary society in light Group exhibition: Triple Candie
of the principal debates in current social and critical theory. We con- Awards and honors include: Getty Scholar; Fulbright Scholar;
sider the interconnection of economic and political forms, of modern First Prize, American Society for Aesthetics Essay Contest; New York
commerce and the state. And we ask how social relations and indi- State Council for the Humanities
vidual comportment are interrelated. What is the function of culture,
media and the culture industry in contemporary society? Readings
include Freud (selections), Adorno’s and Horkheimer’s Dialectic of
Enlightenment, Heidegger’s The Question Concerning Technology and
Luhmann’s The Reality of the Mass Media. The overarching question
is how social structure at once makes the arts possible and no less
structures their crises.

Critical Theory and the Arts 132 133 www.sva.edu/grad/cta


“The program is unique in presenting the
philosophical, sociological, political, art and social
historical contexts with which a student must be
familiar to meaningfully pursue the questions that
the contemporary situation of art poses.”
-Robert Hullot-Kentor
Graduate Associates Guest Lecturers

Jacob Blumenfeld Jeremy Cohan Cory Arcangel Shierry Weber Nicholsen


Social philosopher Sociologist computer programmer, composer, digital artist psychoanalyst, author
Education: BA, with honors, Vassar College; MA, The New School Education: BA, with honors, University of Chicago; Education
for Social Research Certificate, Pace University; New York University Mowry Baden Spyros Papapetros
Conference presentations include: New School Graduate Awards and honors include: Henry McCracken Fellowship, sculptor author
Student Philosophy Conference; Hannah Arendt and Reiner New York University
Schürmann Symposium in Political Philosophy; University of Paul Chan Moishe Postone
Minnesota; CUNY Graduate Center Nora Griffin installation artist; writer historian
Awards and honors include: Dean’s Prize, The New School Painter, writer
for Social Research; Philip Nochlin Prize, Vassar College Education: BA, with honors, Oberlin College; MFA, Columbia Ben DeMott Robert Paul-Wolff
University writer; editor; co-founder, First of the Month philosopher
John Clegg One-person exhibitions: Abaton Garage Gallery, Jersey City, NJ;
Economist, sociologist Fisher Gallery, Oberlin College, OH Martin Jay Jay Sanders
Education: BA, with honors, M.Phil., with honors, University Group exhibitions include: Fisher Landau Center for Art; Janet historian; author curator; writer; editor; co-organizer, 2012 Whitney Biennial
of Sussex; New School University Kurnatowski Gallery; Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery,
Professional experience includes: Editorial assistant, Pluto Columbia University; Camel Art Space; Denise Bibro Fine Art; Pace Dani Leventhal Gedi Sibony
Press; researcher, Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Science; co-editor, Gallery; A.M. Richard Fine Art video artist sculptor, installation artist
Endnotes (UK) Publications include: Brooklyn Rail, Artcritical
Conference presentations include: Marx and Philosophy Awards and residencies include: Dong Kingman Fellowship, Stefan Litwin Jessica Stockholder
Society, Joe McCarney Memorial Conference, London Knowledge Columbia University; CUE Art Foundation; Vermont Studio Center composer; pianist sculptor, installation artist
Lab; Annual Institute on Culture and Society Conference, Portland
State University; Postwar Economy and Culture Conference, University Robert Wood Molly Nesbit McKenzie Wark
of California, Berkeley; Historical Materialism Conference, SOAS, Musicologist author; contributing editor, Artforum; author
University of London Education: BM, University of Rochester; CUNY Graduate Center co-founder, curator Utopia Station Eliot Weinberger
Awards and honors include: Dean’s Prize Fellowship, Presentations include: “Varèse, Contact, Sound,” Yale Graduate
New School University Music Symposium; “Edgar Varèse and the Beyond of Science,” essayist, editor, translator
American Musicological Society, Greater New York Chapter
Award: Doctoral Student Research Grant, CUNY Graduate Center

Tel: 212.592.2172

Contact Us
Fax: 212.592.2168
E-mail: theoryart@sva.edu
www.sva.edu/grad/cta
department site: cta.sva.edu
Come to our Departmental Information Session, or contact us directly to schedule a tour.

All times and locations will be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit.

To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website or contact the
Office of Graduate Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu.

Critical Theory and the Arts 136 137 www.sva.edu/grad/cta


XX We emphasize entrepreneurship as an alternative to conventional practice,
and as a means to raise the level of design expertise and achievement.
XX We teach a broad set of visual, verbal and textual approaches as foundation
for design.
XX We focus on creation to optimize the designer’s abilities to rise to the next
professional level.

As a profession, graphic design weds art and commerce, form and that integrate the best in design and design thinking. The opportu-
content, and aesthetics and function. It began in the late 19th nity to build design skill and confidence through making a unique
century as a service-oriented field with a few visionary practitioners product is in itself a valuable process.
emerging in each generation who set the standards and styles and Students must be fluent in the languages of graphic design and,
established its philosophical underpinnings. For more than a decade particularly, typography, and increasingly more adept in motion and
advances in media have created many new creative opportunities, sound as well. They must be able to explain their ideas verbally
changing the role of graphic designers by forcing them to go beyond and visually, for a good idea is nothing if it cannot be well articulated.
simply framing ideas into content development. Although produc- We do not teach students how to design, but rather how to optimize
tion skills are necessary, graphic designers are increasingly in their abilities to rise to the next professional level. In addition,
demand to contribute original “design thinking” into such fields as we welcome those who have backgrounds in other fields and media.
branding, publishing, editorial, packaging and products. We believe it is important for the designer of the present and future
The floodgates were opened with the advent of the computer; to be thoroughly integrated into many communications platforms,
graphic design has been a component of a larger creative practice ever if only to command the options that are and will be available. Our
since. At this crossroads, designers were given the choice to become students are encouraged to draw inspiration from other visual and
glorified production “artists,” framing and finessing others’ ideas, communication arts that share authorial practices. In this way,
or building upon their expertise, develop concepts integral to the the program has not been restricted to the conventional curriculum.
success of a client’s wares. The mfa Designer as Author program Instead, we embrace a broad set of visual, verbal and textual ap-
was the first in the country to emphasize an entrepreneurial course of proaches as the foundation for student—and professional—activity.
study that raises the level of design expertise and achievement. Our mfa studio is accessible 24 hours a day, and is designed
The quintessential mfa Designer as Author student comes to to simulate an operational design/media firm with spacious work­
this unique program with the desire to extend his or her practices stations that allow for individual and collaborative work. Students
beyond conventional graphic design into distinct realms of content also have unlimited access to high-end editing rooms, a conference
creation. For the past decade we have made students into authors, room, a design library (with 2000 current volumes) and a student-
producers and entrepreneurs of their own ideas. We believe that the run exhibition gallery. Students also direct “Crit,” the graduate
danger in having unprecedented access to new and future media is student design blog, and create websites to showcase our annual
that graphic designers could be edged out of the creative process. exhibitions. The program remains connected to the professional
Authorship and entrepreneurship are viable alternatives and this world while being in the academic one.
program is predicated on the increasing need for designers to apply mfa Designer as Author is tailored for students and profession-
their wits and skills as providers throughout all the visual media— als with backgrounds in graphic design, and we encourage those

MFA Design
from print to digital. with environmental, product, Web, interaction design, film and
The concept of design authorship is, first and foremost, rooted in photography backgrounds who are interested in further develop­ing
the independent creation of ideas. Developing concepts and finding their skills in unique and progressive ways.
the best forms to express and package them through design is
Designer as Author key. Our students are form-givers and thus committed to original- Steven Heller and
www.sva.edu/grad/design ity. The outcome of the program is to develop and promote new Lita Talarico, co-chairs
products of value that are responsive to the needs and wants of a
department site: design.sva.edu society in flux and to contribute objects and campaigns of worth

139
The Five Most Students in the Design program at SVA aren’t taught by “those who can’t” types; they’re led by legends. We asked celebrated

Important Things
graphic designer, New York magazine co-founder and sva acting chairman Milton Glaser: What are the five most important things
designers learn in school? 

1. While it may not be like studying art history, design has a long 4. Hold your beliefs lightly and remember that belief is usually

You’ll Learn
and illustrious past—from the Vienna Secession to the Private a sign of a closed mind. Examine your assumptions and never stop
Press Movement—that goes back far more than 10 or 20 years. re-examining them.
This will help you build your awareness of the meaning of forms.

About Design
5. Be generous with ideas. They are meant to be given away and
2. You’ll learn both to make things clear and the nature of ambiguity, shared. Ideas are not property—you can reap great benefits when
and that using both can help you communicate. they’re experienced and used by others. In our society, our notion
of the personal ownership of ideas becomes a great hindrance to
Faculty Profile: 3. Style should come out of expressive content, and not as an our sense of a common purpose.
Milton Glaser addition or an outside idea; it isn’t opposed to content, it emerges
from it. It’s not just a layer added on afterwards.

A study for a 3D puzzle,


designed by Mr. Glaser,
later manufactured by
George Beylarian.

Milton Glaser, the foremost artist and designer


in his field, has been with SVA since 1960.
Mr. Glaser’s exciting and innovative work has
earned him an international reputation.
Glaser continues to work to this day in his East 32nd Street office in
Manhattan. He once said of his profession, “I have always believed
that there is a psychological and ethical difference between those
who make things and those who control things.… Linking beauty
and purpose can create a sense of communal agreement that helps
diminish the sense of disorder and incoherence that life creates.”
Explaining Yourself
Scott Stowell (standing) teaching his
class, Explaining Yourself. Stowell is
the proprietor of Open, an independent
design studio in New York City.
Stowell has students share a
personal aspect of their lives
through information graphics.
Students are required to chart
or graph key moments in their
lives using scientific means. 
The MFA Designer as Author studio was designed to replicate
chair interview (and in its own way is) a professional design firm. Each student has a

Steven Heller and


workstation that is wired for the latest technologies. In addition to
individual projects, the open environment encourages collaboration.

Lita Talarico
While classes are held in two classrooms and one conference room,
the studio is continually abuzz with individual and group activity. Students
have 24 hour access, seven days a week, to all the facilities. And many
“I knew Lita from when we worked together at American Illustration,” explains Steven Heller. use this secure space as their second home. 

“But co-chairing the program was kismet; we ran into each other, I asked her whether she was looking
for a new job, she said yes, and we’ve been working closely ever since.” “Everything I’d done in my
career in New York led to this job,” Lita Talarico confirms. “I have taught in design programs and
have worked as a design and architecture consultant, organized conferences, and coordinated architect
selections, all of which equipped me for this role. Ten years on, the program remains exciting and

On any
continues to move forward.”
“No one was doing anything like this program when we started,” Talarico continues. “You have
to wait a few years to see how things really work, and we’ve found by now that graduates have been

given day...
“The program is extremely happy with what they’ve received from the program. A large number of them are working in
very clear and jobs directly related to their studies—even though they’ve also learned to be very independent-minded.”
very structured. “When we began,” Heller recalls, “there was a buzz about something called the ‘designer as author.’
It’s about being a Magazines like Eye were publishing intelligent design writing and Print had a critical column, which
practitioner and I helped found, called ‘Cold Eye.’ So our idea was that if designers were going to be writers, they could
creating something also be auteurs. The program suggests that if designers can write and think academically, then they
of value…” can apply these skills commercially. I wanted an mfa that wasn’t overly theoretical, but which raised In the 24/7 MFA Design studio students arrive early—assuming they
the educational bar and was about entrepreneurial thinking too. We decided that our thesis projects— ever left the night before. Their day starts by working on assignments.

and this is key to the whole enterprise—should result in products that the designer could actually take Today, the first-year students scurry to finish off a Milton Glaser poster
advocating an act or event that will impact their neighbors in the City; the
to market. Students must find an audience for their ideas, determine a need, create a value, and get them
second-year students finish preparation for the next stage of their thesis
out into the world.” “The program is very clear and very structured,” adds Talarico. “It’s about being
by preparing pitch presentations to the thesis consultant faculty.
a practitioner and creating something of value, even if it isn’t aimed at a mass audience.”
“Endemic to everything we do,” Heller explains, “is the play principle, Paul Rand’s idea that designers
Time for reflection and peer review is an important part of their process,
play with form as well as create it, and work both rationally and instinctually. Designers solve puzzles,
yet tackling the deadlines at hand fill their early afternoon hours.
and sometimes they do that by throwing spaghetti against the wall and seeing what sticks. Graphic design
is an essential rubric too, but we deliberately omitted the word ‘graphic’ because we were aiming at a In the late afternoon, students attend a weekly guest speaker session.
more integrated program. We encourage students to do things that work in motion on screen and in the This week it is Michael Bierut, who hosts the class at his Pentagram office.
three-dimensional world, as well as in print.” Maira Kalman is also giving the first part of her New York Stories class,
Talarico describes one course that demonstrates this unique approach: “New York Stories is a delight- where students create stories about their favorite New York characters.
ful class,” she smiles. “It started in a Greenwich Village nursing home, where each student got to work
on a design project that reflected a patient’s life. Another project involved students packing life stories First-year students return to the studio just in time to polish off their

into suitcases. And one year they baked cakes…. Every time, I just know it’s going to be one of the most assignments, then a three-hour class in which intensive crits are the order
of business. An exhausting but exhilarating day.
interesting experiences that those students will have. There’s always some amazing twist.”

Design 148 149 www.sva.edu/grad/design


SVA Spaces
The main studio contains 45 workstations
for 40 students and visiting faculty. Students
have access to the lounge, editing room,
departmental library and gallery spaces. 
The Program  In the first year of the program, students are given advanced instruction in a variety of
authoring skills such as writing, editing, criticism, typography as a visual language, film and new media directing, The Design
visual journalism, and book and magazine publishing. Along with these skills-based courses, classes in marketing,
research, advertising, promotion, publicity, intellectual property and networking will be offered. ¶ The goal of the
Entrepreneur Thesis
second year is product-oriented. Participants are required to devise and develop a viable idea for a specific market. The sva mfa Design thesis requires that students prove that a well-designed
Students will write and design a proposal for a product that will be presented to a panel of guest faculty who will product of their own conception and making is viable for a mass market or limited
decide whether it has enough merit to progress to the developmental stage. At the developmental stage, students will audience. The students determine what the product will be. They develop the con-
produce a prototype for backers, publishers, producers or distributors. This final proposal, dummy or prototype tent. They create the form, framework and selling materials. They make it unique
will be professionally produced for presentation purposes. Typographic expertise is key to course completion. ¶ through a combination of creativity and marketing savvy. The thesis can be anything
The core faculty consists of distinguished contributors to the field of design and is supplemented by faculty from from a physical product to a print or motion campaign, and more. Functionality,
the fields of graphic design and multimedia. Lecture series, guest speakers and off-site visits to studios and firms usability and salability are key. The goal is to be practical yet novel, accessible yet
are regularly scheduled throughout the academic year. ¶ Degree candidates must successfully complete 60 credits, unprecedented. This is not easy to achieve. To earn the Master of Fine Arts degree, it
including all required courses, with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0. A residency of two academic years is is expected that the thesis be produced at the highest level of design standards.
required. In the final semester, each student completes a thesis, which must be reviewed and approved by the thesis
advisor and the department co-chairs in order for the student to be eligible for degree conferral.

Where Are They Now?


Alumni of the mfa Designer as Author program work at some of the most
Sample Program significant design firms and businesses in the country. Here is a partial list:

first year Ande La Monica Johnson & Johnson Random House


FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits Arnell Group Khiel’s Real Simple magazine
Can Design Touch Someone’s Heart? 3 The Book—From Idea to Package 3 Bloomberg KidRobot RED: Rogers Eckersley
Design and Intentions 3 to Consumer Bloomberg Media L’Oreal Design
Designing in Three Dimensions 3 Crossing Disciplines: Authorship and 3 Brooklyn Botanical Garden Landers Miller Rizel Studio
Just Type 3 the Web—New Venues, New Ideas Buchanan-Smith LG Shu Uemura
Paul Rand Lecture Series 0 Explaining Yourself 3 C&G Partners Loaded Barrel Studios Spoolia Design
Writing and Designing the Visual Book 3 New York Stories 0 Carbone Smolan Louise Fili Ltd SpotCo
Thesis Introduction 3
Cheil Worldwide (Samsung) Martha Stewart Omnimedia Tarek Atrissi Design
Three-Dimensional Product Reality 3
Citizen Scholar Men’s Vogue Target
Comedy Central Metropolitan Museum of Art TAT Studio
second year El Jefe Design Milton Glaser, Inc. Trix & Me
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits Empax MTV Trollback+Co
Intellectual Property and the Law 3 Seminars3 ESI Design Mucca Design Victoria’s Secret
Introduction to Design Criticism 3 Thesis Consultation (Pitch and Presentation) 3 ESPN Museum of Modern Art Wolfsonian Museum
Seminars  3 Thesis Consultation (Production) 6
Findyourcraving.com New York City Ballet
Thesis Consultation (Preparation, Research and Writing) 6 Thesis Video Installation 3
Food & Wine magazine The New York Times
Funny Garbage Nick Jr.
Future Brand Nokia
GamersFirst/K2Network Number 17
Harry N. Abrams NYC+Company
I.D. magazine Ogilvy
Issac Mizrahi Open
Jazz at Lincoln Center Pentagram
Jennifer Panepinto, LLC Pixelmedia Inc.

Design 152 153 www.sva.edu/grad/design


Course Descriptions Professional Opportunities
MFA Design students are given a first-year exhibition in the
SVA Gallery as well as small student-curated shows in the MFA
Design Gallery. In addition, students exhibit their work on
the department’s website. At the conclusion of the program, a
thesis video installation is mounted at the Visual Arts Gallery
to which members of the design field are invited.
Students and graduates have won the following awards
and competitions: International Contemporary Furniture
Fair, Critique, Art Directors Club, :Output, CMYK,
The BOOK—From IDEA TO PACKAGE TO CONSUMER Explaining Yourself New York Stories Guttenberg Global competition, Print, Aquent design award,
The student as author of a book (and related products) is the goal How do you use design to tell engaging stories? How can you help In this collaborative workshop, each student will select an individual Nagoya International Design Competition, Type Directors
of this course. A range of book and product formats and genres will people understand something new and communicate clearly and/or and tell his or her story in a variety of design media. Students will be Club, Adobe Design Achievement Awards, Sappi, Gracie
be discussed, including illustrated books, children’s books, interac- appropriately—both in your work and about your work? This isn’t a required to develop a humanistic interpretation of their subject. Some Allen Awards, Grammy, Housewares Design Contest and
tive and non-illustrated books, as well as calendars, stationery and public-speaking course, but you’ll do some. This isn’t an information- classes will take place off campus.
the $25,000 Buck Scholarship.
other product spin-offs. The “book” will be discussed and scrutinized design course, but you’ll make some. And it isn’t a portfolio course,
Students and alumni have had interviews, articles and
from editorial conception to design to production to the marketplace. but you’ll think about your work and how others experience it. During Paul Rand Lecture Series 
designs published in I.D., Step Inside Design, The New York
Throughout the course, students will develop a commercial book, the course, we’ll work on projects with different sets of constraints, These lectures address various aspects of the history of graphic design
Times Magazine, illywords, AIGA Journal, Print, Graphis,
providing all content, as well as creating related ancillary products. hear from guest speakers with different points of view, and think over the past 150 years, including movements, pioneers and icons as
Creating a proposal to “sell” or pitch the book to a prospective pub- about speaking to different audiences through (and about) design. well as issues and events. Lectures focus on 19th-century premodern Metropolis, Crain’s, HOW, Interior Design, Glamour and
lisher is included. practice, early and mid-20th-century orthodox modernism and late GOOD. Their work has appeared on UPN, Oxygen, Extra,
Intellectual Property and the Law 20th-century postmodernism. Themes include racism and design, sym- Today, ABC Eyewitness News, Fox 5, Nick Jr. and Daily Candy.
Can design touch someone’s heart? The general concepts of law and intellectual property law as they apply bolism and the swastika, type and culture, politics and propaganda, MFA Design students have worked at Pentagram, Doyle
It is widely assumed that movies, literature and music get to our emo- to the practice of design will be examined, including basic legal issues modernism and Art Deco, and avant-garde magazines of the 20th Partners, Sagmeister, The New York Times, Kid Robot, Open,
tional core. At the same time, it seems to be more difficult for design of contract and property law, within the creative context. Among the century. Students are expected to engage in critical and analytical dis- SpotCo, Number Seventeen, Milton Glaser, Inc., Trollbäck
to achieve that same effect. In this course, students will explore how to topics explored will be the work-for-hire agreement, the consignment cussions that relate design history to current communication practices. + Company, Bloomberg, Funny Garbage, FSG and Random
achieve this with three individual assignments. agreement and the agency agreement. The law of copyright, trademark House, among others.
and patents will also be explored. Issues such as registering a copyright, Seminars
Crossing Disciplines: Authorship and the Web—New Venues, copyright infringement, registering a trademark and trade dress infringe- To enrich the program and bring students into contact with a
New Ideas ment and patents (in particular, design patents) will be examined from significant number of working professionals, a series of workshops will Thesis Introduction
This course will present students with the challenge of authoring a the perspective of the professional designer. In addition, design and be scheduled each semester. Seminar topics will change from year to This course will introduce students to faculty thesis consultants who
strong Web experience. Focusing on how content can be handled effec- information issues presented by new technology, such as the Web, will year, based on student interest and shifts in the overall field. will offer exercises that are designed to initiate research and develop-
tively, students will work on a semester-long project that will take them be included throughout the course. ment and jump start a conceptual process for the thesis project. By the
through all phases of producing a website—pitching ideas, making an Thesis Consultation (pitch and presentation) end of the course, students will have identified at least two areas of
information architecture document, gathering content and site naviga- Introduction to Design Criticism In this intensive course, students will develop a viable and professional interest that will be further explored as the final thesis.
tion. The final project will be an Adobe Flash/HTML hybrid and will be The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the complex pitch book to use as a tool to bring their thesis product to potential pro-
presented as a real pitch. Guest lecturers will share their experiences of issues and ideas that are essential to understanding what is happen- ducers, investors and the market. In addition, they will be given tutorials Three-Dimensional Product Reality
creating and working in the interactive realm. ing in the graphic design field today. The course is designed to give on how to deliver a verbal pitch to potential backers and clients. A course devoted to the how in the question: How do I begin to cre-
students the linguistic tools they will need to decipher the various and ate a “prototype” model of my product idea? This course will devote
Design and Intentions often conflicting cultural, philosophical, historical and political trends Thesis Consultation (Preparation, Research and Writing) attention to each student’s product prototype and its development.
Structured to help students examine their assumptions about their that impact the way we think about design. Among the topics we will This course will assist students in the preparatory research to identify By exploring different materials available and demonstrating methods
work, this course begins with a restaurant project, where many design explore are arcane subjects such as semiotics, structuralism, Marxist a product suitable for full-scale development. The semester is divided of working with those materials, students will reach the final goal of
considerations intersect, such as communication, service, interior theories and postmodern analysis, as well more pragmatic fields of into proposal writing and editing; designing; marketing options; busi- a finished product.
spaces, lighting, color and comfort. The course continues with a series inquiry such as branding, marketing, visual research and brainstorming ness plan conception; e-commerce and e-ideas; material research and
of exercises that intends to disrupt or support the students’ working techniques. Though this course deals with abstract theories, it is hands- development; and media exploration. In addition, there will be numer- Writing and Designing the Visual Book
methods. Ultimately, the objective is to develop an awareness of what on, interactive and practical, with constant references to how the ideas ous off-site visits to related exhibitions and resource centers, discus- This course combines design and literature to create integrated and
they are already doing. discussed in class can help students shape their thesis projects and sions on the theory of design and the making of design objects, as well meaningful expression. Students will develop their creative writing
transform them into viable products. as advice on producing a viable and marketable thesis project. The end skills through a sequence of exercises in continuous writing, obser-
Designing in Three Dimensions result is a written, edited and designed proposal book. vational writing, titling objects and images, theatrical improvisation,
Designing with honesty and passion is what makes a project success- Just Type storytelling, writing from different points of view, structuring a narra-
ful. In this interactive course, we will explore the development of Just Type is an exploration of contemporary and classic typefaces that Thesis Consultation (Production) tive, and reworking and editing. Selected texts from writing exercises
product concepts. With a series of benchmarks, students will pitch students will apply to 10 short projects over the course of the semester. With the aid of a faculty advisor, students will complete a thesis proj- are then set into a variety of book formats using any combination
their ideas, research the respective markets and create prototypes Every week, students will be given a font to research and work with on ect ready to be marketed. Students will be required to make a final of typography, images and symbols. Emphasis is placed on finding
as their final designs. a specific project. In some cases, students will work on cutting and past- presentation to the thesis committee for its approval. a visual form that emerges out of the meaning, feeling and inherent
ing printouts during class. At the end, a type catalog of the fonts used shape of an original text. Historical and contemporary examples of
will be compiled with class projects shown as examples of the typefaces “visual text” will be presented.
in action. There will be no images, color or devices used—just type.

Design 154 155 www.sva.edu/grad/design


Faculty

Steven Heller, co-chair Lita Talarico, co-chair Brian Collins Keith Godard


Special assistant to the president, School of Visual Arts; program Writer, design and architectural consultant Chairman, chief creative officer, COLLINS: Graphics and exhibition designer
co-founder, MFA Design Criticism Department, School of Visual Arts; Education: BA, Empire State College; MFA, School of Visual Arts Professional Experience: Former chairman, chief creative offi- Education: BFA, London College of Printing and Graphic Art;
editor, Voice: AIGA Online Journal of Graphic Design; contributing Professional Experience: Advisor, design competition/Charrette, cer, Brand Integration Group, Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide; founder, MFA, Yale University
editor: Print, Eye, Baseline, I.D.; contributing writer: Metropolis, U.S. Port of Entry at Massena, NY; architect selection consultant: Designism: Design for Social Change, Art Directors Club Exhibitions include: Lubalin Center Gallery, The Cooper Union;
Grafik, Step; Visuals; columnist, The New York Times Book Review. Cleveland Museum of Art, National World War II Memorial Design Clients include: BP, Coca-Cola, Hershey Foods, NYC 2012, Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery, University of the Arts, Philadelphia; Musée
Formerly, art director, The New York Times Book Review Competi­tion; project director: Whitehall Ferry Terminal Design Mattel, Tribeca Film Festival, Motorola, American Express, Johnson des Bastides, France
Education: New York University, School of Visual Arts Competition; Pritzker Architecture Prize Annual Jury Meeting; proj- & Johnson, Kodak, Lionsgate Films, New York Public Library, Dove, Clients include: United Nations, Bank of America, J. Paul Getty
Books authored, co-authored or edited: More than 100 ect coordinator, Italian Manifesto Confer­ence, International Design Rainforest Alliance, Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection Museum, Metropolitan Transit Authority, University of Virginia,
books on graphic design, illustration and political art, including Paul Conference in Aspen; advisory board member emeritus, Adobe Books include: Brotherhood, The Ecology of Design Unicef, Empire State Building
Rand; Merz to Emigré and Beyond: Avant-Garde Magazine Design Partners by Design; visiting scholar, American Academy in Rome Publications include: The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Author: This Way That Way, Sounds, Glue Glue, Holdup, Itself,
of the Twentieth Century; Design Literacy: Understanding Graphic Publications include: Co-author, Design Career: A Practical Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Fast Company, Business Week, Spacescape, Make Your Own Museum, A Little Night Book
Design, Second Edition; Handwritten: Expressive Lettering in Guide for Beginning Illustrators and Graphic Designers; Design Architecture, Graphis, Print, I.D., Creativity Publications include: Signs and Spaces; Baseline; Masters of the
the Digital Age; The Education of a Typographer; Graphic Design Schools Confidential; Design Entrepreneur; co-editor, Graphis Awards include: AIGA; I.D.; Graphis; Communication Arts; 20th Century; Typojanchi: Seoul Typography Biennale; Idea; All Men
History; Graphic Style: From Victorian to Postmodern; Typology: Publica­tion Design; associate editor, New York Observed, Art Print; Type Directors Club; Art Directors Club; The One Show; Are Brothers (Designers Edition, China)
Type Design from Victorian to Postmodern; The Education of a Against War. Formerly, reporter-at-large, Italian Design, Graphis; Fast Company Peak Performer in American Design; Distinguished Collections include: Library of Congress; Museum of Modern
Graphic Designer; Italian Art Deco: Graphic Design Between the founding managing editor, American Illustration & Photography Alumni Award, Massachusetts College of Art & Design; National Art; Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum; Bibliothèque
Wars; Faces on the Edge: Type in the Digital Age; French Modern: Organization for Women, the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty Nationale, Paris
Art Deco Graphic Design; Euro Deco: Graphic Design Between the Gail Anderson Awards include: Gold Award, Graphis; World’s Most Memorable
Wars; Cuba Style; The Savage Mirror: The Art of Contemporary Education: BFA, School of Visual Arts Milton Glaser Poster, UAI; Bronze Medal, Czechoslovakia International Graphic
Caricature; Texts on Type; Graphic Humor: The Art of Graphic Books include: New Vintage Type; Graphic Wit: The Art of President and creative director, Milton Glaser, Inc.; acting chairman Design Exhibition, Brno; member, Alliance Graphique Internationale
Wit; Citizen Designer; Seymour Chwast: The Left-Handed Humor in Design; The Designer’s Guide to Astounding Photoshop of the board, School of Visual Arts. Formerly, co-founder, Push Pin
Designer; Innovators of American Illustration; Art Against War; Effects; American Typeplay; The Savage Mirror: The Art of Studios; co-founder, New York magazine Martin Kace
The Push Pin Graphic: Twenty Five Years of Design and Illustra­tion; Contemporary Caricature Education: The Cooper Union; Academy of Fine Arts, Founder, CEO, Empax.org; CEO, Bakunin Brothers; owner,
Stylepedia: A Guide to Graphic Design Mannerisms, Quirks, and Publications include: Step Inside Design, DesignNet (Korea), Bologna, Italy co-founder, Area Inc.
Conceits; The Anatomy of Design: Uncovering the Influences and Identity (Russia), Show People, Paper, Graphic Arts (U.K.), Baseline Graphic and Architectural Commissions: “I Love NY” Education: BA, Hebrew University; MA, M.Ed.,
Inspirations in Modern Graphic Design Collections include: Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum; logo; complete graphic and decorative programs for the World Trade Columbia University
Curatorial works include: “Simplicissimus, Germany’s Most Library of Congress Center restaurants; design of the Observation Deck for the World Professional Experience: Branding advisor to President Shimon
Influential Satire Magazine,” Goethe House; “Political Art, Ten Years Awards and honors include: AIGA, Society of Publication Trade Center; redesign (architectural, interior, packaging and adver- Peres of Israel; CEO, Joe Boxer Corp.; CEO, Phat Farm
of Graphic Commentary,” AIGA; “Typographic Treasures, The Work Designers, Type Directors Club, Art Directors Club, Communication tising design), Grand Union supermarket chain; redevelopment of
of W.A. Dwiggins,” ITC Center Arts, Print, Graphis the Rainbow Room complexes, Rockefeller Center Management Maira Kalman
Introductions and forewords: Tibor Kalman; Rebelling Corporation; design of an international AIDS symbol, World Health Author, illustrator
Against Rockwell (Pictures for the American People); Barbara Ken Carbone Organization; logo for Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Education: New York University
Kruger: Graphic Designer; Alex Steinweis; American Advertising of Partner, Carbone Smolan Agency Angels in America; identity and interior elements, Rubin Museum of Professional Experience: CEO, vice president
the 30s, 60s, 70s, 80s Education: BFA, University of the Arts Art and the SVA Theatre. More than 400 posters for clients, including: and secretary, M&Co; art associate, National Lampoon
Awards and honors include: Special Educators Award, Art Professional Experience: Signage and wayfinding systems, Le Carnegie Hall, World Health Organization, Lincoln Center Clients include: Museum of Modern Art, Kate Spade, Mark Morris
Directors Club; AIGA Medal for Lifetime Achievement; National Louvre, Paris; identity program, Sesame Street Workshop; international Exhibitions include: Cloister of Voltorre, Varese, Italy; Nuages Dance Group, Isaac Mizrahi, Vitra, The New Yorker, The New
Endowment for the Arts; Hershel Levit Award, Pratt Institute; display system, Tiffany & Co.; global prototype retail environment, Gallery, Milan; The Atelier; Gallery 138; Avram Gallery, Stony York Times
Outstanding Client Award, Graphic Artists Guild; Masters Series HMV Record Stores; worldwide identity and display system, Christie’s Brook Southampton, NY; Museo Civico di Palazzo Chiericati, books include: Max Makes a Million; Fireboat; What Pete Ate
Award, School of Visual Arts Clients include: Morgan Stanley, Quick & Reilly, Musesum Vicenza; Galerie Martel, Paris; Emzin Institute of Creative from A-Z; (un)FASHION, with Tibor Kalman; The Elements of Style
website: www.hellerbooks.com of Modern Art, Hartford Stage, Woodruff Arts Center, High Production, Slovenia; Society of Illustrators. One-person exhibi- Illustrated; Principles of Uncertainty
Museum of Art tions include: Museum of Modern Art; Art Institute of Boston; One-Person Exhibitions include: Ginza Gallery, Tokyo; Children’s
Philadelphia Museum of Art; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris Museum of Manhattan; Julie Saul Gallery; Armory Show; Normal
Allan Chochinov Publications include: Graphic Design, Art is Work, Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, MA
Partner, Core77; editor in chief, Core77.com Drawing is Thinking
Education: BA, University of Toronto; MID, Pratt Institute Awards include: 2010 National Medal of Arts, awarded by the Jennifer Kinon
Professional Experience: Editor in chief, Coroflot.com, National Endowment for the Arts; Hall of Fame, Art Directors Club; Founding Partner, OCD
DesignDirectory.com Illustrators Hall of Fame, Society of Illustrators; Fulbright Scholarship; Education: BFA, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor;
Clients include: Herman Miller, A.C. Nielsen, Kodak, Oral-B, Honorary Fellow, Society of Arts, England; Augustus Saint-Gaudens MFA, School of Visual Arts
Federal Express, Johnson & Johnson, Crunch Fitness Award, The Cooper Union; Masters Series Award, School of Visual Professional experience: Senior designer, Pentagram; art direc-
Awards and honors include: I.D., Communication Arts, Art Arts; AIGA; Urban Visionary Award, The Cooper Union; Cooper- tor, Graphis; design director, NYC2012, New York’s Olympic Bid
Directors Club, The One Show Hewitt Lifetime Achievement Award. Honorary doctorates: Moore Committee; brand consultant, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.
College of Art; Philadelphia Museum School; School of Visual Arts; Clients include: Saks Fifth Avenue, IMG Fashion Week, Gehry
Minneapolis Institute of Fine Art; Queens College; Accademici Architects, New York Jets, Museum of Sex, Stanton Shade Inc.
Clementi, Bologna; Royal College of Art, London

Design 156 157 www.sva.edu/grad/design


Warren Lehrer Andrew Pratt Scott Stowell
Deborah Buck

Lecturers
Seminar
Designer, typographer, author, performer Creative director, Funny Garbage; owner, creative director, Proprietor, Open
Education: BFA, Queens College; MFA, Yale University Andy Pratt Design Education: BFA, Rhode Island School of Design owner, president, Buck
Books and plays authored and designed: Crossing the Education: BFA, Rochester Institute of Technology Professional experience: Art director, Colors Magazine; House and The Gallery at
BLVD: strangers, neighbors, aliens in a new America; The Portrait Clients include: Bloomberg, Cartoon Network, CBS, Crayola, senior designer, M&Co.
Series: a quartet of men (Brother Blue, Charlie, Nicky D. from FedEx, Lego, National Geographic Kids, Noggin, Star Trek, Teen Clients include: American Museum of Moving Image, art:
Buck House
L.I.C., Claude); FRENCH FRIES; versations; I mean you know; Nick, PBS Kids, Smithsonian Institution, Turner, Veer, Viacom, 21, Bravo, EarthAction, MTV, The Nation, Nick at Nite, PBS, Stephen Doyle
GRRRHHH: a study of social patterns; TYPE DREAMS; A Tattle Wenner Media, Xerox Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, Trio, Wieden + Kennedy
Tale; Denial of the Fittest; The Whole K’Cuffin World; Social Publications include: Becoming a Graphic Designer: A Guide to Publications include: Creative Review (UK), Critique,
creative director,
Security; the life and times of Eugene Soloman; The Search for IT Careers in Web, Video, Broadcast, Game and Animation Design Communication Arts, Eye (UK), Grafik, HOW, Metropolis, Doyle Partners
and Other Pronouns Awards include: Gold and silver Mark Awards; Emmy Award; I.D., +81 (Japan), Print, STEP Inside Design
Collections include: Museum of Modern Art; Los Angeles County Global Media Award; Webby Award; “Top 50 Websites,” Time; Awards and honors include: American Center for Design,
Louise Fili
Museum of Art; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Walker Art Center, Creativity; Print Regional Design Annual; Interactive Media Award; AIGA, Art Directors Club, Broadcast Designers Association, Type designer and president,
Minneapolis; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; Tate Gallery, London; Communicator Award Directors Club, Society of Publication Designers Louise Fili, Ltd.
Jean Brown Archive; Franklin Furnace Archive; Yale Art of the Book Website: www.andypratt.net
Room; Philadelphia Museum of Art; Getty Museum, Los Angeles; The Véronique Vienne Edwin Schlossberg
Sackner Collection Howard W. Reeves Writer; creative director; president, Young Vienne, Inc. president, ESI Design
Awards and honors include: National Endowment for the Arts; Senior vice president, publisher, Abrams Books for Young Readers, Education: École des Beaux-Arts, Paris
New York State Council on the Arts; New York State Foundation Amulet Books Professional experience Includes: Contributing editor,
on the Arts; Ford Foun­dation; Puffin Foundation; AIGA; Prix Ars Education: BA, Wake Forest University House & Garden; creative director, Cato Gobe; director of busi-
Electronica; Type Directors Club; Rockefeller Foundation; Greenwall Professional experience: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.; Buena Vista ness development, Yves Saint Laurent Parfums, NY; founding art
Foundation; Furthermore Foundation; NY Book Show Best of the Best Publishing; Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. director, Parenting; founding editorial director, Mode; art direc-
Award; Media That Matters Award Awards for books edited: Caldecott Honor Book; Michael L. tor, Interiors, Image, Self
Printz Honor Book; gold and silver medals, Society of Illustrators; Author: The Art of Doing Nothing; The Art of Imperfection;
Frank Martinez Silver Medal, Parents’ Choice Award; The New York Times Best The Art of Growing Up; The Art of Expecting; Something to
Trademark attorney, The Martinez Group Illustrated; Coretta Scott King Honor Book; Art Directors Club; Be Desired: A Collection of Essays on Design; Chip Kidd, a
Education: BFA, Pratt Institute; JD, Hofstra University Boston Globe/Horn Book Award; AIGA 50 Best Books; ALA Notable Monograph
Professional Experience Includes: Design patent examiner, Books; Reading Magic Award, Parenting magazine National Parenting books edited and co-edited: Fresh Dialogue Three;
United States Patent and Trademark Office; design production direc- Center Seal of Approval Fresh Dialogue Four, New Voices in Graphic Design; Citizen
tor, The Schechter Group, Landor Associates Designer: Perspectives on Design Responsibility; The Education
Publications include: Regular contributor, I.D., Print Stefan Sagmeister of an Art Director
Graphic designer, founder, Sagmeister Inc. Publications Include: Martha Stewart Living, Town &
Kevin T. O’Callaghan Education: MS, Pratt Institute; MFA, University of Applied Country, House & Garden, InStyle, Mirabella, Redbook, Spa
Chair, 3D design program, BFA Advertising and Graphic Design Arts, Vienna Finder, Metropolis, Graphis, Print, Communication Arts, Eye,
Department, School of Visual Arts; 3D designer and illustrator; princi- Professional Experience: M&Co; creative director, Leo American Photo, AIGA Journal, Etapes Graphiques
pal, O’Callaghan & Co–Art for the Film Industry Burnett Hong Kong; art director, Sagmeister Graphics; designer,
Education: BFA, School of Visual Arts Schauspielhaus Vienna; designer, ETC. magazine, Vienna Ada Whitney
Clients include: MTV Networks, Toyota, Warner Brothers Clients include: Rolling Stones, David Byrne, Aerosmith, Lou Reed, Co-founder, creative director, Beehive. Formerly, director,
Records, A&E Networks, The History Channel, ABC Pictures Pat Metheny, Muir Cornelius Moore, Parham Santana designer, Broadway Video
Publications: People, US, Graphis, Playboy New York, The New Publications include: Rolling Stone, The New York Times Education: BA, Beloit College
York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times Awards and honors include: More than 200 design awards, Clients include: HBO, Showtime, ABC, ESPN, HGTV, PBS,
Curatorial Work includes: “Skeleton,” Whitney Museum including: The One Show; Art Directors Club; Communication Arts; Disney, Nickelodeon, MTV, NBC, Spike, AMC, TNT, Comedy
of American Art; “What Makes Them Tick?” Art Directors Club; D&AD; Grand Prix, Moscow Art Directors Club Hall of Fame Central, Quicksilver, Sundance, Time Warner Cable
“YUGO Next,” traveling exhibition; “The Turn of The Century: Exhibitions include: PS122 Gallery; Executive Gallery;
A Carousel,” traveling exhibition to Grand Central Terminal, Union Jeff Scher A.I.R. Gallery; Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, Buffalo,
Station, Washington, DC, and Union Station, Chicago Experimental filmmaker NY; P.P.O.W. Gallery; P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center;
Awards include: Distinguished Artist-Teacher Award, School of education: BA, Bard College; American Film Institute Civilian Warfare
Visual Arts Films include: Whiplash, a film by Warren Sonbert, completed after Publications include: Res, Communication Arts, Shoot,
the filmmaker’s death; Yours; Trigger Happy; Bang Bang; Turkish Millimeter, Film & Video
Traffic; Stand Clear of the Closing Doors Awards include: Gold Award, International Monitor;
exhibitions include: Museum of Modern Art, Solomon R. Promax; Broadcast Design Association; Print; Art Directors Club;
Guggenheim Museum Communication Arts; Type Directors Club; Creativity
Collections include: Museum of Modern Art, Academy Film
Archives, Pacific Film Archives

Design 158 159 www.sva.edu/grad/design


Guest Lecturers
and Advisors

Kurt Andersen Hillman Curtis Robbin Gourley Julie Lasky Mark Randall Fred Seibert Jakob Trollback
Studio 360, WNYC, New York Hillman Curtis, New York Farrar Straus Giroux, editor, Change Observer World Studio, New York Frederator, New York Trollback and Company,
Philippe Apeloigh Eames Demetrios New York Tod Lippy David Rees Bonnie Siegler New York
designer, Paris Studio of Charles & Ray Robert Greenberg Esopus, New York cartoonist, New York Number17, New York Erik Van Blokland
Dana Arnett Eames, Los Angeles R/GA, New York George Lois Vivian Rosenthal Esther Smith Letterror, Holland
VSA Partners, Chicago Barbara De Wilde Rodney Alan Greenblat adman, New York Tronic, New York Purgatory Pie Press, Just Van Rossom
Randy Balsmeyer Knopf, New York Rodney World, New York Ellen Lupton Jason Santa Maria New York Letterror, Holland
Big Film, New York William Drenttel Ric Grefe Cooper-Hewitt Museum, Happy Cog, New York Andy Spade James Victore
Jim Biber Winterhouse, AIGA, New York New York Paula Scher Andy Spade Inc., New York Victore Design Works,
Pentagram, New York Falls Village, CT Jessica Helfand Ross MacDonald Pentagram, New York Ethan Trask Brooklyn

Michael Bierut Dorothy Dunn Winterhouse, Brightwork Press, J.J. Sedelmaier Helicopter, New York Khoi Vinh
Pentagram, New York The Glass House, CT Falls Village, CT Newtown, CT J.J. Sedelmair Productions, The New York Times,
Arem Duplessis Drew Hodges Bernard Maisner White Plains, NY New York
Matteo Bologna
Mucca Design, New York The New York Times, SpotCo, New York letterer, New Jersey Eric Zimmerman
New York Jonathan Hoefler Richard McGuire founder, GameLab,
Paul Budnitz New York
KidRobot, New York Alan Dye Hoefler Frere-Jones, illustrator, New York
Apple, Cupertino New York Adam Michaels
Ralph Caplan
writer, New York Stewart Ewen Joe Holtzman Project Projects, New York
Hunter College, New York Nest, New York Debbie Millman
Michael Carabetta
Chronicle Books, San Stephen Farrell Alexander Isley Sterling Brands, New York
Francisco type designer, Chicago Isley Design, CT Susan Mitchell
John Carlin Pablo Ferro Hjalti Karlsson Farrar Straus Giroux,
Funny Garbage, New York Pablo Ferro Productions, Karlsson-Wilker, New York New York
Los Angeles
Tel: 212.592.2600

Contact Us
Matthew Carter Joyce Rutter Kaye Mitch Nash
Tobias Frere-Jones Print magazine, New York BlueQ, Pittsfield, MA
Carter + Cone, Boston
Hoefler & Frere-Jones, Fax: 212.592.2627
Lenny Kaye Christoph Niemann
Sue Coe
artist, New York
New York Patti Smith Group, illustrator, Berlin E-mail: mfadesign@sva.edu
Janet Froelich New York
Robbie Conal Real Simple, New York
Gary Panter www.sva.edu/grad/design
Art Attack, Venice, CA Jeffrey Keyton comics artist, Brooklyn
John Gall MTV, New York Phil Patton
department site: design.sva.edu
Tad Crawford Vintage Books, New York
Allworth Press, New York design critic, New Jersey We strongly encourage applicants to visit our department prior to submitting application materials.
Carin Goldberg Rick Poynor
designer, New York Come to our Departmental Information Session, or contact us directly to schedule a tour.
design critic, London
Departmental Information Session: October 1, 2011.
All times and locations will be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit

To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website or contact the Office of
Graduate Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu.

Design 160 161 www.sva.edu/grad/design


XX Contribute to the public discourse on design
XX Take a part in shaping this rapidly growing discipline
XX Study with and among the best critics and thinkers in the field
XX Join one of the only programs of its kind in the U.S.

The mfa in Design Criticism at the School of Visual Arts is an innovative two-year program that
trains students to research, analyze, and evaluate design and its social and environmental implications.
Students are taught by some of the best design writers and thinkers of our time, including “Studio 360”
host and author Kurt Andersen, moma’s design curator Paola Antonelli, former editor of I.D. maga-
zine Ralph Caplan, Metropolis contributing editor Karrie Jacobs and author and essayist Akiko Busch.
sva’s mfa in Design Criticism—the only one of its kind in the United States—seeks to cultivate
design criticism as a discipline and contribute to public discourse with new writing and thinking that
is imaginative, historically informed and socially accountable. Drawing on the broadest possible defini-
tion of design, the curriculum includes graphic, Web and product design, as well as fashion, urban
planning and networked systems.
It also considers the multiple implications of design beyond the object. In addition to object analysis,
therefore, the program offers methods for the study of designed environments and systems, and the
larger social and political contexts in which they operate.
The course of study couples a theoretical framework with significant opportunities for practical
experience. In addition to their written assignments, students produce tangible documents of their critical
practice, such as podcasts, books, blogs, documentaries, course syllabi, conferences and exhibitions.
In providing the tools for researching, analyzing, evaluating and chronicling all aspects of design, the
program will prepare students for careers as design critics, journalists, editors, curators, educators
and design managers.
The Design Criticism department (or D-Crit for short) has its own newly designed floor in an sva
building in Manhattan’s Flatiron District, well within walking distance of some of the world’s best
design collections, libraries and archives, and also very close to many of New York’s design studios and
publishing houses. Classes meet in the department; weekly field trips and site visits take place at various
locations. Students are designated their own desk space within an open plan workspace whose layout
is modeled after a magazine’s editorial office.
We welcome students from a range of academic backgrounds whose diverse perspectives and
experiences enrich the debate. The program is equally well suited to designers, who want to hone

MFA
their skills in writing and critical thinking, as it is to journalists and writers, who wish to enrich
their understanding of design.
Design criticism is a rapidly growing academic discipline and field of practice. In addition to its

Design Criticism
increasing territory in the national press, new journals, awards programs and conferences have been
initiated, dedicated to fostering the genre. It’s an exciting time to be involved in design criticism;
students in this program are instrumental in shaping its formats, directing its priorities, and negotiating
the ways it is encountered by its many publics.

www.sva.edu/grad/designcriticism Alice Twemlow, chair


department site: dcrit.sva.edu

163
Design Is
Everywhere:
On Location
Students in the D-Crit program learn different
in Times Square
Student Profiles:
methods for evaluating design in the capital Frederico Duarte & Angela Riechers
of American architecture, media and design:
New York City.
The TKTS booth in Times Square has sold more than 47 million
discount theatre tickets since it was first built in 1973. In the late
1990s a competition was held to redesign the booth. The response
was unprecedented in the history of design competitions in New
York City, with 683 entries from 31 countries. The winning entry
came from Australian architects John Choi and Tail Ropiha. The
architecture firm Perkins Eastman ultimately built it.
At SVA, we’re very lucky to have New York City as our campus. Recently we eavesdropped on
two mfa Design Criticism students who were discussing an assignment set by Justin Davidson,
architecture and classical music critic at New York magazine, which took them to Times Square.
Part public space and part architectural statement, the shimmering roof of the recently built tkts
booth in Times Square sits vulnerable to the same fierce criticism as all projects in New York. Two stu-
dents enrolled in the Design Criticism program, Frederico Duarte and Angela Riechers, toured the
area for one of their classes, exploring the continual lightning rod of debate that is the Great White Way.

AR: In class we talked about defining the booth and figuring out what it does for the streetscape.
My observation was that it’s really a stage in itself, where you can observe Times Square as if you were
at the theater or seen as being on stage yourself. I’m one of the people that really liked the booth,
but personally I don’t like Times Square. I don’t like crowds and push, and Times Square is the center
of crowds and push.

FD: I liked it, too. It’s a monumental staircase to nowhere. Climbing it is one of the great things about
it. When you get to the top you see the Coca-Cola sign—it’s your reward for reaching the top. While
it doesn’t go anywhere, it’s a vantage point. In a way, it’s part of the stage and you become part of that.
It’s also a kind of bleacher, so you’re looking out at Time Square, seeing the whole landscape.

AR: I’d never seen Times Square quite like that; here you are in the middle of traffic and you can see
the traffic flowing down past you, the river of yellow taxis and all those people. It’s really beautiful.
Normally you can’t really see it, because you’re always being moved along, you’re part of a human river.

FD: Also fascinating is the fact that the building is inconveniently jammed behind the statue of Father
Duffy, a landmark that couldn’t be moved to accommodate the plan. In a way, this is a symptom of
New York urban design. There’s always someone who wants to keep the status quo. It’s sort of ironic—
here’s this great new building in the City, but it’s a victim of politics.
That reminds me—during election night one of the big gathering places in the City was Times
Square, and someone in class said that they couldn’t remember when that space was last used as it
should be, as a place where people congregate naturally and uncontrolled. However, the stairs were
roped off for corporate use. And it makes you question whether or not this is a truly public space.
In a way, it’s true to Times Square in that it’s yet another urban oddity.

AR: Like it or not, Times Square is a reflection of our culture and what’s important to us, how we get
information, and how corporations want us to get that information. And to try and make it anything
more than that…. I can’t imagine what that would look like. We’ll just have to let it stand there, almost
like a mirror, and ask, “Do you like what you see?”

From atop the staircase that houses the


TKTS booth, MFA Design Criticism students
Frederico Duarte and Angela Riechers cast
a critical eye over New York City’s bustling—
and highly designed—epicenter.

Design Criticism
MFA Design Criticism students investigate the
structures and infrastructures that define the city
on field trips to sites both time-honored (such as
the Statue of Liberty or Queens Botanical
Gardens) and brand-new, like the Times Square
TKTS booth, One Bryant Park or the High Line.
The MFA Design Criticism Department has its own floor in a
chair interview beautiful building in the Flatiron district of New York City. Students work

Alice Twemlow
in a custom-designed studio environment with personal workstations and
Internet networking, accessible 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
The D-Crit floor is the center for studying and socializing, but regular field
“The discipline of design criticism is at a very exciting stage,” Alice Twemlow observes, “because there trips ensure that the classroom extends far beyond the D-Crit depart-
are a lot of commentators out there, but the field has yet to be molded into a substantial academic ment’s walls. The following represents a day in the life of a D-Crit student.
discipline. At first I thought it was a challenge to start a humanities-based program in the middle of an
art college, but then I realized it was actually a fantastic advantage and I decided to make it practical.
Instead of just discussing the theory of design criticism, we provide the opportunity for students to apply
“The list of faculty is pretty
the critical tools they learn. What we do is really a form of social criticism that uses design as a way
incredible. If you know
in. We’re looking at designed objects, but also at infrastructures, and that’s new territory. There are
the field, you’ll know that
elements of visual culture criticism, art criticism and architecture criticism in other programs out there,
we have the crème de

On any
but no one else has framed the discipline of design criticism as emphatically as we have.”
la crème. And students
“SVA has a tradition of holding classes toward the end of the day in order to capitalize on teachers
will build lasting contacts
who are also working professionals,” Twemlow explains, “and our program is no exception. This means
from that list.”

given day...
we can get people at the top of their game. There’s no fear of ever getting a jaded old professor! I wanted
to do a class on design curation, for example, so we went straight to MoMA and straight to their senior
curator of design…and she’s doing it! The same happened with our radio workshop class; we asked Kurt
Andersen from pri’s “Studio 360.” The list of faculty is pretty incredible. If you know the field, you’ll
know that we have the crème de la crème. And students will build lasting contacts from that list.”
“Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds,” Twemlow says. “Most have worked for a
bit though, and are here to hone their practice and to learn new tools. Right now we have someone who 9am  First-year students meet at Glenn Horowitz’s antiquarian book- 2pm  Thesis Consultation: Second-year students meet with Andrea
was an editor at Chronicle Books, others from curatorial and editorial backgrounds…. Students have store to pore over his private collection of first editions, manuscripts and Codrington to review their thesis topics and discuss research strategies.
come from industrial design and graphic design undergraduate programs, as well as English literature letters. They are led by their early-rising instructor Steven Heller, who
and philosophy. In fact, we’d like to expand that base further. I can see students of anthropology, teaches a class on how to research and construct narratives about objects 4pm  Radio and Podcast Pitch Meeting: First-year students pitch radio

psychology, history or American studies being interested in what we do. Our students feel very invested without resorting to Google. Second-year students take a field trip to story proposals to Kurt Andersen, D-Crit teacher and host of PRI’s
Philip Johnson’s Glass House in New Canaan, CT, for a private two-hour “Studio 360.” Then they work with Leital Molad and David Krasnow,
in the program and they give us a lot of valuable feedback. And they’re interested in developing extra
tour of the buildings and grounds conducted by Dorothy Dunn, director “Studio 360’s” senior producer and senior editor, to edit and refine their
things, too, like a D-Crit Road Trip for the summer months. They’re really fun!”
of Visitor Experience and Fellowships. ongoing stories.
“The D-Crit diaspora has begun,” Twemlow concludes. “Many alums are writing and editing at
titles such as Etsy, Design Observer, Architizer, Architect’s Newspaper, Metropolis, Icon and for firms
10am  First-year students meet at the Museum of Modern Art for 6pm  Guest Lecture: Gary Hustwit, independent filmmaker and director
such as Pentagram, OMA in Rotterdam, International Flavors and Fragrances and Sylvia Harris their Exhibition & Collection Curation class, led by Department of of Helvetica and Objectified talks to the students, faculty and visitors
Design; some have given lectures for AIGA NY, Royal College of Art in London, and run a workshop Architecture and Design curator Paola Antonelli. about the power and shortcomings of documentary filmmaking as a criti-
at the Canadian Center for Architecture; others are teaching at universities throughout the country, cal tool. First year students are responsible for introducing Hustwit and
and consulting for the Museum of Art and Design. What unites them is a desire to communicate what’s noon  Students break for an informal lunch in the D-Crit kitchen launching the Q+A. A drinks reception with snacks follows the talk, allow-
interesting, important or problematic about design and architecture to as broad an audience as possible.” area, where they are joined by Dutch designer and writer Daniel van ing students the opportunity for informal discussion with the speaker and
der Velden. other influential lecture attendees.

1pm  In his class, The Critical Imperative, D-Crit faculty member Ralph 7pm  Second-year students join Elaine Louie and architect David
Caplan hosts a discussion with Rob Forbes, founder of Design Within Rockwell at Maialino as part of their Restaurant Design Review Workshop.
Reach, on the evolution of his latest venture, Public Bikes.
8pm  Students head downtown to the Lower East Side’s Hotel on
Rivington for a Surface magazine party celebrating the launch of a new
issue, in which D-Crit students are featured.

Design Criticism 172 173 www.sva.edu/grad/designcriticism


The Program  The focus of the first year is threefold—on design itself, on criticism as a literary genre
and on the range of tools with which to practice design criticism. The second year offers the opportunity for
specialization both in subject matter and format. Students participate in medium-specific workshops devoted
to topics such as producing a radio program or documentary, curating an exhibition or editing a magazine
or blog. They then research and develop a large-scale thesis project that must include a substantial written
component. ¶ The program culminates in an annual public conference, conceived and organized by graduat-
Diverse Directions
ing students, in which they present papers based on their theses, alongside professional design critics and The Design Criticism program provides a supportive learning
thinkers. ¶ Degree candidates must successfully complete 64 credits, including all required courses, with environment and directed instruction for inventive thinking about
design. Yet it is the students’ personal interests and obsessions
a cumulative grade point average of 3.0. A residency of two academic years is required. Students are required that guide the development of their individual voices, approaches
to complete and present their thesis research, which must be reviewed and approved by the thesis committee and ambitions. Armed with a toolbox of research methods
and writing expertise, graduates will be prepared for a panoply
and the department chair, in order for the student to be eligible for degree conferral. of careers in publishing, journalism, broadcast and online
media, curation, education, management and events planning.

Sample Program

first year
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits

Architecture and Urban Design Criticism 4 The Blogging Workshop 4


The Critical Imperative 2 Criticism Lab 4
Design History 4 Exhibition and Collection Curation 2
Lecture Series I 2 Lecture Series II 2
Radio and Podcast Workshop 2 Reading Design 2
Urban Curation 2 Researching Design 2
Thesis Development 0

second year
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits

Cultural Theory Meets Design 4 The Design Book 2


Reporting Tools 4 Design Criticism Conference Lab 2
Thesis Consultation 4 Exhibitions and Collection Curation 2
Typologies4 Restaurant Design Review Workshop 2
Thesis I: Research and Writing 4
Thesis II: Applied Thesis Production 4

Design Criticism 174


D-Crit: The Hub
The Design Criticism department is available
24 hours a day, seven days a week, to the
program’s students, who have their own desks
within an open-plan studio-style workspace
as well as access to meeting rooms, a library
and a kitchen.
Course Descriptions

Architecture and Urban Design Criticism Cultural Theory Meets Design Exhibition and Collection Curation Researching Design
This course will examine the works of 20th-century architecture and This course will introduce a range of theoretical models that are use- Design curation is a vital and growing area of critical design discourse. The ability to conduct extensive and finely honed research is one of the
design critics, focusing on individuals from the New York City area ful for framing discussions of design. The aim is to identify when a This course provides an overview of how design has been collected and design critic’s richest resources. This course explores the interrelated
and those published in the popular press. Authors to be considered theoretical model is in use in a text or another form of criticism and presented in museum and exhibition contexts to date, and introduces processes of uncovering, collecting and categorizing data. Working
include Montgomery Schuyler and Lewis Mumford, as well as contem- to evaluate its appropriateness, coherence and value. Theories to be some of the alternative approaches currently being practiced. Focusing directly with primary sources such as correspondence, institutional doc-
porary critics such as Robert Campbell, Christopher Hawthorne and discussed include: postmodernism, feminism and gender studies, socio- on the design collections and exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art uments and promotional materials, students will test a range of meth-
Blair Kamin. Several sessions will be devoted to critiques of various logical studies of consumption and taste, Marxism, and semiotics and in New York, students will analyze various curatorial strategies, from odologies derived from disciplines such as anthropology, sociology and
forms of urban design: skyscrapers, parks, museums and design exhibi- linguistics. the research phase to the structuring of content through narrative, chro- material culture. Visits to a selection of New York’s most significant
tions, signage and the brand­­ing of neighborhoods. Students will write nology or themes, and the final set-up in the gallery space. and intriguing public and private archives, collections and libraries, as
short presentations of the sites critiqued. The Design Book well as online and database research, are included.
This course examines book publishing in the design world and commonly Lecture Series I & II
The Blogging Workshop associated quandaries: What role do books serve in the realm of critical Visiting scholars, journalists and critics will discuss topics of impor- Restaurant Design Review
The Blogging Workshop is a hands-on introduction to the practice of design discourse and how does that role differ from those of magazines, tance, while introducing students to research methods. Some lecturers Students will take field trips to different Manhattan restaurants and
blogging professionally. Students will create a new topical blog for journals and even blogs? For whom are design books published and will discuss practical aspects of their critical endeavors and others will experience each venue. This will be followed by interviews with each
the duration of the semester, structure it editorially and post to it a why? Are books simply the longest form of design criticism or is there focus on intellectual issues. The aim is to bring students in contact restaurant’s interior designers, owners and guests. Students will then
minimum of three times a week. Students will also discuss and apply something about their content that makes them unique? Assignments will with a wide variety of professional perspectives and to introduce them write reviews that discuss the interplay between food quality, atmo-
lessons about writing for online audiences, marketing content, mon- follow the stages of book production, from crafting proposals, research- to experts in the field. sphere, etiquette and service.
etization and data analysis. Regular weekly blog posts will be assessed ing a target audience and assessing a project’s commercial viability,
according to overall quality and traffic. to drafting sample materials. Students will critique each other’s work, Radio and Podcast Workshop Thesis Consultation
debate strategies and complete research to support their findings. Can the subtleties of design be successfully communicated through Working in close consultation with their advisors, students will
The Critical Imperative a non-visual medium? An increasing number of producers, writers develop detailed research plans, identify useful archives and sources,
As society has become more complex and our needs more diverse, Design Criticism Conference Lab and hosts who create radio programs addressing design believe it can. and analyze the results of their research for thesis preparation.
so have the performance criteria for design. The aim of this course In a public conference devoted to design criticism, second-year students This workshop introduces students to the variety of programs cur-
is to equip students to respond critically to design. This entails criti- will present papers based on their theses. We will investigate the rently on air, ranging from focused documentaries and magazine-style Thesis Development
cal thinking, critical looking, critical listening and a critical attitude conference as a critical medium and analyze some historical examples. formats to host and interviewing situations. Students will produce their Choosing a topic and format that is appropriate, innovative and rich
toward any other components of design that affect judgment. In Students will be involved in all aspects of conference planning and, own programs in the form of podcasts. enough to withstand extended inquiry is essential to the success of a
researching guidelines for exercising critical capacities, students will as a group, will determine the theme of the conference and its keynote thesis. This course will assist in the selection of a topic and a thesis
consider such areas as taste, subjectivity, objectivity and “construc- speakers. Reading Design advisor, refinement of the presentation format and the thesis proposal
tive” versus “destructive” criticism. We will study and discuss the Students will investigate popular national media, with a focus on preparation.
writings of William Morris and John Ruskin, as well as modern crit- Design History how design contributes to so many of the events that shape our times.
ics such as Gilbert Seldes, Reyner Banham and Edward Kaufmann, Beginning with an overview of developments arising from the Industrial Newspapers have home and style sections, but the noteworthy design Thesis I: Research and Writing/thesis consultation
Jr. Contemporary critics that include Ada Louise Huxtable, Martin Revolution, this survey course will equip students with a solid back- stories also tend to be found elsewhere: in politics, finance and even Working in close consultation with their thesis advisors, students will
Filler and Jessica Helfand will also be read. In addition, this course ground in the history of design. One goal will be to establish a common sports articles. Readings extend to essays, fiction, nonfiction and develop detailed research plans, identify useful archives and sources,
will examine criticism in other fields such as literature, theater, art and language and enable students to identify major touchstones and reliable poetry—narratives in which design also plays a significant part—rein- and analyze the results of their research. The next stage will be to
music, and the extension of critical analysis to fashion, food, dance, reference points as they formulate an accurate chronology of events. forcing a comprehensive and critical understanding about design that draft, revise and write the thesis, a process that will also be supervised
sports and film, among other aspects of popular culture. Emphasis will be placed on the changing interpretations of what consti- goes far beyond the styling of consumer products. by faculty.
tutes modernism during the period from 1918 to 1968. A series of
Criticism Lab guest lecturers will address various aspects of contemporary design. Reporting Tools Thesis II: applied thesis production
Criticism Lab offers students a forum in which to hone the writer’s This course will begin with the art of the interview, sampling a range Each student will complete and present a final thesis—whether it’s a
voice while being exposed to some of the forms and subject areas typi- of effective interviews in a variety of forms and formats: question and video documentary, a website, an exhibition or an audio tour. This
cal of contemporary design criticism. Weekly assignments, ranging answer, written narrative profiles based on interviews and, most impor- course will assist in choosing the appropriate tools and techniques for
from 250-word statements on new buildings to a 2,500-word essay on tantly, on-camera interviews. Through an examination of both written the creation of a thesis project. Students may work in collaboration
a signage campaign, will be reviewed in groups and individually with and visual sources, this course will analyze the techniques that evoke with graduate students from other departments for the creation of
the instructor. The aim is to develop methods of argumentation, com- the answers an interviewer is seeking, as well as those he or she never their chosen product. The thesis must be reviewed and approved by
fort with the editorial process and familiarity with the range of the art expected to hear. The second half of the course will address investiga- the thesis committee and the department chair.
and the possibilities of the language. The goal is to learn how to wield tive reporting, and explore the tools and inspiration for probing a jour-
language effectively in a variety of circumstances. Special attention will nalistic subject. Students will read writings on design and social change.
be paid to eradicating cliché. The authors of exemplary works will visit the class to discuss their
strategies and experiences in getting the story. Other sessions will be
devoted to research sources and methods, both traditional and new.

Design Criticism 178 179 www.sva.edu/grad/designcriticism


Faculty

Typologies Alice Twemlow, chair Awards and honors include: Special Educators Award, Art Michael Bierut
Philosophers throughout the ages have understood that insights often Design writer. Formerly, program director, AIGA Directors Club; AIGA Medal for Lifetime Achievement; National Partner, Pentagram, co-founder, Design Observer
derive from analyzing the similarities and differences in categories of EDUCATION: BA, Bristol University; MA, Royal College of Art/Victoria Endowment for the Arts; Hershel Levit Award, Pratt Institute; EDUCATION: BS, summa cum laude, University of Cincinnati
objects. Typologies exist in artworks of Andy Warhol, the photographs & Albert Museum Outstanding Client Award, Graphic Artists Guild; Masters Series BOOKS AUTHORED INCLUDE: Seventy-nine Short Essays on Design;
of Bernd and Hilla Becher and the informational graphics of Edward BOOKS AUTHORED INCLUDE: StyleCity New York; What is Graphic Award, School of Visual Arts co-editor, Looking Closer: Critical Writings on Graphic Design,
Tufte—all as a means toward a deeper comprehension. In this course, Design For? Essays in: Looking Closer 5: Critical Writings on website: www.hellerbooks.com vols. 1 through 5
students will identify an object, a building or a graphic element, and Graphic Design; Barnbrook Bible; ELSE/WHERE: MAPPING; Publications Contributed to include: Design Observer, I.D.
assemble and evaluate its variants. By looking at types of design (cof- Why Not Associates 2 Kurt Andersen Awards and honors include: Art Directors Club Hall of Fame;
fee cup lids, magnetic car ribbons, military unit patches, manhole cov- Publications Contributed to include: Arena; Baseline; Co-creator, host, “Studio 360,” WNYC and PRI; novelist; columnist, Medal of Excellence, AIGA; president emeritus, AIGA NY; Design
ers), students will learn to identify what does and does not change in a Architect’s Newspaper; Communication Arts; Design Issues; Design New York magazine. Formerly, architecture/design critic, cultural Mind Award, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum; member,
form in order to come closer to its essence. Observer; Eye; Frieze; Grafik; Graphis; I.D.; Step; New York maga- columnist, Time; co-founder, editor in chief, Spy; editor in chief, Alliance Graphique Internationale
zine; Paper; Print; Typographic; Varoom; Voice: AIGA Journal of New York magazine; staff writer, columnist, The New Yorker;
Urban Curation Design co-founder, Inside.com; creative consultant, Universal Television; Akiko Busch
In this course, students will act as urban curators, and will consult CONFERENCES DIRECTED INCLUDE: “Being Here: Craft and Locality editorial director, Colors Author, design critic. Formerly, contributing editor, Metropolis
writings by innovative urban theorists (such as Henry Adams, John in Graphic Design,” “Voice: AIGA National Design Conference Education: BA, Harvard University EDUCATION: BA, Bennington College
Ruskin, John Berger, Jane Jacobs, Ian Frazier and Colson Whitehead), 2002.” Co-director, “Looking Closer: AIGA Conference on Design Author: Heyday, The Real Thing, Turn of the Century; BOOKS AUTHORED INCLUDE: Nine Ways to Cross a River:
as well as articles from contemporary magazines and websites. History and Criticism” co-author, Loose Lips; Spy: The Funny Years; Tools of Power Midstream Reflections on Swimming and Getting There from Here;
However, the heart of the course will be weekly assignments based Publications Contributed to include: The Enlightened Geography of Home: Writings on Where We Live; The Uncommon
on scavenger hunts: students will be asked to find the most significant Steven Heller, program co-founder Bracketologist; Laughing Matters; Minus Equals Plus; Mirth of Life of Common Objects: Essays on Design and the Everyday
building on a randomly chosen New York City street and make a case Co-chair, MFA Design Department, School of Visual Arts; special a Nation; Pleasure; Profile; Public Relations and the Press: The Publications Contributed to include: The New York Times,
for their selection; find an object on the street that indicates this is assistant to the president, School of Visual Arts; editor, Voice: AIGA Troubled Embrace; Spectacle; Tibor Kalman: Perverse Optimist; Metropolitan Home, Architectural Record, Home, Elle, House
the 21st century and decide what that object says about this moment Online Journal of Graphic Design; contributing editor: Print, Eye, 101 Damnations; Architectural Record; Atlantic Monthly; & Garden, London Financial Times, Traditional Home, Travel +
in time; go to Times Square and find the best piece of design and the Baseline, I.D.; contributing writer: Metropolis, Grafik, Step; Visuals; Metropolis; The New York Times; Rolling Stone; Vanity Fair Leisure, Wallpaper
worst piece of design; visit Crate & Barrel, Muji, and Pearl River, columnist, The New York Times Book Review. Formerly, art director, EXHIBITIONS CURATED INCLUDE: “Faster, Newer, Cheaper, More:
and decide which one best represents the notion of good design and The New York Times Book Review Revolutions of 1848,” Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Ralph Caplan
why. Students will develop an eye for their surroundings and gain Education: New York University, School of Visual Arts AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDE: George Foster Peabody Award; Contributing editor, Print. Formerly, editor in chief, I.D.
confidence in their own abilities to identify meaning—perhaps even Books authored, co-authored or edited: More than 100 The New York Times Book Review Notable Books of the Year; EDUCATION: BA, Earlham College; MA, Indiana University
beauty—in a cluttered, chaotic environment. books on graphic design, illustration and political art, including Paul “100 People Who Changed New York,” New York magazine; Author: By Design: Why There Are No Locks on the Bathroom
Rand; Merz to Émigre and Beyond: Avant-Garde Magazine Design Associated Press; Newspaper Guild; honorary doctorate, Rhode Island Doors in the Hotel Louis XIV and Other Object Lessons; Cracking
of the Twentieth Century; Design Literacy: Understanding Graphic School of Design; Visionary in Residence, Art Center in Pasedena the Whip: Essays On Design And Its Side Effects; The Design of
Design, Second Edition; Handwritten: Expressive Lettering in the Herman Miller; Say Yes!
Digital Age; The Education of a Typographer; Graphic Design Paola Antonelli BOOKs EDITED INCLUDE: Design in America, Making More Than
History; Graphic Style: From Victorian to Postmodern; Typology: Senior curator, Department of Architecture and Design, Museum of Sense
Type Design from Victorian to Postmodern; The Education of a Modern Art. Formerly, editor, Abitare; contributing editor, Domus Publications Contributed to include: Graphis, House &
Graphic Designer; Italian Art Deco: Graphic Design Between the Education: Laurea di Dottore, Polytechnico Di Milano Garden, Interior Design, Interiors, The Nation, The New Yorker,
Wars; Faces on the Edge: Type in the Digital Age; French Modern: EXHIBITIONS CURATED INCLUDE: “Design and the Elastic Mind;” Design Quarterly, The New York Times Magazine
Art Deco Graphic Design; Euro Deco: Graphic Design Between the “Achille Castiglioni: Design!;” “Humble Masterpieces;” “Mutant AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDE: Director emeritus, IDCA; writer-
Wars; Cuba Style; The Savage Mirror: The Art of Contemporary Materials in Contemporary Design;” “Thresholds: Contemporary in-residence, Haystack Mountain School of Arts and Crafts; Bronze
Caricature; Texts on Type; Graphic Humor: The Art of Graphic Design from the Netherlands;” “SAFE: Design Takes On Risk;” Apple Award and honorary member, IDSA
Wit; Citizen Designer; Seymour Chwast: The Left-Handed “Projects 66: Campana/Ingo Maurer;” “Workspheres;” Museum of
Designer; Innovators of American Illustration; Art Against War; Modern Art Justin Davidson
The Push Pin Graphic: Twenty Five Years of Design and Illustra­tion; BOOKS AUTHORED INCLUDE: Objects of Design from the Museum of Architecture and classical music critic, New York magazine;
Stylepedia: A Guide to Graphic Design Mannerisms, Quirks, and Modern Art; SAFE: Design Takes On Risk; Humble Masterpieces: Contributor, “Soundcheck,” WNYC. Formerly, columnist, Newsday.
Conceits; The Anatomy of Design: Uncovering the Influences and Everyday Marvels of Design; Design and the Elastic Mind Education: AB, Harvard University; MA, Columbia University;
Inspirations in Modern Graphic Design Publications Contributed to include: Harper’s Bazaar, DMA, Columbia University
Curatorial works include: “Simplicissimus, Germany’s Most Harvard Design, I.D., Metropolis, Nest, Paper , Seed Publications contributed to include: New York magazine,
Influential Satire Magazine,” Goethe House; “Political Art, Ten Years Awards And Honors include: Design Mind Award, Cooper- Newsday, E-music, The New Yorker, Salon, Slate, Los Angeles
of Graphic Commentary,” AIGA; “Typographic Treasures, The Work Hewitt, National Design Museum; senior fellow, Royal College of Times, Opera News, Icon, Travel + Leisure
of W.A. Dwiggins,” ITC Center Art, London; honorary doctorate, Kingston University Awards and honors include: Pulitzer Prize, Criticism; AASFE
Introductions and forewords: Tibor Kalman; Rebelling Award for A&E Feature; ASCAP Concert Music Award; Deadline
Against Rockwell (Pictures for the American People); Barbara Club Award, Best Feature; ASCAP-Deems Taylor Award for writing
Kruger: Graphic Designer; Alex Steinweis; American Advertising on music; ASNE Distinguished Writing Award; Long Island Press Club
of the 30s, 60s, 70s, 80s Awards; Newsday Publisher’s Award

Design Criticism 180 181 www.sva.edu/grad/designcriticism


Professional Opportunities
The Design Criticism MFA faculty includes the greatest minds
in the field, while the department’s visiting lecture series brings
its students in contact with an even wider spectrum of experts,
including acclaimed designers, bloggers, filmmakers, design
historians, authors and editors. Located in New York City, a
global hub of design and media, students are encouraged to
forge relationships with these visitors and pursue internships at
institutions, studios or publications. Students have undertaken
Russell Flinchum Karrie Jacobs Elaine Louie summer internships and fellowships at Surface magazine,
Archivist, Century Association Archives Foundation, New York Columnist, contributing editor, Metropolis; contributing editor, Assistant to the editor, House & Home section, The New York Times; LOT-EK, AIGA, Pentagram, Museum of the Moving Image,
Education: BA, MA, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Travel + Leisure. Formerly, editor in chief, Dwell; executive editor, contributor, The New York Times House & Home, Dining, and Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, and the Office for
PhD, CUNY Graduate Center Colors; contributing editor, New York magazine; “Public Eye” Sunday Styles sections Metropolitan Architecture in Rotterdam, among others.
BOOKS AUTHORED INCLUDE: Henry Dreyfuss, Industrial Designer: columnist, The New York Times Education: AB, Brown University; EdM Tufts University Upon graduation, D-Crit students have embarked on careers
The Man in the Brown Suit, American Design Education: BA, Evergreen State College BOOKS AUTHORED INCLUDE: The Shun Lee Cookbook; House in publishing, museums, education and business.
Publications Contributed to include: 2wice, Ergonomics BOOKS AUTHORED INCLUDE: The Perfect $100,000 House: A Trip Beautiful: Collections on Display; Living with Textiles; Living The program places significant emphasis on the practical
in Design, I.D., things, American Ceramics, American Craft, Across America and Back in Pursuit of a Place to Call Home; co- in New England; The Art of the Party; Premier Beer: A Guide to application of the many methodologies it teaches. Students write
Modern Magazine author, Angry Graphics: Protest Posters of the Reagan/Bush Era America’s Best Microbrews compelling columns, curate exhibitions, develop book proposals,
Curatorial Works include: “Henry Dreyfuss, Direct­ing Design: Publications Contributed to include: Adweek, Fortune, Awards include: James Beard Journalism Award, Women’s Sports record and produce radio stories, edit magazines and build
The Industrial Designer and His Work, 1929–1972,” Cooper-Hewitt, George, I.D., Rolling Stone Foundation Journalism Award online forums, assembling a tangible portfolio of their critical
National Design Museum; “Buckminster Fuller/Shoji Sado,” Milton website:  www.karriejacobs.com
practice. The two-year program culminates in an annual public
Academy, Green Library, Stanford University Matilda McQuaid
conference, conceived and organized by graduating students,
AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDE: AIA International Architecture Alexandra Lange Deputy Curatorial Director, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.
in which they present papers based on their large-scale thesis
Book Award for Monographs; Charles F. Montgomery Award, Contributing editor, New York magazine Formerly, Associate Curator, Museum of Modern Art
project to an extensive audience of professional design critics and
Decorative Arts Society; Henry Allen Moe Award, New York State EDUCATION: BA, Yale University; PhD, New York University Education:  MA, University of Virginia
Historical Associa­tion; Samuel H. Kress Foundation; Peter Kreuger/ Publications Contributed to include: New York magazine, Books authored include:  Envisioning Architecture: Drawings
thinkers—their future peers, collaborators and employers.
Christie’s Fellowship, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Metropolis, Domino, Journal of Design History, Journal of the from the Museum of Modern Art; Structure and Surface:
Society of Architectural Historians, The New York Times Contemporary Japanese Textiles; Architecture: A Place for Women;
Janet Froelich and Extreme Textiles: Designing for High Performance, Shigeru Ban Shax Riegler
Design director, Real Simple. Formerly; creative director, The New Julie Lasky Exhibitions curated Include:  “Josef + Anni Albers: Designs for Editor, writer. Formerly, features editor, House & Garden; articles
York Times Magazine and T: The New York Times Style Magazine; Editor, Change Observer. Formerly, editor in chief, I.D., editor in Living”, “Extreme Textiles: Designing for High Performance”, and editor, Martha Stewart Living, associate editor, Travel & Liesure
board of directors, Society of Publication Designers; president, New chief, Interiors; managing editor, Print “National Design Triennial: Design Life Now”.   Education: BA, Kenyon College. MA, M.Phil, Bard Graduate
York Chapter, AIGA EDUCATION: BA, Wesleyan University Awards and honors include: AIGA/USA award for Best Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts. PhD Candidate,
Education: BFA, Cooper Union; MFA, Yale University BOOKS AUTHORED INCLUDE: Some People Can’t Surf: The Graphic Architecture or Design Exhibition, Thomas Lee and Ann Tenenbaum Bard Graduate Center
Publications Contributed to include: Directed design and Design of Art Chantry. Essays in: Borrowed Design: Use and Lee award Publications contributed to include: The Magazine Antiques,
launch of Play: The New York Times Sports Magazine; T: The New Abuse of Historical Form; And Fork: 100 Designers, 10 Curators, Budget Travel, Cookie, Country Living, Elle Decor, House&
York Times Style Magazine; Key: The New York Times Real Estate 10 Good Designs Leital Molad Garden, House Beautiful, InSyle Home, Martha Stewart Living,
Magazine. Work has appeared in: Graphis, Print, American Photo, Publications Contributed to include: The New York Times, Senior producer, PRI’s “Studio 360” T: The New York Times Style Magazine
American Illustration Architecture, Dwell, Eye, Graphis, Metropolis, The National EDUCATION: BA, University of Texas at Austin; MA, New York University
AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDE: Art Directors Club Hall of Fame, Scholar, Grid, Print, Slate, Surface Elizabeth Spiers
Society of Publication Designers, Society of Newspaper Designers Awards And Honors include: National Arts Journalism Phil Patton Media consultant and writer. Editor-in-chief, New York Observer.
Fellowship, Columbia University; National Arts Journalism Fellow, Contributing editor, Departures, Esquire, I.D.; contributing writer, Founder/co-founder, Gawker.com, Dealbreaker.com, AbovetheLaw.
Adam Harrison Levy Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University; Richard J. Wired; creator, “Public Eye” column, The New York Times; automo- com, Fashionista.com, Flavorwire.com, Halogenlife.com, Unbeige.com.
Documentary producer/director; interviewer; contributing writer, Margolis Award; chair, Design Jury, CLIO; Editors’ Jury, ICFF; juror, tive design writer. Formerly, writer, “Design” and “Living Quarters” Education: BA, Duke University
Design Observer (www.designobserver.com) National Magazine Awards; juror, Winterhouse Awards for Design columns, Esquire; reviewer, Artforum Books authored include: And They All Die in the End
Projects include: Hiroshima; The Genius of Photography; Writing & Criticism Education: MA, Columbia University Publications contributed to include: Fortune, Fast Company,
Auschwitz; America: The Story of Us; D-Day to Berlin; 50 Films to BOOKS AUTHORED INCLUDE: Made in USA: The Secret Histories of the Slate, The New Republic Online, Salon, New York Magazine, The
See Before You Die; Hollywood Greats. Producer, Selling the Sixties: Andrea Codrington Lippke Things That Made America; Bug: The Strange Muta­tions of the World’s New York Times, The New York Post
How Madison Avenue Dreamed a Decade; David Ogilvy: Original Visual culture critic; editor, Phaidon Press. Formerly, editorial director, Most Famous Automobile; Michael Graves Designs: The Art of the
Mad Man; Imagine: Chuck Close AIGA; columnist, The New York Times; senior editor, I.D. Everyday Object; Dreamland: Travels Inside the Secret World of Roswell Karen Stein
Publications include: The Guardian; Daily Telegraph; The EDUCATION: BA, William Smith College and Area 51; Open Road: Celebration of the American Highway; Razzle- Editor. Formerly, editorial director, Phaidon Press; managing senior
Independent; Art in America; Blueprint; Interview; Projections: A BOOKS AUTHORED INCLUDE: Pause: 59 Minutes of Motion Dazzle: The Curious Marriage of Television and Professional Football editor, Architectural Record
Forum for Filmmakers; Photo Technique; co-author, Decisive Weapons Graphics; Kyle Cooper: Monographics Publications Contributed to include: Art in America, Education: B.Arch., Princeton University
Awards and honors include: Olin Memorial Fellowship, Publications Contributed to include: The New York Times, ARTnews, Connoisseur, Geo, Harper’s Bazaar, New Republic, AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDE: Jesse H. Neal Award, American
Wesleyan University; Basil Taylor Memorial Prize, Royal College of Washington Post, National Post, Elle, Metropolis, I.D., Blueprint, Manhattan Inc., Men’s Journal, The New York Times Book Review, Business Press; Corporate Achieve­ment Award for Editorial Excellence,
Art; Vilcek Foundation Fellowship Eye, Cabinet Omni, Rolling Stone, Seven Days, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + McGraw-Hill Companies; Loeb Fellow, Harvard University; International
Leisure, New York magazine, Vogue, Smithsonian, Washington Book Award, American Institute of Architects; co-chair, Architecture
Post, The Village Voice and Design Circle, Museum of Modern Art; board member, Architectural
Consulting curator: “Blobjects and Beyond: The New Fluidity In League of New York; jury, Pritzker Architecture Prize
Design,” San Jose Museum of Art; “Curves of Steel: Streamlining the
Automobile,” Phoenix Museum of Art; “Different Roads,” Museum
of Modern Art. Consultant, contributor, “On the Job: Design and the
American Office,” National Building Museum
website: www.philpatton.com

Design Criticism 182 183 www.sva.edu/grad/designcriticism


Guest Lecturers

Donald Albrecht Dwight Garner Natalie Jeremijenko Geoff Manaugh Jeff Roth Cynthia Smith Lettie Teague Kazys Varnelis
curator, Museum of the book critic, visual artist and engineer, author, BLDGBLOG researcher, curator of socially wine columnist and staff director, Network
City of New York The New York Times Casey Jones; director, Deborah Marton The New York Times responsible design, writer, The Wall Street Architecture Lab, Columbia
Milton Glaser Design Excellence and the executive director, Design Cooper-Hewitt, National Journal University Graduate School
Jake Barton Zoe Ryan
graphic designer Arts, U.S. General Services Trust for Public Spaces Design Museum Meredith Tenhoor of Architecture, Planning,
founder, Local Projects Neville Bryan Curator of
Administration author and Preservation
Eugenia Bell Jamie Gray Cathleen McGuigan Design, The Art Institute of Gabriel Snyder
owner, Matter Ben Katchor arts editor, Newsweek Chicago editor-in-chief, Gawker Edward Tenner Tucker Viemeister
design editor, Frieze
cartoonist author and historian of industrial designer and lab
Ayse Birsel Peter Hall Abbott Miller Katie Salen Lockhart Steele
Stuart Kestenbaum blog publisher and technology and culture chief, Rockwell Group
co-founder, Birsel + Seck design lecturer writer, curator, partner, writer; faculty, Design and
director, Haystack Mountain Pentagram Technology Program, president, Curbed Jane Thompson Pilar Viladas
Andrew Blauvelt Christopher Hawthorne School of Crafts Parsons School of Design design editor, T: The New
design director, architecture critic, Victoria Milne Valerie Steele editor, designer and urban
Emily King founder and editor-in-chief, planner York Times Style Magazine
Walker Art Center Los Angeles Times director of creative services, James Sanders
author, curator, NYC Department of Design architect, author, Fashion Theory: The Journal Masamichi Udagawa and Lawrence Weschler
Chandler Burr Virginia Heffernan design historian documentary filmmaker of Dress, Body & Culture author
and Construction Sigi Moeslinger
author; perfume critic, columnist and television
critic, The New York Times Linda King Bill Moggridge Mark Schapiro Gay Talese partners, Antenna Design David Womack
The New York Times
lecturer in Design History, director, Cooper-Hewitt, editorial director, Center for author, journalist Valerie Vago Laurer design, technology and
Allan Chochinov Jessica Helfand Theory and Visual Investigative Reporting culture writer
National Design Museum Sam Tanenhaus editor, Phaidon Books
co-founder and editor, Core graphic design writer; Communication, Institute
partner, Winterhouse Studio Stephanie Murg Felicity D. Scott editor, The New York Times Daniel van der Velden Susan Yelavich
77; chair, MFA Products of Art, Design and
co-editor, Mediabistro educator Book Review graphic designer and curator, critic, author
of Design, SVA Scott Henderson Technology, Dublin
UnBeige John Seabrook founding partner,
Elaine Lustig Cohen designer and founder, Pat Kirkham
designer, book dealer Scott Henderson Inc. Chee Pearlman author and staff writer, New Metahaven
design and cultural historian
design consultant, Yorker
Brian Collins Glenn Horowitz Melissa Lafsky conference program
chief creative officer, Collins antiquarian book dealer author, Opinionistas blog director
Glen Cummings Jamer Hunt, designer Mark Lamster Tel: 212.592.2228

Contact Us
Martin C. Pedersen
partner MTWTF Big+Tall Design; author and critic executive editor, Metropolis
Daniel D’Oca associate professor of
Cathy Leff
Fax: 212.243.1019
Transdisciplinary Design, Rick Poynor
Georgeen Theodore
Parsons School of Design director, Wolfsonian-FIU author, design critic E-mail: dcrit@sva.edu
and Tobias Armborst,
Vicki Gold Levi
founders, Interboro Gary Hustwit
photographic researcher
Alissa Quart www.sva.edu/grad/designcriticism
filmmaker, Helvetica, author
Stuart Ewen
Objectified Greg Lindsay department site: dcrit.sva.edu
design historian David Reinfurt
Joanne Dolan Ingersoll author; writer, Fast graphic designer, We strongly encourage applicants to visit our department prior to submitting application materials.
Peter Feld Company
curator, Museum of Art, writer, critic
Web editor, blogger Come to our Departmental Information Session, or contact us directly to schedule a tour.
Rhode Island School George Lois Michael Rock
Rob Forbes of Design art director, designer, author All times and locations will be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit
graphic designer and
founder,
Julie V. Iovine Paul Lukas founding partner, 2×4, Inc. To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website
Design Within Reach or contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu.
executive editor, sports uniform critic, ESPN Laurie Rosenwald
Jason Fulford, Architect’s Newspaper Ellen Lupton author; illustrator; founder,
photographer and
writer, curator, graphic Rosenworld Design Studio
co-founder, J&L Books
designer
Design Criticism 184 185 www.sva.edu/grad/designcriticism
XX Social Innovation is one of the most dynamic, expansive forces in the world today –
this program is a learning path for designers who want to play a leading role in it
XX For those who wish to turn their good intentions into positive outcomes and use
design to drive innovation within diverse businesses, communities and cultures
XX Two-year program will prepare students to have successful, fulfilling careers through
immersion in the dynamics of social innovation, and mastery of its tools and skills

Social innovation is one of the most dynamic, expansive and exciting fields of endeavor today. It is the
application of new strategies and models to solving the challenges facing the world, and to strengthen-
ing society. In Blessed Unrest, Paul Hawkins describes its remarkable force in the world as “the largest
movement on earth, a movement that has no name, leader or location, and that has gone largely
ignored by politicians and the media. Like nature itself, it is organizing from the bottom up, in every
city, town and culture, and is emerging to be an extraordinary and creative expression of people’s
needs worldwide.”
sva’s two-year graduate program is the first mfa program to help prepare designers to participate
fully in social innovation in all its forms. It will provide students with the design tools, skills and expe-
rience they need to become creative leaders in social innovation—unlocking new worlds of potential
through mastery of design thinking, innovation, social technologies, data visualization and communi-
cation design—at the intersection of business, society and the natural world.
Under the guidance of leaders in social technology, conservation, healthcare, living systems, move-
ment and game design, cognitive science and emergent business models, students in the mfa Design for
Social Innovation Department will work with real clients throughout the program, gaining hands-on
experience with multinational corporations, non-profits and social entrepreneurs around the globe.
The mfa in Design for Social Innovation at the School of Visual Arts is geared toward designers
looking for meaningful and engaging work through which they can make a significant contribution to
society, as well as for graduates in other disciplines who want to learn to harness the power of design
to create positive change and transformation.
The MFA in Design for Social Innovation curriculum encompasses a broad range of issues includ-
ing conservation, health, food and agriculture, poverty, women’s rights, social justice, fair trade,
education and community revitalization.
Graduates of the program will be prepared to work in design firms and advertising agencies, in
corporations both large and small, in non-profit organizations or as social entrepreneurs. They will
be skilled in the design of concepts, communities, organizational models, communication, information
design, mapping and implementation.

Cheryl Heller, Chair

MFA Design for


Social Innovation
www.sva.edu/grad/dsi
187
department site: dsi.sva.edu
Faculty members Lee-Sean
Huang and Alessandra Orofino
work at Purpose.com, where
they help to create 21st-century
movements for progressive
companies and organizations,
mobilizing large-scale, pur-
poseful actions. Technology is
unlocking transformational new
forms of participation and social
engagement, and Lee-Sean and
Alessandra are at the forefront.

Designing
Democracy
and Justice
Faculty Profiles:
Lee-Sean Huang and
Alessandra Orofino
My Rio: A Movement for and by the People of Rio de Janeiro
Lee-Sean Huang and Alessandra Orofino are the lead designer and strategist on a ground-
breaking program for the city of Rio.
Meu Rio (“My Rio” in Portuguese) is an independent popular movement for and by the
people of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, working to build a more democratic, just and livable city.
The campaigns and tools will help empower all Cariocas to work together to improve the city
they love as they prepare to host the World Cup and Olympics.
Working with local partners to create the identity for the movement, Lee-Sean and Ales-
sandra are developing interactive tools to promote civic participation. The images on this page
illustrate two of the concepts in development.
In the photo opposite, the “Rio Monocle” augmented reality mobile app helps contextual-
ize abstract data and indicators in physical urban space; a user points the app at a local public
school and is able to access data about the ranking, reviews and budget of the institution.
Below, Meu Mapa (“My Map”) is a social map that will help connect residents of Rio to
each other and to the hyperlocal issues that impact their neighborhoods.
On a floor of its own in the heart of Chelsea, our leed-certified
chair interview space is designed to foster deep thinking, collaboration, connection to nature,

Cheryl Heller
technology and diverse perspectives. In lieu of traditional classrooms, we have
an auditorium where we hear from and are heard by the most fascinating and
innovative people in the world, a play room where action and creativity reign,
Cheryl Heller, board chair of the Poptech organization and chair of sva’s new mfa Design for Social a quiet room for study and contemplation, a computer lab wired with the latest
Innovation program, never intended to become an educator, but a far-sighted colleague encouraged her technology, sound booths for podcasting, and a kitchen to crowd around. Stu-
not to dismiss the possibility. “About five years ago,” she recalls, “Richard Wilde, chair of the Graphic dents have access 24/7, and our space is home to visiting innovators—from this
Design and Advertising undergraduate program at sva, who I met when we were both on the board planet and beyond—who come to stir our thinking and open our minds.
of the Art Directors Club, suggested that I should try teaching. I told him it was a ridiculous idea, that
“We are creating this
I didn’t have the time. But I ended up doing it anyway, and I’ve been teaching the undergraduate Design
program to prepare
for Good course ever since.” It was Wilde too who proposed that the time might be right for a graduate
the next design
program in the same field. “It took a lot of refining and thinking through,” says Heller, “partly because
leaders in social

On any
we are creating a new learning path for designers into this field rich with career potential, but there isn’t
innovation, and
a model of an existing program.”
improve the impact
The lack of examples on which to draw seems strange now, given the popularity of the program’s
of social innovation

given day...
focus. “It’s rare to talk to anyone in business or the non-profit world today who doesn’t want to get
through design.”
involved in social innovation,” Heller reports. “They all want to ‘change the world,’ though they have
many different ways of expressing that desire. What we need now, and what we are aiming for with this
program, is to help students learn to use the process and tools of design to turn those good intentions
into positive outcomes. An abundant and sustainable future won’t be realized through the work of any
single silo of experts, country or generation. It will come from the integration of wisdom from all of
them, from game-changing collaboration between them, and from the creativity and discipline that 8am  First year students meet bright and early in the morning for one 2:30pm  In the afternoon, Francis Cholle, founder of The Human
only social innovation design can bring.” To this end, the mfa is aimed primarily at working design- final rehearsal of their 12:00 presentation to Jeffrey Hollender, the Company, leads a session on play and innovation where students
ers, especially those with a broad outlook. “It’s for those who are interested in more than just self-ex- founder of Seventh Generation and CommonWise. The work includes collaborate on solving real world design problems with a corporate client
pression,” says Heller, “this is for people who are compelled to influence, transform and lead. But we’ll strategy, communication design, and a multimedia campaign for a new who has come to experience first hand the new thinking coming out

also consider designers with related interests—engineering, architecture, science—who understand the green consumer brand that links cooperatively owned businesses of our program.
across the United States. Their work includes a new identity, website,
design’s value as a tool within those fields.”
video campaign and product packaging. 4pm  Eric Hersman is in town from Nairobi to tell us about the latest ways
Heller is keen that the program should intersect with sva’s other design initiatives, and that
Ushihidi’s mobile technology and mapping are saving lives and creating
students should project their studies into the world at large. “Throughout the program, students will
9am  The computer lab is full, with students finishing a social movement communities around the world.
be engaged by real clients to help them solve the challenges they face. They will be taught to use every
project for the government of Brazil, mentored by instructor Lee-Sean
relevant design process and medium to succeed, from data visualization, movement design, entrepre- Huang, creative director at Purpose. Silence reigns in the quiet room as 7pm  That evening during the guest lecture series, Paul Polak tells what he’s
neurship, living systems and game design. There are studio courses in which students will work with always, with study and serious thinking taking place. learned about “Design for the other 90%”, his vision for creating new markets
a widely diverse group of real clients. And there’s a focus too on data visualization, movement design, by putting design to work for the 90% of the world that needs it most.
entrepreneurship, living systems and game design.” The first year will also expose students to the inner- 10am  Second year students arrive later, having been there until 3:00 am
workings of corporations, foundations, and not-for-profit organizations, and confront them with issues the night before, and put on a pot of fair trade coffee. They are working
around ethics, leadership and collaboration. “You have to understand how to negotiate companies independently or on a shared thesis with a classmate, mentored by a group
and work with entrepreneurs. My desire is to give designers the potential to have a voice in that context of advisors like Dr. Mary Pearl of the Garrison Institute, Lisa Nugent,
and to have what it takes to create profound change.” Global Creative Director at Johnson & Johnson, or Mark Belinsky,

“My ultimate goal,” she concludes, “is to immerse students in that world the day they start, so they founder of Digital Democracy.

will have accomplished real things by the time they graduate, so that they have both experience and key
relationships. Design isn’t separate from life—neither is social innovation.”

Design for Social Innovation 192 193 www.sva.edu/grad/dsi


Faculty: Despina
Papadopoulos
Despina is a designer of wearable
technologies and a design strategist:
Her clients include IBM, IBM.com and
Pfizer. She’s conducted workshops
for the U.N. on thinking about global
relations in the 21st century. And she
just got back from a full year in
Kabul, Afghanistan–implementing
product development cycles with
other local artists and designers,
helping create an ethical and viable
economic system for that country.
Social Innovation Design has application everywhere innovation is needed, and Faculty member Asi Burak
is co-president of Games for
includes the design of everything: from conversations, communication campaigns, Change, and a world-renowned

experiences, structures, technology platforms, systems, products, business models, game designer and technologist.
PeaceMaker is a news-based video
strategies, art and culture. It has the potential to be the single integrating force we need game that simulates the Israeli-
to take on the challenges we face—systemically and sustainably. Palestinian conflict. Asi’s games
have been sold in over 60 countries
and seen in over 200 media
appearances worldwide including
ABC World News, BBC World, Fox
News, Al-Jazeera, NPR, The New
York Times, Washington Post,
Time magazine, Business Week
and Wired, among many others.

Among many other accomplish-


ments, faculty member Danny
Alexander has been a product de-
signer at Method and collaborator
with IDEO on a project in Kumasi,
Ghana, to research sanitation tech-
nologies and revise the design of
toilets for poor urban households.

Faculty member Lisa Nugent is global creative director of Cross-Sector


Innovation & Design for Johnson & Johnson, part of the Global Strategic
Design Office (GSDO), The “Future Map” here is from a project funded by the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation called Living Profiles. It is a novel Health
Media Platform for teens with chronic illness, designed for and with teens to
facilitate positive health behaviors. The map reflects a teen’s perceived goals,
obstacles, and life events including college, temptations and travel.

Design for Social Innovation 196 197 www.sva.edu/grad/dsi


The Program  Degree candidates must successfully complete 60 credits, including all required cours-
es, with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0. A residency of two academic years is required. ¶ In the first Course Descriptions
year, students receive a review of social innovation in all its forms, from corporation programs, non-profit
organizations and social entrepreneurship, including the disciplines involved, from mobile and digital tech-
nology to science, conservation, ethics and human sciences. Skills, such as communication design, mapping,
visualization and community design are interspersed with lectures and hands-on assignments for real client
organizations. ¶ Throughout the two year program, the Guest Lecture Series will be delivered live or via
video conferencing from around the world—curated to inspire new thinking and dialogue about the nature of
human societies. Speakers will include business leaders, environmentalists, indigenous people, field workers, Designing Change concept of the triple bottom line (people, planet and profits). Case
This course extends the purview of design to the structure of society, studies of social innovation in action, using examples from poverty
researchers, academics, shamans, poets, artists, musicians, policy makers, physicians, astronomers, physi- government, education, healthcare and business. Students will be alleviation, human rights, environment, climate change, human/wild-
cists, dollar-a-day farmers, human rights activists and innovators in social issues. ¶ The second year’s goal is provided a thorough grounding in systems thinking and how to iden- life conflict, aging, women’s rights, food and agriculture, racism, fair
tify leverage points to create change. They will produce designs and trade, education, community development and health are presented by
the creation of a thesis, for which, with the help of a team of mentors and advisors, students will identify and models for a new product, as well as its launch and distribution in a leading innovators in these areas, along with demonstrations of how
research an issue of their choosing, then develop a thorough understanding of the context and challenges. developing country. Training will also be offered in Positive Deviance, design was used to solve challenges. Students will consider how each
a change model used with great success in childcare, women’s issues, social problem is connected to the others, what the unintended conse-
They will write a proposal that captures their recommended solution, then design it fully in a form ready to be healthcare and corporate innovation. quences of change are, how design impacts outcome and what defines
implemented. Each thesis must be reviewed and approved by the thesis committee and the department chairs success. The class will examine and evaluate the various forms that
Ethics and Social Innovation  design for social innovation can take, such as product design, commu-
for the student to be eligible for degree conferral. As designers, we have the ability to change people’s minds, inspire new nication design, business model, process, technology and distribution.
behaviors or support existing ones. This is a power we must learn to After choosing an area of personal interest, each student will develop
use responsibly. Living and working in our society—and truly espous- a concept and design a process and model for solving a social problem
Sample Program ing sustainability—is a complex proposition, one that raises conflicts using at least four types of design.
between our own needs, our clients’ needs, and those of society and
the environment. As we make decisions on the fly—how do we know Introduction to Thesis
first year what’s right, or understand the implications of our decisions? Truth Students will be encouraged to experiment with a variety of topics,
is sometimes hard to find, and the issues are often complicated. How researching each to the point of confirming their own interest and the
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
can designers become partners in helping their employers or clients viability of the concept. Thesis can include any type of social inno-
Employing Human and Social Technologies 3 Designing Change 3 reinforce an accurate public image that leads to greater success? In this vation, as long as it demonstrates a positive impact on its intended
Global Guest Lecture Series I 3 Ethics and Social Innovation  3 course, students will develop a strong foundation for ethical decision audience. Criteria include demonstration of need on the part of the
Introduction to Social Innovation 3 Global Guest Lecture Series II 3 making that will help them “think on their feet” to make ethics practi- audience, a clear articulation of the concept, and metrics for success. A
cal rather than intimidating. Models for success will be proposed and committee of thesis advisors will provide feedback and introductions
Making Communication Work 3 Introduction to Thesis 3 debated and guests from the design world, nonprofits and industry will to external resources with appropriate expertise. By the end of the
Mapping and Visualization Design I 3 Mapping and Visualization Design II 3 discuss the rewards and pitfalls. semester, students will have a fully vetted topic for their thesis.

Global Guest Lecture Series Leadership


This weekly series—delivered live or via video conferencing from A shift to sustainability cannot be affected without a change to the
second year around the world—will be curated to inspire new thinking and dia- dynamics of human interactions, values and communities. In this course,
logue about the nature of human societies. Speakers will include students will explore how to create healthy communities while expand-
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
business leaders, environmentalists, indigenous people, field workers, ing their capacity for collaboration and their ability to empathize. To
Global Guest Lecture Series III 3 Global Guest Lecture Series IV 3 researchers, academics, shamans, poets, artists, musicians, policy mak- develop leadership skills, students will participate in workshops where
Leadership3 Mapping and Visualization Design IV 3 ers, physicians, astronomers, physicists, dollar-a-day farmers, human they will lead teams and learn how to build trust among colleagues.
Mapping and Visualization Design III 3 Social Innovation Impact 3 rights activists and innovators in social issues. Debate and discussion
will take place at the end of every lecture. Making Communication Work
Thesis Consultation: Research, Writing, Presentation 6 Thesis: Implementation 6 To have a positive impact on society, designers must evolve beyond
employing Human and Social Technologies design as a form of self-expression and learn to create design that
All change, however great or small, begins with conversations among motivates their audience to action and change. This course combines
people. This course will investigate methods for designing successful rigorous design studio practice with lectures and discussions on brain
Optional Summer Fieldwork human interaction both in person and virtually. Team-building exercises science and linguistics, and uses multiple lenses to evaluate the nature
Students who choose this optional summer program will gain firsthand and processes for developing living human systems will be interspersed and purpose of communication. In the recent past, the understanding
with techniques and practice in building communities with common of how our brains work has made enormous strides, and scientists are
experience with the challenges and opportunities of social innovation concerns, using social networks and blogs, mobile technologies, video, reevaluating how we make choices and what motivates behavior. How
in practice. A selection of corporations and non-profit organizations Twitter and new techniques for fundraising. Each student will design can designers incorporate this new understanding and use it to appeal
will be available and students will choose an issue of importance that and implement a communication concept, attract a group that supports to what is noble in our fellow humans? Students will create communi-
a cause of his or her choice, and hold an event or tweetup. cation campaigns and observe them being presented to “focus groups”
they would like to explore, from muddy-boots conservation to poverty
in order to experience the gap between intention and the messages
alleviation, healthcare or education. Introduction to Social Innovation received. The practice of ethnographic research will be studied as well.
This course will provide an overview of the landscape, terminology
and various forms that social innovation can take, and the roles and
impact that design has in each of them. It includes a review of the
history of social innovation, the principles of sustainability (laws of
thermodynamics), systems thinking, living systems and the corporate

Design for Social Innovation 198 199 www.sva.edu/grad/dsi


Faculty

Mapping and visualization Design  Cheryl Heller, chair Asi Burak Julie Engel Manga
To visualize information is one way to understand it, and technology Chair, MFA Design for Social Innovation; founder, Heller Co-president, Games for Change Founder, Leadership Lab; social entrepreneur, Babson College
now makes it possible to illustrate and demonstrate concepts of human Communication Design; vice chair, Board of PopTech Education: BA, cum laude, Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design; Education: BFA, School of the Museum of Fine Arts; MA, PhD,
behavior and science that were previously too abstract to comprehend. Education: BFA, magna cum laude, Ohio Wesleyan University; MS, Carnegie Mellon University Boston College
Students will use crowd sourcing and aggregated data from the blogo- School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Professional experience includes: Co-founder, chief product Professional experience includes: Business network manager,
sphere, as well as other types of social and scientific data, to design Current and former clients include: L’Oreal, Reebok, officer, Impact Games; vice president, marketing and product develop- Curriculum Development and Delivery, Boston College Center for
information that informs, provokes and educates. Techniques of visu- Kodak Professional, Bayer Corporation, BlackRock, Mars, Inc., ment, Axis Mobile; senior art director, Saatchi & Saatchi, Israel; Corporate Citizenship; organization development, consultant, Julie
alization design for a variety of applications, including law, science, Hearst Publishing, Marriott Corporation, Girl Scouts of America, art director, TBWA, Israel Manga & Associates
social networking and conservation will be examined. Hachette Filipacchi, Cemex, Marriott Corporation, Seagrams, Presentations for: TEDxGotham, Sundance Film Festival, Publications include: Talking Trash: The Cultural Politics of
Ford Motor Company, Discovery Networks International, Seventh Skoll World Forum, Nonprofit Technology Network, World Affairs Daytime TV Talk Shows; Off the Couch blog, Skoll Foundation;
Social Innovation Impact Generation, MeadWestvaco, Sappi, Audubon New York, International Councils of America Conference, South by Southwest, Game Integrating Corporate Citizenship: Leading from the Middle;
Students will be briefed by a green start-up business, a corporation, a Development Enterprises, The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Developers Conference Integration: Critical Link to Corporate Citizenship; Enduring
social entrepreneur and a non-profit, and will become involved in design- Education, SafeHorizon, Wings World Quest, Cambridge Programme Awards and honors include: News Game Award, John S. and Partnerships: Resilience, Innovation, Success
ing for a real client. The class will collaborate during reviews and discus- for Sustainability Leadership, Joyful Heart Foundation James L. Knight Foundation; Best Transformation Game, Games for
sions, acting as a team to advise one another on individual projects of Professional experience: Chief executive officer, Heller Breene, Change; Israel Advertising Association Lisa Nugent
choice. Work will include research, collaboration on the ground with the Boston; executive creative director, Wells, Rich, Greene; executive cre- Website: www.asiburak.com Global creative director, cross-sector innovation and design,
organization each student has chosen, and the design of a program that ative director, Siegel&Gale. Former board member: AIGA Executive Johnson & Johnson
will further that organization’s cause. Formal presentations will be made Committee, The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education, Wings Jane Englebardt Education: BFA, California State University, Long Beach; MFA,
to the selected clients at the end of the semester. WorldQuest Principal, founder, Upshot Advisors, LLC; Leadership Council of the California Institute of the Arts
Publications include: The New York Times, Boston Globe, Support Center for Nonprofit Management; Advisory Board of the Professional experience includes: Principal, founder, ReVerb;
Thesis Consultation: Research, Writing, Presentation Business Week, Graphis, Communication Arts, Design Management Bellevue Literary Press (2010 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction) grant originator, Living Profiles for Project HealthDesign
With the help of a team of mentors and advisors, participants will Journal, Adobe Proxy Magazine, Step Inside Design, BSR Magazine, Education: BA, Connecticut College; MBA, New York University; Current and former clients include: Hewlett-Packard, Sony
conduct research to develop a thorough understanding of the context, CRO Magazine, Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship professional certificate, Harvard University Electronics, Nike, MTV, IBM, Day Corporation, NetAid, Walker
landscape and challenges of their topic. A compelling presentation Awards and honors include: Matrix Award for Women in Professional experience: Formerly, president, chief executive Art Center
in book form will be created, which brings each vision’s potential to Communication officer, Bideawee; executive director, Hasbro Children’s Foundation; Exhibitions include: Le Mois du Graphisme d’Echirolles, Paris;
life through words, images and graphics. Presentation to the thesis website: Hellercd.com chairman, New York Regional Association of Grantmakers (now Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase, New York; Pacific Design
advisory board for approval of the thesis topic is required. “Philanthropy New York”) Center, Los Angeles
Danny Alexander Collections include: Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum;
Thesis: Implementation Design specialist, Catapult Design DK Holland Getty Research Institute; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
With the help of thesis advisors, students will complete a thesis and Education: BID, with honors, Pratt Institute Designer, creative director, teacher, strategist, writer Publications include: Knowledge, Technology and Policy; Type
develop it into a form ready to be implemented. Presentation of the thesis Professional experience includes: Consultant, IDEO; Education: Parsons School of Design and The New School Directors Club Annual; Vision (China); Design Week (London); I.D.;
to the full board of advisors is required, and each thesis will be included co-founder, Black and Blue Design; industrial design manager, Professional experience: Formerly, partner, Pushpin Studio; HOW; New Typographics 3: Global Vision; Graphis; Metropolis; Los
on a dedicated website with links to corporate and non-profit partners. Method Products; design researcher, Nest consultant, The Foundation Center, the Arts and Business Council Angeles Times; Fresh Dialogue 2, New Voices in Graphic Design
Awards and honors include: I.D. Annual Design Review; and Echoing Green; collaborator, Fred Friendly, Columbia School Awards and honors include: Chrysler Design Innovation Award;
AmeriStar Packaging Award; fellow, The Feast Conference of Journalism; consultant on ethics for IBM, Universal Studios, Good Site, ARCH’IT; Annual 100 Show, American Center for Design
Website: www.dannyalexander.me Hallmark Cards.
Author: Branding for Nonprofits Alessandra Orofino
Tracy Brandenburg Lead strategist, Purpose
Researcher, writer, anthropologist, semiotician; founder, Innovation Lee-Sean Huang Education: BA, Barnard College
Lab, Wells College Strategist, designer, Purpose; co-founder, producer, Professional experience includes: Junior researcher, Center for
Publications include: In Search of the Invisible World: Uncovering Hepnova Multimedia Health and Social Justice
Mesoamerican Pictorial Writing in Contemporary Oaxaca; Journey to Education: BA, cum laude, Harvard University; MPS, Publication: Beyond One
the Centre of Visual Thought; Rap and the Semiotically Real New York University Awards and honors include: Honorary president, Meu Rio;
Awards and honors include: Semiotic Society of America Professional experience includes: Development, outreach Fundação Estudar Scholar; social resident, Comunicarte
associate, Human Rights Watch; Web, multimedia consultant, Human
Rights Watch; campaigner, Avaaz; co-founder, webmaster, JetWit Despina Papadopoulos
Accounts include: Dove, General Electric, LiveStrong, United Interaction designer; consultant; founder, Studio 5050
Nations Foundation, Global Zero, Conservation International Education: BA, MA, Catholic University of Leuven; MPS,
Publications include: Freedom Vs. Security: The Struggle For New York University
Balance; Gizmondo; PSFK Projects include: Moi, Fabrickit
Website: www.leesean.net Exhibitions include: Victoria & Albert Museum, London;
Design Museum Holon, Israel; Science Center NEMO, Amsterdam;
Postmasters Gallery; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, American
Museum of Natural History; Limn Art Gallery, San Francisco; Liberty
Science Center, Jersey City, NJ

Design for Social Innovation 200 201 www.sva.edu/grad/dsi


Guest Lecturers Advisors

Mary Pearl Marty Anderson Ben Flanner Bill McKibben Ivy Ross David C. Baker, founder, ReCourses, Inc.
Conservationist; scientist; chief executive officer, MBA professor, Babson founder, Brooklyn Grange environmentalist; Author, CMO, Gap
Jesse Dylan, founder, FreeForm
The Garrison Institute College, Extended Nuppu Gävert The End of Nature June Sarpong
Education: BS, PhD, Yale University
Enterprise Management Eric Hersman, founder, Ushihidi
Professional experience includes: President, Wildlife Trust. co-founder, Strategic Borjana Mikic founder, WIE Network,
Co-founder, Center for Conservation Medicine, a consortium of Gregor Barnum Consultant, WeVolve Rosemary Bradford Hewlett Women: Inspiration & Jeffrey Hollender, founder, Seventh Generation
Wildlife Trust with Tufts Cummings Veterinary School, Johns
former director of Higher ‘40 Professor, Director, Enterprise Cheryl Kiser, director, Lewis Foundation, executive
Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, National Center for Edgar Rodriguez
Wildlife Health, Center for Health and the Global Environment at Consciousness, Seventh González Picker Engineering Kevin Starr Director, Babson Social Innovation Lab
Harvard Medical School, Center for Environmental Research and Generation VP market intelligence, Program, Smith College director, The Mulago
Conservation at Columbia University. Board member: Shine Global; Thomas Lockwood, PhD, editor-in-chief,
Elihu Club; Gomez Foundation for Mill House; Institute for Ecological Mark Belinsky Cemex Corporation Aimee Morgana Foundation past president, DMI, the Design Management Institute
Research, Brazil; advisory board, Belizean Grove. Member, Task co-founder, Digital Erik Hersman founder, The N’Kisi Institute Zenia Tata
Force on Environmental Sustainability, UN Millennium Development Democracy Andre Martin, chief learning officer, Mars, Inc.
Goals Project. Former board member, Environmental Enterprises founder, Ushahidi Warren Muir former managing director,
Assistance Fund, Sustainable Travel International, Liz Claiborne/Art Ayse Birsei executive director, Division IDE Warren Muir, executive director, Division on Earth
Noel Hidalgo and Life Studies, National Academies
Ortenberg Foundation co-founder, creative founder, New Amsterdam on Earth and Life Studies, Ville Tikka
Publications include: Discover, Methods and Cases in
Conservation Science, Conservation Medicine, Conservation for
director, Birsei + Seck Ideas National Academies and Nuppu Gävert Milbry Polk, founder, Wings Worldquest
the 21st Century. Associate editor, Ecohealth Brent Bucknam Jo Opot founders, WeVolve. Kevin Starr, director, Mulago Foundation
Awards and honors include: Elected Fellow, American Graham Hill
Association for the Advancement of Science; honorary doctorate,
founder, Hyphae Founder, treehugger.com global vice president Andrew Zolli, executive Director and Curator, PopTech
Marist College Design Labs Business Development,
Jolie Hunt TerraCycle
Marc Rettig
Anne Marie Burgoyne global head of public
Designer, researcher, founder, Fit Associates portfolio director, relations, Thompson Paul Polak
Education: BA, LeTourneau College; New York University Draper Richards Kaplan Reuters founder, IDE; founder,
Clients include: BBC, U.S. Army, Crate & Barrel, Microsoft, Foundation Design for the other 90%
Allstate, Caterpillar, Diamond Partners, Phillips, Texas Instruments Terry Irwin
Author: “The No-Nonsense Guide to Computing Careers,” Ann Christiano head, School of Design, Milbry Polk
Association for Computing Machinery; “Do and Think and Play and The Frank Karel Chair Carnegie Mellon University founder, Wings World
Show and Tell: Artifacts All the Time,” Artifact
in Public Interest Quest; author, Women of
Lina Srivastava Communications at the Emily Jacobi Discovery
Principal, Lina Srivastava Consulting LLC; website author, Strategy University of Florida  founder, Digital Democracy
for Social Change Initiatives; social change strategist, Resist Network;
Jason Rzepka
program evaluator, Chez Bushwick’s Capital B initiative Francis Cholle Grace Kim vice president, public affairs,
founder, Grace Kim Tel: 212.592.2205

Contact Us
Education: BS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; JD, New York founder, The Human MTV
University; Hastings Center for Bioethics; Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Company; author, Intuitive Consulting
Georgetown University
Intelligence
Fax: 212.592.2308
Cheryl Kiser
E-mail: dsiinfo@sva.edu
Professional experience: Creator, Transmedia Activism frame-
work; co-creator, Modeling Global Change Framework. Formerly, Pat Dandonoli executive director, The
executive director, Kids with Cameras; past interim executive director,
former president and CEO, Lewis Foundation, Babson
Association of Video and Filmmakers
WaterAid College www.sva.edu/grad/dsi
Frank Dixon JD Lasica department site: dsi.sva.edu
associate partner, Blu Skye founder, SocialBrite
We strongly encourage applicants to visit SVA prior to submitting application materials.
Sustainability Consultants, Andre Martin
advisor on sustainability and Come to our Departmental Information Session on November 5, 2011.
chief learning officer, All times and locations will be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit.
social responsibility Mars, Inc.
To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website or contact the
Office of Graduate Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu.

Design for Social Innovation 202 203 www.sva.edu/grad/dsi


MPS Digital XX Master digital photography’s latest tools and techniques in this intensive
one-year program

Photography XX Faculty comprised of working professionals—numerous guest lecturers enhance


the technical and creative curriculum
XX Available as an online/summer residency or on-campus/summer residency program
for a cutting-edge education in current digital photographic practices and aesthetics
www.sva.edu/grad/digitalphotography
department site: svaonlinedigitalphoto.wordpress.com
Photographers are the visual explorers of concepts, relationships and light. As we frame the world in our
viewfinders, we are creating and expressing the world we are an integral part of. As we digitally create
and enhance the image, our skills and imagination are constantly challenged to create better images that
are conceptually sound and technically perfect. Digital photographic hardware and software give the
artist the ability to refine and explore the image to the fullest expression of the photographer’s vision.
But this inherent power comes with an even greater responsibility to use the digital tools appropriately in
relationship to the artist’s creative intent.
The Master of Professional Studies in Digital Photography is an intensive one-year degree program
that is offered as an on-campus/summer residency or an online/summer residency program that seamless-
ly blends the most current technical and aesthetic aspects of contemporary photographic image-making.
The program meets the needs of professional photographers and photographic educators who want to
advance their skills in digital image capture, image processing and high-quality output to remain competi-
tive in a variety of image-making and related fields.
The option to attend the full-time on-campus/summer residency program or the online/summer
residency program (full or part time) allows the rigorous curriculum to benefit a growing and diverse
international community. Participating in the online/summer residency program allows students who
for personal or professional reasons cannot move to New York City for the fall and spring semesters.
Being an online student requires mature self-discipline to schedule the time to read the weekly lectures,
view the interactive demonstrations, review the videos, and very importantly, complete the weekly
assignments and discussions. Both the on-campus residency and online/summer residency students come
together for the summer session to produce their thesis projects, which culminates in a group exhibition.
The ideal candidate has a strong photographic background, is dedicated to developing and completing
a professional and unique body of work and has a deep passion for exploring the confluence of aesthet-
ics and technology. Our student body mirrors the diversity of the 21st century in terms of heritage, age,
technical acumen, professional experience and photographic interests that include but are not limited to
photojournalism, fine art, commercial, portrait, fashion, landscape and documentary photography.
The program benefits greatly from both its outstanding faculty and its location in the heart of the
photo district and gallery scene in New York City. Our instructors are working professionals with
extensive expertise in professional photography and digital-imaging technologies. The entire faculty
and staff are dedicated to challenging students to take complete control and responsibility for every
decision and detail in their images. A variety of guest lecturers from the industry complement the core
faculty to further enrich each student’s learning experience.

Katrin Eismann, chair


Tom P. Ashe, associate chair

205
Digital photographer Brendan Austin bikes over the bridge from
his Lower East Side Manhattan apartment to his studio in Brooklyn
that he shares with PlayLab, a graphic design firm. “We both work

Going
really well together, bouncing ideas and inspiration off each other
within the different disciplines,” says Austin. “I’m interested in
making my work environment as diverse and open as possible, by
not relying on one perspective from photography.”

Digital
Alumni Profile:
Brendan Austin
Brendan Austin, MPS Digital Photography ’08, has been shooting (Image, upper right, next spread) This is a gas station in east
for nearly ten years as a professional lensman for clients such as Amman taken at early night. Normally I aim to desaturate my im-
saab and magazines like mark and Vice. Once a sworn advocate ages, but in this instance I felt the need to pump things up a bit with
of analog photography, he now sings the praises of digital. During the sky and the lights. It has a great cinematic quality to it. I think
a recent trip to Jordan, he shot these three striking images, and here the color that I was able to achieve digitally gave it a surreal impact.
describes how his training at sva helped him realize them.
(Image, bottom right, next spread) This was taken on the shores
(Image, this page) This was my second time to this country, and this of the Dead Sea at a local beach on a Friday afternoon, away
image was taken on the road to Iraq, where the border is just 60 from typical tourist areas. The people were incredibly friendly,
miles away. It’s a strange little shop, taken at dusk. One of the great including this man selling balloons and cotton candy, considering
things about digital is that with a large format camera, you can that I had a camera in his face and shot him about 30 times,
shoot continuously without stopping. I took about 20 exposures, following him. I slightly increased the saturation of the man’s color-
first while a dust cloud appeared, then after, when a pack of wild ful wares. I wanted the photo to be as subtle as possible.
dogs walked by. I was able to insert a lone animal into an earlier
image that looked the best for this composite. One thing to under-
stand about digital photography is that it’s not just about getting
the perfect shot. The “decisive moment” doesn’t really exist anymore.
Your mind has to adjust to the technical possibilities when shooting.
Now, after graduating, I know what to look out for.

Austin, 32, is a recent graduate of the Digital Photography


program. The degree’s coursework allowed him to skillfully
explore the ever-evolving nature of the discipline, which in
turn has boosted his own business.
Austin’s digital equipment keeps him on the go, but he also
enjoys downtime at his studio. “It has lots of music, drinking,
drawing, idea sharing, filming,” he explains, “all the stuff
that makes making work fun.” (right) Austin’s images are
described in his own words on the previous page.

MPS Digital
Photography
Ugiam at ip ea cortisim duisi.
Na facilla facin henibh eriure
magnibh eu feum alis at
autetue tionum at. Esto et
nulputat vulputat. Perit nis
nos augiat autet.
Located in Chelsea and within walking distance of the thriving,
chair interview contemporary art and photography gallery district, the MPS Digital

Katrin Eismann
Photography classroom and photo studio were designed with the
critical image-maker in mind. From the spectrally neutral walls, chromati-
cally optimized illumination, ergonomic tables and chairs, secure Wi-Fi
“The mps in Digital Photography is a unique program,” explains Katrin Eismann, “in that it’s dedicated network, dedicated server, oversized plasma display, to the department’s
to mastering the most current digital photographic practices by studying with leading digital photogra- large format inkjet printers and advanced color management hardware,
phers and technical experts. While developing the curriculum, I had two types of students in mind. First the environment is dedicated to learning, collaborating and growing
was the working photographer who needs to get up to speed on digital techniques to stay competitive, as a professional photographer.
and the second was the photographic educator, who also needs to be current to best do his or her job.
“It’s interesting to see the
But one aspect I didn’t foresee is how diverse our enrolled student body is in terms of age, heritage, and
commercial photographers
the type of photography they do. Presently, we have commercial, fine art, fashion and portrait pho-
learning about fine art
tographers and an award-winning, working photojournalist who traveled to Washington dc to cover
and editorial photography,

On any
President Obama’s inauguration and who traveled to Haiti to cover the aftermath of the earthquake.”
and the fine artists
“The diversity allows each student to learn from the other and to be exposed to ideas and concerns
appreciating the business
they may not have been aware of. It’s interesting to see the commercial photographers learning about
aspect of the commercial

given day...
fine art and editorial photography, and the fine artists appreciating the business aspect of the commer-
photographers’ concerns.”
cial photographer’s concerns. “It’s a small, intense program,” Eismann stresses. “Students take
all the same classes together, and we require that each student has his or her own digital equipment.”
Eismann points out some of the unusual design features of one of the program’s classrooms. “The
walls are spectrally neutral and slightly darker than standard paper white, allowing you to concentrate
on the image more critically. One wall is illuminated for black-and-white prints; the other for color. And
over here,” she smiles, “is the ‘Wall of Confusion.’ There’s a different color temperature bulb in each
socket, allowing you to see a print in both correct and incorrect conditions. And you’ll notice that we 6am  For some students, the day begins before dawn with a final check of 7 – 9pm  On alternating Wednesday evenings the students and faculty
camera and lighting equipment for an early morning shoot. Other students meet in the MPS Digital Photography Department classroom, for the
only use magnets for displaying work—using tacks on prints damages them. We also have ergonomically-
haven’t gone to sleep as they are adding the final polish to their images in department lecture series that has featured: Henry Wilhelm, Greg
designed tables with easily accessible electrical outlets and two wireless networks and Aeron chairs, all to
preparation for a meeting with their thesis advisors. And each semester, Gorman, Jeff Schewe, Lynn Goldsmith, Douglas Dubler, Mike
insure that the students are comfortable and can concentrate on learning.”
there are always a few students who, after an intensive night of shooting in Yamashita, Brian Smith, David Alan Harvey, Andrew Rodney,
“We also feature a bi-weekly guest lecture series that allows the program to stay up-to-date in a wide
the studio or on New York City streets, sleep well into the late morning! Stephen Johnson, Philip Toladano, and many software engineers who
variety of topics. The speakers have included exhibiting artists, software engineers, lawyers, gallery
present on a wide range of topics including; digital photo-journalism,
professionals, magazine editors and multimedia artists. The heart of the program,” Eismann concludes, 9am  A number of students go to work in their photo studios or class- business and legal issues, archival printing, advanced creative techniques,
“is that the students are learning the most current information from world-class instructors, then rooms to teach, while others work freelance as photographic assistants, the future of digital camera technology, and how to have your work seen
applying it to real-world scenarios. Each class is related to improving image quality, whether that is in digital techs, web designers or retouchers. Of course, they all have to work by picture editors and galleries.
a technical, creative, or conceptual manner. We believe that producing a technically perfect image on the weekly assignments from each class.
that’s conceptually vacuous or producing muddy prints of a great idea is a waste of time and materials. 7 – 10pm  On Tuesday and Thursdays, class takes place in the MPS
This program combines the technical and the aesthetic, and the students learn the skills to complete 2 – 3pm  On Tuesday and Thursdays, students start to gather in the MPS Digital Photography Department classroom with, for example, Ben Gest
a graduate-level thesis project that requires conceptualizing, shooting and producing a coherent Digital Photography classroom to have lunch, catch up on the week’s who discusses developing a coherent body of work and the importance of

body of work for an electronic portfolio, self-published book and large format prints for an exhibition. events and discuss the homework assignments due that day. choosing a Thesis Advisor to serve as a mentor, advisor and critic. Class
also meets in James Porto’s photography studio to learn how to take
In all honesty, I’m an expert in the field and this is the program I would like to be a student in!”
3 – 6pm  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, class takes place in the Computer high-quality digital photos for compositing. James Porto emphasizes the
Since our faculty is digitally savvy and our curriculum so current, we rose to the challenge of dedicating
Lab where students meet with Chris Murphy to learn how to accurately importance of planning the lighting, perspective and scale before ever
a full year to porting the classes, curriculum, and excitement that we developed for the full-time residency
calibrate a variety of monitors and build custom printer profiles with the lifting the camera.
classes into the online/summer residency program. This is a unique and challenging program that embraces
department’s X-Rite colorimeters and spectrophotometers. Or take the
high expectations for the faculty and students. We aspire to challenge each student to do better work
Advanced Imaging class, where Carrie Beene reveals the behind-the- 10pm  Some students go home, while others go out to discuss the
than they ever imagined so that they leave the program with a completed body of work that functions within scenes secrets used in high-end glamour retouching to perfect a model’s day’s events and debate the issues in contemporary digital photography
their chosen photographic field—be it in an art, editorial, educational or commercial setting. skin for her clients, which include Revlon, Maybelline, and Clinique. over a cold beer.

6 – 7pm  Students go for dinner and coffee in one of the many small After midnight  Tired but full of new ideas and projects, students, staff,
restaurants or coffee shops within walking distance of the department. and faculty know that the next day will include more work, shooting, print-
ing, assignments, inspiration, discussions and learning.

Digital Photography 212 213 www.sva.edu/grad/digitalphotography


The Program  The course of study addresses a wide range of topics, including: capture to image
processing; workflow, automation and asset management; digital portfolio and distribution; working with
video and sound and large-format output. The program emphasizes cutting-edge training via in-depth course
work, critically focused workshops, special interest seminars and presentations by technical experts and
contemporary photographers. The primary instructional goal is to enable students to excel in their creative or
commercial photographic imaging careers. An online/summer residency option is available, which requires
attending the summer semester in New York City. The online/summer residency program is offered as a full-
time one-year and a part-time two-year option, with the part-time option being ideal for working professionals.
¶ Degree candidates must successfully complete 33 credits, including all required courses, and maintain a 3.0
grade point average. In the final semester, each student completes a thesis project that culminates in an online
project, printed book and large-format exhibit prints. The thesis project must be reviewed and approved by the
thesis committee and the department chair in order for the student to be eligible for degree conferral.

Sample Programs
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits

Advanced Image Processing 3 Photo Illustration 3


The Art of Editorial Photography 3 Studio Management and Practices 3
Color Management and Output 3 Thesis Development 3
Digital Materials and Processes 3 Thesis Production Skills 3
i3: Images, Inspiration, Information I 0 i3: Images, Inspiration, Information II 0

SUMMER Semester Credits

Large-Format Printing 2
Thesis Production:  7
Electronic Portfolio (2 credits)
The Book (2 credits)


The Exhibit (2 credits)
Professional Communication Essentials (1 credit)
Discuss. Listen. Shuffle.
Students work with Tom Ashe, assistant chair,
as they plan out which images to use in the
Thesis Exhibition.

Digital Photography 214


Online/Summer Residency Course Descriptions

The online/summer residency version of the mps Digital Photography program has an identically rigorous Advanced Image Processing Studio Management and Practices
Advanced creative and production techniques are the focus of this Being a successful photographer requires more than talent and good
curriculum with many of the same faculty as the in-classroom version. It is ideal for anyone who has a deep
course. In addition to working with the latest raw processing soft- fortune. Photographers need to develop a business plan and a budget
passion for exploring the confluence of photographic aesthetics and digital technology but cannot relocate to ware packages and workflow strategies, we will address working with realistic short- and long-term goals. This course will examine
with HDR (high dynamic range) images, mastering high-resolution studio business practices that include budgeting and financial plan-
New York City for the full eleven months required. The program is conducted online during the fall and spring
files with Smart Objects and learning professional masking and ning; buying, leasing or renting concerns; safe business practices; and
semesters and culminates in an intensive ten-week summer session in New York City, where students will retouching techniques. working with an agent, accountant and tax advisor. The essential
management concerns that are covered in this course will improve
collaborate with in-classroom students and work with faculty and staff to produce their final thesis projects
The Art of Editorial Photography communication with clients, labs, prepress houses, commercial print-
including large format prints and collateral materials for the group exhibition. To be successful in the online This intensive seminar will simulate real-world print and multimedia ing companies and stock agencies.
assignments. Students will develop story ideas, go “on assignment” to
learning environment, it is essential to be disciplined in terms of reading, completing the assignments, and
capture photographs, audio and video assets, and learn how to edit the Thesis Development
participating in the class discussions. For busy professionals, the online/summer residency is offered as either a work for final submission. A body of work for print or online publica- Dedicated to developing the thesis body of work that demonstrates
tion will be completed. Most importantly, students will garner valuable the highest creative and technical standards, this course will concen-
full-time one-year or a part-time two-year program. Just as with the in-classroom courses, the online courses
information about how prominent editors and photographers conceive trate on the written thesis proposal, media research and exploration,
are limited in size and will challenge students to fully apply themselves in creating outstanding contemporary and execute highly sought-after magazine photographic and video rigorous critique and a survey of electronic, book, and exhibit image
assignments. distribution and display options.
images. sva offers housing options for students during the summer residency.
Color Management and Output Thesis Production:
This course tackles the most prominent problem in making a print— Electronic Portfolio, The Book, The Exhibit
accuracy and consistency in reproducing the photographer’s vision. The thesis project is an original body of work created by each stu-
Online, in any given week…  In the fall and spring semesters, weekly classes are released every Topics will include: creating files that are color-managed from input dent, which culminates in an examination of the creative challenges
to output, properly sharpened files for a wide selection of media inherent in producing and displaying large-format prints in a public
Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Students have one week to read the lectures, watch the
substrates, working with a variety of color management systems and gallery space. The integrated presentation will focus on editing, pro-
videos, participate in the class discussions and complete all assignments and quizzes. The advantage of being in the equipment, taking advantage of Photoshop soft proofing, and experi- moting and displaying high-quality photographic images suitable for
menting with various papers and output options to achieve predict- professional commercial sale or creative public display. Students will
online/summer residency program is that students set their own schedule within any given week—the challenge is
able and consistent results. begin by exploring the essential skill of grouping, sequencing and
that online students must have the discipline to create and stick with a schedule that encourages the reading and distributing images for effective online and digital video portfolios.
Digital Materials and Processes The course then delves into the fixed presentation of printed books
processing of rigorous graduate-level courses on a weekly basis. Being an online student in not a casual affair—it
This comprehensive survey of the terms, tools and technology of and includes exploration of the interaction of design, image and text
requires tremendous discipline to read, complete the work, and participate in the discussions each week. digital-image processing will address the technical aspects of digi- selection and sequencing.
tal input, color correction and output. Students will learn how to
evaluate and improve image quality, understand and apply critical Thesis Production Skills
technical analysis to workflow components, and delve into current Professional photographers must do more than take pictures—they
hardware and software applications and solutions for the profes- need to understand branding, design essentials, and how to prepare
sional photographer. and present their images for a variety of Web and print output des-
tinations. In this course, students will work with Adobe Illustrator
Large-Format Printing to develop branding materials, Adobe InDesign to create letterhead,
In this course, students will learn to select, prepare and fine-tune business cards and promotional materials, and Adobe Dreamweaver to
their images for large-scale printing. Topics will include: refining dig- design a website with essential contents and links.
ital input; modifying tonal adjustments to match the proofs; appro-
priate sharpening techniques; and understanding proofs in relation to i3: Images, Inspiration, Information I & II
size, substrate and color. Students will work with professional service Consisting of lectures, seminars and portfolio reviews, these courses
providers, wide-format printers and professional RIPs to create large- feature presentations by cutting-edge digital photographers, hardware
format, high-quality color and black-and-white prints. and software developers, and industry experts.

Photo Illustration
From concept to capture and image processing, this course addresses
the creative workflow that commercial and fine art illustrators use to
make compelling photo­montages and composites. Students will learn
the essential attributes of a successful composite, including: planning
the image before lifting the camera; lighting and photographing the
image elements and background plates; selecting, color matching and
compositing the elements; and working with an art director and pro-
duction team to create the best image possible.

Digital Photography 216 217 www.sva.edu/grad/digitalphotography


Faculty Professional Opportunities
MPS Digital Photography students enjoy weekly contact with lead-
ing professionals and digital experts and are challenged to apply
classroom theories and practices to their professional and creative
work on a daily basis. Graduates must complete a thesis review
before a panel of aesthetic and technical experts and present their
work in a group exhibition in the SVA Gallery. Graduates of the
program are prepared to be outstanding conceptual illustrators,
commercial and fine art photographers, contemporary photo-
Katrin Eismann, chair Andy Batt Pamela Chen graphic educators, image asset and digital lab managers, portrait
Photographer, author Photographer; owner, Andy Batt Studio. Formerly, co-president, Senior communications coordinator, Open Society Foundations. and product retouchers and print professionals.
Education: BFA, Rochester Institute of Technology; ASMP, Oregon Chapter Formerly, multimedia producer, MediaStorm
MFA, School of Visual Arts Education: BFA, Rochester Institute of Technology Education: BS, magna cum laude, Syracuse University
Author: Photoshop Restoration & Retouching, Photo­shop Masking Clients include: Adidas, Coors Brewing Company, Dell, Intel, Kmart, Former clients include: National Geographic, Council on
& Compositing; co-author, Real World Digital Photography, The Microsoft, Nike, Volkswagen, Zune Foreign Relations, Los Angeles Times, National Public Radio, The Greg Gorman
Creative Digital Darkroom Publications include: Outside, Communication Arts, New York Times Magazine Photographer
publications include: PhotoDistrict News, American Photo, Rangefinder, Avant-Garde Living, ASMP National Bulletin, Awards and honors include: Silver Baton, Alfred I. duPont Photography Books: Greg Gorman, volumes 1 and 2; As I See It;
Polular Photography, Step By Step Graphics, Photoshop User Shutterbug Award; Emmy Award; Webby; Pictures of the Year International; Inside Life; Perspectives; The Odes of Pindar
website: www.katrineismann.com Awards include: Photo District News Annual, STEP Inside Fulbright Grant; Magazine Publishers of America Digital Award Photography featured in: Esquire, GQ, Interview, Life, Vogue,
Design, International Photography Awards website: http://www.pamelachen.com Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Time, London Sunday Times, Vanity Fair
Tom P. Ashe, associate chair website: http://www.andybatt.com website: www.gormanphotography.com
Photographer, consultant. Formerly, regional sales manager, Michael Brian Foley
Monaco Systems; development engineer, Eastman Kodak, Polaroid, Mark Beckelman Photographer; owner, Foley Gallery Russell Hart
Itek Optical Systems Photographer; retoucher; owner, Beckelman Imaging Education: BA, Boston College Editorial consultant, writer
Education: BS, Rochester Institute of Technology; MS, Education: BFA, Rochester Institute of Technology Exhibitions include: San Francisco Camerawork; Soletti Gallery, Education: BFA, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
RMIT University Clients include: Business Week, Miramax Books, Preston Milan; Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco; Ebert Gallery, San Francisco Professional experience includes: Executive editor,
Group exhibitions include: RMIT Fine Art Gallery, Melbourne; Publications, Adobe Systems, Melcher Media Collections include: Washing­ton Center of Photography American Photo; senior editor, Popular Photography, American
Rochester Institute of Technology Publications include: Photo Electronic Imaging; Photo Publications include: Photo Metro, Quiver, Zyzzyvz Photographer; editor-at-large, Outdoor & Travel Photography;
Clients include: MAC Group (Mamiya America Corporation), Techniques; Digital Imaging; Mastering Digital Photography: editor, American Photo On Campus; contributing editor, Petersen’s
Northeastern University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Advanced Techniques Ben Gest Photographic, Photo/Design; photography columnist, The New
Art Institute of Philadelphia, International Center of Photography Contributor: Photoshop Masking & Compositing, Photoshop Photographer York Times
Restoration and Retouching Education: BA, Rutgers University; MFA, Columbia College, Chicago Books include: Author, Photography For Dummies; co-
Elizabeth Avedon Awards include: Adobe International Digital Imaging One-person exhibitions include: Renaissance Society, University author, Photography, The Photographic Essay, The New Joy of
Book and exhibition designer; curatorial consultant website: http://www.beckelman.com of Chicago; Contemporary Museum, Baltimore; Stephen Daiter Photography Photographing Your Artwork
Professional experience includes: Designer, Richard Gallery, Chicago; Robert B. Menschel Media Center, Syracuse, NY Publications include: Men’s Journal; Us; Parenting; Views:
Avedon Studio; director, photo-eye Gallery; creative director, Carrie Dawn Beene Group exhibitions include: Museum of Contemporary Art, The Journal of Photography in New England; Polaroid’s
Gere Foundation; art director, Polo Ralph Lauren; photo/arts Owner, principal retoucher, Carrie NYC Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago; Bruce Silverstein Gallery; Mona Newsletter for Photographic Education; Photo District News;
Education: BFA, Kansas City Art Institute Bismarck Foundation, Paris; Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan World Book Encyclopedia
editor, RL Magazine, Swing
Author: Real Retouching City, IN; Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO; Center for Exhibitions include: Hudson River Museum; MTA Arts for
Clients include: Leica Gallery; Stern Projects; Blurb Books;
Clients include: Chantecaille, Deva, MAC, Goody, Elizabeth Arden Photography at Woodstock, NY Transit, Grand Central Terminal; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston;
Farrar, Straus & Giroux; Harry N. Abrams, Inc.; Bloomingdales; Publications include: Shape, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, I.D., Publications include: Ben Gest Photographs; The Digital Eye: deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Lincoln, MA
Bergdorf Goodman; Healing the Divide Foundation Vogue, Cosmopolitan, The New York Times, Elle, Arena, Sports Photographic Art in the Electronic Age; Contact Sheet; Washington Collections include: Reader’s Digest Collection, Polaroid
Book/exhibition design projects include: In the American Illustrated, V magazine, Glamour, Allure, Vanity Fair Post; Baltimore City Paper; Chicago Tribune; Whitewall; Art & Collection, Hallmark Photographic Collection
West: Photographs by Richard Avedon; My Brother’s War (Jessica website: www.carrienyc.com Auction; Chicago Sun-Times, Discover Awards and honors include: Gold Medal, Best General
Hines); Avedon: 1949-1979; Diana Vreeland: An Illustrated Biog- website: http://www.bengest.com Feature, International Regional Magazine Association; National
raphy; An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion in Everyday Life; Benjamin Bobkoff Magazine Award; Traveling Fellowship, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston;
Yesterday’s Perfume: An Intimate Memoir of Paul Bowles; Return Designer Scribe Award, Griffin Museum of Photography
to the Roof of the World: Photographs by Nicholas Vreeland Education: BFA, Cornell University; MPS, School of Visual Arts Website: www.russellhartphoto.com
Publications include: Vanity Fair; A Photo Editor; Wink; Clients include: Brownstone Studio, Citibank, David Sirieix
regular contributor, La Lettre de la Photographie; The New Yorker
Advertising, KPMG Peat Marwick, Ernst & Young, Andersen Malcolm Lightner
Consulting Photographer
Awards and honors include: Silver Medal, Internationale
Education: BFA, magna cum laude, Savannah College of Art and
Buckunst-Ausstellung, Leipzig; AIGA; Art Directors Club; Commu- Design; MFA, magna cum laude, Arizona State University
nication Arts; Print Annual Group exhibitions include: Galerie im Traklhaus, Salzburg;
Website: www.elizabethavedon.com 3carpileup, Phoenix; Art + Commerce Emerging Photographers
Festival; Red Gallery, Savannah
Collection: Southeast Museum of Photography
Publications include: Photography in New York International;
Phoenix New Times; Photo District News; Visual Arts Journal;
Guernica: A Magazine of Art & Politics
website: http://www.malcolmlightner.com

Digital Photography 218 219 www.sva.edu/grad/digitalphotography


Chris Murphy Jack Reznicki Amy Stein
President, Color Remedies Photographer; writer; past president, Fine art photographer
Clients include: National Gallery of Art, Hachette Book Group, Professional Photographers of America (PPA) Education: MS, University of Edinburgh;
Denver Art Museum, Colorado Historical Society, Phil Marco Education: BFA, cum laude, Rochester Institute of Technology MFA, School of Visual Arts
Productions, Schatz-Ornstein Studio Clients include: Toys “R” Us, Kodak, Time, Epson, Canon, solo exhibitions include: Harvard Museum of Natural History,
author: Real World Color Management. Featured in: Photoshop AT&T, Playtex, Johnson & Johnson Cambridge, MA; Perth Centre for Photography, Perth, Australia;
User, PhotoshopWorld Dream Team Author: Studio & Commercial Photography; Australian Center for Photography, Sydney, Australia; ClampArt,
Illustration Photography: Bringing Concepts to New York, NY; VU, Québec City, Canada; Blue Sky Gallery,
Jaime Permuth Life in the Studio or on Location Portland, OR; Galleri Image, Aarhus, Denmark; The Print Center,
Visual artist, art educator Publications include: Petersen’s Photographic, Professional Philadelphia, PA; Robert Koch Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Education: BA, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; MFA, MPS, School Photographer, Photoshop User, Camera Arts Group exhibitions include: Paul Kopeikin Gallery, Los Angeles;
of Visual Arts Awards and honors include: Honorary Fellow, New Zealand Mixed Greens; International Center of Photography; Scottsdale
Exhibitions include: Palacio Nacional, Guatemala; Art Museum of Institute of Professional Photography; Mo-Tse Grand Master Museum of Contemporary Art, AZ; Museum of Contemporary
the Americas, Washington, DC; Museo del Barrio; Jewish Museum; Photography Award, China; Honorary Master of Photography, Photography, Chicago
Center for Contemporary Arts, Abilene, TX; Museum of the City of Professional Photographers of America; Explorer of Light, Canon Publications include: ARTnews, The New York Times, Vanity
New York; Museum of Modern Art; Brooklyn Museum website: www.reznicki.com Fair, Smithsonian magazine, Washington Post, Popular Photography,
Books include: Contributor, Forty-Cent Tip: Stories of New House & Garden
York City Immigrant Workers; The Jewish Identity Project: New Matthew B. Richmond Awards and honors include: First Place, American Society of
American Photography; Re-trato de Familia; Tarzán López Principal and senior designer, The Chopping Block, Inc. Media Photographers; Critical Mass Book Award; American Photo;
Publications include: The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Education: BFA, The Cooper Union Photo District News Annual
New York Post, Jewish Week Clients include: Nickelodeon, Barnes & Noble, Microsoft, website: www.amysteinphoto.com
Awards and honors include: Texas Commission on the Miramax, CNN Interactive, Lego, Adobe, Phish, Warner Bros.,
Arts; National Association of Latino Arts and Culture; Artist in Turner Classic Movies, National Geographic Jeff Tranberry
the Marketplace, Bronx Museum of the Arts; Daniele Agostino Quality engineer product lead, Adobe Photoshop; product evangelist,
Foundation; Paula Rhodes Memorial Award, School of Visual Arts. Jodie Steen Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. Formerly, Olson Advertising
Artist residencies include: Centro Cultural Metropolitano, Guatemala; Owner, 127 Productions Inc. Formerly, digital imaging specialist, Education: BFA, College of Visual Arts
Longwood Arts Project, Bronx Council on the Arts Foto Care Clients include: Minnesota Wild, Phillips Distilling
website: http://www.jaimepermuth.net Education: BS, Syracuse University
Clients include: Rubin Museum of Art, Esteé Lauder Corporation,
James Porto Drive Digital, The New York Times, Stella Digital, Gloss Studios,
Photographer Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Doremus
Education: BS, Rochester Institute of Technology Publication: Digital Tech Training Manual
Clients include: Nike, IBM, AT&T, Compaq, Reebok, Sprint,
Pepsi, Absolut Vodka, Clairol, DuPont, Ilford, Kodak, Minolta,
Nestlé, Seagrams, United Airlines, Sony, Blue Man Group
Publications include: Fortune, Glamour, GQ, Forbes, Rolling
Stone, U.S. News & World Report, Sports Illustrated, Time, Wired,
Newsweek, New York magazine, The New York Times Magazine,
Psychology Today, American Photographer
website: www.jamesporto.com

Digital Photography 220 221 www.sva.edu/grad/digitalphotography


Guest Lecturers Friend us on Facebook!
Find us under: “SVA Masters in Digital Photo”
Twitter: twitter.com/mpsdigitalphoto

Corey Arnold James Estrin Steven Inglima Bob Rose


photographer and Alaskan senior staff photographer, Professional Products Marketing Division, photographic industry
commercial fisherman New York Times Canon USA consultant, writer and editor
Jen Bekman Jon Feinstein Stephen Johnson Hanaan Rosenthal
gallerist, owner of Jen Bekman Gallery, photographer, curator and landscape photographer and author consultant, publisher, and author
and founding editor of UnBeige blog photo editor Martin Juergens Bob Sacha
Porter Binks Lynn Goldsmith photography conservator multimedia producer at MediaStorm
former picture editor Sports Illustrated and USA Today portrait photographer Makai Kawakita Jeff Schewe
Ira Block Julia Graham fashion photographer advertising photographer, author,
photographer, National Geographic online curator Peter Krogh Canon Explorer of Light
Chris Buck Ed Greenberg photographer; author, The DAM Book: Timothy Sexton
editorial and commercial lawyer and intellectual property Digital Asset Management for Photographers senior retoucher, Box Studio
photographer issues expert Jeffrey Ladd Sarah Silver
Brian Clamp David Alan Harvey photographer, printer, publisher fashion, beauty and dance
curator, gallery owner photographer, Magnum Photos Karl Lang photographer
Douglas Dubler Cliff Hausner color scientist, engineer and the Brian Smith
fashion, beauty and fine art photographer, designer and product principle of Lumita, Inc. Pulitzer Prize-winning
photographer representative for The MAC Group Michael Mazzeo photographer
Joseph Holmes gallerist, photographer and educator, Justin Stailey
landscape photographer and founder Michael Mazzeo Gallery product specialist, Photographic Division,
fine art digital printmaker David McClain Leica Camera, Inc.
photographer, curator Zalman Stern
Michael McNamara lead software engineer,
digital camera expert, editor and Adobe Systems
Tel: 212.592.2170 Contact Us creator of The McNamara Report Kevin Stuts
Fax: 212.691.2687 Amani Olu product representative, Leaf America
E-mail: mpsphoto@sva.edu founder and executive director of Philip Toledano
Humble Arts Foundation photographer and art director
www.sva.edu/grad/digitalphotography Theresa Raffetto Henry Wilhelm
department site: svaonlinedigitalphoto.wordpress.com photographer and national board president of author, expert on inkjet printing
Advertising Photographers of America (APA) technologies and print permanence
We strongly encourage applicants to visit our department prior to submitting
application materials. Andre Ribuoli Michael Yamashita
fine art digital printmaker and director of photographer, National Geographic
Come to our Departmental Information Session, or contact us directly to schedule a tour.
Pamplemousse Press
Departmental Information Session: Saturday, November 5, 2011.
Online Virtual Information Session: Monday, November 14, 2011, 7:00 – 8:30pm EST
Andrew Rodney
All times and locations will be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit author, consultant, trainer, and owner of The Digital Dog

To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website or contact the
Office of Graduate Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu.

Digital Photography 222 223 www.sva.edu/grad/digitalphotography


XX One of the few graduate programs specifically devoted to fashion photography
XX A program aimed at proficient photographers who want to develop their
craft in this genre
XX The program utilizes the resources of NYC as a world fashion and media capital

At the upper levels of photographic education, fashion photography is too often thought of as unworthy
of serious consideration, superficial and corrupted by style and commerce, despite its imaginative
narrative, cultural relevance, playful subversion, and its profound influence on “fine art” photography
of the past 30 years.
The mps Fashion Photography program is a rigorous one-year intensive program for the technolog-
ically proficient photographer who wants to develop a more creative and original body of work through
an immersion in the narrative, conceptual and cultural subtext of fashion photography, and with direct
engagement with leading figures in fashion and fashion photography in New York City.
The faculty consists of some of the most influential and innovative professionals in fashion pho-
tography, publishing and photographic criticism. Additionally, an advisory board will help shape the
evolution of the program.
The mps Fashion Photography program is premised by the understanding that the genre is a cul-
tural matrix and an engagement with high and low culture that will help to inspire, engage and
cultivate original work. The ideal candidate for the program will be fully versed in the technical tools
and apparatus of photography and possess professional experience in fashion photography, seeking
an immersion in critical thinking, and radical invention in a relevant ideological framework.
The goal of the program is the cultivation of an individual sensibility, informed by history and
shaped by cultural forces that will withstand the pressure for aesthetic and market compromise,
and will profoundly influence and affect the future of the medium.

Stephen Frailey and Jimmy Moffat, co-chairs

MPS Fashion
Photography
www.sva.edu/grad/fashionphoto
225
Tracy Doyle’s first job in New York was at
Time Out New York as a photo editor.

Fashion
Ready:
A Photographer
Gets Her
First Break Faculty Profile:
Tracy Doyle
Networking has been key
to Doyle’s success. The
professional faculty at SVA is a
built-in network for any graduate
student in the program. Tracy Doyle saw Annie Leibovitz at an airport once. In Doyle’s words: “I was like, Oh, my God–
that’s Annie Leibovitz. I was ordering tea at Au Bon Pain when I noticed her. I grabbed my suitcase
and followed her. She was walking to my gate, for the flight I was taking to Toronto. I introduced
myself; she took my business card. The weekend I got home I got a call from her agent saying, ‘Tracy,
hi, I heard you met Annie!’
This chance meeting eventually led to Doyle working full time at Leibowitz’s studio. But was it a
“chance meeting?” Or was it a byproduct of Doyle’s resourcefulness?
“The interesting thing about my story is that I am the most unlikely person to be doing this. I mean,
I can milk a cow. I can ride a horse. I grew up in a town of 500 people. We didn’t even have a school.
We had a gas station and a corner store. I had to get bused to the next town just to go to school. But I
believed in myself, and I was persistent.”
Tracy Doyle has been an instructor at SVA for five years. She teaches grad students in the MPS
Fashion Photography program, as well as undergrads. The story of how she made it in the fashion pho-
tography industry is a convincing example of how drive, talent, and networks can combine to produce a
meaningful, rewarding, and durable career in fashion photography.
“I had been going to New York every few months, crashing on my friends’ couches. I’d introduced
myself to directors of photography at Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, George Pitts, Jimmy Moffat.... I
kept calling people until someone would see me.”
She landed her first job in the City with Time Out New York as their photo editor. She was given a
staff of five people, all of whom had more editorial experience than she, and certainly knew the City
better. She drove a U-Haul solo 10 hours down from Canada after she got the call. She didn’t know
what subway line to take to the office. She learned. The brief time she spent at Time Out New York
was a crash course that totally primed her for future work with top creative directors like Fabien Baron,
Doug Lloyd, George Pitts, and Steven Klein.
“At Time Out I learned to be flexible and diverse in my capabilities. We had no money, so I acquired a
resourcefulness that I still rely on today, because even with the bigger budgets–those budgets sometimes
get stripped back, and you still need to get the job done. My least favorite saying is ‘That’s not my job.’
If you’re going to work in these kinds of environments, the best thing is to be able to do all the jobs.”
Tracy brings this can-do mentality and rich quotient of editorial experience to SVA, which not only
expands the skill-set of the technically proficient photographer, but also positions the student to exploit
the same professional networks that generate exciting work opportunities and durable careers like
Tracy’s. Let’s face it: if you see Annie Liebovitz at an airport, you certainly want to be ready.
co-chair interview

Stephen Frailey
“Fashion photography is difficult,” admits Stephen Frailey, who, along with Jimmy Moffat, is
co-chair of sva’s new mps in Fashion Photography. “It’s inherently collaborative, and it takes a
lot of maneuvering and intensive organization. I’ve seen a rapid rise in interest in the discipline,
in spite of the fact that it has been marginalized in undergraduate education, and has barely
existed at the graduate level. As an advocate for the medium, I thought there was room for a
I thought there was
complex conversation about fashion photography—and New York City, where so much of the
room for a complex
talent is, seemed like the place to make it happen.”
conversation about
Frailey has an art-world background, and is convinced that fashion photography should
fashion photography—

On any
exhibit the same level of ambition as work intended for gallery or museum display. “Some of the
and New York City,
most advanced, sophisticated and subversive photography right now comes from the fashion
where so much of the
world,” he opines. “The art world has derived a lot from fashion photography without necessar-
talent is, seemed like

given day...
ily acknowledging it: the constructed image, the interest in narrative, self-portraiture, theatri-
the place to make it
cality. Fashion photography toggles between artifice and a form of realism, between fact and
happen.
fiction if you like, and of course it deals with defining the erotic and issues of social class.”
The mps is designed for those who already have a technical command of the photographic
medium but want to further develop an individual vision. Typically, photographers aiming to
work in fashion become assistants to established practitioners and struggle to produce their own
portfolio on the side. But, as Frailey explains, many get stuck at that point, “so we’ve designed a 10am  Stephen Frailey, co-chair, has breakfast at Balthazar with 4pm  In a full digital lab, students make last minute changes to their
one-year program with classes that take place in the evenings, allowing students to work at the Nick Knight to discuss the live stream of the History of Fashion images before class.
highest level as an assistant while honing their own craft.” Photography sessions to ShowStudio.com.
The program is based around two classes that span the entire year, evening critiques and 5pm  Jimmy Moffat, co-chair, is on set with Steven Meisel as he

a Saturday symposium. The latter is conceived of as a catch-all: “If Karl Lagerfeld is in New 11am  Students shoot in the digital studio for an assignment given shoots the cover for Vogue Italia.
by Pascal Dangin for his Digital Photography for Fashion Photogra-
York and wants to come and look at students’ work,” says Frailey, “we’ll do that. If students
phers class. 6pm  Critique class with Dennis Freedman. Students crowd
want to go to a couture show, or attend a lecture at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan
around large prints hung on the magnetic critique wall and discuss a
Museum of Art, we’ll do that. It’s an opportunity to form a community and take advantage
1pm  Alix Browne takes students to Marc Jacobs’ show, followed classmate’s work. Vince Aletti makes a guest appearance to talk
of things as a group.”
by a lively discussion at Art+Commerce. about his upcoming project.
Add to the above courses in the history of the genre, the specificities of using digital photog-
raphy and video, the use of light, the mastery of logistics, and the centrality of narrative and 2pm  Location shooting, accessories, at the Morgan Library. 9pm  All students attend the opening of the Alexander McQueen
cinema to fashion photography, and you have an intensive year. And, says Frailey, the curricu- retrospective at The Metropolitan Museum of Art; continuing the
lum will change and evolve. “One of the great strengths of sva,” he smiles, “is that we can be evening at an after-party at the Standard.
flexible and change quickly to remain relevant, without cumbersome bureaucracy.”
“Ultimately,” he concludes, “I would like this program to have an impact on the genre, and
for graduates to contribute to the larger discourse.”

Fashion Photography 230 231 www.sva.edu/grad/fashionphoto


The MPS Fashion Photography
Department includes two dedicated
studios, a 24-hour digital lab and
an variety of camera and lighting
equipment that students can let out.  
The MPS Fashion Photography program is a one- year intensive degree program for the
technologically proficient photographer who wants to develop a more creative and original body of work through Course Descriptions
an immersion in the narrative, conceptual and cultural subtext of fashion photography, and with direct engagement
with the leading figures in fashion and fashion photography in New York. ¶ At the core of the program is a 30-
week Critique course as well as the weekend Symposium. The Critique is a weekly gathering in which the students
discuss and challenge each other’s work, guided by a faculty-moderator. It is a team effort: Four faculty-moderators
take turns conducting the critiques throughout the semester. The weekend Symposium is a flexible format that
acts as a framework for critiques with fashion photographers, creative directors, museum directors, and fashion
designers and for field trips, lectures, readings, fashion shows and exhibitions, and various dialogues with industry DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY FOR FASHION PHOTOGRAPHERS LIGHT
As the genre of fashion photography becomes increasingly stylized and It is an enduring cliché that light is a fundamental aspect of the pho-
professionals. An emphasis is placed on the synthesis of diverse and unexpected cultural information as pictorial fictional, working skills and a rigorous knowledge of digital retouching tographic vocabulary, and an understanding of light is an especially
inspiration. ¶ Video, and its increasing importance in fashion will be central to the program, and as a new genre, are essential. This hands-on studio course will review the key Adobe essential facet of fashion photography as a genre in which light (as well
Photoshop tools for fashion and tethering equipment for a seamless as dark) is controlled for creative effect. This course will pursue an
what constitutes fashion video will be developed and defined and shaped. The influence of the Internet, social digitized environment. Work from the professional community in-depth examination of the importance of light, its ability to suggest
networking, and transformations in media and publishing will be part of the conversation, and each student will be that highlights creative retouching and digital manipulation will be place, psychology and emotion, and to enhance texture and detail, as
discussed. Under consideration will also be the ethical dimensions of among the many possibilities of an informed use of light.
expected to complete a fully realized video piece. ¶ One-semester courses will be held on fashion photography topics retouching and its impact on culture.
such as history, logistics, career development, digital practice, narrative and cinema. ¶ The goal of the program is the LOGISTICS, COLLABORATION, SUPPORT
FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY CRITIQUE I and II Similar to cinema, fashion photography is a collaborative medium, and
cultivation of an individual sensibility that will withstand the pressure for aesthetic and market compromise, and will At the conceptual core of the program is the weekly discussion of each its success lies in the photographer’s ability to work with a crew of
profoundly influence the future of the medium. ¶ Degree candidates must successfully complete 30 credits, including participant’s images, followed by a rigorous and thorough analysis of individuals to produce the desired image. This course will address the
those works. As an intimacy with one another’s work and objectives logistics of that effort, and emphasize the importance of creative col-
all required courses, earn a cumulative GPA of higher than 3.0, and create an original, challenging and provocative develops, the work becomes refined through being challenged. A vigor- laboration. Each student, based on his or her sensibility and aesthetic,
portfolio of images. ous participation in the conversation about each person’s work, and a will form a creative team from the ranks of the professional photo-
balance of generosity and useful criticism is expected. graphic community.

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY, NARRATIVE AND CINEMA SYMPOSIUM I and II


Sample Programs A crucial aspect of contemporary fashion photography is the telling of Throughout the year of study, Symposium acts as a weekly gathering of
a story. Central to the topic is an examination of cinema’s influence program participants for an array of activities: guest lectures and guest
on fashion photography and how, as a visual medium, it condenses critiques, trips to museum and gallery exhibitions, and visits to designers’
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
narrative to image. The objective of this course is to forge an ability to studios and couture shows. The emphasis will be on bringing a broad
Digital Photography For Fashion Photographers 3 Fashion Photography Critique II 3 employ narrative that is driven by light, place, gesture, object, or char- range of cultural ideas to the conversation, and to take advantage of all
Fashion Photography Critique I 3 History of Fashion Photography 3 acter, with the resulting image having depth and complexity. the resources that New York offers.
Fashion Photography, Narrative and Cinema 3 Logistics, Collaboration, Support 3
HISTORY OF FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY VIDEO AND FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY
Light3 Symposium II 3 This course will provide a historical survey of fashion photography Partly as a result of the rapid transformations in media and publishing,
Symposium I 3 Video and Fashion Photography 3 with an emphasis on contemporary work of the last thirty years, when and the influence of the Internet, fashion video has become increasingly
the conceptual framework of fashion became more experimental and important and the subject of much speculation. As a fashion venue,
creative, as well as a cultural matrix. Active participation in discus- it increases narrative and contributes sound, music and motion. This
sions is required, and each student will give a presentation on an course will focus on the production of a video short. Sessions will
aspect of recent history that has particular relevance to the individual. include digital lab time with instruction in editing of the video.

Fashion Photography 234 235 www.sva.edu/grad/fashionphoto


Faculty Guest Lecturers

Stephen Frailey, co-chair Pascal Dangin Vince Aletti Duncan Hannah Collier Schorr
Fine art photographer; editor, Dear Dave; Digital artist; retoucher; founder, Box Studios; publisher, steidldangin critic, The New Yorker fine artist photographer
chair, BFA Photography, SVA Clients include: American Express, Calvin Klein, Grace
Education: BA, Bennington College; San Francisco Art Institute Coddington, Graydon Carter, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Estée Lauder, Fabien Baron Cathy Horyn Laurie Simmons
One-Person Exhibitions Include: Julie Saul Gallery, 303 Gallery Gucci, Steven Klein, Annie Leibovitz, Louis Vuitton, Steven Meisel, creative director critic, The New York Times photographer
Group Exhibitions Include: Smithsonian Institution, Washington, Prada, Anna Wintour, Yves Saint Laurent
D.C.; New Museum of Contemporary Art; Harvard University, Publications include: The New Yorker, Time, Jessica Craig-Martin Michael Kazam Ingrid Sischy
Cambridge, MA; International Center of Photography; Artspace, Los The Times (London) photographer creative director, Le Book writer
Angeles; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Museum of Modern Art; Recognition: “Pixel Perfect,” The New Yorker
Castelli Graphics; Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, Buffalo, NY; website: www.steidldangin.com Gregory Crewdson Nick Knight Sølve Sundsbø
Boston Art Institute; Jack Tilton Gallery photographer photographer photographer
Publications Include: Afterimage, The New York Times, Emma Reeves
ARTnews, Paris Review, The New Yorker, Artforum, The Village Creative consultant; senior editor, The Journal (www.thejrnl.com). Suzanne Donaldson Glen Luchford Neville Wakefield
Voice, Bald Ego Formerly, managing editor, V Magazine photo editor, Glamour photographer curator, writer
Awards Include: National Endowment for the Arts, MacDowell Clients include: Levi’s Photo Workshop; Nike; Bidoun; Li, Inc.;
Colony, Aaron Siskind Foundation Sony Productions, Gorgeous Enterprises, Uniqlo Tracy Doyle Ryan McGinley Tim Walker
Photographic director: Dazed & Confused, AnOther, AnOther executive producer, box photographer photographer
Jimmy Moffat, co-chair Man, TAR
Co-founder, Art+Commerce; founder, Art+Commerce Festival Curatorial works include: “David Armstrong: Mad About the Dennis Freedman Glenn O’Brien Anya Zlourova
Current and former clients include: Steven Meisel, Annie Boy,” “South West/Mark Gonzales,” Half Gallery. Co-curator, “Being creative director, Barneys writer, creative director fashion director, Tatler
Leibovitz, Robert Mapplethorpe, William Eggleston, Ellen von True,” Journal Gallery
Unwerth, Inez van Lamsweerde, Taryn Simon, Nick Knight, Craig Contributor: SHOWstudio.com, Fantom, NOWNESS Philip Gefter Eva Respini
McDean, Tim Walker Awards include: British Television Advertising Award writer, critic curator,
Awards include: “One of the 100 Most Important People in Museum of Modern Art
Photography,” American Photo Andrew Richardson
Stylist, creative director
Vince Aletti Collaborations include: Steven Meisel, Mario Sorrenti, Patrick
Photography critic, The New Yorker; curator Demarchelier, Terry Richardson, Mario Testino, David Sims
Education: BA, Antioch College Publications include: Vogue (Chinese, Italian, Japanese), Rolling
Professional experience includes: Art editor, The Village Voice Stone, L’Uomo Vogue, POP, Bazaar, Vanity Fair, V Magazine, W
Curatorial projects include: “Flesh Tones: 100 Years of the Campaigns worked on include : Aquascutum, Belstaff, Lacoste,
Nude,” Robert Mann Gallery; “Henry Wolf,” Howard Greenberg Club Monaco, Kenneth Cole, Kenzo, Armani, Hugo Boss
Gallery; co-curator, “Weird Beauty: Fashion Photography Now,”
Center for Photography at Woodstock; “This is Not a Fashion Carol Squiers
Tel: 212.592.2096

Contact Us
Photograph,” International Center of Photography; “Dress Codes: Writer; editor; curator, International Center of Photography. Formerly,
The Third ICP Triennial of Photography and Video,” International
Center of Photography
senior editor, American Photo
Co-curator: “Avedon Fashion, 1944-2000,” “Weird Beauty:
Fax: 212.592.2336
Publications include: Book of 101 Books: Seminal Photographic
Books of the Twentieth Century; The Disco Files 1973-1978; Male
Fashion Photography Now,” “Imagining the Future: The Intersection
of Science, Technology, and Photography,” “ICP Triennial Exhibition
E-mail: mpsfashionphotography@sva.edu
Award: Infinity Award for Writing, International Center of of Photography and Video”
Photography Editor: The Critical Image: Essays on Contemporary Photography; www.sva.edu/grad/fashionphoto
Over Exposed: Essays on Contemporary Photography
Alix Browne Author: The Body at Risk: Photography of Disorder, Illness, and Come to our Departmental Information Session or contact us directly for more information.
Deputy style editor, The New York Times Magazine; deputy design Healing. Essays in: Avedon Fashion 1944-2000; Barbara Kruger;
editor, T Design. Formerly, editor-in-chief, V Magazine Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance, and the Camera Since 1870; Police All times and locations will be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit
Education: BA, magna cum laude, Harvard University Pictures: The Photograph as Evidence
To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website or contact the
Contributor: French Vogue, Numéro Homme, Mixt(e), ARTnews Publications include: The New York Times, Artforum, Vanity
Editor: Visionaire’s Fashion 2000: Designers at the Turn of the Fair, Aperture, Art in America, Vogue, Parkett, The Village Voice Office of Graduate Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu.
Millennium; Visionaire’s Fashion 2001: Designers of the New Avant-Garde; Awards include: National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship
V Best: Five Years of V Magazine; Jason Schmidt: Artists 2000-2006

Fashion Photography 236 237 www.sva.edu/grad/fashionphoto


MFA XX Develop artistic self-expression through exploration and experimentation
XX Faculty comprised of internationally renowned artists—most prestigious

Fine Arts art faculty in New York City


XX Visiting artists program—for lectures, studio critiques and visits—invites
critics, artists and curators from the City’s diverse art world
www.sva.edu/grad/finearts
One of the fundamental natures of the mfa Fine Arts program is that it is an essentialization of
the art world, a distillation of the dynamics of the art community in which artists—both faculty and
students—function as professionals. The principal thrust of the program’s structure is to encourage
students to make consummate work and to enhance their sensibilities and achievements in order
that they might engage their skills and their artistic individuality in the system of galleries, museums
and collectors.
Like some other schools, we accentuate the primacy of craftsmanship and proficiency. However,
we accentuate more incisively the compelling development of self-expression and the realization
of the innate creative spirit. We also accentuate the need for explorative experimentation that can
induce students to discover new aspects of their creative abilities.
These goals are effected in close relationship between faculty and students, a relationship that
fosters an ideology of stylistic pluralism and a diversity of artistic persuasions. The only dictamina
ordained in the program are those that galvanize the students to produce as much as they can and
to follow a personal course of intellectual and expressive evolution.
The faculty stands among the most prestigious in the art world. They are internationally celebrated
artists whose works are highlighted in the most noteworthy public and private collections and in the
most distinguished galleries. Leaders and innovators, they constitute an encompassing spectrum of
taste, styles and philosophies. Also, the mfa Fine Arts program possesses a visiting artists program,
a series of lectures and studio critiques delivered by predominant figures of the art world: artists,
critics, curators and others involved in cognate areas of the art community.
Like the faculty, the students embody a richness of variety in their artistic endeavors and aesthetic
directions. A premier group of individuals with high levels of accomplishment, they come from many
different countries and reflect a plenitude of different experiences. In their resolute commitment to art
as a profession, they also provide a significantly edifying environment to one another. The College
provides for them during their two-year tenure in the program a host of different sites to showcase their
work. They not only have the opportunity to display their talents in its numerous galleries, but many also
have the opportunity to display their work in New York City’s galleries.
New York City is, in fact, a vital source of cultural fervor and a fountainhead of inspiration to
the students, with its nonpareil wealth of artists, museums and galleries. The College itself occupies one
of the most productive and prepossessing sections of the City—Chelsea, a hotbed of artistic activity.
Thus, the students of the sva mfa Fine Arts program are an international community of artists pro-
ducing, creating and living in the larger community of the international art world of New York City, a
community of both their present and their future.

David L. Shirey, chair

239
Acclaimed visual artist and photographer
Shimon Attie stops by the Fine Arts studios
to guest lecture and critique student work as
part of the student-run visiting artist program.

Conducting
the Critique
While innate talent may come from within, a true artist requires training, inspiration
and, sometimes, tough love. At SVA, students’ work is repeatedly taken to task by
working legends. Here recent students in the MFA Fine Arts program share some of
their most memorable critique experiences.

ANDREW BRISCHLER
I took Michelle Lopez for both a writing workshop and studio workshop my first year in the program,
and her unique view of how to get to a place of honesty in your work has been truly invaluable. Before
meeting Michelle, I had never had serious discussions about owning, emotionally, what I put into my
work, but for Michelle, that concept is essentially what’s most important. She treated me like a peer,
pushed me to take chances, and gave me the freedom to make mistakes in the studio. And, as a result,
I’ve come out on the other side without fear or shame.

Cathleen P. Cueto II
There were several instructors that made a deep impact on me and my work during my two years at
sva, but Stephen Maine was one who truly went above and beyond in every capacity. I had him as a
Writing Workshop instructor my first year, enrolled in his Fine Arts Workshop the following semester,
and then I ultimately chose him as my thesis advisor my second year. In class, Stephen was unfailingly
tough and critical, but always constructive. He liked to hold group critiques every week where we’d
meet together in one of our studios and spend 30 or 40 minutes discussing the work without any
“glad-handing or back-patting,” as he expressly forbade in his syllabus on the first day of class. He ex-
pected everyone to sit up straight and actively engage in the analytical conversation, which was just as
much a challenge to the group participants as it was to the students who were presenting their work and
receiving the criticism. As an art critic and an artist himself, Stephen approaches the work from many
different angles. He really digs in and tries to accept the work on its own terms while at the same time
pushing and provoking the artist to express himself or herself in the clearest way they can.

JENNY SANTOS
Ken Landauer’s workshop felt like a forward motion towards seeing and making artwork in a new and
exhilarating way. He challenged me to be more ambitious and take risks in my artwork, to be curious
and get to the heart of a piece, and to work harder when I think I’ve worked hard enough. Ken’s intelli-
gence, candor and enthusiasm for art encouraged, if not demanded, thoughtful and engaging discussion
during individual and group critiques.

STEVEN CHAPMAN
My first year at SVA has been a great experience. I was pleased with the diverse variety of background
and expertise the faculty at SVA has to offer. Being a curator, Amy Smith-Stewart offers a unique and
refreshing perspective on art as well as the art world. Also working with a painter like David Row offers
a great balance of theory and art practice. My critiques have been thoughtful and the advice has been
genuinely helpful. After my first year at SVA I am more than happy with the program and its faculty.

MIRYANA TODOROVA
Johan Grimonprez is perhaps the most informed teacher I have ever worked with. He speaks of the
expansion of the idea of art: from politics to the news, to science experiments, to parallel economies
and conspiracy theories, to the artist as a ‘shaman’ revealing truths. He engages and believes in the in-
terconnectedness of us all and the potential of the artwork to change the world. We affect one another
For the visiting artist program, the students
get together and invite artists, dealers, curators at all times in a way we do not quite understand. One thing is everything and everything is you.
and art critics that they would like to meet.
Most guests who accept the invitation do eight
studio visits to critique individual students on
Wednesday afternoons. That evening the guest
will then lecture the entire class.
The program helps demystify the art world
by giving students an opportunity to see
first-hand how the myriad aspects of the art
world interconnect.
The MFA Fine Arts Department is located in the Chelsea district
chair interview of New York City. Chelsea is the hotbed of the New York art scene and our

David L. Shirey
student studios are just a few blocks from the celebrated galleries of this
part of town. The pluralism of the Chelsea art community is reflected in the
pluralism of the artwork created in our student studios. Our community
“When Silas Rhodes asked me if I’d write a proposal for an mfa Fine Arts program,” David Shirey of artists in the MFA Fine Arts program is not only able to engage and
remembers, “I hadn’t had much experience in the writing of pedagogical principles, so I studied what participate in the Chelsea scene, but the community is also excellently
other programs offered and talked to artists, curators and art historians. What was ironic was that poised to access and participate in the entire art scene in all of New York
many of the artists I was in touch with hadn’t had much formal education; one was Willem de Koon- City. The following represents a day in the life of a MFA Fine Arts student.
ing, who I don’t think went past grade school! Another was Al Held, who told me that the best thing
“…I thought that the
a graduate program could be was a bridge between education and the real world. Something that I
best kind of program
observed was that many of the schools were advocacy programs; they professed a certain ideology. But
would be heterogeneous,
I thought that the best kind of program would be heterogeneous, embracing many different approaches
embracing many

On any
without defining itself as the purveyor of any single one.”
different approaches
“The very early years were precarious,” Shirey admits, “but we expanded and continued to add
without defining itself
resources, faculty and programs as they became necessary to enhance the richness of the program.
as the purveyor of any

given day...
The visiting artist program, for example, became vital. We’ve hosted numerous illustrious people,
single one.”
and it continues to be very productive. In general, heterogeneity is still the key. We try to take care
of the abcs of art, but there’s always the x, the unknown, and we try to allow for that. We try to keep
the program elastic and resilient, so that we can allow for innovation.”
“The program is vocational in a sense that the program is a microcosm of the art world,” Shirey
explains. “A lot of what we do here will be helpful to students’ careers once they leave. That said, a
number of those accepted into the program are already enjoying more than a modicum of fame; they
9 – noon  Second-Year Seminar with Dan Cameron in room 605-C, 133
already have gallery representation and continue to have shows and sell work. Others are seeking
West 21st Street. With the entire class, second-year seminars are devoted
to establish those kinds of contacts. And while many of our alumni become teachers, our hope is that
to the contemporary art scene and to the contemporary criticism, ideas
they will also use their experience to establish themselves as fully functioning artists. And I’m happy
and ideologies in art.
to say we’ve achieved a great deal of success in that.”
As is the case with sva in general, students in the mfa Fine Arts program are an international bunch. noon – 1pm  Quick lunch with two classmates.
Shirey runs through an exhaustive list, ending by observing, “We are a magnet for students from myriad
countries. I think that one of the great resources of the program is this international community; that’s 1 – 5pm  Workshop with Fred Wilson, 133 West 21st Street, Chelsea
just as vital as the workshops with faculty. I think they’re all instruments learning from one another. All Studios on the 9th-floor. Workshops provide studio critique and group in-
together, the faculty and students form a dynamic amalgam of cultural interaction.” struction in the students’ areas of concentration. Structured to refine skills
“Something else I emphasize,” Shirey concludes, “is that the courses are structured, but not so struc- and artistic development, workshops pay as much attention to technical
tured that they’re stifling. This program is the College’s flagship. I’ve been with it since the outset, and mastery as to experimentation and individual imagination.

it’s been very exciting for me to watch it progress, expand and accomplish significant dimensions. It’s been
6 – 8pm  Meet thesis advisor, Petah Coyne, at reception party for thesis
extremely rewarding, as well as gratifying, that we’re recognized as a program of primary importance.
show at Visual Arts Gallery, 601 West 26th Street, 15th Floor.
That sounds a bit toplofty. I hear my mother’s words: ‘Self-recommendation is no recommendation!’ ”

9pm – midnight  After Party at classmate’s apartment in Chelsea.

Fine Arts 248 249 www.sva.edu/grad/finearts


The Program  The mfa Fine Arts program offers specialization in the following media: painting, sculp-
ture and printmaking. There are also some students who employ these media while incorporating photographic, Where Are They Now?
video, digital and other techniques into their works. Students may concentrate in any one of the principal media— Alumni of the mfa Fine Arts program have exhibited at some of the most significant
painting, sculpture and printmaking—and, if they so elect, can easily change their media course of action during galleries and museums in the country. Here is a partial list:
their tenure at the College. ¶ Degree candidates must successfully complete 60 credits, including all required
303 Gallery, New York Nicole Klagsbrun, New York
courses, with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0. At the end of each semester, students will meet with
The Armory Show, New York NurtureArt, Brooklyn
instructors for a term review of their artwork. In the final semester each student is required to complete a thesis Artists Space, New York Paul Kasmin Gallery, New York
project, which must be thoroughly reviewed and approved by the thesis advisor and the thesis review panel in Australian Center for Contemporary Art, Postmasters Gallery, New York
order for the student to be eligible for degree conferral. In exceptional instances students may be allowed to trans- Melbourne Project Room, New York
fer up to 15 credits from other accredited graduate programs. Students who transfer 15 credits may be eligible to Bronx Museum P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center,
complete the program in three semesters. Decisions concerning transfer of credit and course exemptions are made Brooklyn Museum of Art Long Island City
by the committee on graduate admissions. Byron C. Cohen Gallery for Contemporary PS122 Gallery, New York
Art, Kansas City, MO Royal Academy of London
Caren Golden Fine Art, New York Rush Arts Gallery, New York
Sample Program Chashama, New York San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, CA
Creative Time, New York Santa Monica Museum of Art, CA
first year Feature, Inc., New York Sean Kelly Gallery, New York
Galerie Lelong, New York Smith-Stewart, New York
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits

Fine Art Workshops 12 Fine Art Workshops 12


Grace Exhibition Space, Brooklyn Socrates Sculpture Park,
Seminar I 3 Seminar II 3 Jack the Pelican Presents, Brooklyn Long Island City
Term Review 0 Term Review 0 Josee Bienvenue Gallery, New York Stefan Stux Gallery, New York
Writing Workshop 0 Kravets Wehby, New York Sue Scott Gallery, New York
Laxart, Los Angeles Susan Inglet Gallery, New York
Like the Spice, Brooklyn Tina Kim, New York
second year
Margaret Thatcher Projects, New York Victoria Miro Gallery, London
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
MIT List Visual Center, Boston Whitney Museum of American Art,
Business Practices for Artists 0 Fine Art Workshops 6
Museum of Contemporary Art, Miami New York
Fine Art Workshops 12 Seminar IV 3
Term Review 0
Museum of Modern Art, New York Zach Feuer, New York
Introduction of Digital Art 0
Seminar III 3 Thesis Workshop 6
Term Review 0

Fine Arts 250 251 www.sva.edu/grad/finearts


SVA Spaces
The MFA Fine Arts studios
and facilities occupy two
Course Descriptions
floors in a building situated
in Chelsea. Each student has
his or her own studio of ap-
proximately 150 square feet
(10'x15'). Twenty-four hour
studio access allows the
students to maximize their
studio practice.

Business Practices for Artists Seminar III & IV


This course is designed to prepare artists to manage the business Second-year seminars are devoted to the contemporary art scene and to
aspects of their profession. Topics covered will include: résumé and contemporary criticism, ideas and ideologies in art. Seminar III focuses
cover letter writing, exhibition opportunities, slide and other visual on art concepts and notions—historical and contemporary, traditional
documentation management, grant writing, bookkeeping and income and current. Discussion topics may include: the diverse roles that art
tax basics, receipts, contracts and letters of agreement. Assignments plays in both private and public venues; art as perceived from aesthetic,
will focus on providing experience in these areas. political, historical social-cultural viewpoints; patronage in the arts; and
the confluence of the visual arts with other means of artistic expression.
Fine Art WORKSHOPS Seminar IV concentrates on significant examples, movements, trends
These workshops provide group instruction and critiques in the and influences of contemporary art. Outstand­ing professionals from
students’ areas of concentration. Structured to refine skills and artistic various disciplines in the arts will be invited to the seminars.
development, workshops pay as much attention to technical mastery
as to experimentation and individual imagination. Term Reviews
Each semester, students will meet with faculty for discussion and
Introduction to Digital Art review of student projects. The work, chosen by students and exhibited
This course will offer a hands-on approach to basic website creation. in their studios, should reflect their significant artistic developments
Adobe Photoshop will be explored for use in the preparation of images and accomplishments. At the end of the second year, instructors con-
to be incorporated into Web pages. Then Dreamweaver, the sophisti- duct a final review of special projects.
cated and comprehensive Web design software, will be demonstrated.
Dreamweaver writes the HTML code that is used to create Internet Thesis WoRkshop
pages. In this way, the Web pages can be edited in either Dreamweaver Graduating seniors will have a faculty sponsor who supervises the
or the standard HTML code. The course includes demonstrations and thesis project. With a concentration on an artistic theme (mutually
in-class exercises that will culminate in each student’s production of agreed upon by the student and sponsor) and a related written compo-
his or her own website. nent, the purpose of this workshop is to enable students to investigate
a subject or subjects of compelling interest and complete their thesis
Seminar I & II project for graduation.
Devoted to cognate areas of art—its history, art criticism and theory,
philosophy of art, and relevant issues—this course endeavors to exam- Writing Workshop
ine such topical arguments as the nature of the museum and gallery The writing workshop offers students the opportunity to improve their
system, the intricate problems of censorship in the arts, the origins of expressive writing skills, while teaching clarity and aptness in verbal
critical thought in the modern era and the interaction of various artis- composition. The refinement of writing proficiencies helps students not
tic and aesthetic disciplines. The seminars focus on fundamental art only in their communications with other art professionals, but also in
theories, crucial to the evolution of contemporary viewpoints. Drawing applications for grants, residencies and other honors.
from the wellspring of resources in New York, students will view nota-
ble exhibitions in museums and galleries. The second semester concen­
trates on the critique of student work using, if pertinent, critical and
historical criteria. Students will continue to visit assigned exhibitions.

253 www.sva.edu/grad/finearts
Faculty

David L. Shirey, chair Collections include: V Tapes, Toronto; Groupe Intervention Petah Coyne Museum of Contem­porary Art, CA; Galerie Riis, Oslo; Yvon Lam­bert
Writer, critic. Formerly, art critic and writer, The New York Times; Video, Montreal; Art Bank, Canadian Council; Fonds Régionales d’Art Sculptor, photographer Gallery; MIT Gallery, Boston
art critic, art editor, Newsweek; contributing editor, ARTnews; Rome Contemporain (FRAC), Clisson, France Education: Art Academy of Cincinnati; Kent State University Screenings/Broadcasts include: San Francisco Film Festival;
correspondent, Newsweek CuratorIAL Works include: “Tensions,” Rotunda Gallery; Represented By: Galerie Lelong Worldexpo, Lisbon; Image Forum Festival, Tokyo; Moderna Museet,
Education: AB, MFA, Princeton University; University of Rome; “Behind the Scene: Photographer’s Devices,” White Columns; “Signals: One-Person Exhibitions include: Galerie Lelong; Lawrence Stockholm; Telluride Film Festival; Whitney Museum of American Art;
Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris Art and Invention,” Queens­borough Community College Art Gallery; Miller Gallery; Cleveland Contemporary Art Center; Contemporary Tate Modern, London; New York Film Festival; Documenta X, Kassel,
Publications include: Vieri Vagnetti, Centro D. (Florence), The “Positions,” Four Walls Museum, Honolulu; Olin Museum, Lewiston, ME; Butler Gallery, Germany
New York Times, Newsweek, Art in America, ARTnews, Antiques, Awards and honors include: Pollock-Krasner Foundation, Kilkenny, Ireland; Tyler Gallery, Philadelphia; Jack Shainman Gallery; Group Exhibitions include: Centre for Contem­porary Arts,
Gazette des Beaux-Arts (Paris), Corriere della Sera (Milan), Il Canada Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts Diane Brown Gallery; Brooklyn Museum; Sculpture Center; Santa Fe Glasgow; Documenta X, Kassel, Germany; Palazzo delle Esposizinni,
Messaggero (Rome), Le Monde (Paris), The Wall Street Journal Contemporary Arts Museum; High Museum of Art, Atlanta; Corcoran Rome; Artists Space; Pleasure Dome, Toronto; Kanagawa Arts
Awards and honors include: The New York Times Publisher’s Jake Berthot Museum of Art, Washington, DC Foundation, Japan; Museum of Contemporary Art, Baltimore
Award for Outstanding Reporting; Butler Institute of American Painter Group Exhibitions include: Smithsonian Institution, Washington, Awards and honors include: Grand Prix de Ville de Geneve,
Art Medal for Lifetime Achievement in American Art; Award for Education: New School for Social Research; Pratt Institute DC; Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, CT; Moscow Golden Gate Award, DAAD, Edith Russ New Media Grant, Toronto
Outstanding Contributions to American Art Criticism, Butler Institute Represented By: McKee Gallery Institute of Contemporary Art; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Film Society
of American Art; Wean Lectureship, Youngstown State University One-Person Exhibitions include: McKee Gallery; Galleri Gunnar Garden, Washington, DC; Centre International d’Art Contemporain de website: www.zapomatik.com
Olsson, Stockholm; Nielsen Gallery, Boston; Rose Art Museum, Brandeis Montreal; Bronx Museum of the Arts; Whitney Museum of American
Polly Apfelbaum University, Waltham, MA; Cava Gallery, Philadelphia; Storrer Gallery, Art; Museum of Modern Art Ken Landauer
Sculptor, painter, installation artist Zurich; University Art Museum, Berkeley; Galerie de Gestlo, Hamburg; Collections include: Brooklyn Museum; San Diego Museum Fine artist
Education: BFA, Tyler School of Art; SUNY Purchase Daniel Weinberg Gallery, San Francisco; Locksley-Shea Gallery, of Contemporary Art; Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center; J.B. Education: MFA, Rhode Island School of Design
Represented By: D’Amelio Terras Minneapolis; Cunningham Ward Gallery; Michael Walls Gallery, Los Speed Art Museum, Louisville, KY; Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, Clients: Kippy Stroud, Public Art Fund; Socrates Sculpture
One-Person Exhibitions include: D’Amelio Terras; Kiasma, Angeles and San Francisco; Phillips Collection, Washington, DC NC; National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC; Park; Providence Parks Department; Kansas City Municipal Arts
Museum of Contemporary Art NYKY, Helsinki; San Francisco Group Exhibitions include: Victoria Munroe Fine Art; American Weatherspoon Art Gallery, Greensboro, NC; Whitney Museum of Commission
Art Institute; Boesky & Callery Fine Arts; Hirschl & Adler Modern; Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters; Cork Gallery; Great Wall American Art; Museum of Modern Art One-Person Exhibitions Include: AH Gallery, Los Angeles, CA;
Realismusstudio der NGBK, Künstlerfhaus Am Acker, Berlin; Gallery, Toronto; Japan Arts Gallery, Tokyo; Galerie Denise Cade–Art Awards and honors include: Asian Cultural Council Japan Morris Museum, Morristown, NJ; Avenue of the Arts, Downtown
Postmasters Gallery; Neuberger Museum; P.S.1 Contemporary Art Prospect, Inc.; Venice Biennale Fellow­ship; Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Residence, Italy; National Kansas City, MO
Center; Galerie Etienne Ficheroulle, Brussels; Amy Lipton Gallery; Collections include: The Metropolitan Museum of Art; Australian Endowment for the Arts; Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art; Group Exhibitions Include: Samuel Dorsky Museum, New Paltz,
Sue Spaid Fine Art, Los Angeles; Locks Gallery, Philadelphia National Gallery, Canberra; Baltimore Museum of Art; Dallas John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship; Pollock- NY; Public Art Fund, New York; Albrecht-Kemper Museum, St.
Group Exhibitions include: Whitney Museum of American Museum of Fine Arts; Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge, MA; Moderna Krasner Foundation; New York Foundation for the Arts; Art Matters, Joseph, Missouri
Art; Luckman Fine Arts Gallery, Los Angeles; Biennale of Sydney, Konsthall, Malmö, Sweden; Philadelphia Museum of Art; Solomon Inc.; Massachusetts Council on the Arts and Humanities; Joan Mitchell Awards and Honors Include: Emerging Artist Fellowship from
Australia; Koyanagi Gallery, Tokyo; Contemporary Arts Museum, R. Guggenheim Museum; St. Louis Art Museum; Museum of Modern Foundation; Sirus Project, Ireland Socrates Sculpture Park; Special Opportunity Stipend, New York
Houston; Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College; Magasin 3 Art; Whitney Museum of American Art Foundation for the Arts and New York Council on the Arts adminis-
Stockholm Konsthall; Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, NY; Biennale Awards and honors include: American Academy and Institute of Kenji Fujita tered by Garrison Art Center
d’art Contemporain de Lyon, France; Corcoran Painting Biennial, Arts and Letters, National Academy of Design, National Endowment Visual artist
Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washing­ton, DC; High Museum of Art, for the Arts, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foun­dation Education: BA, Bennington College; MFA, Queens College; Whitney Thomas Lanigan-Schmidt
Atlanta; Museum of Modern Art Fellowship, Elizabeth Foundation Museum Independent Study Program Mixed-media installation artist
Awards and honors include: New York Foundation for the Arts; One-Person Exhibitions include: Luhring Augustine Gallery; Education: School of Visual Arts, Pratt Institute. Studied with Jack
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship; Yaddo Dan Cameron Schmidt/Markow Gallery 1709, St. Louis; Jean Bernier, Athens; Daniel Smith and Charles Ludlum
Residency; MacDowell Colony Residency; Pollock-Krasner Foundation Curator. Formerly, senior curator, New Museum of Contemporary Art Weinberg Gallery, Los Angeles; Cable Gallery One-Person Exhibitions include: Holly Solomon Gallery; Galerie
Grant, Ucross Education: BA, Bennington College Group Exhibitions include: Brooklyn Museum; Luhring Augustine Krief-Raymond, Paris
professional experience: Senior curator, New Museum of Con- Gallery; Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, CT; Venice Group Exhibitions include: Whitney Museum of American Art;
Perry Bard temporary Art; contributing editor, Art & Auction, Artforum, Flash Art Biennale; Jablonka Galerie, Cologne, Germany; Wacoal Art Center, Tokyo Midtown Payson; Franklin Furnace; University of California, Berkeley;
Electronic media, public art and installation artist Curatorial Work includes: “Living inside the Grid;” “Carroll Awards and honors include: Pollock-Krasner Foundation, Andre Zarre; Quick Center for the Arts, Fairfield University; Gallery
Education: BA, McGill University; MA, University of Wisconsin, Dunham;” “East Village USA;” “Wim Delvoye: Cloaca;” “Paul National Endowment for the Arts, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial K, Washington, DC; La Mama La Galleria
Madison; MFA, San Francisco Art Institute McCarthy;” “William Kentridge;” New Museum of Contemporary Foundation Fellowship, New York Foundation for the Arts Installations include: Art Chicago International Art Exhibition;
One-Person Exhibitions include: Florida State University Art; “ev+a2005;” Limerick City Gallery of Art, Ireland Snug Harbor Cultural Center; University Gallery, University of
Art Museum, Tallahassee; New Image Gallery, Harrisonburg, VA; Exhibition catalogs and Books Include: PLOP: Recent Johan Grimonprez Massachusetts; Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore; Laumeier Sculpture
Testwall-TZ’art; Public Sculpture at Petrosino Park, NY; Ihara Ludens Projects of the Public Art Fund; Supernova: Art of the 1990s from Video and mixed-media artist Park, St. Louis; Galerie Krief-Raymond, Paris; Ackland Art Museum,
Gallery; Mercer Union Gallery, Toronto; Sculpture Center Gallery; the Logan Collection; Vik Muniz Education: BA, Academy of Fine Arts, Ghent; MFA, School of University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Venice Biennale
J. Yahouda Meir Gallery, Montreal; A.R.E. Gallery, San Francisco; Publications include: On Paper, Artforum, Trans, Grand Street, Visual Arts; Whitney Museum Independent Study Program Collections include: Musée d’Art Contemporain, Foundation
Jetwave Gallery, San Francisco; Palm Beach Museum, FL Art & Auction, Frieze, Third Text 26, Flash Art, Avenue, Parkett, Represented By: Deitch Projects; Yvon Lambert Gallery, Edelman, Lausanne; The Metropolitan Museum of Art; Museum
Group Exhibitions include: P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center; Harper’s Bazaar, Artspace, ARTnews, Art Issues, Contemporanea, Paris/New York Ludwig, Aachen, Germany; Groninger Museum, Netherlands; Museum
Garnet Press, Toronto; Artists Space; Alternative Museum; Musée de Galeries, Shift, New Art Examiner One-Person Exhibitions include: Deitch Projects; Institute of of Modern Art
Nantes, France; São Paolo Bienal; Festival de Blois, France; University Contemporary Art, Boston; Anthony d’Offay Gallery, London; Musée Awards and honors include: CAPS; Executive Committee, Board
of Newport, Wales; Electronic Arts Forum, Bessau, Germany; Reina du Jeu de Paume, Paris; Centro Cultural do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro; of Governors, Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture
Sofia, Madrid; Oberhausen Short Film Festival, Germany Kunst­ve­rein, Munich; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; Santa Monica

Fine Arts 254 255 www.sva.edu/grad/finearts


Professional Opportunities
In addition to the College’s on-campus and Chelsea galleries,
the graduate fine arts studios are open to the public at the end of
each academic semester, providing an excellent opportunity for
the artist/student to exhibit work and gain exposure to gallery
directors and collectors in New York City.
Students and graduates of the program have exhibited in
numerous galleries and museums including Deitch Projects,
Marianne Boesky Gallery, 303 Gallery, Feature Inc.,
Michelle Lopez Represented by: Fredericks Freiser Gallery James Siena Clementine, Arena, Stephan Stux, LFL, Roebling Hall, Plus
Fine artist One-person exhibitions include: San Francisco Museum of Fine artist Ultra, Marvelli Gallery, Mary Boone Gallery, Whitney
Education: BA, Barnard College; MFA, School of Visual Arts Modern Art; Baldwin Gallery, Aspen; Fredericks Freiser Gallery; Education: BFA, Cornell University Museum of American Art, Bronx Museum of the Arts, Museum
Represented by: Simon Preston Gallery Thaddeus Ropac Gallery, Paris; Max Protetch Gallery; Nicola Jacobs Represented By: PaceWildenstein, New York of Modern Art, Queens Museum and Brooklyn Museum.
One-person exhibitions include: Gallery Paule Anglim, San Gallery, London; White Columns; Meyers Bloom Gallery, Los Angeles; One-person exhibitions include: San Francisco Art Institute; Students have also had their work reviewed in publications,
Francisco; Deitch Projects; Fondazione Nicola Trussardi, Milan; Greenberg Gallery, St. Louis; Index Gallery Stockholm Daniel Weinberg Gallery, Los Angeles; Cristinerose Gallery; Pierogi including: The New York Times, The Village Voice, Art in
Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions; Feature, Inc.; 407 Gallery; Collections include: Museum of Modern Art; Maison European 2000; J. Noblett Gallery, Sonoma, CA; PaceWildenstein; Gorney America, Artforum, Flash Art, Frieze, The New Yorker, The
Simon Preston Gallery Photographie Paris; Collection Claudine et Jean-Marc Salomon; Bravin + Lee; University of Akron, OH Wall Street Journal.
group exhibitions include: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Neuberger Berman; Chase Manhattan Bank; Deutsch Bank; Museum Group exhibitions include: Whitney Museum
San Francisco; Champion Fine Arts, Los Angeles; Studio Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego; Everson Museum; Museum of Fine of American Art; DC Moore Gallery; Danese; Triple Candie; OSP
in Harlem; Orange County Museum of Art, Newport Beach, CA; Arts, Boston; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; Syracuse Gallery, Boston; National Academy of Design Museum; Locks Gallery, Gary Stephan
Visual Arts Gallery, P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center; Post Gallery, Los University; Denver Art Museum Philadelphia; Kent State University, OH; P.S.1 Contemporary Art Painter
Angeles; Metro Tech Center, Brooklyn; Galeria Leyendecker, Tenerife, Awards and Honors include: John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Center; Graham Gallery; American Academy of Arts and Letters; San Education: MFA, San Francisco Art Institute; Pratt Institute; Parsons
Spain; Or Gallery, Vancouver; Threadwaxing Space; Rosenwald-Wolf Foundation Fellowship, New York State Council on the Arts, National Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Mario Diacono, Boston; Greene School of Design
Gallery, University of the Arts, Philadelphia; Brooklyn Museum Endowment for the Arts Naftali Gallery; Phyllis Kind Gallery Represented By: Baumgartner Gallery, New York
Publications include: Artforum, Art in America, Time Out New Collections Include: Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell One-Person Exhibitions include: Baumgartner Gallery; Fernand
York, The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Village Voice Alix Pearlstein University, Ithaca, NY; Museum of Fine Art, Boston; Museum of Alcolea Gallery, Barcelona; Daniel Weinberg Gallery, San Francisco;
Awards and honors include: Best Public Art, Art in America; Fine Artist Modern Art; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Whitney Museum Diane Brown Gallery; Gabrielle Maubry, Paris; Hirschl & Adler
Public Art Fund; MacArthur Foundation Education: BS, Cornell University; MFA, SUNY at Purchase of American Art Modern; Lia Rumma Gallery, Naples; Margo Leavin Gallery, Los
Residencies and fellowships include: Virginia Center for the Represented by: Artemis Greenberg Van Doren Gallery Publications include: The New York Times, The New Yorker, Angeles; Marl­borough Gallery; Mary Boone Gallery; Texas Gallery,
Creative Arts; Banff Centre, Alberta; MacDowell Colony One-person exhibitions include: Artemis Greenberg Van Doren ARTnews, The Village Voice, New York Sun, San Francisco Houston
Gallery; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Grossman Gallery; Chronicle, Art on Paper, Bomb, Brooklyn Rail Group Exhibitions Include: National Arts Club, NY; Andrea
Stephen Maine Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Awards and Honors Include: American Academy of Arts and Pintsch, Germany; Baumgartner Galleries, Washington, DC;
Painter, critic Group exhibitions incude: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum; Letters; Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation; New York Foundation of Museum of Contemporary Art, Miami; White Columns; College
Education: BFA, Indiana University Whitney Museum of American Art; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture the Arts; Charles Goodwin Sands Medal, Cornell University; Edward of New Rochelle, Castle Gallery, NY; Bentley Terrace Gallery,
Exhibitions include: 354 Exhibitions; Metaphor Contemporary Garden, Washington, DC; Museum of Modern Art Durrell Stone Award, Cornell University AZ; The Metropolitan Museum of Art; Whitney Biennial; Andre
Art; Sideshow Gallery; Henry Street Settlement; Momenta Art; Kentler Awards and honors include: Artist-in-Residence, MacDowell Emmerich Gallery
International Drawing Space; The Painting Center; The Drawing Colony; Art Matters Inc.; Edward Albee Foundation; National Amy Smith-Stewart Collections include: Whitney Museum of American Art; Museum
Center; Sotheby’s; Semi-Public Gallery, Asheville, NC Endowment for the Arts Curator. Formerly, curator, P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center of Modern Art; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum; The Metropolitan
Publications include: Art In America, Art on Paper, Brooklyn Education: BA, cum laude, New York University; MA, University of Museum of Art; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
Rail, artnet.com, New York Sun David Row Manchester Awards and honors include: National Endowment for the Arts,
honors include: New York Foundation for the Arts Painter Curatorial Works include: “Prime Time,” School of Visual Arts; John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellow­ship
Education: BA, cum laude, MFA, Yale University “New York: Remember Who You Are,” “Upstate,” “Heartbreaker,” Mary
Suzanne McClelland Represented By: Von Lintel Gallery, New York; McClain Gallery, Boone Gallery; “Phoebe Washburn: Seconds of Something,” “Ernesto Julianne Swartz
Painter Houston; Galerie von Bartha, Basel Caivano: After the Woods, A Selection,” P.S.1 Contem­porary Art Center; Sculptor, installation artist, sound artist
Education: BFA, University of Michigan; MFA, School of Visual One-Person Exhibitions include: Von Lintel Gallery, New York, Co-curator: “Greater New York 2005,” “Katharina Sieverding: Close Up,” Education: BA, University of Arizona, Tucson; MA, Bard College
Arts Munich; Brandstetter & Wyss, Zurich; Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, “Building Structures,” P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center Represented By: Josée Bienvenu Gallery
Represented By: Paul Kasmin Gallery Paris, Salzburg; Galerie von Bartha, Basel; Locks Gallery, Philadelphia; Publications include: Flash Art, Contemporary One-Person Exhibitions Include: Josée Bienvenu Gallery; Angles
One-Person Exhibitions include: Paul Kasmin Gallery; Baldwin McClain Gallery, Houston; Pamela Auchincloss Gallery; Richard Gallery, Los Angeles; Tang Museum, Skidmore College, Saratoga
Gallery, CO; Weatherspoon Art Gallery, Greensboro, NC; L.A. Feigen Gallery, Chicago; Turner & Runyon Gallery, Dallas; Edwin A. Springs, NY; Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, ME; Artists
Louver, Inc., CA; Galerie Lawrence Rubin, Zurich; Galerie Kyoko Ulrich Museum of Art, Witchita, KS; Gallerie Ascan Crone, Hamburg Space; Schroeder-Romero Gallery; 123 Watts; Ricco/Maresca Gallery;
Chirathivat, Thailand Group Exhibitions include: American Academy and Institute of Lombard-Fried Fine Arts
Group Exhibitions include: Aspen Art Museum; Galleria Arts and Letters; Armand Hammer Museum of Art, University of Group Exhibitions Include: Green on Red Gallery, Dublin;
Lawrence Rubin, Italy; Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, California, Los Angeles; Pace Prints; Musée des Beaux Arts, La Chaux New Museum of Contemporary Art; Catherine Clark Gallery, San
OH; Whitney Museum of American Art; Corcoran Gallery of Art, de Fonds, Switzerland; The Drawing Center; High Museum of Art, Francisco; P.S.1/MoMA; Institute of Contemporary Art, Palm Beach;
Washington, DC; Apex Gallery; White Columns Atlanta; J.B. Speed Art Museum, Louisville, KY; Sidney Janis Gallery; Islip Art Museum, NY; Muller Dechiara Gallery, Berlin; Grant Selwyn
Collections include: Museum of Modern Art; Whitney Museum Portland Museum of Art, ME; Nassauisher Kunstverein, Weisbaden; Fine Art, Los Angeles; Susquehanna Art Museum, Harrisburg, PA;
of American Art; Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, CA; Orlando State Museum of San Marino, Italy; Yale University Museum of Art, Bronx Museum of the Arts; Brooklyn Museum
Museum of Art; St. Louis Art Museum; New York Public Library New Haven; Bernier/Tanit, Brussels; Tony Shafrazi Gallery Publications include: Frieze, Artforum, ARTnews, The Village
Collections include: Brooklyn Museum; Carnegie Museum Voice, Time Out New York, The New Yorker, The New York Times
Marilyn Minter of Art, Pittsburgh; Cleveland Museum of Art; Hood Museum of Awards and Honors Include: Public Art Fund; Richard Kelly
Fine artist Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH; Ackland Art Museum, Foundation; Artists in the Marketplace; Lower East Side Print Shop
Education: BFA, University of Florida, Gainesville; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Museum of Special Editions Fellowship
MFA, Syracuse University Contemporary Art, San Diego residencies include: Art Omi International Artists; New York
Awards and Honors include: National Endowment for the Arts Foundation for the Arts; Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris

Fine Arts 256 257 www.sva.edu/grad/finearts


Guest Lecturers

Fred Wilson Jacqueline Winsor Janine Antoni Walton Ford Elizabeth Peyton


Fine artist Sculptor fine artist painter painter
Education:  BFA, SUNY Purchase Education: BFA, Massachusetts College of Art;
Represented by: PaceWildenstein, New York MFA, Rutgers University Stefano Arienti Andrea Fraser Eileen Quinlan
One-person exhibitions include: Berkeley Art Museum and Represented By: Paula Cooper; Margo Leavin Gallery, Los Angeles sculptor, installation artist performance artist photographer
Pacific Film Archive, University of California; Studio Museum One-Person Exhibitions include: Milwaukee Art Museum; North
in Harlem; Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco; Metro Pictures; Carolina Museum of Art; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Akron Art Richard Artschwager Tom Friedman Judy Pfaff
Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Seattle Art Museum; Museum; Art Gallery of Ontario; Newport Harbor Art Museum; fine artist sculptor installation artist, painter
Indianapolis Museum of Art: Santa Monica Museum; Venice Biennale; Museum of Modern Art; Margo Leavin Gallery; Paula Cooper;
PaceWildenstein; Museum of World Culture, Göteberg, Sweden; Virginia Museum; P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center Jan Avgikos Coco Fusco Richard Phillips
Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, CT; White Columns Collections include: Akron Art Museum; Albright-Knox Art art historian, critic, teacher performance, installation artist painter
Group exhibitions include:  Museum of Modern Art; Whitney Gallery; University of Colorado, Boulder; Detroit Institute of Arts;
Museum of American Art; New Museum of Contemporary Art; Fonds National d’Art Contem­porain, Paris; National Gallery of Alice Aycock Laim Gillick William Pope.L
Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; Victoria and Albert Australia; Art Gallery of Ontario; Museum of Modern Art; San sculptor, installation artist artist, critic, curator, designer, writer performance artist
Museum, London; Museum for African Art; P.S.1 Contemporary Art Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Whitney Museum of American Art
Center; Sculpture Center; Cairo Biennale; ABC NO Rio; Sprengel Awards and honors include: John Simon Guggen­heim Lynda Beglis Luis Gispert Archie Rand
Museum, Hanover; Museu d’Art Contemporani, Barcelona; Institute Memorial Foundation Fellowship; National Endow­ment for the Arts; sculptor sculptor, photographer painter, educator
of Contemporary Art, Boston; High Museum of Art, Atlanta; Distinguished Artist-Teacher Award, School of Visual Arts; honor-
Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston ary doctorate, Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, Memorial University, Beth Campbell Christine Heindl Blake Rayne
Collections include: Jewish Museum, Baltimore Museum of Art, Newfoundland, Canada; Brandeis University Creative Arts Award sculptor, installation artist painter painter
Brooklyn Museum, Denver Art Museum, Nelson-Atkins Museum of
Art, Montclair Art Museum Maurizio Cattelan Christian Holstad Matthew Richie
Awards and honors include: MacArthur Foundation; National sculptor, performance artist installation artist, painter, sculptor painter, sculptor, digital artist
Endowment for the Arts; New York Foundation for the Arts; New
York State Council on the Arts; Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art; Sarah Charlesworth Gareth James Dana Schutz
Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture; president, board of trust- photographer fine artist, writer painter
ees, Sculpture Center. Honorary doctorate, Northwestern University
Sue Coe Bill Jensen Gedi Sibony
painter, printmaker, illustrator painter sculptor
Bjorn Copeland Paddy Johnson Amy Sillman
artist, musician critic painter
Will Cotton John Kessler Kiki Smith
painter mixed media sculptor fine artist
EV Day Janet Koplos Zak Smith
Tel: 212.592.2500
Contact Us

installation artist, sculptor writer, senior editor, Art In America fine artist
Fax: 212.592.2503 Jules de Balincourt Kalup Linzy Fabienne Stephan
E-mail: mfafinearts@sva.edu painter video and performance artist curator
Erin Donnelly Steve Mumford Herb Tam
www.sva.edu/grad/finearts painter painter curator
We strongly encourage applicants to visit our department prior to submitting Jim Drain Shirin Neshat Fred Tomaselli
application materials. mixed media sculptor photographer, video artist painter
Come to our Departmental Information Session, or contact us directly to schedule a tour. Nicole Eisenman Dennis Oppenheim Ursula von Rydingsvard
Departmental Information Session: Saturday, November 12, 2011. painter, installation artist mixed media sculptor sculptor
All times and locations will be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit Inka Essenhigh Gabriel Orozco
To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website or contact the painter sculptor, painter, photographer,
Office of Graduate Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu. video artist

Fine Arts 258 259 www.sva.edu/grad/finearts


MFA Illustration XX Develop your personal vision in our highly selective program
XX Classroom-based curriculum, where close interaction between faculty and

as Visual Essay other classmates is an essential part of the creative process of the program
XX New York City’s diverse and celebrated professional world provides mentors,
guest lecturers, advisors and faculty
www.sva.edu/grad/illustration
department site: mfaillustration.sva.edu
We believe this program is as unique as it is revolutionary. It redefines how figurative artists see their
work and how that art finds its way into the world of commerce—fine art, illustration and publication.
It begins with developing a personal vision. Vision is not style. Whether the work is tightly rendered,
loose, more or less expressive or Photoshopped, we help you to achieve personal content in your work—
to tell your story as only you can. When your “style” is personal content, the images you make can only
be original.
The program is difficult, demanding and highly selective. At the same time, it is an opportunity to
be with exceptional artists like yourself exchanging ideas and sharing information, as well as simply
hanging out. Each class becomes a community of figurative artists whose interest in storytelling
encompasses all 21st-century media: graphic and illustrated novels, children’s books, comic books,
and painting series for gallery walls. But, when you tap into your personal vision and find your
own stories, the applications for the work flow naturally.
We focus on teaching how to combine words with images, continually refining and re-defining your
personal vision. Our faculty is made up of illustrators, fine artists, computer artists, writers, art histori-
ans and art directors. The contact with faculty is personal, constant and intense. We accept only
20 students per year in the two-year program. It is a classroom-based curriculum, unlike many gradu-
ate programs where students work independently with scheduled faculty oversight. Close interaction
between faculty and student, as well as with other classmates, is an essential part of the creative process
that is our program.
Each student has a personal workspace with 24-hour access, seven days a week. In addition to
required classes, graduate students can audit classes from the various diverse offerings in our undergrad-
uate college, including film, animation, fine arts and humanities. Guest speakers from the outstanding
New York professional arts community are regularly scheduled. Being in New York City, the op-
portunities for access to working artists, gallery shows, museum exhibitions and internships are not
inconsequential to laying a foundation for a life as an artist. In the second year, students are encouraged
to choose their thesis advisors according to their interests. Our advisors, past and present, are as diverse
as they are celebrated in their fields. Yuko Shimizu, Steve Brodner, Gary Panter, Maira Kalman, Sam
Weber, Stephen Savage, Paul Buckley, Guy Billout and Pat Cummings are among them.
The process involved in developing a truly personal vision is risky. It demands you be open to think-
ing in new ways, reassess your drawing and painting skills, put your creativity on the line and free your
imagination. We offer you the chance to compete using your own vision.

Marshall Arisman, chair

261
Illustration student Joanna Neborsky
works on her thesis in her studio
space, situated on a floor she shares
with 40 other MFA candidates.
The studios of the MFA Illustration
department are located on the 12th
floor of 136 West 21st Street.

The Story
Continues…
A New Illustrator
Is Born
Student Profile:
Joanna Neborsky
The path to becoming an artist is rarely a straight one. But for sva. “I was scared that my portfolio was too thin, too incidental,”
Joanna Neborsky, Illustration as Visual Essay ’09, the journey was she recalls. “I worried they’d think, ‘Is she honestly including this
positively twisted. A native of San Diego, this young talent is the placemat, this birthday invitation, this squiggle?’ But in some ways,
only one in her department without any previous formal arts train- illustration is not a departure. It’s about reading; it’s about storytell-
ing. After graduating from Yale with a ba in English, she tried ing. I could take the deadpan, big-nosed characters I had been drawing
everything from teaching English in France to being a park ranger unconsciously on napkins and Post-It notes my entire life and give
before joining the Rockwell Group as a research assistant, helping them context on a page. And even better, I could call it a career.”
to write and edit a monograph for the renowned design firm. For her thesis, Neborsky turned to Félix Fénéon’s Novels in Three
But it wasn’t until freelancing in T-shirt design—for a Christian Lines, a lost classic that appealed to the francophone Yalie with a
environmentalist company, no less—that she fell in love with the creative bent. To illustrate Fénéon’s short, clever tales of death and
process of matching images to words. And after attending a sympo- near-death in 1906 France—they originally appeared as anonymous
sium where the legendary Maira Kalman described herself as newspaper listings—she collaged forty gruesome spreads for an
an illustrator-author, it clicked: that was the perfect career for 80-page book. Macabre, eccentric and even comical, the project is
Neborsky to explore both her literary instincts and artistic passion. helping Neborsky realize her potential, with none other than Kalman
With only a few rough sketches to show, she nervously applied to herself serving as her advisor. “I came to sva with a hazy sense
of what I wanted to do,” she explains. “The program has supplied a
map to my future career. Now it’s up to me to make it happen.”

Neborsky’s thesis of vibrant works will


eventually become an 80-page book.
She draws inspiration from her fellow
classmates: “I enjoy sharing ideas and
getting opinions on my work from some
of my surrounding cubicle mates.”
The budding illustrator posts drafts,
sketches, collage fragments, and other
bits of research in her SVA studio space
in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood.
SVA Spaces
Each student is
assigned an individual
work space with
24-hour access, seven
days a week.
The MFA Illustration Department studio is located in the heart
chair interview of Chelsea. Each student is assigned his or her own studio space with

Marshall Arisman
24-hour access, 7 days per week. The studio becomes the community
center for the program. The following is a typical day for first- and second-
year students.
“All children make drawings about themselves and the forces that surround them,” remarks Marshall
Arisman. “They tell stories with images. But that generally stops around age twelve, when most people
stop taking art classes—not because they’re bad storytellers but because they don’t draw accurately.
Those who have technical ability persist because they’re getting support, and can go all the way through
art school on that basis. The trouble is, if you’re a figurative artist, your skills improve while your capacity
“(The students) are
to discuss the world around you hardly grows. The Illustration as Visual Essay program aims to redis-
radically diverse in their
cover our reasons for starting to draw in the first place.”
aesthetics but all of
How do students work together? Arisman stresses both diversity and closeness. “They have differ-
them are interested in

On any
ent backgrounds,” he observes, “but they form a community. The program’s stylistic range is huge,
storytelling.”
but there are no arguments about its destination.” The faculty exhibits a similar combination of varied
interests and common purpose. “They are radically diverse in their aesthetics,” he remarks, “but all

given day...
of them are interested in storytelling.”
What are some standout courses? “Experimental Drawing is one,” Arisman offers. “It’s a drawing-
on-location class based on the importance of memory. If you have to draw things as they move, you
make better use of recall. The class goes everywhere from Gleason’s Gym to Yankee Stadium.”
“The History of Drawing course deals with an ironic situation: Illustrators tell stories, but very
few have their own vision. The course frames critical commentaries around this phenomenon. It asks,
for example, whether when you write your own story and add images, you’re really illustrating (since
you’ve already ‘illustrated’ the story in words). And the questions only get more interesting as artists 8:30am  Arrive at studio for 9 am meeting with curators for the upcoming
book show that features graduate work.
make images between or over words.”
In sourcing guest lecturers, the program makes use of its metropolitan location and students’ indi-
10am  Required class critique with Marshall Arisman. Guest art
vidual preferences. “In the second year,” Arisman explains, “each student chooses their ‘dream mentor.’
director, Brian Rea from the Op-Ed page at The New York Times
So if, for instance, someone has in mind to produce a series of paintings of his grandmother’s shoes, and
critiques sketches for an article.
Eric Fischl is his favorite painter—and if Eric is willing to do it—the pair will work one-on-one. It’s the
kind of experience you can’t get anywhere else.” noon  Break: eat in studio kitchen.
What do thesis projects typically consist of? “Our only requirement,” Arisman replies, “is a mini-
mum of 12 interconnected images produced with a stated goal, such as ‘I want to make a children’s 1pm  Required class critique with Carl Titolo. In class workshop
book and get it published.’ Every project is a story in itself—and most of them are success stories.” developing postcards with words and images for publication.
“We had a student four years ago, Viktor Deaks,” he chuckles, “a construction worker from Con-
necticut, who had a theory of evolution that took three hours to explain. We couldn’t figure out if he 4pm  Second-year students meet with their thesis advisors.
was insane or a genius. He was drawing at the Museum of Natural History one day and got talking
to the head of their Imaging Center, explained his theory, and got hired! He didn’t even have a science 5pm  Second-year thesis critique class with David Sandlin.
Guest artist Gary Panter reviews work.
background. But as Muriel Rukeyser wrote, ‘the universe is made up of stories, not of atoms.’”

6pm  Required painting class with Greg Crane for


first-year students.

9pm – 1am  American Illustration party at the Angel Orensanz


Foundation on the Lower East Side.

Illustration as Visual Essay 270 271 www.sva.edu/grad/illustration


The Program  The program operates on a pass/fail grading system with individual reviews each year.
At the end of the first year, students must receive an acceptable review from the faculty panel in order to go on
to the second year. ¶ Degree candidates must successfully complete 60 credits, including all required courses.
A residency of two academic years is required. In the final semester, each student must complete a thesis project,
which must be reviewed and approved by the thesis committee and the department chair in order for the student
to be eligible for degree conferral. In exceptional instances, transfer credit may be awarded. Decisions concerning
transfer of credit are made by the committee on graduate admissions.

Sample Programs

first year
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits

Book Seminar 3 Computer Illustration Portfolio II 3


Computer Illustration Portfolio I 3 Creative Writing Workshop II 3
Creative Writing Workshop I 3 Critique II 3
Critique I 3 Drawing II 3
Drawing I 3 Seminar3

second year
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits

The Digital Book 3 Painting II 3


History of Storytelling: Comics 3 Illustration Business Boot Camp 0
Painting I 3 Studio Workshop II 6
Studio Workshop I 3 Thesis Project: Visual Essay II 6
Thesis Project: Visual Essay I 3 Thesis Review II 0
Thesis Review I 0

Wall of Fame
The display case features a
small selection of the several
hundred published books by
MFA Illustration alumni.

Illustration as Visual Essay 272


Course Descriptions Faculty

Book Seminar Drawing I & II Seminar Marshall Arisman, chair


This course will explore the role of the illustrator in contemporary These are not traditional drawing courses with models. The raw Through lectures by noted guest illustrators, political satirists, art Illustrator, painter
books, primarily through lectures and slide presentations. Assignments energy and unpredictability of drawing on location and in the class- directors and graphic designers, this seminar will explore the many Education: BFA, Pratt Institute
will be based on incorporating the students’ artwork into a finished room will be explored. Focus will be on interpreting the relationships specialized areas of visual commentators. The course will also include Publications include: The New York Times; Urban Journal;
book that includes typography, layout and production, and other between subjects and their environment. By keeping sketchbooks and portfolio reviews from professionals working in the field. Politiks; The Nation; Esquire; Playboy; Psychology Today; Omni;
pertinent aspects. compiling interviews, students will discover the rewards of spontane- Sports Illustrated; Time; Rolling Stone; Penthouse; Communication
ity, receptive observation, risk-taking and drawing from intuition. In STUDIO WORKSHOP I & II Arts; Mother Jones; Boston Globe; Texas Monthly; Graphis;
Computer illustration portfolio I & II conjunction with weekly drawing sessions, both in the studio and on These workshops will develop concepts and finished artwork in Illustration, Tokyo; Creative Review, London
Digital tools have become mainstream in the design and printing fields, location, at least one narrative series assignment will be completed relation to the thesis project. Student work will be critiqued regularly Books Include: Frozen Images, Art of the Times, Artists’
and the Internet has evolved into a medium that enables illustrators to each semester. by visiting professionals, including illustrators, art directors and Christmas Cards, Images of Labor, Fitcher’s Bird
create interactive animations and globally accessible projects. We will gallery directors. We will address the refinement and completion of One-Person Exhibitions include: Guang Dong Museum of Art,
investigate several aspects of digital technology, from advanced Adobe History of Storytelling: Comics thesis projects. There will be individual and group critiques; visiting Guangzhou, China; Museum Masters Collection; General Media
Photo­shop and Illustrator techniques for print to all facets of Web This course provides an introduction to graphic media in North professionals will continue to view and discuss student projects. Gallery; Creation Gallery, Tokyo; York Gallery; Corridor Gallery;
design production, as well as interactive Flash animation. America, from the beginning of the newspaper comic strip through the Sindin Galleries; Kutztown Museum, PA; Kamikaze; Visual Arts
development of comic books, the growth of graphic novels, and current THESIS PROJECT: VISUAL ESSAY I & II Museum; “Images of Labor,” District 1199, New York, traveling
Creative WRITING WORKSHOP I & II developments in electronic media. Focusing on its history and aesthetics, Students choose a New York City artist as their thesis faculty advisor. exhibition, Smithsonian Institution; Galerie Philippe Guimiot, Belgium;
Creative Writing Workshop I is structured to develop writing skills in we will compare developments in the United States, Mexico and French They work with the thesis advisor on a one-to-one basis and establish Harcourts Gallery; Parco Galleries, Tokyo
poetry, prose and fiction through readings and discussions. The goal Canada, as well as the social and cultural contexts in which comic art is a work schedule to research, write and visualize the thesis project. Group Exhibitions include: Allan Stone Gallery; Castelli Gallery;
is to explore personal expression through writing that reflects artistic created and consumed. The first half of the semester will concentrate on Topics with special visual essay interest in a variety of areas such as Brooklyn Museum; Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Louvre, Paris; 7th
concerns. The second semester will focus on poetry, writing for the early comic strips and the development of the comic book form through sports, politics, current and cultural events, education and travel International Poster Biennale, Poland
theater and songwriting. the 1940s. The remainder of the semester will focus on changes that are emphasized. Students will participate in a group exhibition at the Collections include: American Museum of Contemporary Art,
affected comic art in the 1950s and 1960s, the development of a comic end of the second semester. Smithsonian Institution, Brooklyn Museum
critique I & II book subculture from the 1970s to the 1980s, and contemporary elec- Awards and honors include: Gold Medal, Society of Publication
The relationship between fine art and commercial art in dealing with tronic media developments. Thesis Review I & II Designers; Silver Medal, Society of Illustrators; Teacher of the Year
the visual essay will be emphasized in these courses. Students will Thesis review is a series of weekly, individual meetings with the Award, American Artist; Hamilton King Award, Society of Illustrators;
begin the process of developing visual essays in a limited form. There Illustration business Boot Camp department chair for critique and review of the thesis project. Distinguished Educator of the Year, Friends of Young Artists Award,
will be weekly assignments dealing with a variety of subjects related to This class is based on eight intensive critique and instruction sessions. These meetings supplement the work in the Thesis Project: Visual School Art League of New York; Distinguished Educator in the Arts
contemporary concerns. Students will begin to incorporate the material The course focuses on three main goals: a) the solid understanding Essay courses. Award, Society of Illustrators; Honorary Doctorate in Art, Cincinnati
written in the writing workshop with their artwork. The second semes- of the professional illustration environment, b) the review of existing Academy of Art; Honorary Doctorate, Maryland Institute College of
ter will focus on the production of a one-of-a-kind book that includes work and its transformation into a presentable and cohesive body of Art; AIGA; Graphis Annual, Graphis Poster Awards; Art Directors
text and image. work, c) the development and application of the student’s brand and Club; Communication Arts Annual; Print Casebooks
identity tools in different mediums for communicating, showcasing and website: www.marshallarisman.com
The Digital Book promoting that work.
Our desire to tell stories always has, and always will adapt to and N. C. Christopher Couch
define new mediums. The storybook is as old as writing systems PAINTING I & II Writer, art historian. Formerly, editor in chief, CPM Manga, NYC
themselves, it’s evolution is bound to that of mankind. The history of With an emphasis on figurative painting techniques, students will Education: BA, MA, PhD, Columbia University
film is saturated with animated predictions of stories and characters explore both contemporary and classic approaches to painting with Books authored or co-authored include: The Will Eisner
coming to life and walking off the page. Today, the proliferation of oil. The goal is to provide a solid background in oil painting tech- Compan­ion; Faces of Eternity: Masks of the Pre-Columbian Americas;
tablets and e-book readers is beginning to redefine what storytelling niques. Painting II focuses on an advanced approach to concepts Pre-Columbian Art from the Ernst Erickson Collection at the American
and characters can be. The digital revolution introduced the storybook and techniques, including direct, sustained observation of the human Museum of Natural History; The Festival Cycle of the Aztec Codex
to hypertext and interactivity, with the Internet came social interaction form. Emphasis is placed on a more fully developed or visualized Awards and honors include: Institute for Advanced Study
and data driven narrative. As perceptions regarding digital media shifts painting process. Fellow­ship, Princeton University; Newberry Library, Center for the
from desktop to multi-touch tablet computers, it’s becoming increas- History of American Indian Fellowship; Dumbarton Oaks, Harvard
ingly apparent that reading, storytelling, animation and interactivity University Fellowship
are standing on the precipice of their own revolution. In short: There
has never been a more exciting to be in the business of telling stories. Gregory Crane
Painter
Education: BFA, University of Utah
One-Person Exhibitions include: Cheryl Pelavin Fine Art,
Edward Thorp Gallery, Daedalus Fine Art, East 7th Street Gallery
Group Exhibitions include: Southeast Center for Contemporary
Art, Winston-Salem, NC; Museum of the City of New York; Museum
of Fine Art, Boston; Indianapolis Museum of Art; Arno Art Museum,
Elmira, NY; National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; Whitney
Museum of American Art; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; P.P.O.W.

Illustration as Visual Essay 274 275 www.sva.edu/grad/illustration


Thesis Faculty
In the second year, students choose a thesis faculty member. Past thesis faculty include:

Gallery; Carl Hammer Gallery, Chicago; Fay Gould Gallery, Atlanta; Clients include: Nickelodeon, Barnes & Noble, Microsoft, Guy Billout Viktor Koen John Parks Ward Sutton
Arts Club of Chicago Miramax, CNN Interactive, Lego, Adobe, Phish, Warner Bros., Turner illustrator illustrator, designer painter cartoonist
Publications include: The New York Times, ARTnews, Classic Movies, National Geographic
Newsweek, Art in America, Bomb Nicholas Blechman Judith Linhares Brian Pinkney Jillian Tamaki
honors include: MacDowell Colony Fellowship David Sandlin designer/art director painter children’s book illustrator illustrator
Printmaker, cartoonist, painter
Carol Fabricatore Education: BA, University of Alabama Tomek Bogacki Ruth Martin Jerry Pinkney Anton Van Dalen
Fine artist, illustrator One-Person Exhibitions include: Printed Matter; Life Cafe; children’s book illustrator painter children’s book illustrator painter
Education: BFA, Parsons School of Design; MFA, School of Visual White Columns; McIntosh/Panich Gallery, Atlanta; Carl Hammer
Arts Gallery, Chicago; Un Regard Moder­ne, Paris; Sai Gallery, Tokyo Steve Brodner Marvin Mattleson Lauren Redniss Ricccardo Vecchio
Clients include: Franklin Library; Ballantine Books; Avon Books; Publications include: Raw, Snake Eyes, The New Yorker. illustrator painter illustrator illustrator
The New York Times; Little, Brown and Company; Lyons & Burford Reviews include: Artforum, Art in America, The Village Voice, The
Publishers; Union Bank of Switzerland; American Health Foundation; New York Times, Print Collectors Newsletter Paul Buckley Keith Mayerson Edel Rodriguez Voltaire
Dow Jones & Company; Cline, Davis, Mann Awards and honors include: New York Foundation for the creative director, painter illustrator animator
Publications include: The New York Times, The Wall Street Arts, Swann Award for Excellence in Cartooning, Nexus Press, Penguin Putnam David Mazzucchelli Stephen Savage Bruce Waldman
Journal, UCLA Magazine, Travel & Leisure, Redbook, New P.M. Foun­dation
Woman, Seventeen, Business Week, South Beach Pat Cummings cartoonist illustrator printmaker, illustrator
Awards and honors include: Communication Arts Illustration Carl Nicholas Titolo children’s book illustrator
Annual, American Illustration, Society of Illustrators, Graphic Design Painter Peter McCarty Gae Savannah Sam Weber
USA–DESI Award Education: School of Visual Arts Peter de Seve children’s book illustrator painter illustrator
One-Person Exhibitions include: Galerie Sumers, Moravian illustrator John Nickle Yuko Shimizu Philamona Williamson
Mirko Ilic College, Terry Dintenfass, Karen Lennox Gallery
Graphic designer; illustrator; owner, Mirko Ilic Corp. Formerly, art Group Exhibitions include: Butler Institute of American Art, Diane Dillon children’s book illustrator illustrator painter
director, Time (international edition); art director, The New York Youngstown, OH; Minnesota Museum of Art; Martin Sumers children’s book illustrator Gary Panter Peter Sis
Times Op-Ed page; partner, Oko & Mano, Inc. Graphics; Snug Harbor Cultural Center; Delaware Art Museum;
Education: School of Applied Arts, Zagreb Mulvane Art Center, Topeka; Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock; Leo Dillon cartoonist children’s book illustrator
Awards and honors include: Society of Illustrators; Art Directors Whitney Museum of American Art, Downtown Branch; Rosemont children’s book illustrator
Club; Society of Publication Designers; I.D.; Society of News­paper College; Visual Arts Museum; Columbus Museum of Art, OH
Designers; vice president, New York chapter, AIGA Collections include: Cranbrook Institute; Arkansas Art Center; Teresa Fasolino
Detroit Institute of the Arts; Mulvane Art Center, Topeka illustrator
Viktor Koen Awards and honors include: Richard and Hinda Rosenthal
Illustrator, designer Foundation Award, American Academy of Arts and Letters; Gladys Donato Giancarlo
Education: BFA, Bezalel Academy of Arts & Design; MFA, School Emerson Cook Prize, National Academy of Design illustrator
of Visual Arts
Tel: 212.592.2210

Contact Us
One-Person Exhibitions include: Fraser Gallery, Washington, Michele Zackheim Judith Glantzman
DC; Astrolavos Gallery, Athens; Slovak National Museum, Bratislava;
Photography Center of Athens; LeVall Gallery, Novosibirsk, Russia;
Writer, artist
Education: BA, College of Santa Fe
painter Fax: 212.366.1675
Eirmos Gallery, Thessaloniki, Greece; International Month of Books: Violette’s Embrace; Einstein’s Daughter: The Search for Yumi Heo E-mail: mfaillustration@sva.edu
Photography, Fillipoupolis, Bulgaria; Merry Karnowsky Gallery, Los Lieserl; Mary Cole children’s book illustrator
Angeles; Viridian Artists, Inc.; SGazi Exhibition Complex, Athens;
www.sva.edu/grad/illustration
Publications include: Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times,
Paratiritis Gallery, Thessaloniki, Greece; The Chapel Gallery; Mary BN.com, Insider Mario Hugo
Anthony Galleries One-Person Exhibitions include: Museum of Fine Arts, Santa illustrator
Clients inCLude: Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, Chicago Fe; Bryn Mawr College, PA; Judah L. Magnes Museum, Berkeley CA; department site: mfaillustration.sva.edu
Tribune, Los Angeles Times, National Geographic, Penguin, Random Arlene LewAllen Gallery, Santa Fe; Scottsdale Center for the Arts, AZ; Francis Jetter
We strongly encourage applicants to visit our department prior to submitting
House, Money, Fortune, Forbes Bronfman Museum, Montreal; Art Museum of South Texas printmaker, illustrator
Awards and honors include: First Prize, Digital Hall of Fame, Collections include: National Museum of Women in the Arts, application materials.
Stockholm; EVGE First Prize Award, Athens; First Prize, Viridian Washington, DC; Albuquerque Museum; Grey Art Gallery, New Maira Kalman
Come to our Departmental Information Session, or contact us directly to schedule a tour.
Gallery Eleventh National Juried Exhibition; Society of Publication York University; New York Public Library; Astor, Lennox and Tilden illustrator
Designers; International Digital Art Awards, Melbourne; Kounio/ Founda­tions; The Armenian Patriarch, Jerusalem; Hebrew Union
Departmental Information Session: Saturday, October 22, 2011.
Hasselblad Award; New York Festivals Award; Award for Excellence, College Skirball Museum, Los Angeles
All times and locations will be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit
American Design magazine Awards and honors include: National League of American
Pen Women, National Endowment for the Arts, Xerox Foun­dation, To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website or contact the
Matthew B. Richmond Western States Arts Federation, Santa Fe Council for the Arts, AIGA,
Office of Graduate Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu.
Principal and senior designer, The Chopping Block, Inc. Art Directors Club
Education: BFA, The Cooper Union

Illustration as Visual Essay 276 277 www.sva.edu/grad/illustration


XX Redefine and re-envision what design means in the context of everyday interaction
XX Interdisciplinary curriculum includes research, human-computer interaction,
interface design and more
XX Faculty comprised of most exciting designers and thought leaders in the industry

The mfa in Interaction Design is as much about invention as it is about the everyday. It requires
students to be intimately attentive to human behavior and to think more holistically about the products
and services they create. It explores the strategic role of interaction design in shaping everyday life,
and intends to increase the relevancy of design to business and society so designers can make a
difference. The definition of “difference” is something only students know–a personal exploration
only they can do–and the program is designed to support that exploration over two years.
The program is collaborative. In a studio environment, students explore prototyping a range of
experiences that cross visual, conceptual and technical boundaries. Grouped in trans-disciplinary teams,
students work both in the studio and in the field to create inventive solutions to real-world problems.
The program is people-focused. We focus on teaching how people relate to one another through the
products and technology we explore. Together with open lectures in the studio and joint experiments
with the New York City community, the mfa Interaction Design program becomes a model and center
point for interaction design in the City. Program faculty comprises the profession’s most exciting
designers who culminate their professional days by teaching graduate courses in the evenings.
The program is practice-based. The mfa in Interaction Design is a professionally focused program
aimed at training graduates to become practicing designers, entrepreneurs and contributors intending
to make a difference. Upon graduation, students are prepared to take risks, invent new forms with
business and academia, participate in strategic decision-making involved with the creation of interac-
tive products and services, and are equipped with tools and methods to make smart choices no matter
where they find themselves.
The program is your story. The courses are highly demanding, highly selective, and highly reward-
ing. It will ask students to have a vision, and to make choices to align with that vision. Students
study concepts central to interaction design, including design research, human-computer interaction,
interface design, graphic design, information architecture and ubiquitous computing. Each class
becomes a community and each choice a commitment with a story to build upon.
The program seeks to cultivate interaction design as a discipline and further its visibility as a
community of practice. We offer you the chance to participate.

Liz Danzico, chair

MFA Interaction
Design
www.sva.edu/grad/interactiondesign
department site: interactiondesign.sva.edu

279
An interaction designer’s bookshelf is
crammed with all kinds of books. Katie likes
to read a bit of everything; interaction design

A Day
theory and practice, fiction or books exploring
the subject matter she’s currently working
on. She adds, “This way, it’s easy to find
inspiration in my work.”

in the
Life
Student Profile:
Katie Koch

Collaborating with project teams in the


Interaction Design studio is a central part
of Katie Koch’s day. Each student makes
a space in the Flatiron studio for the duration
of their two years.
E-mail isn’t design but it’s core “As a designer I’m always concerned with the community and the human aspect of things–more
to building relationships.
so than I am with technology. I’m very much interested in technology and what we can do with it, but
my interests lie in what we can do with it together, as people, and what that means to us. Which I really
think is the core of this program.”
Meet Katie Koch. She’s a second-year grad student and charter member of SVA’s MFA Interaction
Design program. She instantly comes across as thoughtful and engaged, which she has to be, because
she’s also really busy: She wakes up early to write for her blog before going on her morning run in
Williamsburg. She commutes to her program’s studio, where she participates in team meetings, project
collaborations, and does occasional freelance work as a web designer. She co-runs an innovative after-
school program called Project: Interaction with SVA peer Carmen Dukes, which engages high school
students in practices of empathy, clear communication, and creative modes of thinking through big
ideas. All through the wonderful medium of design.
One of her favorite times of the day is her lunch break. “Lunch is just such an awesome time of day
around here. Some of my best memories come from lunch in the studio. There are usually 8 or 9 of us,
taking a break because we’ve been here all day. But no one brings their laptops or anything. We just
have really great conversations about ideas. Like today, for example, with all the natural disasters in the
news lately, we were speculating about how many human generations there might be left on Earth. The
consensus was between four and fifteen. But we couldn’t decide whether the end might come in one fell
swoop, or through a series of escalating conflicts.”
Katie also does lots of emailing. Lots. “E-mailing isn’t design, but a core function of everything that
I do in design is this idea of building and maintaining relationships. And it’s the accumulation of these
activities [like e-mail], and also how I approach them, that allows me to consider myself a designer of
these activities. Even with my thesis, for example, which is a service I’m designing that enables teach-
ers to be more critical and reflective of their own practice: it’s not like I’m just “working on my thesis”
everyday. Today, for example, I’m working on storyboards; tomorrow I’ll be working on a service blue-
print. These are both just artifacts of design. So, while I can’t say that I’m designing everyday, I’m doing
all these things that add up to design.”
Dinner is usually before class, which for Katie starts at 6pm this semester and is two to three hours.
Sometimes there will be a group meeting after class, and then it’s back to the studio for a couple hours
before she heads back to Brooklyn. Katie remembers a night in her first year when everybody was at the
studio after class. One of the instructors came in with pizza, for everyone. And wine. Work stopped.
But a spirited conversation about behavior, personality traits, and ways of classifying the world ensued.
Some people migrated to the kitchen, because that’s where the white board was. They wanted to sketch
out their ideas while they ate at night. Katie says that on a good day she gets back home at 11pm.
On a bad day it’s more like 3am. But it doesn’t really seem, at least from talking to Katie, that there are
any truly “bad” days.
Katie says that she works best with with a whiteboard
marker in hand. Her best thinking happens when she
can get up and write all over the space. She feels that
access to a classroom covered in white boards is
essential to her creative process.
Situated on its own floor of a light-filled building in the Flatiron
chair interview District, the MFA Interaction Design department was created with the

Liz Danzico
needs of interaction designers in mind. Students work individually or
collaboratively in a loft-like space where they have a personal studio
area for their two-year residency in the program. Student access to
“We have a unique opportunity to craft a program that prepares students to anticipate trends, not the department day and night, seven days per week, a secure Wi-Fi
just react to them, so they can learn how to humanize the tools, technology and resources around network, collaborative areas and walls designed for sketching all ensure
us,” recalls Liz Danzico. “Steven Heller, co-founder of the program, approached me after seeing that the department is a central point of collaboration. Special projects
a gap both in hiring professionals and in the curricula at the graduate level. Students will come away spill outside the department onto the sidewalks and streets of New York
from this program prepared to solve the problems of today, but more importantly, of tomorrow.” City, stretching students’ definition of interaction design beyond the
“…many employers had
The fundamentals of the field are multi-disciplinary. “Because people have been designing interactions standard thinking.
been having difficulties
since well before the last century, the field gets associated with many other areas. While the more contempo-
finding people with
rary discipline has its roots in industrial design, cognitive psychology and interface design, people tend
appropriate skills. This

On any
to associate it with Web design, mobile design, and application design—fields that depend on tech­nology.
new curriculum
Interaction design doesn’t have to rely on technology, although technology very often plays a role. What
attempts to fill that gap.”
is inherent, however, is collaboration, as we’re not just concerned with human-to-computer interactions,

given day...
but the entire product development process and its relationship to one-on-one interactions.”
Danzico notes how many potential students have contacted the department directly. Traditional meth-
ods of communication are being used alongside of less conventional social networks. The lecture series
has also facilitated a community of students and encouraged a different format of communication with
the department. She considers the ideal mix of students for the incoming class: “I’d like the 15 students
to come from 15 different backgrounds. They should all come together around a human-centered design
philosophy with a concern for how their work affects or might be affected by people.” 9am  Preparation: Small teams meet at frog design for faculty office 5pm  Break: Students break for an informal dinner in the kitchen before
The program’s space was designed with these particular emphases in mind. “Students have their hours with Robert Fabricant, Clay Wiedemann, Josh Musick, and the evening lecture, and are joined by faculty member Ian Curry, senior
own studio space for their two-year residency,” Danzico says, “and while spaces can be made private, Jeff Hoefs , who lead the course “Prototyping the User Experience.” interaction designer at Local Projects, for a discussion on material and
there are substantive collaborative areas for group work. Collaborative areas spill over into the class- interactions.

rooms, into the hallways, into the sidewalks of the City itself. It’s a place intended for critical thinking 10am Exploration: Matt Jones and Jack Schulze, principals at BERG
in London, begin Day Three of a five -day intensive workshop they are 6pm  Reflection: Guest lecturer Tina Roth Eisenberg — founder of
and study, but equally intended for sketching, exploration and play.”
leading, “Hopeful Monsters.” The pair meets with small groups throughout swissmiss.com, the CreativeMornings series, and the entrepreneurial
the studio on progress on concepts and prototypes to be presented at the product TeuxDeux — gives a presentation to all MFA Interaction Design
end of the week. students (and members of the community who’ve RSVPed) on how blogs
can become multi-faceted business models and the importance of side
noon  Preparation: First- and second-year students who had attended projects. Following the talk, students have the opportunity to pose ques-
MEET-IXD, the department’s non-traditional job fair, the week before, tions to Tina and get to know other attendees. Presentations are recorded
follow-up with prospective summer internship and job opportunities. and posted online post-event so viewers in any location can benefit.

1pm  Break: The planning committee for the end-of-year thesis festival 9pm  Exposition: Once classes end for the day, some students settle
meet over an informal lunch to review the invited speakers and communi- down to their assignment from “Information Visualization” faculty
cation strategy in place for the end-of year event. member, Nicholas Felton, which they’ll present on the following week.
Others work on their final presentations for their “Design in Public Spaces”
2pm  Expression: First-year students meet with Zach Klein to consider course with Jill Nussbaum who gave them a real brief from her work at
entrepreneurship in relationship to design in his course, “Entrepreneurial R/GA. Students will present to a client from NYC & Company, the City of
Design.” How might new ideas move forward? New York’s official marketing, tourism, and partnership organization.

3pm  Exposition: Students take a break to browse internship opportuni-


ties on an internal department website. Meanwhile, Liz Danzico, chair, fol-
lows up with various internship opportunities for the following semester —
from in house positions to studios to startups in New York City and beyond.

Interaction Design 286 287 www.sva.edu/grad/interactiondesign


Designing Public Spaces
Jake Barton, faculty member, demonstrates how
visitors can explore the City with the official
NYC Information Center, which his firm, Local
Projects, designed as a collaboration with WXY
Architecture and Urban Design.
The Program  In the mfa Interaction Design program, students work both individually and collabora-
tively on the practical application of the concepts and methods that the program advances. Over the course of Course Descriptions
study, students will produce a wide range of concepts—from low-fidelity sketches to high-fidelity prototypes and
applications. ¶ The diversity of the curriculum is complemented by individual and collaborative spaces that are
intended to simulate a working design studio. In addition, our faculty comprises top practitioners in the field,
bringing rich and varied backgrounds and real-world experience. ¶ In the first year, students learn the concepts
and methods of interaction design, starting with an understanding of people and the environments that drive their
needs, goals and experiences. Course materials consider these social constructs and human experiences as the
basis for approaching problems across media. ¶ During the second year, students apply the concepts and methods Content Strategy Entrepreneurial Design
The Web has made everyone a publisher–and content is a criti- Building on concepts of methods of interaction design, this studio
from the first year of study to shape their thesis projects. It is in the second year that students develop deeper cal component of user experience. This course will explore content course focuses on needs analysis, framing, prototyping, iteration and
business acumen through coursework and direct relationships with New York organizations. Optional summer development as an aspect of creating user experiences, with particular collaboration in an applied context. Each student engages in semes-
attention to its relationship to information architecture. Students will ter–long projects that bring together business goals, user needs, and
internships with top design studios and companies are available between the first and second years for credit examine different approaches to audio, video, and especially text, technology.
toward the thesis project. ¶ Degree candidates must successfully complete 60 credits, including all required courses, exploring ways that content can improve user experience (while look-
ing out for legal and copyright pitfalls). We will also address the basics Fundamentals of Interaction Design
with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0. A residency of two academic years is required. In the final semester, of content management and examine how to develop a large-scale edi- Through a series of interaction design themes, this course will explore
each student must complete a thesis project, which must be reviewed and approved by the thesis committee and torial strategy that can be used to guide the creation of websites with diverse disciplines, both historical and theoretical, to demonstrate
millions of pages. how these themes shape contemporary practices in interaction design.
the department chair in order for the student to be eligible for degree conferral. Fundamental interaction and communication design concepts, influ-
Craft and Communication ential people and movements, and iconic projects and designs are
One of our primary ways to convey information to people is through addressed. By the end of the semester, students acquire a vocabulary
text; articles, operating instructions, books, websites, and more. Type and toolkit for future design challenges.
Sample Programs is both a verbal and visual medium; what you say is just as impor-
tant as how you say it, and where those two things meet is the start Fundamentals of Physical Computing
of a conversation with our audience. We are expected to create and This course explores the fundamentals of extending computation
first year consume mass amounts of information daily. The design of that infor- beyond the glowing screen and into the physical world. Using a pro-
mation is becoming more important to aid in our audience’s compre- grammed single-chip computer, students will learn how to connect
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
hension. sensors, actuators and indicators to create devices, installations and
Craft and Communication  3 Design in Public Spaces 1.5 environments that move computational interaction “outside the box.”
Fundamentals of Interaction Design 1.5 Entrepreneurial Design 3 Design and the Service Experience Our focus is on people rather than on devices. We will consider how
Throughout our lives, we encounter services that span industries as the human mind is affected by physicality in all environments. By
Information Visualization 3 Fundamentals of Physical Computing 3
varied as health care, banking, transportation and retail. In fact, the making a hands–on exploration of reactive, expressive, interactive
Introduction to Cybernetics and the Prototyping User Experiences 3 service sector makes up nearly 70 percent of the U.S. economy, yet and embodied behaviors, students learn to observe users, understand
Foundations of Systems Design 3 Seminars and Workshops 1.5 frustrating service experiences still abound. This course will examine affordances and move seamlessly from digital processes to tangible
Research Methods  1.5 Thesis Preparation 3 the increasing need for the improvement of services and the develop- actions. Course work is done individually in weekly technique labs and
ment of service innovations. Working individually and in groups, stu- in groups for longer creative assignments. Note: No previous program-
Strategic Innovation in Product/Service Design 3 dents will address the challenges and opportunities in designing for the ming or electronics experience is required.
service sector through methods such as blueprinting, service enactment,
and front and backstage processing. By employing these methods in Information Visualization
second year combination with interaction design approaches, students will be able This course allows students to examine problems across space, time,
to gain an understanding of service ecologies and learn to choreograph and location by understanding the methods needed to develop a range
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
human-centered, responsive, and memorable services. of complex data visualizations and information graphics. By the end of
Design and the Service Experience  3 Content Strategy 1.5 the course, students will have the skills to conduct a rigorous examina-
Design Management  3 Leadership, Ethics and Professional Practices  3 Design in Public Spaces tion of the choice of models and their place in the applied practice of
Public Interfaces 3 Narrative and Interactivity 1.5 Interfaces are embedded in nearly every aspect of our daily lives—from interaction design.
grocery shopping to banking to reading books. How can we integrate
Thesis Development 6 Selling Design  3 technology with the physical world to create better interfaces and more Introduction to Cybernetics and the Foundations of
Thesis Presentation  6 useful, playful and meaningful experiences? This course explores Systems Design
how interaction design fundamentals apply to physical spaces by sur- This course presents frameworks for modeling interaction in terms of
veying branded environments, retail stores, museums, urban settings structure and context, augmenting traditional discussions of form and
and corporate venues with specific user goals and design consider- syntax. We will collaboratively address questions that are fundamen-
ations in mind. tal to design practice: What is a system, and what are the different
types? How do we interact with systems, and what are the different
Design Management types of interaction? Systems may act independently, interact with
Once a product or service is designed, it needs to be managed. other systems, learn, and even converse. What do such systems have in
Whether as an entrepreneur, a design consultant, or an in-house common, and how can we describe them? How can we measure their
designer, integrating the creative and business sides is rarely easy. This limitations? The course explores the integral structures and coherent
course will illustrate how to mediate between the two, empowering processes for the design of effective artifacts, communications, col-
students to merge the design and business aspects effectively. We will laborations, and services. Students will apply frameworks for steering
examine design in its real world, contemporary contexts (rather than design processes and/or design outcomes based on their own interests,
silos such as product design, web design, or mobile design) to realize encompassing domains as broad as education, health and wellness, and
its broad potential and reach. sustainability.

Interaction Design 290 291 www.sva.edu/graduate/interactiondesign


Professional Opportunities Seminars and Faculty
Workshops
First-year MFA Interaction Design students have the
opportunity to present their work in the small gallery spaces on
the SVA campus. Students also present their research and work
on the department website, where potential employers outside To bring students into contact with a significant number of
the City are able to see the details of student projects and working professionals, a series of seminars and workshops are held
collaborations. Throughout the two years, MFA Interaction during the first year of the study. Individual descriptions follow.
Design students can engage in internships that are arranged
through relationships and affiliations with the department.
Graduating MFA Interaction Design students present their
thesis projects at a student- and faculty-organized conference Research Methods Behavioral Economics and Interaction Design Liz Danzico, chair
and show at the SVA Theatre. This event, open to the public, User-centered design begins, by definition, with an understanding of This workshop will provide an overview of behavioral economics and User experience consultant
is an excellent opportunity for the students to engage the users. In this course, students will learn how to model interaction by its relevancy for interaction design. The field seeks to unify an under- Education: BA, Pennsylvania State University;
community in a dialogue about the work they’ve been doing in conducting qualitative and quantitative research into users’ behaviors, standing of social, cognitive, and emotional factors to demonstrate MA, Carnegie Mellon University
the program and their career interests beyond graduation. attitudes and expectations. By exploring ethnographic techniques, how humans make decisions, and in this workshop we seek to apply Professional experience: Editorial board member, Rosenfeld
usability testing, log analysis, surveying, and other research methods, that understanding to practical design decisions. Using theory and Media, columnist, Interactions; board member, Design Ignites
students will learn how to engage user feedback effectively at every available methods, students will test models and synthesize the findings Change; director of experience strategy, AIGA; user experience
stage of the design process. We will also address how to conduct sec- of their work. director, Daylife.com; managing editor, Voice: AIGA Journal of
Leadership, Ethics and Professional Practices ondary research into published literature and other sources that can Design; editor-in-chief, Boxes and Arrows; information architecture
Creative business practices, ethical standards and effective network- inform thesis projects and beyond. Community, Collaboration, Civic Sharing and manager, Razorfish, Barnes & Noble.com
ing are the cornerstones of this course. Case studies will illustrate Human Flourishing Publications include: Adobe ThinkTank; Becoming a Digital
the importance of creating viable and responsible business models. Selling Design The emergence of a new era of business and society is debunking Designer; A List Apart; Boxes and Arrows; Business Week; DigitAll;
Through studio tours, case activities and small group activities, we will Realizing a great idea can be easy, but selling the idea can be a real the highly mechanized and industrialized worldview and presenting Eye; Field-Tested Books; Gain: AIGA Journal of Business and Design;
critique examples of successful, flawed and failed practices. Upon com- challenge. This course will explore proven approaches to marketing significant potential in addressing global systemic social issues. This UX Matters; Voice: AIGA Journal of Design; editor in chief, A Brief
pletion of this course, students will be equipped to describe and cite and selling ideas. Students will learn how to be strategic in the market workshop will explore the role and future of community, grass-roots Message.com
examples of creative business practices, ethical standards and effective and crafty in their efficiency. social innovation, networked society 2.0 and an increasing focus on Events directed include: Co-chair, AIGA/NY Apple: Design
networking in the business of design management. unlocking the potential of humanity to overcome issues and arrive at Remixed; co-chair, AIGA/NY Smart Models: Business Principles for
Strategic Innovation in Product/Service Design radically new solutions. Students will also work with Participatory Design Principals; cochair, AIGA/NY Fresh Dialogue 24: In/Visible:
Narrative and Interactivity The design of interactive products and services differs from other Learning and Action Research methods, gaining new practice skills Graphic Data Revealed
A well-told story transcends any particular medium, and at a very forms of design in important ways. Developing the context for suc- alongside exploring content. The aim is to explore and observe the website: www.bobulate.com
basic level, defines a satisfying interaction. The study of narrative cessful user experiences requires designers to think more holistically emerging worldview, as well as gain experience working with practice
offers designers a tool for exploring the user journey and understand- about the business models for the products they create: how the value that is attuned to this new era. Rachel Abrams
ing that journey from different perspectives. This course will explore proposition to customers and users unfolds over time; what’s being Creative director, Turnstone Consulting
aspects of narrative such as plot, setting, and point-of-view, and train “sold” and where the costs of production and management occur; how Hopeful Monsters Education: MA, Royal College of Art
students to use narrative as a way to frame and evaluate interactions. to engage, complement, and benefit from other services that intersect This workshop will explore the interesting territory of how products Professional experience: Senior content strategist, Imagination
with what is being offered. This course will help students in becoming and services are now deeply intertwingled—from a product, form (USA) Inc; information architect, User Experience Site Strategy and
Prototyping User Experiences more effective at understanding and describing the strategic decisions and communication standpoint rather than from a “service-design” Standards, ibm.com, IBM
Interaction design concepts can be hard to describe. And the best involved in the creation of interactive products and services, and to or “problem-solving” viewpoint. The generative will be emphasized: Clients include: AIGA, American Express, The New York Times,
way to both communicate and improve your design is to prototype it equip them with tools and methods for generating innovative options looking to create ‘hopeful monsters”—possible product constellations The Economist, Queens Museum, Taxi07, Wert & Co.
quickly and often. This course examines how to integrate lightweight and making smart strategic choices. in universes next door that we could take little leaps toward. It also Publications include: Design Council, Frieze, Adobe ThinkTank,
prototyping activities, as well as some basic research and testing emphasizes the politics and influence of craft and materials and how Good, Graphics International, Intelligent Life, Eye
techniques, into every stage of the interaction design process. A range Thesis Development they interact with other demands of a design program. It will aim to Awards include: Design Trust for Public Space Fellowship; Grand
of methods will be covered, from paper prototyping to participa- We are continuously introduced to new products that will make our introduce techniques and “maneuvers” that can create surprising and Prix and Prize for Innovation, British Interactive Media Association
tory design to bodystorming. Students will learn how to choose the lives easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable. But how many of these inventive outcomes. website: www.turnstoneconsulting.com
appropriate method to suit different dimensions of a design problem products survive? Finding a product suitable for full–scale development
at different stages in the process and the pitfalls of each approach. The and one appropriate for a specific audience is the aim of this course. It Planning websites: A Visual Approach Shawn Allen
course is highly collaborative with hands–on prototyping and testing. will assist students in researching a thesis topic and preparing for the Despite the temptation to dive into designing screens for a new web- Partner, design director, Stamen Design
Working individually and in teams, students will create rapid exercises, next stage of development. The course is divided into three sections: site, good designers know that a more deliberate, considered approach Clients include: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, MTV,
with one prototype developed or iterated each week, with the goal of 1) developing and implementing a research plan; 2) iterating through leads to better design: the more complex the system, the truer this is. Flickr, NBC, Adobe Systems, London Organizing Committee for the
evolving toward more robust ways of expressing ideas in rich interac- potential ideas; 3) prototyping potential ideas. In addition, there will Designers working on elaborate business applications have to deal Olympics Games, Digg, The New York Times, trulia.com, MySociety
tive form. be seminars on the prototyping of design ideas and how to produce with dozens of features, scenarios and business rules. A little planning Presentations include: “Open Cities: New Media’s Role in
viable projects that will have real business potential. goes a long way. Two diagrams essential to the planning process are Shaping Urban Policy,” Next American City Conference; “Maps From
Public Interfaces flow charts and concept models. Flow charts help designers envision Scratch,” O’Reilly’s Emerging Technology Conference, Where 2.0;
Concepts and methods of layout, grid and typography form the foun- Thesis Preparation processes and tasks while concept models illustrate a site’s underlying “Good Design,” GOOD; “Mapping Public Media,” Beyond Broadcast
dation for constructing meaningful layouts and, in turn, effective com- This course assists students in developing a course of action for choos- structure. In this workshop, participants will learn how to create their conference; “Visualization is a Medium,” OFFF International Festival
munications. This course will explore how to create meaning through ing a thesis area of investigation to pursue during the final semester own diagrams and use them in the planning process. for the Post-Digital Creation Culture.
useful, usable, and desirable interfaces across the complex environ- and over the course of the summer and to begin considering a thesis website: www.stamen.com
ments of different media at different scales. Understanding basic advisor. Students evaluate what comprises an appropriate thesis topic
concepts through the development of a vernacular, students will be and its requisite components over the thesis year.
encouraged to reinterpret concepts for interactive environments.
Thesis Presentation
Building upon the material covered in prior thesis-related courses,
Thesis Presentation is designed to guide students from a researched
and defined concept to more detailed definition, prototyping, market/
business review, creation of materials and public presentation.

Interaction Design 292 293 www.sva.edu/grad/interactiondesign


Professional Faculty
Alex Wright, (right) faculty member,
working with a colleague in his role as
director of User Experience Research
at The New York Times.

Nate Bolt Professor, Savannah College of Art and Design; Visiting Assistant
President, Bolt | Peters Professor, The Georgia Institute of Technology
Education: BA, University of California, San Diego Publications include: Interactions, Core77.com, Best Practice:
Professional experience includes: Director of user experience, The Pros on Adobe Flash by Doug Easterly; Flash 8 Bible by Snow
Clear Ink Dowd and Rob Reinhardt, The AIGA Journal, Good Housekeeping
Clients include: Sony, Electronic Arts, Citibank, Volkswagen, Magazine, E/Town: The Home Electronics Guide
Zynga, Twitter, Autodesk, Bank of America, Greenpeace, Levi’s, website: www.smartdesignworldwide.com
Oracle, Adaptive Path, Hewlett-Packard, Washington Post, Razorfish,
Harvard Business Review, Deloitte, Intel, Pandora, Rdio, Best Buy, Robert Fabricant
HBO, Warner Music Group Vice president, creative, frog design
Presentations include: “Remote Research,” UX London, Paris; Education: BA, Yale University; MPS, New York University
“Stop Listening to Your Customers,” South by Southwest Interactive; Professional Experience: Director, Research & Development,
“Remote Usability Testing,” User Interface Engineering Virtual Organic; @radicalmedia; Microsoft Research; Edwin Schlossberg
Seminar; “Remote Design Research,” Interaction Design Association, Incorporated; Time New Media; NYU Center for Advanced
New York City Usability Professionals’ Association; keynote speaker, Technology; Fund for Modern Courts; Chermayeff & Geismar
User Research Friday; “The Future of Library User Experience,” Urban Clients include: Barnes & Noble, BBC, Blockbuster, Bombardier,
Libraries Council; “When UX Research is Evil,” Interaction Design Cox Communications, General Electric, Comcast, Humana, Limited
Association, San Francisco Brands, Logitech Harmony, IPC, MTV, McKinsey & Co., Nuance
Publications include: Remote Research, A List Apart, Boxes and Communications, Nissan, Qualcomm, Showtime, SprintNextel,
Arrows, VentureBeat, UX Booth Thomson Financial, TV Guide, Virgin Mobile
Website: www.boltpeters.com Publications include: I.D., Wired, the Wall Street Journal
website: www.frogdesign.com
Jennifer Bove
Principal, Kicker Studios Christopher Fahey
Education: BA, College of William & Mary; MA, Interaction Design User experience strategist; founding partner, Behavior LLC
Institute Ivrea Education: BFA, The Cooper Union
Professional experience: Vice president, user experience, HUGE; Professional Experience: Lead information architect, IA depart-
Vice president, user experience, Schematic; senior interaction designer, ment manager, Rare Medium Inc.; lead game designer, Wanderlust
Fjord Design; project manager, America Online; content strategist, Scient Interactive and Music Pen
Clients include: Nokia, ABC, CondeNet, Reuters, Yahoo!, BBC, Clients include: HBO, Business Week, Smithsonian Institution,
Vibe, Spin, American Express Publishing, Prada, Gucci McGraw-Hill, JPMorgan Chase, National Geographic Channel,
Exhibitions include: Bu.net, Turin; Salone del Mobile, Milan; AARP, AIGA, The Onion, CNN, XM Satellite Radio, America
Fabbrica Europa, Florence; Next 2004, Copenhagen; Victoria & Online, Microsoft
Albert Museum, London Awards include: I.D. Interactive Design Distinction; Webby
website: www.kickerstudio.com Award; Rhizome.org Net Art Commission; featured in the Whitney
Museum Artport
Ian Curry Publications include: The New York Times, New York magazine,
Senior interaction designer, Local Projects UK Design Council Magazine, Communication Arts
Education: BA, The Colorado College; MPS, New York University websites: www.behaviordesign.com, www.graphpaper.com
Professional experience: Design analyst, frog design
Clients include: NYC&Co., National September 11 Memorial Robert Faludi
Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, Microsoft, BBC, Hewlett Director of user experience, Tendril, device and strategy consultant,
Packard, IPC, MTV, Eyebeam, The United Nations GroundedPower, Inc.
Awards include: Communication Arts, Design Distinction; Education: BA, Oberlin College; MA, New York University;
I.D.Magazine Annual Design Review 2009; Tisch School of the MPS, New York University
Arts Scholarship Professional Experience: Assistant adjunct professor of
website: www.localprojects.net, www.heavy-meta.com Communications, Interactive Telecommunications Program at NYU
Clients include: Match.com, Salon, Magnetic North, Gap, Visa,
Carla Diana Lonely Planet and American Eagle Outfitters
Senior interaction design, Smart Design website: www.faludi.com
Education: BE, The Cooper Union; MFA, Cranbrook Academy of Art
Professional Experience: Senior Design Technologist, frog
design; Creative Director, Planetii; Art Director, Sarkissian-Mason;
Head of the Tech Lab at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute;

Interaction Design 294


Nicholas Felton Roger C. Mader Clients Include: Nokia, Poetry FOundation, Dubberly Design David Womack
Co-founder, Daytum.com Innovation director, Fahrenheit 212 Office, Intellectual Ventures, Vibrant Media, eight inc., Citigroup, Writer, editor, digital strategist
Education: BFA, Rhode Island School of Design Education: BA, BS, Northwestern University Ogilvy & Matter, Healthline.com, Lotus Development, Du Pont Education: BA, Trinity University; MFA, University of Virginia
Professional Experience: Principal, mgfn.net Professional experience include: global account executive, Exhibitions and presentations include: Ecole Nationale Professional experience: Director of new media, AIGA; direc-
Clients include: IdN, Creative Review, Wired, The Wall Street Monitor Group; vice president of global accounts, consulting services, Superieure des Mines de Paris, MIT Sloan School of Business, Instituto tor of content strategy, Primordial; content strategist, Scient; manag-
Journal; Print, The New York Times, Esquire Business Objects Itau Cultural, ad:tech San Francisco, City University of New York ing editor, Adobe ThinkTank; Voice: AIGA Journal of Design; Gain:
website: www.daytum.com, www.feltron.com Clients include: AT&T, Baxter, Citibank, IBM, PepsiCo, Pfizer, Graduate Center, Stanford University, UC Santa Cruz, UC Berkeley, AIGA Journal of Business and Design
Siemens, Sysco American Society for Cybernetics, Bartlett School of Architecture, Clients include: Adobe Systems, Japan Society, Yahoo! DuPont,
Paul Ford Publications include: Designing Innovation into Organizations; Heinz von Foerster Congress, O’Reilly Open Source Conference, Pentagram, Ogilvy & Mather
Content strategist From Production to Connection: The New Model for Market Organization MIT Media Lab Publications: The Guardian, Salon.com, I.D., Metropolis.
Education: BA, Alfred University website: www.fahrenheit-212.com Publications include: Interactions Magazine, International Journal Co-author, Becoming a Digital Designer
Professional Experience: Content consultant, Ai; senior writer, of General Systems, Chapter 3 in Handbook for Conversation Design
information architect, brand strategist, Doublespace Karen McGrane for Instructional Applications, Journal Kybernetes, Chapter 8 in An Alex Wright
Clients include: PinkSheets, McKinsey Consulting, Yamaha, Founding partner, Bond Art + Science Unfinished Revolution?, The London Guardian Newspaper, Systems Author, director of user experience research, The New York Times
DuPont, Graco/RubberMaid, JPMorgan Chase, MasterCard, KeySpan, Education: BA, University of Minnesota; MS, Rensselaer Research Journal Education: BA, Brown University; MS, Simmons College
XML.com, Citibank, Hewlett-Packard, Weight Watchers, KPMG Polytechnic Institute Awards and honors include: MIT Stewart Award (Drama), Professional experience: Yahoo!, AOL, Microsoft, Macromedia,
Author: Gary Benchley, Rock Star Professional experience: Vice president, national lead for user CINE Golden Eagle frog design, The Internet Archive and The Long Now Foundation,
website: www.harpers.org, www.ftrain.com experience, Avenue A / Razorfish Other: Member of the Board of Artship, San Francisco; Chair of the Phoenix Pop, IBM
Clients include: The New York Times, Fast Company, The Board of Trustees and Fellow of the American Society of Cybernetics. Publications include: The New York Times, Salon.com, The
Zach Gage Atlantic, Condé Nast, Nielsen Media Research, Walt Disney Internet websites: www.cyberneticlifestyles.com Christian Science Monitor, Boston Business, Harvard Magazine,
Visual artist, game developer Group, New York Public Library, Encyclopedia Britannica, Citibank, The Believer, Communications of the ACM, Library Journal
Education: BS, Skidmore College; MFA, Parsons The New JPMorgan Chase, Federal Reserve Bank Jason Santa Maria website: www.alexwright.org
School for Design Publications include: Gain: AIGA Journal of Business and Design; Founder, Mighty
Group exhibitions include: Venice Biennial, FutureEverything Art Kairos: A Journal for Teachers of Writing Webbed Environments Education: BA, Kutztown University John Zapolski
Programme, Manchester, UK; Babycastles; Centre for Contemporary Books include: Technical Communication and the World Wide Professional experience: Creative director, Happy Cog Studios Director, Strategos
Art Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw; Scion Installation L.A. Web; Inventing a Discipline: Rhetoric Scholarship in Honor of Clients include: ABC, Advertising Age, AIGA, Comedy Central, Education: BA, University of Chicago
Publications include: Rhizome, Neural, New York magazine, Richard E. Young LG, Miramax, W.W. Norton & Company, Professional experience: Founding principal, Management
Das Spiel und seine Grenzen Awards and honors include: Webby Award, The One Show, PBS, WordPress Innovation Group; director of user experience practice development,
Website: www.stfj.net Society for Technical Communication Publications include: Becoming a Digital Designer, Design Yahoo!; VP of customer experience research, Wells Gargo; strategist,
websites: www.bondartscience.com, www.coolhunting.com In-Flight, .net magazine HannaHodge
Phi Hong D. Ha Awards and honors include: Gold Star Award, Web Standards; Clients include: The New York Times, Nokia, BT, Telefonica, AARP
Interaction design and strategy consultant Joshua Musick gold and silver awards, Broadcast Exhibitions and presentations include: Design Interfaces,
Education: MD, Carnegie Mellon University Principal designer, frog design Designers Association; ADDY; Philly Gold University of California Berkeley; Towards Knowledge Building,
Professional experience: Senior User Experience Designer, Education: BA, The Ohio State University websites: www.jasonsantamaria.com, www.madebymighty.com SIGCHI; A Model of Capital Markets, Stanford University; Design [is
Method; Ultra16; Ruder Finn Interactive; Concrete Media Clients include: at frog: Comcast, Cox Communications, MTV/ not a] Strategy, IIT/ID Strategy conference; Power, AIGA Design con-
Clients include: TheApt.com, TED.com VH1, Showtime and Sprint; before frog: Compaq, Fannie Mae, Chris Thomas ference; Customer-centered Planning: User Research as a Management
website: www.pdh3.com Federated Department Stores, Panasonic, Reebok and Tommy Hilfiger. Owner, creative director, Hieronymus; graphic designer Tool, forUSE
website: www.frogdesign.com Education: BFA, Carnegie Mellon University Publications include: Boxes and Arrows; IIT Institute of Design’s
Jeff Hoefs Professional experience includes: Designer, Thinkso Creative Perspectives; BusinessWeek
Interaction designer, developer, Smart Design Jill Nussbaum Projects include: Seeing Red, 30 Reasons website: www.strategos.com
Education: BA, University of California, Santa Cruz Creative director, R/GA. Formerly, Parallel Development Publications include: The New York Times, Time Out Chicago
Clients include: Hewlett-Packard, Motorola, Intel, Logitech Education: MPS, New York University Website: www.wearehieronymus.com Jeffrey Zeldman
Publications include: Product Design in the Sustainable Era, Antenna Clients include: Nike, Nokia, T-Mobile Founder, executive creative director, Happy Cog Studios; publisher,
website: www.jeffhoefs.com Awards and honors include: Cannes Titanium Lion, Cannes Clay Wiedemann editor in chief, A List Apart. Co-founder: An Event Apart Design
Cyber Lion; Gold Award, Art Directors Club; Gold Award, One Show Associate creative director, frog design Conference, The Web Standards Project, Independents Day
Zach Klein Interactive; Gold Award, CLIO Interactive; CLIO Interactive Grand; Education: MA, University of Florida Education: BA, Indiana University; MA, University of Virginia
Chief product officer, Boxee Inc.; partner, Founder Collective International ANDY Award; Black Pencil, D&AD; WebAward Clients include: Barnes & Noble, Virgin Mobile, Audi Germany, Clients include: AIGA, America Online, Amnesty International,
Education: BA, Wake Forest University website: www.rga.com XM Radio, TV Guide, Cox Communications Wireless Group, Advertising Age, Fox Searchlight Pictures, New York Public Library,
Professional experience include: co-founder, vice president Logitech Harmony Remotes, Alcatel Lucent United Nations Development Fund for Women, Warner Brothers Films
of development, Connected Ventured, LLC; co-founder, chief product Paul Pangaro Other: Film critic, Gainesville Sun; Consultant to Obama -Biden Books include: Designing with Web Standards (2nd edition), Taking
officer, Vimeo, LLC Co-founder and CTO, Cybernetic Lifestyles Transition Team for whitehouse.gov redesign Your Talent to the Web
website: www.zachklein.com Education: BS, MIT; PhD, Brunel University website: www.frogdesign.com http://www.nytimes.com/ Publications include: A List Apart, City Paper, Creativity,
Professional experience: Founding CTO, Snap.com (Idealab); MacWorld, Photo District News, Washington Post
lecturer, HCI Program, Stanford University; distinguished market strat- websites: www.zeldman.com, www.alistapart.com,
egist/senior director, Sun Microsystems www.happycog.com, www.aneventapart.com

Interaction Design 296 297 www.sva.edu/grad/interactiondesign


Guest Lecturers

Laureen Barber Frank Chimero Dave Gray Phil Kline Jay Parkinson, MD Molly Wright Steenson Charlie Todd
co-owner, Blue Hill and graphic designer, founder, chairman, composer, public co-founder, interactive designer, founder, Improv Everywhere
Blue Hill at Stone Barns Teacher, Writer XPLANE sound artist The Future Well design researcher Jeff Veen
Jen Bekman Brendan Dawes Adam Greenfield Jason Kottke Steve Portigal Yancey Stricker founder and ceo, Typekit
founder/Curator, Jen creative director, author, The City Is Here blogger, designer, principal, Portigal co-founder, Kickstarter Adrian Westaway
Bekman Gallery + 20x200 magneticNorth For You To Use kottke.org Consulting Scott Stroud co-founder, director,
Scott Berkun Elisabeth M. De Morentin Dan Grossman Michael Lebowitz Doug Powell senior analyst/information Vitamins Design
author, public speaker Illinois Institute of project leader, founder, Big Spaceship designer and business architect, NPR.org Chris Woebken
Doug Bowman Technology, Institute Project H Design NYC Jun Lee strategist, SchwartzPowell Rob Tannen independent designer
creative director, Twitter of Design Sylvia Harris partner, ReD Associates Dan Provost director of research, Dave Wright
Nick Bilton Armando Diaz information design strategist Gene Liebel designer, Glif Bresslergroup senior product designer,
design integration editor instructor, Magnet Theater Steven Heller partner, executive director, Marc Rettig Scott Thomas NPR.org
and user interface specialist, Tina Roth Eisenberg author, co-chair, MFA research and user experi- principal, Fit Associates design director, Soo-in Yang
The New York Times and designer, Swissmiss Designer as Author pro- ence, HUGE Mig Reyes Obama for America founder and principal,
The Times Research Studios gram, School of Visual Alexis Lloyd interactive designer, Clive Thompson The Living
& Development Lab Laura Forlano Arts; co-founder, MFA creative technologist, Threadless contributing writer, The
Tom Bodkin Kauffman Fellow in Law, Design Criticism and MFA The New York Times and New York Times Magazine;
Interaction Design pro- Michael Rock
design director, Information Society Project The Times Research founding partner and columnist, Wired
The New York Times at Yale Law grams, School of Visual Arts & Development Lab creator direct, 2x4 Ville Tikka
Nate Bolt Jason Fried Scott Heiferman Dan Mall senior future specialist,
ceo, co-founder, Meetup Louis Rosenfeld
president, Bolt | Peters founder, 37signals interactive art director, founder, Rosenfeld Media Nokia
Dan Brown Chenda Fruchter Jeff Hoefs Big Spaceship
interaction designer, Dan Saffer
founder and principal, assistant commissioner, Graham Marshall founder and principal,
EightShapes director of content Smart Design innovation & design, Kicker Studio
& agency relations, Robert Hoekman, Jr. Motorola Inc.

Contact Us
Andy Budd Yosi Sergant
Department of Information founder, Miskeeto
founding partner, Clearleft
Technology and
Einar Sneve REDU Tel: 212.592.2703
Allegra Burnette Gary Hustwit Martinussen
creative director, Digital
Telecommunication, director, Helvetica, designer, research Jason Severs E-mail: interactiondesign@sva.edu
New York City Objectified principal designer,
Media, The Museum of Scott McCloud
Modern Art Clara Gaggero Matt Jacobs comic book artist
frog design www.sva.edu/grad/interactiondesign
co-founder and creative
Don Carli director, Vitamins Design
product manager, Six Apart Peter Merholz
Tom Shannon department site: interactiondesign.sva.edu
fine artist
senior research fellow, The Masashi Kawamura president, Adaptive Path We strongly encourage applicants to visit our department prior to submitting
Institute for Sustainable Nick Gallo copywriter, art director Ryan Singer
Craig Mod application materials.
Communication graphics editor, The Onion lead designer and product
Sunmee Kim writer, designer, publisher manager, 37signals Come to our Departmental Information Session, or contact us directly to schedule a tour.
Tim Carmody Tom Gerhardt innovation and design,
designer, Glif Matt Mullenweg Andrew Sloat Departmental Information Session: November 12, 2011.
writer, Wired.com Motorola Inc. founder, Automattic, Inc graphic designer, All times and locations to be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit
Cindy Chastain Kim Goodwin Sophie Kleber
vice president, design; Callie Neylan videomaker To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website or contact
creative director, experi- experience lead, HUGE senior product designer,
ence architecture, Rapp general manager, the Office of Graduate Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu.
Cooper Design NPR.org

Interaction Design 298 299 www.sva.edu/grad/interactiondesign


XX Transform an idea into a short film using the latest in digital technology
XX Connect with industry professionals: working directors, screenwriters,
editors and producers
XX A practical, hands-on curriculum where students gain experience
in every aspect of short filmmaking

The short film dates back to 1910, when theaters screened short subject films before feature
length movies. In fact, the form was so well received that many studios had outlets that
exclusively toiled with these one-reel films. But, by the 1930s, with the advent of the double
feature and the rising popularity of a new media—television—the production of short films
ceased to be a viable commercial operation for studios.
Today, short films are almost exclusively independent endeavors. The widespread use of
digital media and editing equipment has made the genre an economical and accessible way
for filmmakers to articulate and experiment with ideas that might otherwise be deemed too
challenging or untenable. In fact, many established and successful directors, including George
Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese, first began by making short films. Indeed, the
mps Live Action Short Film program at the School of Visual Arts recognizes the importance
of the short film as a vehicle for the emerging filmmaker. We view the medium as integral to the
existence of an evolving, stimulating and relevant film industry.
This 10 -month program spotlights the student’s personal journey and creation of an
independent short film, from pre- to postproduction. Working directly with some of the most
pertinent and noteworthy industry players, including writers, casting agents, directors, assistant
directors and editors, students cultivate original ideas for inventive films that communicate a
narrative in an aesthetically interesting and innovative manner. Under the direction of highly
trained professionals, whose role is to both guide and challenge their students, students are
given opportunities for hands-on experience in every aspect of short filmmaking: from
the conception of an idea, to the creation of a shooting script, to casting, budgeting, directing,
filming, editing and marketing the final product. The program ultimately culminates in a
competitive, thesis-based short film festival hosted by SVA.
The MPS Live Action Short Film program celebrates the truly independent art of filmmaking,
honoring filmmakers, instructing them about the history of short film and outfitting them with
the creative, technical and critical tools needed to impart their artistic visions.

MPS Bob Giraldi, chair

Live Action
Short Film
www.sva.edu/grad/shortfilm
department site: mpsfilm.sva.edu
301
Industry
Insider:
Teaching
Screenwriting
to Future
Peers Faculty Profile:
Rachel Leventhal

Rachel Leventhal in front of the IFC Center


in Greenwich Village. The IFC Center was
one of several venues screening films in
the New York International Children’s Film
Festival (NYICFF).

Compilation videos from past years’


short film entries to the NYICFF.
Rachel Leventhal, producer, video game designer and screenwriter, teaches screenwriting
In mps Live Action Short Film. We met up with her outside the ifc Center in New York’s West
Village. For the past several years, she’s been on the board of the New York International Children’s
Film Festival, and the ifc Center—one of New York’s great venues for independent film—was
hosting screenings for the festival there.
After studying film at Cornell, assisting on video shoots (“I worked on some of the Run dmc pro-
mos—cool moments in music but rough to work on!”), attended graduate school in nyu’s Interactive
Telecommunications department. “Their program wasn’t really about film,” she says, “but there was
an interest in finding out what was going to happen in all media when they became interactive. My best
friend in the program—now my husband—and I experimented with interactive graphics and video
installations.” She smiles at the memory. “It was a good time, very innovative.”
Leventhal went from studying at nyu to teaching a scripting class there, then to a job with mtv
Networks producing interactive games. She also engineered video “kiosks.” “I designed a kiosk for
Lollapalooza called Free Your Mind,” she laughs. “People were supposed to record themselves speak-
ing their minds about an issue, however, it being a rock concert, many of them had been drinking, so
what was captured wasn’t always what was intended, but it was very entertaining!” At mtv, Leventhal
often found herself working with the creators of tv shows, an experience that encouraged her to script
her own series of online comedy shorts, Faux Baby. “After that,” she recounts, “I really started to sell
scripts. And the collaborative experience was valuable too.”
More recently, Leventhal wrote a screenplay for Bob Giraldi, the chair of the mps Live Action Short
Film program. “It was an unbelievable experience,” she enthuses. “Bob takes things to a higher level
because he’s able to make suggestions that only an experienced filmmaker could.” In addition to teach-
ing screenwriting, Leventhal anticipates a broad-based interaction with students. “I’ll teach them how
to take an idea to a fully thought out screenplay that can then be broken down for production. And I’m
sure that some of these students will become my professional peers.”
Leventhal says of the New York International Children’s Film Festival, “I couldn’t believe that there
was an event in Manhattan that was showing the kinds of cool, weird, short films that I used to see
at Cornell. So I got involved. Every year nyicff curates a program for kids and adults.” She unfurls
a copy of the program. “We have films for tots through teens. We have scary films, and films from a
girl’s point of view. We also do filmmaking workshops that introduce kids to animation and filmmak-
ing, and panel discussions that let them meet and interact with directors and crew members from the
films that we show. Working with the festival has been a great opportunity to support a family-friendly
international community of film lovers. You feel like you’re at Cannes, but you’re there with moms and
dads and kids. It couldn’t be better!”

The NYICFF Award statuette, created by


renowned public sculptor Tom Otterness.
Leventhal reviewing
the NYICFF program.

Leventhal and a colleague at the


NYICFF offices in Manhattan.
Situated on the 8th floor of SVA’s 132 West 21st Street
chair interview building, the MPS Live Action Short Film facility offers four fully net-

Bob Giraldi
worked, state-of-the-art editing suites, a sound design room, two
classrooms (one for lectures and one for seminar-style discussion
classes), and extensive equipment and film library, and a communal work-
“I became an art director after I graduated many, many years ago. I became a director of commercial
space and kitchen. Students have 24-hour access to the space and are
films many, many years ago. I was in at the beginning of the music video craze as a director many, many
encouraged to consider it their home away from home. Below is a typical
years ago. I was asked to teach at sva by Silas Rhodes many, many years ago. And I’ve continued with day in the life of an MPS Live Action Short Film student.
all of those things ever since,” recalls Bob Giraldi at his Murray Street studio. “Then about ten years
ago I told Silas that I wouldn’t mind teaching a short film course to advertising students. This had noth-
“I think New York is the ing to do with selling, nothing to do with music video or experimental film, nothing to do with anima-
most interesting place tion or documentary; it was going to be about crafting a narrative that would involve casting, directing,
in the world to make an editing, finishing, and getting a film ready for a festival.”
independent short film.”

On any
That class, designed for undergraduates, was a success from the get-go, so it was entirely logical
that the director would suggest the possibility of an mps program along similar lines—especially as
no such course existed elsewhere. “I’m interviewing candidates now,” Giraldi relates, “and I’ve found
some really interesting young people just thirsting to make short films. The form is enjoying a renais-

given day...
sance and I’ve had applications from all over the world. So I’m going to have a class of about twenty,
two-thirds of which will be made up of people from outside the u.s. That’s exciting for me because
they’ll pour their experience into films in other languages.” He grins in anticipation. “So it’s turning
out so far to be a pretty brilliant experience for me already.”
How will a typical student work within the program? “Filmmaking is a collaborative art,” explains
Giraldi. “You need a cameraperson, an editor, actors, locations. As a writer and director you’re ‘king
of the ship,’ as James Cameron likes to call himself, but you still need help. And that’s exciting too. 7am  Crew call on location at Riverside Park. Cast and crew drink 2pm  Continue shooting hotel scenes.
You meet new people, people that pinpoint your mistakes, question your vision, argue with you… and coffee and eat bagels as they set up and gather at their first location.
that’s a great way to learn. There’s no competition. The film business is all about relationships, and They receive instructions from their assistant director who met 3:30pm  Wrap for the day.
this program gets students the best people to work with—they’re authentic, the real deal. I ask students with the student director the previous day.
to direct, produce, and co-edit their films, but they’ll have a cameraperson to shoot it. It’s exactly as 4:30pm  Return Sony EX3 HD camera kit; Review

it is professionally.” 7:30am  Shooting begins. Guest lecturer, Peter Repplier, footage in one of the editing suites.
and Chris Walters, the director of photography, consult with the
“I think New York is the most interesting place in the world to make an independent short film,”
student director about a shot. 5:30pm  Grab a coffee in the student lounge area with
Giraldi concludes. “I think you get the edgiest and most interesting locations and actors here.
fellow students before class.
And making a short film here is the kind of project that can change your life—not only theoretically
10am  Wrap and travel to second location, Hotel Stanford.
and emotionally, but literally. Doors will open and careers will be made. At the end of the year, I’ll
6–9pm  Project Class with department chair Bob Giraldi in the seminar
concentrate on getting these films into the right festivals and the right markets, and into the hands
10:30am  Set up equipment at Hotel Stanford while crew and room. Discuss day’s shooting with Bob and plan for tomorrow.
of the right people.” cast get instructions from the AD; begin shooting.
“People say that filmmaking isn’t how it used to be, and they’re right. It’s better now than it’s ever been!”
1pm  Lunch of sandwiches prepared by the student
director the night before.

Live Action Short Film 308 309 www.sva.edu/grad/shortfilm


Course Descriptions

Editing as Storytelling Project Class I & II


Students will learn to use editing as a tool to tell stories. With Final Students are offered a first-hand opportunity to experience the creation
Cut Pro, they will arrange and cut scenes to enhance the narrative and and execution of a short film in the ever-changing world of media
performances of the actors in their films, all with the goal of telling production. Students will discuss and analyze international Academy
“The Story.” Real world professional techniques will be taught and Award-winning short films of various techniques. Each student will
applied, examples of these techniques will be shown to students in the be required to examine the challenges of producing a small movie—
form of weekly screenings of short films, commercials and music videos. conceptual screenwriting, casting, location scouting, directing, photog-
raphy, editing and finishing will be addressed and experienced.
LECTURE SERIES I & II
Bob Giraldi filming his short film The Grey Coat Established professionals from the filmmaking industry will share Screenwriting
their experiences and offer diverse perspectives in short filmmak- The course will be an intensive exploration of the basic principles
ing. Lecturers will discuss myriad specialized topics, including new of dramatic writing. Students will have the opportunity to study the
The Program  Students will develop the intellectual and practical tools for filmmaking, including technologies and platforms, film festivals and distribution, and rights practice and theory of storytelling in a wide range of contexts, from
and clearances. In several sessions, filmmakers will screen their the ancient Greeks to contemporary Hollywood, focusing on those ele-
the conception of an idea, preproduction, photographing, editing and marketing the final product. With projects and share insight about their work and the field. Lecturers ments common to all narratives. Students will concentrate on writing
the guidance of the faculty, students will cultivate original ideas for successful, inventive films. The course include: Rajendra Roy, chief curator, Department of Film, Museum a short 8 to 19 minute screenplay. Each screenplay will be developed
of Modern Art; David Nugent, director of programming, Newport under the close guidance of the instructor and will be workshopped in
of study also addresses the historical and critical context of the short film as an art form, its political and International Film Festival; Frederick Kaufman, contributing editor, class. Students will be expected to submit numerous revisions and work
socio-cultural dimensions, and comparative study of theories for understanding film and video. ¶ Developed Harper’s Magazine. through several drafts, until the screenplay is deemed ready to shoot.
for the working professional, classes are held Monday through Thursday, 6:00–9:00pm with Fridays Postproduction and Editing Short Film: history, technique and analysis I & II
reserved for studio time, guest lectures, critiques, demonstrations, and/or field trips. Additional class time Students will collect additional materials needed to support their story In this two part course, students will acquire and develop an under-
lines: stills and documents, film and video archives, background and standing and greater appreciation for the art and history of short-
may be scheduled as needed to allow for guest presentations or workshops. ¶ Degree candidates must supporting sequences, etc. Using Final Cut Pro, they will arrange subject film, from its inception in about 1910 to today. The class will
successfully complete 36 credits, including all required courses and maintain a 3.0 grade point average. In and cut scenes to enhance the narrative, tension, and continuity of include a series of screenings of short films, lectures, readings, and
their films. Music, sound effects, and dubs will be added to their films’ group discussions whose aim is to enhance students’ analytical skills
the summer semester, each student is required to complete and market his or her thesis film. These films will soundtracks for quality control, realism, and clarity. Marketing, sub- for a better understanding of film and filmmakers’ intentions. In this
be screened in a juried film festival at the SVA Theatre. The thesis films must be reviewed and approved by mission to film festivals, and postproduction matters will be addressed. way, students will engage in a dialogue about the aesthetics, critical
values, techniques employed, and dynamics of early short films. The
the thesis committee and the department chair in order for the student to be eligible for degree conferal. Preproduction and Development first course deals with films from 1910 through 1960; the second class
This course will address areas of preproduction including budgeting, analyzes films after 1960 to the present.
scheduling, assembling a crew, creating storyboards, casting, rehears-
ing, understanding and completing necessary legal paperwork. Students Thesis
Sample Program will design and plan their shooting schedules, with the aim of creating This final project class will focus on finishing the thesis film,
a tight, efficient and smart approach that will maximize on-set time. which will be screened at a juried film festival at the SVA Theatre.
Promotional material for the festival is designed, installed, promoted
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
Production: Principal Photography and organized by students in the program.
Preproduction and Development  3 Editing as Storytelling  3 This course presents a hands-on, practical approach to filmmaking
Project Class I 6 Production: Principal Photography  3 as students transition from theory to decision making. Students will
Screenwriting  3 Project Class II 6 learn to look at their scripts, bearing the production in mind, to see
if economies can be made that will not affect the story. They will lie
Short Film: History, Technique and Analysis I 3 Short Film: History, Technique and Analysis II  3 out and plan their shooting schedules, with the aim of creating a tight,
efficient, and smart approach that will maximize their on-set time.
Cinematography will be discussed, and students will show their films.
summer Semester Credits
The role of the director as the leader of the cast and crew will be dis-
Postproduction and Editing  3 cussed, as well as set protocol and demeanor.
Thesis  3

Live Action Short Film 310 311 www.sva.edu/grad/shortfilm


Faculty

Bob Giraldi, chair Patrick Burns, Jr. Francesco Portinari Sofia Sondervan
President, film director, GIRALDI MEDIA; principal, partner, Editor, director Film/video editor Film producer
CatatoniaGiraldi Education: BS, Boston University Film/video projects include: Small Potatoes, JUNK, Stripes, Education: BFA, summa cum laude, New York University
Education: BFA, Pratt Institute Editing projects include: Honey Trap, Sound Class, Keepin’ Memorie, Ballaro, Anno Zero, Four Miles Away, The King, Bemused. Professional experience includes: Founder, Sony Music Film;
Commercial spots include: Ad Council; Pepsi-Cola (featuring Time, Boso Zoku, Attack of The Little Green Mints. Director, Television projects include: Dreaming Miami, Millionaire Meltdown head of East Coast production, Content Film
Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie); Miller Lite campaigns (featuring editor: Memory Documents, Conversations with Rotella, Paths, (pilot), PSA films for UNICEF Film projects include: Bringing Up Bobby; Feel the Noise; Party
Rodney Dangerfield, Billy Martin, John Madden, Bob Ueker); Freedom Suitman Invades Hong Kong Award: Audience Award, Corto International Film Festival Monster; The Hebrew Hammer; Cadillac Records; Rick; The King;
Center Campaign Clients include: Discovery Channel, Amnesty International, Time Website: http://web.me.com/fportinari East of Havana; The Cooler; Thank You for Smoking; Joe Strummer:
Productions include: Second Guessing Grandma, Honey Trap, Warner, Nike, Land Rover, Food Network, MTV The Future is Unwritten
The Routine, Dinner Rush Awards and honors include: Gold Award, Promax; silver and Amresh Sinha
Music videos include: Writer, director, “Beat It,” Michael Jackson; bronze CLIO; International ANDY Award; silver and bronze, ADDY; Filmmaker 
 Alessandro Tanaka
“Say, Say, Say,” Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney; “Just the Two of Cannes Advertising Festival, AICP Education: BA, Patna University; MA, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Screenwriter
Us,” Will Smith; “Love is a Battlefield,” Pat Benatar; “Hello,” Lionel MA, SUNY Buffalo; PhD, York University
 Education: BA, Vassar College; MFA, Columbia University
Richie; “Loaded,” Ricky Martin; “Don’t Drive Drunk,” Stevie Wonder Michelle Groskopf Director: Convict & the Trial, Quit India Movement
 Screenplays include: The Sitter, Walorsky
Collections include: Museum of Modern Art, Baseball Hall of Fame Founder, senior producer, Mythical Creatures Publications include: Connecticut Review; Spectacular Optical; Awards and honors include: Best Short Film, Columbia
Awards and honors include: Art Directors Club Hall of Fame; Gold Education: BFA, with honors, School of Visual Arts The Making of Modern Bihar; Patriot; Lost in the Archives; German University Film Festival
Lion, Cannes Film Festival; Grand Award, gold and silver medals, New Projects include: The Big Gunz; Bust Web segments on Chloe Culture and Society; The Review of Education, Pedagogy, and
York Festival; Gold Award, AICP; Gold ADDY; CLIO; ANDY; People’s Sevigny, Tracey Ullman; Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project; Electric Cultural Studies; In Practice: Adorno, Critical Theory and Cultural
Choice Award; Rolling Stone; Billboard Music Video Award; Hershel Independence, VBS.TV; Kiefer Sutherland (A&E); co-curator, pro- Studies; Subtitles: On the Foreignness of Film; Film-Philosophy;
Levit Award, Pratt Institute; MTV Video Music Award; “One of 101 ducer, “Imperfect As They Are,” New Museum of Contemporary Art Colloquy: Text, Theory, Critique; Scope; Transformations
Stars Behind 100 Years of Advertising,” Advertising Age; Media Project
Shine Award; Who’s Who in America; International Who’s Who of Susi Korda
Professionals; Audience Award for Best Short Film, Sarasota Film Festival; Director, editor, writer

Palm Springs International Festival of Films; Audience Award, Fresno Reel Education: BFA, City College of New York

Pride; Jury Award, Chicago Lesbian & Gay Film Festival; Best LGBT Short Directing and writing projects include: Mazel; Disturbing the
Film, Cleveland International Film Festival; Golden Remi Award, World Universe: Radical Lawyer William Kunstler; For the Love of D-g; One
Fest Houston; Best Drama, LA International Short Film Festival of Us; Vienna is Different: 50 Years After the Anschluss
Editing projects include: The Forest for the Trees, Swimmers,
Cinderella of the Cape Flats

Awards include: 1999 Berlin Film Festival; Silver Plaque, 1989
Chicago Film Festival; 1990 Sundance Film Festival; Artist Fellowship,
New York Foundation for the Arts; Fulbright Scholar; Documentary
Fund Award, National Foundation for Jewish Culture; Jerome
Foundation Grant
Tel: 212.592.2705

Contact Us
Rachel Leventhal
Screenwriter, author, producer, designer. Formerly, senior producer,
Fax: 212.627.2195
Viacom New Media
Education: BA, Cornell University; MPS, New York University
E-mail: mpsfilm@sva.edu
Author: The Freedom Town Mystery; The North Wind is Forever
Screenplays include: Faux Baby, Valley of the Fauxs; Dragons of www.sva.edu/grad/shortfilm
department site: mpsfilm.sva.edu
Amagansett; Rock Star’s Daughter
Projects include: New York International Children’s Film Festival
& GKIDS, Inc; Armani A/X, Pepsi
Come to our Departmental Information Session or contact us directly for more information.

All times and locations will be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit

To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website


or contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu.

Live Action Short Film 312 313 www.sva.edu/grad/shortfilm


MFA XX Extensive and innovated courses in all aspects of the lens arts—still and moving
XX Understanding the need to create new technologies, new histories, new criticism

Photography, Video and professional practices for success in a changing world


XX New York City is the creative hub of a world-wide network from which we readily

and Related Media


draw our mentors, faculty and lecturers.

www.sva.edu/grad/photovideo
All that the lens and screen arts encompass are the subject of the mfa Photography, Video and Related
department site: mfaphoto.sva.edu Media Department. As a fine arts program for over 24 years, we have produced remarkable graduates
who have flourished as exhibiting artists, journalists, commercial and documenting artists, curators,
scholars and teachers. Noted as a top-tier program in U.S. News & World Report, our educational goals
attract fine art students with diverse backgrounds from all corners of the world.
The camera is a universal matrix for documenting, exploring and interpreting the ever-changing
21st century. From the traditional practices of photography and the moving image to the virtual realm
of the circuit, we offer students the opportunity to pursue their specific interests with intense critique.
Whether in experimental, narrative or documentary video, installation and conceptual art, tableau
or real-world-witness photography, the department’s celebrated faculty actively engages students in
contemporary and responsible creative initiatives. An expansive curriculum is personally tailored
to allow each student the appropriate understanding of technology, history, criticism, and professional
practices for a competitive society. Foremost we want to challenge students to define their work
by bearing witness, giving testament and observing the creative and social concerns of our times.
We provide the critical thinking and rigor necessary for students to expand their ideas and make notable
contributions to the larger visual culture.
Our uniqueness is marked by the fact that we have led in the education of digital imagery since the
inception of the program in 1988. Always looking to the future we push our students to challenge
the old aesthetics and rethink their own assumptions to engage an enlightened audience. History, critical
and theoretical discourse are all a part of the mix. Graduate students are allowed to choose from a
number of tracks that best suit their previous experience and future goals. For example, we offer a three-
year program for exceptional non-fine-arts baccalaureates that want to change course and engage the
lens and screen arts.
New York City is the hub of a creative network that expands the world. Our program draws on
all the energies and opportunities that this City offers as a resource. We enlist some of the world’s great-
est talents as members of our faculty and as advisors, mentors and lecturers. The network of the City
is also the network for creative and professional supports for our students upon graduation and as they
aspire in their pursuits.

Charles H. Traub, chair

315
From
Thesis to
Published
PageAlumni Profile:
Thomas Holton
Photographer Thomas Holton (MFA ‘05) received acclaim for his
“Lams of Ludlow Street” project. Here, Holton is perched on the
rooftop of an apartment building on Ludlow Street in New York’s
Chinatown, where the Lams reside. It’s an angle he used frequently
over the span of several years.
For emerging artistic talents, the connections they make in school are vital.
Case in point: Thomas Holton, a Manhattan native, worked as a photography
assistant for years before he discovered the Photography, Video and Related Media
program at sva. “I didn’t even know you could get an mfa in photography,” he
jokes. Since graduating in 2005, he’s now represented by the local Sasha Wolf Gallery
in Tribeca and has been widely published.

How influential have the faculty been in your burgeoning career?

I still consider Charles Traub, the department chair, my mentor. He got me to focus
on what I was doing, and why I was doing it. We met last week, just so I could pick
his brain about what it takes to get a book published. He’s a wonderful person to
bounce ideas off of. I can also show him my new work; it’s invaluable to have someone
who can give me feedback. In that respect, he’s helpful both professionally and
creatively. It’s positive but honest criticism.

How did you land your first break?

My thesis project, “The Lams of Ludlow Street,” which documents the crowded
apartments of Chinatown residents, was published in Aperture magazine. Yolanda
Cuomo, an art director there, had taught my book design class. We made a handmade
book of our work for the thesis show. She invited the editor of the magazine to see
the work, and that’s how I got noticed. So only two months after graduating, I got the
call that they wanted to publish it. I was flabbergasted.

How did you deal with critiques in the program?

I studied anthropology in undergrad, so I never studied art or earned a bfa before


entering the program. Since I was self-taught, I was always stuck in a creative bubble
before entering sva. You always think your work is good when no one else is viewing
it independently. But now that I’m out of school, I don’t get critiqued as much any-
more. I’m back in my bubble. That’s why I continue to see Charles once a year. I now
teach at icp and a private high school, so I’m getting to do a little gentle critiquing
of my own. Naturally it’s not the same, but I’m getting my students to articulate about
their work. It’s a way of forcing them to speak.

Looking back, what was the most important thing you learned while
in the program?
Keep making work. I always try to remember why at age 15 I first picked up a camera
and started shooting in the first place. To me, you have to be true to the work and not
worry about critical reaction. I believe that good work will eventually be seen.

Holton worked hard to earn the trust of his


subjects—shooting over a period of three years—
in order to capture them in such an intimate
environment. Here, he shoots Steven Lam, the
father of the family.
The MFA Photography grad even invited the Lams to his
wedding in 2007. The Lams’ daughter, Cindy, was the
flower girl. As it turns out, Holton’s close friend and fellow
SVA alumna, Rachel Papo(MFA ’05), took the photo.
Opening Night
On the right, one of the images from Rachel
Papo’s project “Desperately Perfect,” a
chronicle of young Russian ballet students,
can be seen at the opening of Papo’s show
at the ClampArt gallery in Chelsea.
Papo (seen on the top left, signing a catalog)
is an Israeli photographer who graduated
from the program in 2005. This exhibition also
included work from her project “Serial No.
3817131,” which captures the lives of teenage
girls that enter compulsory military service
in her native country.
You’re going to be busy here. Whether it’s the beginning of the
chair interview week, middle, or the end, you will thrive in the vigor that is creative New

Charles H. Traub
York. Lectures, fellow students, exhibitions, faculty, and the “scene” itself
are all a part of your education and New York’s energy is your stimulus.
The MFA Photography, Video & Related Media Department is one of the
“The primary focus of this department is the lens,” says Charles Traub, chair, “–no pun intended– lens-arts’ world hubs, and all of its traffic is your classroom.
and what can be said with it. The camera is a great portal to all that is happening in diverse cultures
around the world. Everything that we once knew about witness has now changed, as we can look
anywhere and everywhere individually and collectively. The students of the lens and screen arts must
now, more than ever, be educated to understand, manage and create unique forms for which imagery
can be organized, understood, experienced and distributed. It is an issue of new ideas that engage the
audience in new delights and new discoveries.
“As art-making changes, the artists must be supported in their exploration of all platforms that

On any
the still and moving image embraces. That said I am hard-pressed to tell anyone how to make art, nor
to tell you that anything an artist says is art–is truly art! I am not being glib. I am merely relating
“What we expect is that
that history, perspective and longevity will define meaning of the creative work to future audiences.
each graduate candidate

given day...
Remarkable things come from all realms of creative practice–whether commercial or personal
reaches for the highest level
exploration, appropriation, installation or witness itself. Thus,” Traub explains, “the responsibility
of his or her own potential
of educating a fine artist is to expose them to all histories, practices and aesthetics that have defined
to express themselves in
great imagery to date. Artists learn from the past in order to project themselves into the future. And
some defining way.”
they must learn about what is possible with the camera, whether still or moving.
“This department is comprised of a remarkably loyal and world-class community of faculty,
practitioners and mentors who frankly delight in the discoveries and growth of their students. We are 10am  Charles Traub meets with Adam Bell, student advisor, to discuss 6 – 9pm  Robert Bowen’s Digital Design Class, tonight’s session
artists who come from all over the world and engage talents of similar makeup. We do not clone our thesis advisors: Tina Barney, Elisabeth Biondi, Elinor Carucci, James working with 3D imaging.
students nor do we expect them to act and make as we do. No two graduates create work alike. That’s Casebere, Nancy Davenport, Mark Dion, Patty Chang, Susan Bright
remarkable!” says Traub. “What we expect is that each graduate candidate reaches for the highest level and Kate Gilmore. 7:30 – 9pm  Visiting lecturer, Maria Antonella Pelizzari talks about her

of his or her own potential to express themselves in some defining way.” new book, Photography and Italy.
10am – 1pm  Chris Callis: Laws of Light. Class discussion and
demonstration about topics of his upcoming book about lighting history. 8pm  Charles Traub has dinner with Tom Huhn, undergraduate chair,
Suzanne Anker, Chair, BFA Fine Arts: Photography and the Visual regarding the future lecture by the writer Geoff Dyer.
Arts after 1960.
Ongoing through the day  Thesis students submit final drafts of thesis
noon  Randy West, director of operations, meets with Bruce Silverstein proposal to Thesis Forms instructor, Marvin Heiferman and Mark
to discuss future lectures about professional opportunities for graduating Stafford; Lynn Shelton, alumna, submits film, Humday, to Sundance
students. Charles Traub has a lunch meeting with David van der Leer, Film Festival; Brian Palmer, alumnus, submits documentary film,
curator at the Guggenheim, regarding our collaboration with them on the Full Disclosure, to Sundance Film Festival; Elizabeth Biondi dis-
project “Stillspotting.” cusses possible internship at The New Yorker magazine; historian
Celia Grönberg from Sweden confirms plans to visit the department
1:30 – 3pm  Visiting Artist Lecture: Sze Tsung Leong. as a Fulbright scholar; Bill Armstrong and David Levinthal inquired
about teaching in the department.
3 – 6pm  Penelope Umbrico: First-Year Critique. Charles Traub
visits the class to see new student work. Students plan to attend alumna
Debbie Grossman’s new exhibition at the Julie Saul Gallery.

6pm  Sarah Silver meets with students for instruction with large-
format digital back. Chris Callis offers an additional workshop in
Lightroom for students.

Photography, Video and Related Media 326 327 www.sva.edu/grad/photovideo


SVA Spaces
A student sets up a shot in an SVA studio.
The Program  The mfa program in Photography, Video and Related Media is dedicated to the creative Sample Program
practice of the lens-based arts, which includes video and computer-generated imaging. We encourage diversity in
our student body, and welcome applicants from a wide range of educational and professional backgrounds. ¶ first year
The program is designed for full-time study over a two- or three-year period. Degree candidates must complete at FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
least 60 graduate credits and all course requirements, maintain a 3.3 grade point average and produce a successful Contemporary Issues: The Concept of Style 3 Contemporary Issues: Right Here, Right Now 3
thesis project in order to be eligible for degree conferral. Students proceed to each successive level of study based Criticism and Theory: Time Image Perception 3 Historical Perspectives:  3
on yearly faculty assessments. Students personalize their program from a wide variety of electives. Certain courses Historical Perspectives: The Lens and Visual Arts, 1950–1980  3 Issues in the Moving Image—A History of Hybrids
Master Critique I 3 Master Critique II 3
in other sva graduate departments are also available as electives to qualified students. ¶ Two-Year Program:
Studio: Digital Imaging I 3 Studio: Digital Imaging II 3
The focus of the two-year curriculum is the required Master Critique course. First-year require­ments include
Studio: Video Culture 3
Introduction to Digital Imaging and at least three other academic courses chosen out of three subject categories:
historical perspectives, criticism and theory, and contemporary issues. The video concentration requires digital
workshops, advanced craft, a critique course and other electives. Second-year students are required to take Thesis second year
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
Forms I and II and focus on completing their thesis in the spring. Entry to the second year is based on successful
Contemporary Issues: The Future of Documentary 3 Studio: Book Design for Photographers 3
completion of all first-year requirements and a portfolio review. ¶ Graduate Students at Large (gsal) Program:
Criticism and Theory: Technology of Ideas 3 Thesis Forms II 3
This unparalleled program is designed to give exceptional students with diverse baccalaureate degrees an opportunity Master Critique III 6 Thesis Project 9
to pursue the lens and screen arts at the graduate level. A one-year course of study is tailored for each student allowing Thesis Forms I 3
him or her to engage in coursework such as history, theory and criticism as well as studio practice that they did not
study as an undergraduate. With the successful completion of the first-year of the three-year program, students
automatically continue into the two-year program. These students are given the time and exposure to develop as
fully matured artists and practitioners. Many of our most renowned graduates have matriculated in this manner.
The curriculum is of particular interest to liberal arts majors, foreign students with English language deficiencies and
professionals from the commercial and fashion world, as well as artists and Fulbright and daad Scholars.

gsal Program
Summer Residency  Lens and Screen Arts: New Technologies: Professional photographers, filmmakers FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
and artists develop their creative visions with new camera technology in this intensive, four-week engagement. GSAL Master Critique I 3 Aesthetic History of Photography* 3
Because of advances in still and moving imagery, professionals no longer work solely in the traditional divisions of Modern Art Through Pop I* 3 GSAL Master Critique II 3
the camera arts. High-definition, video-capable dslr cameras have transformed still photography and enabled Social History of Photography*  3 Modern Art Through Pop II* 3
Studio: Introduction to Digital Imaging I  3 Studio: Introduction to Digital Imaging II 3
image-makers to create professional-quality movies. The photographer is now a filmmaker, and a steep learning
Studio Photography I* 3 Studio: Introduction to Video 3
curve must be addressed in order to equip the creative image-maker with a new set of skills. While still and moving
imagery may be produced with the same set of tools, each requires very different approaches and practices. The still * Course offered through the Undergraduate Division
photography practitioner must understand the language of the moving image, and vice versa. This summer residency
will engage participants in daily activity in the practice of a new form of lens arts. ¶ Initial sessions will alternate
practical studio lab and on-location production, followed by postproduction, including file management, editing,
and current modes of exhibition and distribution. Critiques of works-in-progress will be held throughout, as well
as screenings of films that complement coursework. Faculty members include department chair Charles Traub and
Grahame Weinbren, Michelle Leftheris and Robert Bowen. Guest lecturers include Alan Berliner, Jennifer Blessing,
Chris Callis, Anthony Forma, Roger Phenix, Bob Richman, Shelly Silver and Amy Taubin.

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Course Descriptions

Contemporary Issues: The Concept of Style Contemporary Issues: Photography and Criticism and Theory: Critical Reading GSAL Master Critique I & II
Can the content of a work of art be articulated in different styles? Film —a Practical Relationship The format of this course combines reading and classroom discussions This group critique provides a stimulus for creative exchange and a
Why style rather than non-style? How does style apply to the immedi- The integral and increasingly fluid relationship between the photo- aimed at providing critical perspectives on the issues that inform the forum for students to focus their individual growth and activities dur-
ate culture of pluralism? This course will examine works that range graph and the moving image in contemporary arts practice will be practice of contemporary art and photography. Readings will include ing the GSAL year. Guided by prominent figures in the visual arts,
from deep social/political concerns to the most personal and poetic explored in this course. Special attention will be paid to the critical texts by artists, writers and theorists of the past three decades that the structure and content of meetings is determined largely by student
meditation of imagery through the study of artists who include Shirin and historical discourses that have shaped cinematic and photographic bear upon the practice of students’ art-making today. Students will be needs.
Neshat, Shoja Azari, George Gittoes, Jonas Mekas, Alfredo Jaar, Susan practice and tradition. One stream of discussion will focus around the required to develop a framework from these readings that is relevant
Meiselas and Robert Bergman. In addition, artists, critics and curators differences and similarities between pertinent construction and produc- to their own objectives. Discussion will be based on interdisciplinary Historical Perspectives: History of the Book
will be invited to discuss the wider functions of art. tion issues in duration and non-duration based media: for example, study, screenings and exhibitions. The photobook has played a central, if neglected, role in the history of
image composition, the significance of editing and the treatment of photography. Artists have known that their use of photographs to tell
Contemporary Issues: The Future of Documentary time. The relevancy of these issues to each student’s work and artistic Criticism and Theory: Global Issues and Strategies a story implied the need for some narrative device, and the photobook
Journalism, photography and the documentary image have been trans- practice will also be addressed. The course is designed to examine changing currents in a world under- has long served that role. From early artist books and lavish 19th-
formed, as disciplines and as industries, by the technological revolution stood as complex, variant and global, with no specific path or set of century albums to mass-produced trade editions and self-published
in the capture, combination and dissemination of image, sound and Contemporary Issues: Right Here, Right Now standards for the creation of images. We will identify themes, issues books, photobooks allow images and photographs to be experienced
text. Twentieth-century labels and identities—“artist,” “journalist,” This course offers a forum to research and debate some of the press- and artists from global and comparative perspectives. The issues may widely and intimately—shaping the medium, and influencing fellow
“documentarian,” “expert”—have been shredded, as have the institu- ing issues that affect contemporary photographers. Each week, we will derive from art, art history and sources such as cultural and commer- photographers and artists, in profound ways. We are now in the midst
tions we once relied upon to help shape our culture. Through lectures, concentrate on a question or a theme that is crucial to contemporary cial practices, geopolitics, topical events and current intellectual trends. of a series of radical changes to the idea of the book as “dead-tree”
guest presentations, readings and hands-on projects, students will practitioners, such as: contemporary print aesthetics; the new color: The purpose is to explore contemporary issues, images, contexts and publishing is being transformed by the online revolution. Through
examine various forms of nonfiction visual storytelling, both moving the return of black-and-white; where has editorial gone?; the power of challenges in relation to image-making in any media. Readings will be attention to specific books, publishers and online projects, this course
and still. We will also attempt to identify the fundamentals of ethical the edit; slowed down photography: roles of nostalgia in a digital era. discussed for context, and to broaden personal orientations and strate- will examine the history of the photobook from the earliest efforts to
and persuasive real-world storytelling practice in a range of traditional Through lectures and readings, we will connect contemporary photog- gies. Students will help select topics and direct reading sessions, and new innovative avenues of self-publishing, print- on-demand and the
disciplines—documentary and journalism, fine art, anthropology, raphy with historical precedents, and through discussions explore these will produce a paper (print, hypertext, or image essay) that explores a advent of the photobook in a paperless society. In addition to lectures,
science, law—and then devise alternative models using 21st-century connections to each student’s photographic practice. theme relevant to their own interests and uses strategies different from guest presentations and discussions, the course will also include field
technology. their previous orientation to image production. trips to publishers, artists’ studios and special collections.
Contemporary Issues: Video Culture
Contemporary Issues: The lens and visual arts— Students will be immersed in the modalities of video practice that have Criticism and Theory: Technology of Ideas HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES: issues in the moving image—
1980 to present shaped currents in our contemporary cultures. Video’s dominant role The history of technology is often presented as a progressive scheme a history of hybrids
In a media-driven society, what becomes a legend most? How do social in documentary and public dialogue, its antecedents in film histories, inside an historical framework—the idea of technology as something “Cinema is truth 24 frames per second,” remarked Jean-Luc Godard,
factors, cultural institutions and consensus, as well as redefinitions of and its emergence as an art/installation and multimedia performance that just keeps improving. This idea surfaces even in dystopic visions begging the question of whether truth is an attribute of fiction or docu-
the functions of photography, video and the other visual arts, drive the medium will be addressed. Drawing on screenings of video works and of the future, which project a society ruined by a dominant technology mentary. Throughout his career, Godard has blurred the presumed
interpretation and representation of images? This course will focus on on artists’ writings, we will examine the many issues surrounding con- that is more advanced than ours. Our thoughts about technology mask boundaries between so-called “fiction,” documentary, ethnographic,
the visual arts from 1980 to the present, explicating the integration of temporary video-making. Questions to be raised include: Why make the extent to which technology itself drives these ideas. This course pornographic and avant-garde films. His work will be central to this
photography into the “mainstream” of painting and sculpture. Arranged video? What is at stake in a particular video? Why make it this way? will explore how we are subject to technology not so much physically course, as will the films of Andy Warhol. We’ll also look at work
as an investigation into contemporary issues, the pursuit of “aesthetic” Where is it intended to be shown? Where will it in fact be shown? (the slave of the machine, the prisoner in the Panopticon), as meta- by Chris Marker, Orson Welles, Haroun Farocki, Alan Clarke, Nick
identity will topically examine the changing status and means of image- What are the expectations of the audience and what then is the strat- physically, in the way we internalize and enact its ideas. Broomfield, Jonas Mekas, Yvonne Rainer, Alain Resnais, Guy Debord,
making. Concepts to be explored are historical determinism, commodity egy of the maker? Werner Herzog, Jean-Pierre Gorin, Chantel Akerman, Robert Frank
culture, the blurring of boundaries, representations of memory, the clash Criticism and Theory: TIME IMAGE PERCEPTION and Craig Baldwin. We will devote several weeks to contemporary
of cultures, the new grotesque, the culture of the copy, public spectacle Criticism and Theory: Contemporary Criticism The “photographic” is not a category exclusive to photography; moving-image works that deal with issues of diaspora and statelessness.
and private myth. The course’s intention is to demarcate the roles of Designed to examine both general and specific areas of critical dis- rather, it is a condition that appears in several genres and practices
the artist in the “real world” and the ways in which artistic practice is course, we will begin with the distinctions among commonly used that involve imagery that embraces painting, film, video, photogra- Historical Perspectives: THE LENS AND VISUAL ARTS,
relevant to understanding the human condition. terms such as “history,” “analysis,” “theory,” “criticism” and “critical phy and more recently “new” forms of digital media. Above all, it 1950 TO 1980
theory” in broad, but grounded, terms. The course will also delineate is connected to a visual field where actions include cutting, framing, The focus of this class is to map a history of contemporary art via
Contemporary Issues: Moving Image Colloquia the concepts of modernism and postmodernism by tracing the develop- stopping and expanding movement. This course will examine contem- issues in lens-based media. Photography has been central to the practice
This course will consist of professional presentations and workshops in ment of specific methodologies such as formalism, Marxism, semiotics, porary and historic works along with theoretical writings concerned and theory of art since the 1960s; video since the 1970s. We will track
topics that relate to the theory, development, production, postproduc- literary theory, structuralism and poststructuralism, deconstruction, with the aesthetic, social and psychological aspects of the “photo- some of the myriad ways that reproductive imagery and media have
tion and distribution of video. Visiting professionals will be an integral feminism and psychoanalysis. There will be a focus on understanding graphic,” both still and moving. been incorporated into contemporary art since 1950, as well as the
component of the course. the issues as an interrelated history of ideas. discourse around photographic reproduction that has been integral to
postmodernism and poststructuralist theory. Artists whose work will be
discussed include Robert Frank, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol,
Diane Arbus, William Eggleston, Larry Clark, Ed Ruscha, Robert
Smithson, Mel Bochner, Vito Acconci, Chris Burden, Martha Rosler,
Hans Haacke, Adrian Piper, Christian Boltanski, Bernd and Hilla
Becher, Gerhard Richter, Joseph Beuys and Mary Kelly, among others.

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Historical Perspectives: PAST TENSE, PRESENT TENSE—Themes Master Critique I, II & III Studio: Digital Imaging I & II Studio: Video Editing
in photography Group critique seminars are the focal point of student activity in any These courses will explore the theory and practice of digital imaging. Video editing is the arrangement of disparate pieces of image and
It’s a common act to compare the past with the present, but in photog- given semester. Guided by prominent figures in the visual arts, and The fall semester will concentrate on the use of digital cameras and sound within a sequence. This course will demystify the editing experi-
raphy it takes on special importance. In a sense, photography doesn’t assisted by their peers, students concentrate on producing a coherent flatbed and film scanners; the enhancement of images for a variety of ence, allowing the process to become one in which students have the
have a past; it was born into an industrial world that most people on body of work that best reflects their individual talents and challenges output options will be examined. Tonal and color correction, color freedom to make confident decisions that are motivated by aesthetic
the planet now share. Technologically, it was complete almost imme- the current boundaries of their media. management, restoration and retouching techniques will be addressed. and style choices. Excerpts from a variety of films and videos will be
diately—daguerreotypes but no cave paintings, no primitivism, no The spring semester will explore creative masking and compositing screened to provide a fundamental understanding of editing styles,
battles over sacred and profane imagery. So we find deep consistencies Modern Art Through Pop I & II techniques to make images from multiple files and sources. The print aesthetics and techniques. Practical assignments will assist in the
in the outlook, techniques, assumptions and even the mysteries about This course presents an introduction to the major movements and ten- will be the primary focus. Working with outside graphic bureaus will development of a personal style and approach to editing. Topics will
photography. The questions Fox Talbot asked 150 years ago are still dencies in modern art produced in Europe and the United States from be discussed. cover theories of montage, time management (on screen and within the
being asked by artists today, albeit in new languages. This course the mid-19th century through the mid-20th century, including realism, process itself), sound design and the use of music and graphics, match
will help cure us of the myopia of the present with a longer view of impressionism, postimpressionism, symbolism, fauvism, cubism, futur- Studio: Digital Imaging I & II—MOVING IMAGE frame edits, jump cuts and an overall sense of structure.
photography’s evolution. By looking at a variety of topics—creative ism, expressionism, Dadaism, surrealism, abstract expressionism and This course will explore the theory and practice of digital production
communities, the road, portraiture, landscape, the street etc.—we will pop art. Topics to be addressed include: the invention of photography, and postproduction for the moving image. It will concentrate on spe- Studio: Video Projects
explore the ways in which these perennial themes and subjects inform collage and the found object; the contested concepts of the “modern”; cific applications including Apple Final Cut Pro, Adobe After Effects, While photography and video share many basic characteristics, they
the past and present in a constant dialog. In addition to readings and modernism and primitivism; and the emergence of abstraction. DVD Studio and Adobe Flash, as well as on traditional and Web-based also differ in a variety of ways. For example, video is a time-based
discussions, guest lecturers will help us explore these topics from the distribution strategies. medium and an electronic technology; composition includes movement
perspective of their critical and professional experiences. In this course, Sexuality and Representation Seminar not only of the frame, but also within the frame; and the editing of
we will look at the past with an awareness of other alternatives and An analytical approach, with Lacanian emphasis, to the voyeur­ism Studio: Introduction to Video images is central to the process. This course explores such consider-
learn to question the assumptions that may hinder us from appreciat- inherent in all photography. Readings, discussion and critique are While photography and video share many basic traits, they also dif- ations through assigned exercises and culminates in the production of
ing the art that is emerging now. involved in deciphering the influence of sexuality in image-making. fer in a variety of ways. For example, video is a time-based medium, two video projects during the semester.
and an electronic technology; composition includes movement of the
Historical Perspectives: Photographic History Studio: Advanced Photoshop Projects frame and within the frame; and the editing of images is central to the Thesis Forms I & II
and Museum Practice This advanced project-based Adobe Photoshop course is designed for process. This course explores such considerations through assigned In the second year, students begin their thesis preparation by formulat-
An examination of how museums collect, interpret and preserve students who want practical professional training or wish to improve exercises, and culminates in the production of two video projects dur- ing the central ideas that will become their thesis project. Appropriate
photographs as art, artifacts and carriers of information. Topics will their Photoshop skills. Specialized techniques will be explored through ing the semester. It also prepares students for advanced video and strategies for the form, presentation and distribution of these ideas will
include: the evolution of the canon of photo­­graphic artists, which a series of intensive projects, and will include high-end retouching and multimedia courses. be considered. In a highly practical way, the course considers the his-
paralleled the growth of modern­ism between 1910 and the 1970s; the photo restoration, compositing, vector graphics and advance workflow tory and features of various visual solutions available to photographic
postmodern attack on the idea of a canon in the 1980s; the museums’ techniques. The goal of the course is to enhance and refine each stu- Studio: The Laws of Light and How to Break Them artists, depending on their audiences and goals. Books, exhibitions,
varied responses to this attack in the 1990s. How have photography dent’s Photoshop skills for wide range of applications both inside the This course is an opportunity to learn the laws of light and to gain an installations, interactive presentations—the course helps students work
curators responded to critics, new scholarship, the escalating art mar- studio and in the workplace. appreciation of how important an understanding of light is to a pho- through the questions each form raises to find appropriate answers for
ket, and the shift within museum management toward marketing and tographer’s process. We will begin with an exploration of the physics their own projects.
entertainment? The search for answers includes examining a variety of Studio: Book Design for Photographers of light in order to explain its behavior. Sessions and assignments will
exhibition catalogs and monographs on photographers such as Eugene The photographic book as a tool for visual communication is consid- teach students to approach every lighting experience with confidence. Thesis Project
Atget, Carleton Watkins, Berenice Abbott and Irving Penn, as well as ered in this course, which seeks to elevate the image-maker’s awareness The purpose is to master these concepts and to ensure effective appli- The thesis project represents a unique and original vision that furthers
thematic and multimedia exhibitions, including shows by museums of design issues through the process of creating a book. Starting with cation of this knowledge. The ability to problem solve is a crucial an understanding of creative visual expression. It is the culmination
and libraries. Three museum visits with curators and a tour of auction the subject matter and visual concept, the course will cover editing, element when faced with challenging lighting situations. Without this of the student’s matriculation, suitable for public viewing, accompa-
house previews are included. photo sequencing and all aspects of design. understanding, it is very difficult to move beyond obvious limitations. nied by written documentation that explains the historical precedents,
The ultimate goal is to be able to apply these concepts and then to see evolution and generation of the project. Each student works in an
Internship Studio: Digital Design and Visual Effects all the possibilities. integrated set of relationships with the Thesis Forms instructor, fourth-
Students can gain valuable professional exposure and experience An extension of the trompe l’oeil tradition in painting and set design, semester critique class and an outside advisor.
through an internship project with a professional sponsor or an special effects involves suspending the disbelief of the spectator by Studio: Solving the Mysteries of Light
employer. The department advisor and department chair can assist in tricking the eye. Students will learn to achieve seamless photorealistic The goal of this course is for each student to develop a unique style.
locating internships that are compatible with each student’s goals. To effects, art-making bravura and inventive design strategies. Advanced This will be achieved through discussions of photographs that stu-
receive credit, students must get departmental approval in ad­vance, technical issues will be demonstrated and students will be required to dents bring to class, along with an evaluation of how the lighting was
begin the internship by the third week of the semester, and receive a solve problems in image-processing and design. Skills will be taught achieved. There will be a lighting demonstration each session, based
positive evaluation from the sponsor/employer at semester’s end. in context with related contemporary cultural and art historical on student concerns. Students will also bring in photographs for which
examples. Assignments are drawn from a wide range of visual effects they want to emulate the lighting, along with sketches showing their
areas, including type design, architecture, high-resolution retouching, best assessment of how the lighting was achieved. Through class dis-
photo-design, stereo imaging, matte-painting, anamorphosis, anima- cussion, new sketches will be developed. Assignments will be given
tion, image-warping, panoramic-panoptic viewing, package design and based on the photographs brought to class and the revised lighting
3D computer graphics. sketches that evolve.

Photography, Video and Related Media 334 335 www.sva.edu/grad/photovideo


Faculty

Charles H. Traub, Chair Publications include: Sites Unseen: Shimon Attie—European Jennifer Blessing Phong Bui
Principal, Charles H. Traub Photography; co-founder, here is new Projects; The Writing on the Wall: Projections in Berlin’s Jewish Curator of Photography, Solomon R. Guggen­heim Museum Publisher, editor, Brooklyn Rail; visual artist; curator
york; consulting photographic editor. Formerly, director, Light Gallery Quarter; Shimon Attie: Photographs and Installations; The History Education: BA, with honors, Brown University; Education: BFA, Philadelphia College of Art; New York Studio
Education: BA, University of Illinois; MS, Illinois Institute of of Another: Shimon Attie MA, New York University School
Technology; University of Louisville Awards and honors include: National Endowment for the Arts; Curatorial works include: “Family Pictures: Contemporary Professional experience includes: Curatorial advisor,
represented by: Gitterman Gallery, New York Prix de Rome; Pollock-Krasner Foundation; Ministry of Culture, Photographs and Videos from the Collection of the Guggenheim P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center. Host, “Off the Rail Hour,” Art
One-Person Exhibitions include: Gitterman Gallery; Blue Berlin; New York Foundation for the Arts Museum,” “Speaking with Hands: Photographs from The Buhl International Radio. Board member: Marie Walsh Sharpe Foundation,
Sky Gallery; Light Gallery; Marcuse Pfeifer Gallery; Van Straaten Collection,” “Rrose is a Rrose is a Rrose: Gender Performance in International Association of Art Critics
Gallery; Art Directors Guild of New York; Visual Studies Workshop, Jan Avgikos Photography,” “Marina Abramovic: Seven Easy Pieces,” Solomon Publications include: The New York Times, Wall Street Journal,
Rochester, NY; Chicago Center for Contemporary Photography; Alan Art critic, historian, curator R. Guggen­heim Museum New York Sun, Sculpture, Hudson Review, Art in America, New York
Frumkin Gallery; J.B. Speed Art Museum, Louisville, KY; Camera Education: BA, Georgia State University; MA, Columbia University Published essays in: Allegorie II: Video; Robert Mapple­ Observer, The Village Voice, San Francisco Chronicle, Art Monthly
Work; Art Institute of Chicago; Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, NY Publications include: Flash Art; Parkett; Tate Etc.; thorpe and the Classical Tradition; Performance Research; Gina Australia, Matador, Art & Auction, Brooklyn Rail, Metro, The New
Books include: Education of the Photographer, In the Still Life, Contemporanea; Texte zur Kunst; contributing editor, Artforum. Pane; Dandies: Fashion and Finesse in Art and Culture; Parkett; Yorker, NY Arts, art.net
In the Realm of the Circuit, An Angler’s Album, Beach, The New Essays in: Still Water: Photographs by Roni Horn; Guggenheim Veronica’s Revenge: Contemporary Perspectives on Photography/ One-person exhibitions include: Leslie Heller Gallery, Wooster
Vision. Co-author, On the Edge: New York Waterfront; Italy Museum Bilbao Collection The Lambert Photography Collection; Premises: Invested Spaces in Arts Space, Sarah Bowen Gallery, Sideshow Gallery
Observed Awards and honors include : Frank Jewett Mather Award, Visual Arts, Architecture, and Design from France, 1958—1998; Group exhibitions include: Lohin Geduld Gallery; Norte Maar;
Publications include: Connoisseur, Fortune, U.S. News & World College Art Association; Mellon Fellow, Columbia University Art of This Century; The Italian Metamorphosis, 1943—1968; Vaudeville Park; Janet Kurnatowski Gallery; Gallery Satori; Cité du
Report, Newsweek, Aperture, Afterimage, Popular Photography, Modernism, Gender, and Culture; Art/Fashion Livre, Aix-en-Provence, France; Today Art Museum, Beijing; Pierogi
American Photographer, The New Yorker Kiki Bauer Awards include: National Endowment for the Arts, International 2000; Brooklyn Museum
Awards and honors include: New York State Council on the Graphic designer; owner, Kiki Bauer Design Association of Art Critics Awards and honors include: Eric Isenburger Annual Prize,
Arts; Hendricks Foundation Award; Illinois Art Council; Manda Professional experience includes : Senior designer, art director, National Academy Museum; American Academy of Arts and Letters;
Grant; Olympic Arts Organization Committee; Cornell Capa powerHouse Books Robert Bowen Pollock-Krasner Foundation; NURTUREart; Arcadia Fellowship;
Award, International Center of Photography; Brendan Gill Award; Book design for : A Body; Grim Street; True Color; Casa Susanna; Fine artist; designer; principal, Robert Bowen Studio Hohenberg Award for European Travel, New York Studio School;
Distinguished Service Award, Children’s Aid Society; Municipal Arts A Time Before Crack; Darling; Wayne F. Miller: Photographs 1942- Education: BA, St. Lawrence University; MFA, Pratt Institute Charles H. Revson Foundation
Society 1958; Flying Pictures; The Day After Tomorrow: Images of our Earth Clients include: Adobe, Disney, Kodak, Canon, AT&T, American
website: www.charlestraub.com in Crisis; Hot and Cold: The Works of Richard Hell; New York’s Express, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Heineken, Bacardi, Panasonic, Sony Chris Callis
Bravest: Eight Decades of Photographs from the Daily News; Time Publications include: Cabinet, Afterimage, San Francisco Photographer
Suzanne Anker Frames: City Pictures; Aging in America: The Years Ahead; Warhol/ Camerawork Quarterly Education: BFA, Art Center College of Design
Chair, BFA Fine Arts Department, School of Visual Arts; fine artist; critic Makos in Context; Walker’s Way: My Years with Walker Evans Exhibitions include: MF Adams Gallery, Haim Chanin Fine Arts, Clients include: Hewlett-Packard, IBM, BMW, Smirnoff, Honda,
Education: BA, Brooklyn College; MFA, University of Colorado, Clients include: Pond Press; Duoda Centre for Research on Women, SIGGRAPH, Vanderbilt University, Fordam University, 55 Mercer, Kodak, Polaroid
Boulder University of Barcelona; New York Photo Festival; Gitterman Gallery Collective for Living Cinema, Boston Museum of Science Publications include: The New Yorker, The New York Times
Publications include: Art Journal; Tema Celeste; Seed; M/E/A/ Awards and honors include : Best Photo Book of the Year, Photo Collections include: Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum Magazine, Esquire, Rolling Stone
N/I/N/G; Leonardo; Nature Reviews Genetics; Update: New York District News; photo-eye; The Village Voice; Art Directors Club; of American Art, Brooklyn Museum, Sackner Archive of Concrete and Awards and honors include: Best of Show, ICON Awards; Gold
Academy of Sciences magazine; co-author, The Molecular Gaze: Art Golden Light Awards Visual Poetry Award, Society of Publication Designers
in the Genetic Age Website: www.kikibauer.com Awards and honors include: Best Computer Graphics, Best
Group Exhibitions include: Smithsonian Institution, Washington, Digital Photography, Best in Show, Kodak VIP Image Search; Gold Elinor Carucci
DC; P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; Adam Bell Award, Special Effects, Advertising Photographers of America; Gold Photographer
J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles; Museum of Modern Art, Japan Photographer; academic advisor, MFA Photography, Video and Award, International Film and Television Institute Education: BFA, Bezalel Academy of Art and Design
Related Media Department, School of Visual Arts website: www.bowenstudio.com Represented by: Art 2 Commerce, Edwynn Houk Gallery
Shimon Attie Education: BA, with honors, Oberlin College; MFA, with honors, One-Person Exhibitions include: Fifty One Fine Art
Fine artist School of Visual Arts Ed Bowes Photography, Antwerp; Photographers’ Gallery, London; Gagosian
Education: BA, University of California, Berkeley; MFA, San Group exhibitions include: Berrie Center for the Arts, Ramapo Video producer, director, writer Gallery, London; Fotografie Forum, Frankfurt; Edwynn Houk Gallery
Francisco State University; MA, Antioch University College, Mahwah, NJ; Griffin Museum of Photography, MA; Education: LeMoyne College GROUP Exhibitions include: Israel Museum, Jerusalem; Brooklyn
One-Person Exhibitions include: Institute of Contemporary Germantown Academy Arts Center, Fort Washington, PA; Wallspace; Film and Video Works include: Producer, Fatachee. Producer, Museum; Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum
Art, Boston; Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago; Jack SVA Gallery; Laune Galerie, Tokyo; Galeria di Fendi, Milan; director, writer, Picture-Book; Spitting Glass; How to Fly; Better, Publications include: The New Yorker, Photo District News,
Shainman Gallery; Museum of Art at the Rhode Island School of PhotoEspaña, Madrid; Xposeptember, Stockholm Stronger; Romance. Director of photography, Split Britches, Two The New York Times Magazine, Newsweek, W, Details
Design, Providence; Cleveland Museum of Art; Numark Gallery, Clients include: HBO, ThinkFilms, Journeyman Pictures, Samuel Moon July, Everglade City, Born in Flames. Writer, Nets; Oh, No, Awards and honors include: Ruttenberg Award, Buhl
Washington, DC; Gallery Paule Anglim, San Francisco Goldwyn Films Paula; Headlands; Angles Foundation; Friends of Photography; John Simon Guggenheim
Collections include: Museum of Modern Art; High Museum of Publications include: The Education of a Photographer; PEEK; Awards and honors include: New York State Council on the Memorial Foundation Fellowship; Infinity Award, International Center
Art, Atlanta; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; International Print; The New York Times; New York magazine; Esquire; Me Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Jerome Foundation, New of Photography; Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture
Center of Photography; Center for Creative Photography; Museum of Magazine. Essays in: Words Without Pictures; Foam; Lay Flat 02: York Foundation for the Arts, Rockefeller Foundation, Art Matters website: www.elinorcarucci.com
Modern Art, Berlin; Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC Meta; Ahorn Magazine Inc.; Distinguished Artist-Teacher Award, School of Visual Arts
Award: Paula Rhodes Memorial Award, School of Visual Arts website: www.edbowes.org
Website: www.adambbell.com

Photography, Video and Related Media 336 337 www.sva.edu/grad/photovideo


Patty Chang Ann Collins Film festival screenings include : Middle East Studies Esther M. Klein Art Gallery, Philadelphia; Museum of Art, Rhode
Fine artist Film editor Association; Women of Color; Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival, Island School of Design, Providence; WORK Gallery; Ligne Roset;
Education: BA, University of California, San Diego Education: BFA, cum laude, New York University American Museum of Natural History; Whitney Biennial; Museum of Allegra LaViola Gallery
One-person exhibitions include : Mary Boone Gallery; Arrow Clients include: Maysles Films, Frontline, MTV, MSNBC Modern Art; Art in General Screenings include: All Over The Place Film Festival,
Factory, Beijing; Bowdoin Museum of Art, Brunswick, ME; Moderna Film and television projects include : Sound and Fury, The Awards and honors include: Rockefeller Foundation, National Video In the Raw
Museet, Stockholm; Arratia, Beer Gallery, Berlin; Jack Tilton/ Charcoal People, The Heart of the Matter, The Merchants of Cool, Video Resources, North Star Fund, New York Women in Film and Publications include: Culturehall, Philadelphia City Paper
Anna Kustera Gallery; Galerie Gabrielle Maubrie, Paris; Museum of Prison Lullabies, My So-Called Enemy, Envy, Imaging Peace, Eventual Television Fellowship, Manhattan Neighborhood Network website: www.michelleleft.com
Contemporary Art, Chicago; Armand Hammer Museum of Art, Los Salvation, Victory Over Darkness, Warriors, Girls of Daraja
Angeles; New Museum of Contemporary Art Film festival screenings include : Sundance, Berlin, Telluride, Marvin Heiferman Richard Leslie
Group exhibitions include : P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center; Toronto, Silverdocs, Human Rights Watch Curator, writer Art and cultural historian; critic; foreign correspondent, Art Nexus.
Museum of Modern Art; MassMoCA, North Adams, MA; Solomon Awards and honors include : Freedom of Expression Award, Education: BA, Brooklyn College; Columbia University Formerly, managing editor, Art Criticism
R. Guggenheim Museum; Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla Sundance Film Festival; Jury Prize, Best Documentary Short, Lights. Exhibitions and Curatorial Projects: “City Art: New York’s Education: BA, Jacksonville University; MA, SUNY Stony Brook;
y León, Spain; Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University; Camera. Help. Nonprofit Film Festival Percent for Art Program,” Center for Architecture; “The Smithsonian PhD, CUNY Graduate Center
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco; Franco Soffiantino Photography Initiative,” Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC; Curatorial Projects: “Digital98,” “Digital99,” “Digital2000,”
Gallery, Turin; Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts, Australia; Nancy Davenport “John Waters’ Change of Life,” New Museum of Contemporary Art “Art and Technology,” “Concepts with Neon,” “PULSE (People Using
Mücsarnok, Budapest; Museum of Chinese in America Photographer Author: John Waters: Change of Life Light, Sound and Energy),” “The Prints of H. Daumier”
Collections include: Denver Art Museum; Kadist Art Foundation; Education: BFA, York University, Toronto; MFA, School of Visual Books Packaged and Edited: City Art: New York’s Percent for Author: Pop Art, A New Generation of Style; Surrealism, The
Asia Society; Fondation Antoine de Galbert; San Francisco Museum of Arts Art Program Dream of Revolution; Picasso, A Modern Master. Reviews and
Modern Art; Williams College Museum of Art; Fonds Régional d’Art One-Person Exhibitions include: Nicole Klagsbrun Gallery; Awards and honors include: Who’s Who in America articles in: Art Nexus, Leonardo Digital Review, Art Criticism, Art
Contemporain de Lorraine; Collection Lambert en Avignon; Museum Photo Contemporary, Turin; OR Gallery, Vancouver Journal, New Art Examiner, Artscanada
of Art, Rhode Island School of Design GROUP Exhibitions include: First Triennial at the International Stephen Jablonsky Awards and honors include: North Carolina Arts Council,
Publications include: Artforum, Art in America, The New York Center of Photography; 25th Bienal de São Paulo, Brazil; deSingel Creative director, Imaginary Studio Inc. National Endowment for the Arts, New York United University
Times, Flash Art, Arte e Critica, Frieze, Los Angeles Times, ARTnews, International Arts Center, Antwerp; PROA Foundation, Argentina; Education: BFA, MFA, School of Visual Arts Professors Awards Program, John Rewald Grant, Samuel H. Kress
Stern, Time Out New York, Boston Globe, Time Out London Musée d’Historie de Luxembourg Exhibitions include: International Center of Photography, Visual Foundation
Awards and honors include : Guna S. Mundheim Fellow, Publications include: The Village Voice, The New York Times, Arts Gallery
American Academy in Berlin; James D. Phelan Art Award; Audience Art in America, Artforum, ARTnews, Vogue Clients include: RCA Records, Cinemax, Encyclo­pedia Britannica Paola Mieli
Development Grant, Tribeca Film Institute; Louis Comfort Tiffany Awards and honors include: Canada Council; Paula Rhodes Ltd., HBO, NBC Interactive, Levi’s Psychoanalyst; founding member and president, Aprés Coup
Foundation; Rockefeller Foundation; Lambent Fellowship in the Arts, Memorial Award, School of Visual Arts; Ontario Arts Council Publications include: Print Magazine Digital Annual; contribu- Psychoanalytical Association; member, training analyst, Le Cercle
Tides Foundation; Franklin Furnace; New York Foundation for the tor, Photoshop and the Web Freudien, Paris; member, International Federation for Psycho­analytic
Arts; artist residency, Cité Internationale des Arts Liz Deschenes Awards and honors include: Silver Medal, Summit Creative Education
Fine artist, photographer awards, Communicator awards; Bronze Award, Best Overall Design, Education: PhD, University degli Studi, Milan; Goethe Institute,
Sarah Charlesworth Education: BFA, Rhode Island School of Design New Media Invision awards; Print; New Voices, New Visions Milan; CUNY; École Freudienne, Paris
Fine artist, photographer One-Person Exhibitions include: Andrew Kreps Gallery;
Education: BA, Barnard College Bronwyn Keenan Gallery; Gessellschaft Fur Aktuelle Kunst, Bremen, Seth Lambert Andrew Moore
One-Person Exhibitions include: SITE Santa Fe, NM; Jay Gorney Germany Fine artist; systems administrator, MFA Photography, Video and Photographer
Modern Art; Margo Leavin Gallery, Los Angeles; SL Simpson Gallery, Curatorial exhibitions include: “Photography About Related Media Department, School of Visual Arts Education: BA, Princeton University
Toronto; Rena Bransten Gallery, San Francisco; Galerie Rizzo, Paris; Photography,” Andrew Kreps Gallery Education: BA, Washington University, St. Louis; MFA, School of One-person exhibitions include: Jackson Fine Art, Atlanta;
Interim Art, London; Xavier Hufkins, Brussels; Queens Museum of GROUP Exhibitions include: Galerie Nelson, Paris; Andrea Rosen Visual Arts Yancey Richardson Gallery; Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH;
Art; The Clocktower Gallery; Photographer’s Gallery, London; 303 Gallery; Center for Exhibitions include: Residue Gallery, Jersey City, NJ; Cornell Fine Moscow Arts Center; Craig Krull, Los Angeles
Collections include: Museum of Contem­porary Art, Los Creative Photography Museum, Tucson Arts Museum, Rollins College, Winter Park, FL; Center for Creative Collections include: Whitney Museum of American Art; Library
Angeles; International Center of Photography; Whitney Museum of Collections include: Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; Photography, University of Arizona, Tucson; Pingyao International of Congress, Washington, DC; Yale University; Philadelphia Museum
American Art; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Museum of Fine Whitney Museum of American Art; The Metropolitan Museum of Art Photography Festival, China; Aperture Foundation; Visual Arts Gallery of Art; Canadian Centre for Architecture
Arts, Boston; Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego; Princeton Awards and honors include: Aaron Siskind Foundation Website: www.sethlambert.net Publications include: Inside Havana, Governors Island, Russia
University Art Museum, NJ; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; Victoria PRODUCER, CINEMATOGRAPHER: How to Draw a Bunny
& Albert Museum, London Simin Farkhondeh Michelle Leftheris Awards and honors include: Special Jury Prize, Sundance Film
Awards and honors include: John Simon Guggen­­heim Memorial Filmmaker, fine artist, activist Fine artist; systems administrator, MFA Photography, Video and Festival; National Endowment for the Humanities; New York State
Foundation Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts Education: BFA, University of Hartford; MFA, cum laude, CCNY; Related Media Department, School of Visual Arts Council for the Arts
Whitney Museum Independent Study Program Education: BFA, University of Cincinnati; MFA, with honors, Rhode website: www.andrewlmoore.com
Projects include: Who Gives Kisses Freely From Her Lips; Ground Island School of Design
One: Voices of Post 9/11 Chinatown; Other; Labor at the Crossroads; Film project : An Object of No Name
Salt Peanuts; Caught Between Two Worlds: Iranians in the USA; Group exhibitions include : Taylor Gallery, Meriden, NH;
Adjunct Agony; Forging Ties for Peace; Gulf Crisis TV Project Fleetwing Gallery, Lambertville, NJ; S.S. Nova, Cincinnati; Centre
for Contemporary Art, Glasgow; Sol Koffler Gallery, Providence, RI;
Project Space; Semantics Gallery, Cincinnati; Wassaic Project, NY;

Photography, Video and Related Media 338 339 www.sva.edu/grad/photovideo


Professional Opportunities
MFA Photography, Video and Related Media graduates
present their work each year in a group exhibition in the
SVA Gallery. Graduates of the program participate in all
aspects of photographic culture. Their works are exhibited
in major galleries throughout the world, both private and
public. Many students exhibit regularly in international
magazines, in fashion, cultural and public events, as well as
festivals and salons.

Brian Palmer Publications include: How to Look At Outsider Art; Professional experience includes: Consultant, Symposia Awards and Honors include: New York Founda­tion of the Arts;
Journalist, documentary filmmaker Photography’s Antiquarian Avant-Garde: The New Wave in Project; publisher, Penguin Putnam, USA; director of special sales, Distinguished Scholar-Teacher Award, School of Visual Arts
Education: BA, Brown University; MFA, School of Visual Arts Old Processes; Jonathan Lerman: The Drawings of an Artist New York, HarperCollins Publishers
Professional experience includes: Correspondent, CNN; with Autism; The New York Times; Art in America; Aperture; Publications include: Being Human: The Technological Grahame Weinbren
Beijing Bureau Chief, U.S. News & World Report Metropolis; Surface; Raw Vision; Paper Extensions of the Body; W.E.B. DuBois: A Biography Filmmaker; interactive cinema producer; film and video editor; princi-
Publications include: Mother Jones, PixelPress, Huffington Post, Awards include: Rhodes Scholar, Oxford University, University pal, Typhoon Sky Inc.; editor, Millennium Film Journal
Newsweek International, Newsday, Entertainment Weekly, Fortune, of Michigan and Merton College Steel Stillman Education: BA, University College, London; PhD, SUNY Buffalo
U.S. News & World Report, The Village Voice, The New York Times Visual artist; writer; contributing editor, Art in America group Exhibitions include: Whitney Museum of American Art;
Essays and photographs in: Best African American Essays 2009; Inside David A. Ross Education: BFA, School of Visual Arts Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum;
the L.A. Riots: What Really Happened and Why It Will Happen Writer; art dealer; curator; president, director, Albion New York; One-person exhibitions include : Envoy Enterprises; Mandarin Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge, MA; Museum of Contemporary
Again; China: Fifty Years Inside The People’s Republic; The Education founder, chairman, Curatorial Committee, Artist Pension Trust. Gallery, Los Angeles; Momenta Art; Galerie van Gelder, Amsterdam; Art, Los Angeles; The Kitchen; Zecher Sollern, Dortmund, Germany;
of a Photographer Formerly, director, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Whitney Dinter Fine Art NTT/ICC, Tokyo
Awards and honors include: Media Fellow, Hoover Institution, Museum of American Art; Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston Group exhibitions include : Brooklyn Museum; Carnegie Interactive cinema installations include: Frames, The Erl
Stanford University; Ford Foundation Education: BS, Syracuse University Museum of Art, Pittsburgh; Lesley Heller Workspace; Museum of King, Tunnel, March, Sonata
Website: www.bxpnyc.com Curatorial projects include: “Peter Campus: A Survey,” Antico Contemporary Art, Chicago; Smithsonian American Art Museum, Awards and honors include: Massachusetts Council on the Arts
Collegio de San Ildefonso, Mexico City; co-curator, “Tomorrow,” Washington, DC; The Painting Center; Palais de Tokyo, Paris; and Humanities, Arts Council of Great Britain, New York Foundation
Mary M. Patierno Kumho Museum of Art, ArtSonje Center, Seoul; Long March Space, White Columns; John Davis Gallery, Hudson, NY for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, New York State
Filmmaker; videomaker; editor; co-founder, Dyke TV. Formerly, cura- Beijing; “Lorna Simpson: 31,” Claustro Sor Juana, Mexico City; Publications include: CUT (Germany), Worth, artnet, Council on the Arts
tor, W.O.W. Women’s Film and Video Festival “Quotidiana,” Castello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art, Italy; Armchair/Shotgun. website: www.grahameweinbren.net
Education: BA, University of Massachusetts, Amherst “Bill Viola: A 25-Year Survey,” Whitney Museum of American Art, Artists’ books include : There, Staring
Films include: The Most Unknowable Thing, which received best Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Stedelijk Museum; San Francisco Website: www.steelstillman.com Randy West
documentary award at the following: Los Angeles Lesbian and Gay Museum of Modern Art, Art Institute of Chicago; Museum für Fine artist; director of operations, MFA Photography, Video and
Film Festival; Chicago Lesbian and Gay Film Festival; Washington DC Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt Amy Taubin Related Media Department, School of Visual Arts
Lesbian and Gay Film Festival; Miami Lesbian and Gay Film Festival; Filmmaker, curator, film and television critic. Formerly, curator of Education: BFA, Ball State University; MFA, California Institute
Silver Plaque, Chicago International Film Festival Collier Schorr video and film, The Kitchen; film critic, columnist, The Village Voice of the Arts
U.S. editor, Frieze EDUCATION: BA, Sarah Lawrence College; MA, New York University One-person exhibitions include: Bruce Silverstein Gallery;
Gus Powell EDUCATION: BFA, School of Visual Arts Publications include: Taxi Driver, BFI Film Classics book Yancey Richardson Gallery; Jan Kesner Gallery, Los Angeles; Houston
Editorial photographer, fine artist One-Person Exhibitions include: 303 Gallery; Galerie series; contributing editor, Film Comment, Sight and Sound; con- Center for Photography; Stephen Wirtz Gallery, San Francisco
Education: BA, Oberlin College Drantmann, Brussels; Villa Romana, Florence; Standard Graphik, tributor, Artforum, The New York Times, New York Daily News, Group exhibitions include: Queens Museum of Art; Architecture
Professional experience includes: Photo editor, The New Cologne; Modern Art, Inc., London Millennium Film Journal, LA Weekly and Design Museum, Los Angeles; Paul Robeson Center for the
Yorker (fiction section); photo editor, researcher, Time-Life, Tricycle, Group Exhibitions include: Center for Contemporary Art, Projects include: Producer, T.N.T., The Kitchen Screen, Spitting Arts, Princeton, NJ; International Academy of Fine Arts, Salzburg;
Joe; photo assistant for, Hiro, Nitin Vadukul, Joel Meyerowitz Glasgow; Spiral/Wacoal Art Center, Tokyo; Renaissance Society at the Glass; film, In the Bag Hunterdon Museum of Art, Clinton, NJ; International Center for
Group exhibitions include : FotoGrafia International Festival, University of Chicago; Victoria Miro Gallery, London; Otis College of Awards and honors include: New York State Council on Photography; Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA
Rome; Foam, Amsterdam; TH Inside, Copenhagen; Museum of the Art and Design, Los Angeles; Deutsche Guggenheim, Berlin; Museum the Arts; Exceptional Achievement in Film Criticism, Cinemarati Publications include: The Edge of Vision: The Rise of Abstraction
City of New York; Marcia Wood Gallery, Atlanta; Studio Bee, Tokyo; of Contemporary Art, Denver Award; CAPS; Distinguished Art Historian-Teacher Award, in Photography; The Education of a Photographer; Concrete
French Trotters Gallery, Paris; Ariel Meyerowitz Gallery; Alice Austen Publications include: Harper’s Bazaar, Metropolis, Artforum, School of Visual Arts Photography; The New York Times; Los Angeles Times
House; McMullen Museum, Boston College; Jen Bekman Gallery; Purple Fashion, Out, Frieze, Interview, Monopol. Catalogs Awards include: Brooks Project, Venice Collaborative, CA; Aaron
Museum of Modern Art; Art Institute of Chicago for: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Parkett Penelope Umbrico Siskind Fellowship; Hedda Sterne Residency
Clients include: Spin, Fortune, The New Yorker, Worth, Life, New Fine artist website: www.randywest.net
York magazine, Foam, Newsweek Amresh Sinha EDUCATION: MFA, School of Visual Arts
Book: The Company of Strangers. Filmmaker One-Person Exhibitions include: Montgomery Museum of Bonnie Yochelson
Publications include: Paper Placemats; Bystander: A History of Education: BA, Patna University; MA, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Fine Art, AL; Bernard Toale Gallery, Boston; International Center of Consulting curator for photography, New-York Historical Society.
Street Photography; Here is New York: A Democracy of Photographs; MA, SUNY Buffalo; PhD, York University Photography; Julie Saul Gallery Formerly, curator, Prints and Photographs, Museum of the City of
Print; DoubleTake; American Photography Director: Convict & the Trial, Quit India Movement GROUP Exhibitions include: Museum of Modern Art; Santa New York; assistant curator, Department of Prints and Drawings,
Collections include: Art Institute of Chicago; Museum of Fine Publications include: Connecticut Review; Spectacular Optical; Barbara Museum of Art, CA; Denver Art Museum; Numark Gallery, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
Arts, Houston The Making of Modern Bihar; Patriot; Lost in the Archives; German Washington, DC; Ansel Adams Center for Photography, San Francisco; Education: BA, Swarthmore College; MA, PhD, New York University
Awards and honors include : Photo District News; Cultural Culture and Society; The Review of Education, Pedagogy, and Jan Kesner Gallery, Los Angeles; Bruce Museum, Greenwich, CT; Publications include: Berenice Abbott: Changing New York,
Specialist Grant, U.S. Department of Cultural Affairs Cultural Studies; In Practice: Adorno, Critical Theory and Cultural Art in General; Creative Time: Art in the Anchorage, NY; Spaces The Complete WPA Project; Pictorialism Into Modernism: The
Website: www.guspowell.com Studies; Subtitles: On the Foreignness of Film; Film-Philosophy; Gallery, Chicago; Wallspace; Dazibao, Montreal; Space Force, Tokyo; Clarence H. White School of Photography; From New York to
Colloquy: Text, Theory, Critique; Scope; Transformations Memphis College of Art Hollywood: The Photography of Karl Struss
Lyle Rexer Publications include: The Village Voice, The New York Times, curatorial work includes: New York Historical Society,
Writer; critic; consultant; contributing editor, Art on Paper Mark Stafford Washington Post, Art in America, Boston Globe Museum of the City of New York, Paine Webber Art Gallery
Education: BA, MA, Columbia University Director, Marsilio Publishers; publisher Collections include: Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Awards and honors include: Andrew Mellon Fellowship, The
Education: MA, University of Edinburgh Museum of Art, International Center of Photography, Rhizome Art Metropolitan Museum of Art, Department of Prints and Drawings;
Base, Tampa Museum of Art National Endowment for the Humanities

Photography, Video and Related Media 340 341 www.sva.edu/grad/photovideo


Lecturers, Mentors and
Thesis Advisors
Lecturers, mentors and thesis advisors play an active role in the program.
Past participants include:

Vito Acconci Phong Bui Omer Fast Eiko Hosoe Anthony McCall Abraham Ravett Laurie Simmons Sara VanDerBeek
landscape architect, artist, curator, writer, video artist photographer, filmmaker filmmaker, installation artist filmmaker multimedia artist, fine artist
installation artist editor and publisher, Spencer Finch Alfredo Jaar Matthew McCormick Jennifer Reeves photographer David van der Leer
Dennis Adams The Brooklyn Rail multimedia artist artist, architect, filmmaker filmmaker filmmaker Lorna Simpson assistant Curator, archi-
multimedia artist Sophie Calle Larry Fink Ken Jacobs Kevin McCoy Jeff L . Rosenheim multimedia artist, tecture and design,
Peggy Ahwesh writer, photographer, photographer filmmaker artist, filmmaker curator of Photographs, photographer Guggenheim Museum
filmmaker installation artist Metropolitan Museum Alexandre Singh Chris Verene
Andrew Freiband Miranda July Susan Meiselas
Vince Aletti Jim Campbell filmmaker filmmaker, performance photographer of Art multimedia artist, performer photographer,
critic, The New Yorker multimedia artist artist Michal Rovner Hannah Allen Smith performance artist
David Andrew Frey and Duane Michals
Michael Almereyda James Casebere Tema Stauffer Tom Kalin photographer multimedia artist photographer Alex Webb
filmmaker photographer multimedia artists artist, filmmaker Kathy Ryan Alec Soth multimedia artist
Shana Moulton
Cory Arcangel Paul Chan Adam Fuss Nina Katchadourian video and photography editor, The photographer William Wegman
multimedia artist multimedia artist photographer multimedia artist performance artist New York Times Magazine Joel Sternfeld photography

Fia Backström Oliver Chanarin and Ellie Ga Susan Kismaric Vik Muniz Collier Schorr photographer Lawrence Weiner
artist Adam Broomberg artist, performer curator of Photography, multimedia artist photographer Robert Storr conceptual artist
photographers MoMA Andres Serrano curator, writer, educator Krzysztof Wodiczko
Tina Barney Philip Gefter Tony Oursler
photographer Cathy Cook critic William Klein artist, multimedia and photographer Rea Tajiri multimedia artist, educator
filmmaker photographer, filmmaker installation Gary Sharfin video artist, filmmaker
Ester Bell Bruce Gilden
filmmaker Charlotte Cotton photographer Max Kozloff Martin Parr producer, editor Alan Trachtenberg
Creative Director, National critic photographer Shelly Sliver American historian
Sally Berger Media Museum, London Kate Gilmore
assistant curator of fine artist Sanford Kwinter Payam Sharifi Artists photographer
Film and Video, MoMA Eileen Cowin writer, co-founder of Collaborative Slavs
photographer, video artist Hans Haacke
Alan Berliner conceptual artist Zone Books and Tatars
Renee Cox
Tel: 212.592.2360

Contact Us
filmmaker Peter Halley An-My Lê Paul Pfeiffer
photographer photographer video artist
Elizabeth Biondi
Tim Davis
abstract artist Fax: 212.592.2366
visuals editor, Saul Leiter Jack Pierson
The New Yorker visual artist Ed Halter
photographer, painter multimedia artist E-mail: mfaphoto@sva.edu
critic, curator
Sue De Beer
Dara Birnbaum
video and installation artist Suki Hawley Sze Tsung Leong Sylvia Plachy www.sva.edu/grad/photovideo
installation and video artist photographer photographer
Jennifer Blessing Emily Vey Duke and
filmmaker
Miranda Lichtenstein Sam Pollard
department site: mfaphoto.sva.edu
Cooper Battersby Sharon Hayes
curator of photography, performance, video and photographer director, editor, producer We strongly encourage applicants to visit our department prior to submitting
Guggenheim Museum multimedia artists application materials.
installation artist Barbara London Eileen Quinlan
Mel Bochner Jennifer Dworkin curator of Video and photographer Come to our Departmental Information Session, or contact us directly to schedule a tour.
filmmaker Kathryn High
installation artist artist New Media, MoMA Walid Raad Departmental Information Session: Saturday, November 5, 2011.
John Michael Boling Mitch Epstein Mary Lucier multimedia artist All times and locations will be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit
photographer Dana Hoey
multimedia artist photographer, installation multimedia artist Hani Rashid To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website
Susan Bright Roe Ethridge artist Mary Ellen Mark principal, Asymptote http://mfaphoto.schoolofvisualarts.edu/ or contact the Office of Graduate
writer, lecturer, curator photographer photographer Architecture
Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu.

Photography, Video and Related Media 342 343 www.sva.edu/grad/photovideo


XX An optimistic re-imagining of the artifacts of design, reconciling the challenges
of production and consumption, systems and consequence
XX Students use a hands-on, making-driven approach to master strategic, technical
and narrative skills
XX Faculty comprised of industry leaders, interdisciplinary practitioners, passionate
iconoclasts and savvy entrepreneurs

Design has transformed the world. Now the world is demanding the transformation of designers. What
we consider the “products of design” must go beyond the mass-produced object to include artifacts and
expressions that are purposeful, sustainable and systems-aware. The products of design can manifest
themselves in many forms—from sets of instructions to object-mediated social interventions, from
diy projects to limited edition runs, from manufacture-on-demand to mass-manufactured, and from
speculative objects to design art. Whatever their expression, designed objects should emerge from a
combination of intent and context, celebrating life in addition to solving problems.
The Products of Design program at sva is itself a “product of design”: It responds to the current
explosion of creative investigation around making, meaning and the role of objects in our culture. It
acknowledges the radical shifts taking place in the classic profession of industrial design itself: progres-
sive changes in the processes of product design—from specialized ethnographic research to strategic
business consulting. We see new urgencies in the need to reconcile the material, energy, environmental
and cultural consequences of design inherent in the imperatives of production and consumption.
We see a wonderful expansion in the participants of design—from anthropologists and behavioral
psychologists to materials experts and systems specialists. And finally, we see great interest from
both the mainstream as well as business press around the power of design—to fix problems, to create
value, to reinvent businesses, and to address vital social and environmental challenges.
The program’s mission and curriculum are direct responses to these changes, forging ways to live
up to design’s potential as a constructive force in an ever-changing world. The department welcomes
students who are passionate about this potential, and puts them in the heart of one of the world’s
epicenters of thought leadership, cross-pollinating ideas with creative specialists in New York’s vast
ecosystem of creative enterprise.
Design is well recognized as is a collaborative endeavor now, and it is designers who are uniquely
equipped to provide the connective tissue that can make great things happen. Designers translate between
stakeholders. They reframe problems and reveal opportunities. They make the invisible visible and cata­lyze
change through a combination of research, innovation and storytelling, and just a little bit of magic.
The mfa program in Products of Design prepares exceptional practitioners for the shifting terrain

MFA
of design. Graduates will emerge with the skills and fluency to become leaders who create consequence
through design—equipped with the confidence, experience and network to fill senior positions at top
design firms and progressive organizations, to create ingenious enterprises of their own and to become

Products of Design
lifelong advocates for the power of design.

Allan Chochinov, chair

www.sva.edu/productsofdesign
department site: productsofdesign.sva.edu

345
The Integrated
Designer:
Combining
Information
and Inspiration Faculty Profile:
Ingrid Fetell

Ingrid Fetell is a Human Factors Specialist at IDEO, one of the


premier design and innovation consultancies in the world. Her
work takes her from homes in Kansas City to the New Zealand
Alps—engaging in research, insight generation, opportunity
framing and concept development.
IDEO employs the process of design thinking—
user-centered, researched, iterative, prototyped
and then validated—helping organizations in the “I’ve always been interested in how things are made. My dad is a Human Factors specialist at ideo, and she’s also writing a book
public and private sectors innovate and grow.
bought me my first microscope when I was very young. I had titled Aesthetics of Joy, based on her popular blog, which folds her
chemistry sets, robot arms—all kinds of cool science stuff. There interests in neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, and positive emo-
was also a policy in my house that I couldn’t have everything that tion in design into a proposal of ten principles of designing for joy.
I wanted—but if it was a book, I could have it. So I got the strang- For Ingrid, her book (as well as her approach to design) begins
est, most random books. I was a rabid reader. I definitely feel like with a question: Why does a product make me feel joy? “There’s an
the seeds of the work I do today were sown in my childhood: I was underlying logic to the way we respond to things the way we do,”
interested in everything, how everything works together.” she says, which neuroscience and evolutionary psychology are con-
Like many of her co-workers at the prestigious, socially-minded stantly hinting at, if not pointing to. So her focus is in figuring out
design firm ideo, Ingrid Fetell took a rather circuitous path to get why we might feel joy, say, or delight, about certain products, and
there. Her parents were both doctors, and they encouraged in her a then parsing out systems and protocols that yield joyful products 
precocious affinity for science and its tricky, Latin lingo. She earned or services. “The more we enjoy a product, the more connected we
her ba in creative writing at Princeton, and then traveled to Sydney to feel to it, the longer we’re likely to hold onto it, and the less often
work at the brand consulting and design firm Landor, as a grant strate- we’ll throw it away.”
gist. Ingrid immersed herself in her job and Sydney’s natural land- This intersection of intuition (our emotional response to a
scapes, and found herself rethinking her relationship to design when it product) and information (our scientific discoveries of the causes
came to consist of designing consumer goods and packaging that often and features of our emotional responses) is exciting. Ingrid will be
went straight to landfills. She decided that if she was going to be doing teaching the course Design, Research and Integration, which will
this—design—she wanted to make things better, not worse. prompt students to research an element of user experience, and then
She went back to nyc for grad school, and developed a more integrate their findings into the design of a product to advance the
systems-based view of design: moving beyond the formal design design. She expects to learn from her students, and anticipates that
properties of the object, and understanding it as a system, a human research will take place mostly in the city, outside of the studio, and
system of relationships, networks, ecologies, materials. Today, Ingrid that guest critiques and field trips will round out the class.

The MFA Products of Design Department takes


a holistic view of both curriculum and studio life.
Dedicated space for food preparation, private
phone booths and collaborative and solitary areas
for contemplation have all been factored into the
architecture and layout of the department.
The MFA Products of Design Department occupies a sun-drenched floor in the heart of the
chair interview Flatiron district of Manhattan, and is home to an environment of invention, enterprise and play. To that end, our

Allan Chochinov
campus location has been selected to maximize exposure and collaboration—including weekend charettes—with
SVA graduate students from related programs, such as Designer as Author, Interaction Design, Branding, Design
Criticism and Design for Social Innovation, and a larger interdisciplinary student body of vital and curious learners.
“Industrial design is a bizarre profession,” admits Allan Chochinov, a smile revealing that this doesn’t Immediately adjacent and “through the red door” of the Products of Design Department is the new state-of-the-art
bother him in the slightest. “It’s unlicensed,” he continues, “and it can even be an asset to not know what Visible Futures Lab, where students experiment, build, prototype, 3D print, solder up, and otherwise realize their
you’re talking about! Why would someone hire you to design, say, a new lawnmower if you’d never design investigations. A gallery provides space to display finished and in-process work, and expert staff is available
designed a lawnmower before? Well, because you’d be best placed to bring a fresh look to it.” Chochinov to advise and inspire.
began his own life as a design professional working on tools of a rather more precise nature, from
“I’m a critic of design,
hypodermic needles to surgical instruments, before moving on to other projects and eventually to
but I’m also its biggest
writing and teaching. “Design education is a real passion of mine,” he says. “I’m a critic of design, but
cheerleader. I really
I’m also its biggest cheerleader. I really believe in its power.”
believe in its power.”

On any
As long-time partner and editor-in-chief of design website Core77, Chochinov is also one of the
best-connected individuals in the field, a standing reflected in the diversity of contributors to the new
mfa Products of Design program. “At sva,” he says, “I’ve tried to create a balance between skill-

given day...
building and education, in part through an amazingly eclectic faculty that includes numerous renegades
and rule-breakers.” Chochinov’s online work has also kept him up-to-date with current debates in the
profession, one that he perceives as being in a state of flux. “Design is changing radically right now,”
he elaborates. “Some of the changes are taking place in the context of process—through things
like business design—others through the status of its participants. Many people who aren’t ‘qualified’
designers are now using the field’s methodologies and languages. And there’s a really interesting overlap
between diy, craft, art and design.”
8am  First-year students take an early field trip to the Etsy Headquarters 2pm  The first-years are off to Material ConneXion, one of the world’s
But the biggest change of all, argues Chochinov, is in design’s output—the products of design.
in Brooklyn to talk about craft, design and community. Jill Singer and premier materials specialists (and only a few blocks away from SVA!) to
“They’ve exploded to encompass everything from sets of instructions to social interventions,” he says,
Monica Khemsurov of Sight Unseen facilitate the visit and then it’s off to present their first set of home assignments for faculty member Andrew
“from hacking and ‘modding’ to short-run manufacturing and speculative objects. Unfortunately, the nearby Junior’s for their world-famous cheesecake. (Not a usual breakfast, Dent. All of the Material Futures classes take place in MC’s vast library
way we make things now is fundamentally unsustainable, so that has to change too. Everyone likes admittedly, but not to be missed either.) of advanced and sustainable materials.
artifacts, but if we accounted for the true cost of the stuff we like—extraction, manufacture, transport,
material, labor and energy—we’d be horrified. The new program is a safe environment for students to 9am  Half of the second-years gather with Bill Moggridge, faculty-at- 5:30pm  Logistics discussion around the upcoming Biomimicry
help determine the next stuff, and to do it in a way that’s optimistic, joyful and immersive. Our world large and Director of the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum to Weekend Workshop with Janine Benyus and her team. (The upcoming
has critical problems in terms of health, poverty, gender inequality and the collapse of natural systems, review the progress they’ve been making in integrating their thesis topics spring semester’s 3 day / 72-hour workshop with Emily Pilloton and
but designers are well placed to address these issues by acting as connective tissue, negotiating between with the broader world of design. The other half meet with faculty-at-large Matt Miller of Project H promises to be a huge success.)
the various stakeholders.” William Drenttel of Winterhouse, who helps them brainstorm opportuni-

“Ezio Manzini argues that you can’t give people the same and less, you have to give them different and ties around social impact and sustainable practices. 6:30pm  Faculty member Emilie Baltz brings in molecular gastrono-
mist Mihir Desai to talk shop with the food co-op, a dinner collaborative
better,” Chochinov concludes, “and I think he’s right. Simply decreasing our consumption of the same
11am  After a provocative discussion around the “future of making,” the of several Products of Design students who provide meals for each other
things isn’t going to get us out of the mess we’re in. We need to create systems, services and artifacts that
first-years head back to work on their projects for the Making Studio class once a week.
are sustainable yet gratifying. It’s hard to get rid of things, so we need to recontextualize them. And it
taught by Becky Stern, associate editor of Make Magazine. Some work
all starts with human behavior.”
at their own studio workstations, others move to the Visible Futures Lab, 7:30pm  Lecture by Aimee Mullins, athlete, model and advocate.
a state-of-the-art making and experimental space, adjacent to the studio. Aimee will discuss the state of prosthetics design and the limiting role of
Arduino circuit boards, hybridized craft objects, and “smart softgoods” economics in the domain. In two weeks, Valerie Casey, founder of the
emerge from soldering irons and sewing machines. Designers Accord will be in town to run an evening workshop on
In the Lab’s Rapid Prototyping Room, 3D models are being digitally sustainability and business viability, and students can discuss their
printed as accessories for Antenna Design’s Interaction/Intervention questions around funding and sustainable models.
class—a five-week immersion into creating design for social spaces taught
by Sigi Moeslinger and Masamichi Udagawa. 9pm  Following Aimee’s talk and reception hour, several students take
her out to a nearby café and invite her to help them pitch an industry-
12pm  Lunchtime microclass on intellectual property. Necessitated by the sponsored project around access and body image. Perhaps advisor
surge of Kickstarter-based design projects and Instructables tutorials, Dale Dougherty, founder of Maker Faire, could be in the mix. They’ll
Katy Frankel, lawyer and alum of Creative Commons conducts a schedule a call for tomorrow.
crash-course session. (Katy later posts her notes on the department wiki.)

Products of Design 350 351 www.sva.edu/grad/productsofdesign


Faculty: Scott Chapps
and David Malina
Scott Chapps and David Malina argue that
brand, product and experience need to be
considered simultaneously, and their practice
reflects this belief. Developing iconic products
such as the paradigm-breaking Help Remedies
identity and packaging, or the iconic, award-
winning Home Hero fire extinguisher for Home
Depot, their company ChappsMalina represents
a new breed of integrated design practice.
Facutly: Manuel Toscano
Daily conversation in the Zago studios generates
a broad scope of ideas, providing topics for inves-
tigation as well as opportunities for intervention.
Clients include Unesco, Human Rights Watch
and the United Nations. Manuel Toscano, principal,
believes that one of the greatest challenges for
designers is bringing creativity and intuition to
projects that are challenged by the greatest limita-
tions and constraints.

Faculty: Richard Tyson


Squarely at the intersection of large-scale
systems, strategic innovation and leadership
development, Richard Tyson has developed
multi-year innovation programs for IBM, SK
Telecom, Mars Foods, governments, and NGO’s
such as the United Nations. He’s been a strategy
director at the leadership and innovation firm
Stone Yamashita Partners, and a thought leader
and global account manager at Doblin, Inc. and
Monitor Group.
Faculty: Ayse Birsel
Ayse Birsel of Birsel+Seck employs a
humanistic approach in everything she
designs. Some of her favorite clients
are Herman Miller, Target, Johnson &
Johnson, HP, GE and Moroso, where her
practice emphasizes simplicity beyond
complexity—moving past existing precon-
ceptions and striving to imagine elegant
new possibilities. On the left, design(er)
storytelling from one of Ayse Birsel’s
design sketchbooks, exploring the relation-
ship between process and product.
The Program  The mfa in Products of Design is a two-year integrated program dedicated to design
thinking, design making and design doing. An immersive, optimistic exploration into the next artifacts of design, Course Descriptions
students of the program simultaneously engage in prototyping and debate, research and interaction, problem
framing and presentation skills.¶ The department is adjacent to the new, state-of-the-art Visual Futures Lab,
outfitted with the tools and sophisticated equipment necessary for designers to explore their ideas and realize
them in three-dimensional form—from low- to high-tech, and from handmade to computerized rapid prototypes.
¶ The heart of the program is the mastering of the three fields crucial to the future of design: Making, Structures
and Narratives. Making grounds design and designers: Students investigate multiple dimensions of physical design
practice, its processes and the tools that enable it. Structures informs practice: Students are immersed in the Business Structures Dynamics of Strategy and Design
This course examines the critical aspects of successful organizations, Strategy, like design, is about making difficult choices: what’s essential,
information and business structures that make effective design possible: research, systems thinking, sustainability, including the development of strategy and business models, business what’s different and, perhaps most importantly, what to leave out.
strategy, user experience and interaction/information design. Narratives acknowledges that design demands plans and pitches, intellectual property and entrepreneurship. Through What are the right choices to make, and how do you get better at mak-
an exploration of fundamental business issues at the beginning of the ing them? This course hones the ability to understand and anticipate
stories—from initial idea through marketing—that are made compelling through graphic representation, histori- 21st century, students develop either a business plan for a new orga- design consequences, and to deliberately influence them through stra-
cal precedent, point of view, drawing, writing and videography. ¶ The first-year experience is grounded in project- nization or a new business model and strategic plan for an existing tegic design choices. Students develop competency in strategic analysis,
organization. The result is a formal “pitch” presentation given to guest concepting and decision-making, and gain practice in articulating
based work—both through semester-long courses and shorter studio intensives—complemented by provocative professionals and classmates. strategic arguments for their work. Ideas, tools and case studies are pre-
speakers and inspiring field trips. ¶ The second year focuses on business structures, environmental stewardship, sented by guest lecturers (venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, corporate
Design Delight managers and leaders from technology start-ups) who will share their
design metrics, strategy, entrepreneurship and delight. The yearlong thesis project generates change-making, This course celebrates the joy of design. While design is traditionally experiences in creating, launching and managing innovative businesses.
multidisciplinary work around a chosen field of inquiry, resulting in a comprehensive set, documentation, robust seen as a problem-solving discipline, there are incredible opportunities
to introduce products and experiences into the world that find their gen- Design Research and Integration
fluencies and a powerful professional network of advisors ready to help in the move toward professional practice. esis in other rationales. Through design making, interviews and research, Design, its related tools and its research methods have become essen-
The program ends with a public celebration around the power of design. students will play with stimulation, celebration, amplification, chore- tial components for companies that seek disruptive change and true
ography, symbolism and emotion as tools that inform a new design innovation, and have found that old models lead only to incremental
ethos. We will challenge traditional needs-based design processes, and solutions. This course will examine early phases of the innovation
delve into celebration, heightened articulation and drama as new expres- process with an emphasis on design research methods—from framing
Sample Program sions of design. Through the lens of the emotional and the experiential, an initial challenge to inspiration, insight, synthesis, idea and concept.
students will explore both the place of design within the world of the We address the key transitions between articulating needs and design-
senses, and the role of the senses within the world of design. ing solutions for those needs. Working in teams on a shared challenge,
first year students will create designs that convert creative ideas into action and
Designing for Sustainability and Resilience products grounded in human-centered research.
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
Many product designers feel trapped in siloed roles, supporting the pro-
Systems, Scale and Consequence 3 Design Research and Integration 3 duction of wasteful, disposable and toxic materials. Through the theme Framing User Experiences
Making Studio 3 Designing for Sustainability and Resilience 3 of food, this course examines relationships, systems and infrastructures Products are no longer simply products; they live within complex busi-
Framing User Experiences 1.5 Lenses of Design Enterprise 3 connecting us to local and global sustainability: growing, harvesting, ness and technological ecosystems. To fully understand the user expe-
processing, transporting, distributing, selling, preserving, cooking, eat- rience, designers must be highly flexible communicators, facilitators,
Interaction Design Fundamentals 1.5 Studio Intensives II 3 ing and disposing of the waste related to food—the elements that shape mediators and thinkers. Whether designing a dialysis machine, a mobile
Studio Intensives I 3 Design Narratives 3 many aspects of our lives and relate directly to our planet’s future. phone app, or a water filtration system for the developing world, design
2D Presentation 3 Studio Visits & Lecture Series  0 Working with sustainability experts and change makers (including sci- is as much about framing user experiences as it is about the creation of
entists, engineers, farmers and other specialists), students create designs new artifacts. This course focuses on the relationships between objects
Studio Visits & Lecture Series 0 Workshop: Design Interventions 0 that address one of the most fundamental aspects of life. Sessions take and their contexts, how to identify human behaviors and needs, and
place at various locations throughout New York City and its surround- how those behaviors and needs converge to create user experiences.
ing region, as living laboratories for design projects.
Interaction Design Fundamentals
second year Design Narratives: video Storytelling, Histories The interaction between a product and its user is the foundation of
and Point of View good design. New technologies continue to create seemingly endless
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
In Storytelling, the basic principles of visual communication using possibilities for interaction—qualities of light, movement and other
Thesis I 6 Thesis II 6 techniques in contemporary filmmaking are covered. Working in teams sophisticated responses to meet the imagination of designers. In this
Design Delight 3 Business Structures 3 on a tangible project, students will get hands-on experience in differ- course, students explore theories of interaction design as they apply to
Lifecycle and Flows  3 Service Entrepreneurship 3 ent stages of the whole storytelling process, including observation, both physical and virtual systems. We investigate the rich relationships
ideation, script-writing, storyboarding, shooting and editing. Histories among people, objects and information through the lens of interaction
Dynamics of Strategy and Design 3 Product, Brand and Experience 3 looks at the past 20 years of design history, focusing on some of the design. A combination of lecture and hands-on studio exercises probe
Workshop: Global Vectors for Development 0 objects, personalities and forces that have come to define contempo- critical parts of the design process and human behavior, while address-
rary design practice and discourse. In Point of View, we develop com- ing specific methods for human-centered concept exploration and the
petencies around point of view, a core building block of any successful development of product behaviors.
design and any successful design career. The design provocation, “Why
do we make the things we make?” bookends the course—asked once
at the beginning and again at the end—with an eye toward demon-
strating that point of view can sharpen both intent and result, and that
students have learned its utility in informing the best design work.

Products of Design 358 359 www.sva.edu/grad/productsofdesign


Professional Opportunities
Students in the MFA Products of Design program receive
continuous exposure to a multitude of creative individuals,
entrepreneurs, design consultancies, collectives, agencies and
organizations—locally, nationally and internationally. Mentor-
like connections are established between faculty and students,
creating bridges to potential internships and post-graduation
employment opportunities. Further, several classes and field
trips will take place in working design studios, where students
gain firsthand exposure to these environments and cultures
while building their professional networks. Finally, industry-
sponsored projects expose students to design opportunities and
constraints, building fluency in communication, business and
Lenses of Design Enterprise Product, Brand and Experience Studio Visits and Lecture Series presentation techniques. Throughout the program, students are
With a focus on reframing products of design through various filters— Products are increasingly seen as the embodiments of brands and con- Throughout the program, students visit design sites and studios of sev- encouraged to publish their work on the department website,
commercial, philanthropic, discursive, educational and otherwise—this sumer experiences, with product design playing a critical role in reflect- eral innovative and ambitious design makers in the New York City area. and will be instructed on the most effective techniques for
studio course examines the reworking of designs in accordance with ing a brand’s personality. In this course, students discover how product Curated by Jill Singer and Monica Khemsurov, co-founders of Sight getting their designs published in design blogs and other pub-
the context in which the products live. Students refract their projects design, consumer experience and branding interrelate, and how address- Unseen, students get a visceral immersion into the lives and spaces of lications (many of the faculty have extensive experience in the
through some of the hardest and most necessary design constraints ing the needs of users and markets from different perspectives can outstanding local creatives. Visits will be followed by hosted discussions. media). Finally, students will be encouraged and supported to
(energy, carbon, behavior change, learning) rethink one or more of provide a more holistic approach to the creation of designed objects. Alternating weeks with the studio visits is an ongoing lecture series, enter international design competitions, gaining recognition for
the design conditions that bind them, and then propose ways to create We work through a complete design process, defining an opportunity hosting some of the most creative minds in the world of design. Lectures their creative work and building their portfolios. Students will
novel enterprises. In addition to understanding new models for com- within a specified consumer space, performing research, developing are followed by Q&A sessions and informal networking receptions. acquire the skills, network, evidence and passion that distin-
panies, leadership and organizational development, students explore insights and strategy, concepting and refining. Throughout the guish them as leaders in the new practices of design.
skills for using design and entrepreneurial thinking to convert ambition process, students concentrate on creating a cohesive and viable brand Systems, Scale and Consequence
into action. Students practice discussing and presenting design within a campaign, including final design, identity and packaging. This course traces the life of designed products and services through
range of business, accounting, social and academic situations. the systems that make them possible, valuable and meaningful. It
Service Entrepreneurship examines some fundamental questions: What obligations must be Workshop: Design Interventions
Lifecycle and Flows The services we engage with in today’s world increasingly blur the line addressed when conceiving the scale systems of designed objects? What In this weekend workshop, over the course of 72 hours, students will
The hidden forces behind how consumer objects are made is the focus between the physical and the virtual, and a careful choreography is constraints does working at scale put on the designer? How does con- participate in a full-immersion creative urban experience that challenges
of this course. Systems thinking, lifecycle analysis and stakeholder taking place in the background. Sometimes the process is so seamless ceiving these consequences change how we design? This course encour- designers to “stop, drop and design.” Through “on the street” research,
management theory will all be used as frameworks for understand- that we often don’t consider how marketing, user experience, informa- ages collaboration to conceive, explore and articulate the implications all-night charrettes, clever material selections and guerrilla installations,
ing the industrial process. We also examine the ecological, social and tion architecture, physical objects, interpersonal communications and of designed products and services—the limits, possibilities and oppor- students will collaboratively engage with New York City to execute
financial impact of a consumer product across the full product lifecy- physical spaces all come together to result in a great experience. This tunities that shape a professional designer’s practice and career. social design responses that enlighten, disrupt, question and posit. The
cle. Critical analysis, business logic, design research and thing-making course looks at designing services that make designers and their cus- workshop will take place almost entirely outside of a traditional studio
consciousness is addressed. Coursework follows the product manufac- tomers happy. We explore the essential components of a service—from Thesis I environment. Intervention projects may range from graphic installations
turing cycle from ideation to final end-of-life. Students document the people and communication to interaction, artifacts and infrastruc- Thesis I is an opportunity to explore design-thinking, design-making, to publicly placed objects, spatial editing and more.
lifecycle of a product and develop an alternate design scenario that ture—and delve into the methods of designing and delivering elegant and design-doing that is ambitious in scope, innovative in approach
radically improves it. service experiences. Case studies of various services introduced (both and worthwhile in enterprise. Each student chooses an area of investi- Workshop: Global Vectors for Development
successful and catastrophic), and students create their own service con- gation and then begins rapid design-making exercises to create a body Design can play a profoundly meaningful role in supporting global
Making Studio cept, launch strategy and presentation deck. of design work, research, ideation and presentation materials. Research development, public health and quality of life. In this immersive week-
Making is at the heart of product design. Serving as an introduction and exploration help to surface the design opportunities that resonate long workshop, we look at the shifting nature and models for global
to the re-emerging fields of making, hacking, modding and do-it- Studio Intensives I: Affirming Artifacts, Deconstruction most powerfully with a point of view, the urgencies of design needs, development and international aid, and their intersections with design
yourself (DIY), this course delves into techniques, tools and resources and Reconstruction, Interaction Intervention the scale of potential solutions and the richness of design endeavor. and design thinking. These include public health, sustainable devel-
for expanding what we can make ourselves. We combine traditional Studio Intensives I serves to immerse students into the power of design Since theses tend to be multilayered, students are encouraged to opment and public policy. Examples may include the design of new
and novel techniques and materials in electronics, computation, crafts, through the process of making. Affirming Artifacts investigates how execute design work on a continuum of enterprise—from design ges- products and systems for maternal health in a rural setting, appropri-
fabrication, entrepreneurship and more, moving beyond ideation and intention can inform execution. In Deconstruction and Reconstruction, tures and discursive design concepts through primary and secondary ate products to set up schooling in an emergency refugee camp after
concepting to create fully functional products of design. Students will we abstract the elements of products and services into components that research to prototypes, systems and business models. a disaster, and social enterprise ideas for communities in emerging
have opportunities for online exposure and access to a network of can be reshaped and reconceived. Interaction Intervention addresses markets that want to access Western markets. The key objective is to
innovators, hackers, hobbyists and crafters producing DIY projects. how the physical object can transform human relationships. These Thesis II engage students in an overview of global development issues and prac-
Hands-on skill workshops in electronics and crafts are complemented 5-week classes supplement the full-semester courses through varied The work undertaken in this course represents the culmination of the tices in the context of design.
with field trips, discussions and critiques. approaches and prolific output. program and will embody the knowledge and strategies students have
learned during the past two years. Thesis II culminates with a written
Studio Intensives II: Material Futures, Design Experiments, thesis and a formal verbal and visual presentation by each Master of
Design Performance Fine Arts degree candidate.
Studio Intensives II introduces matter, participation and performance.
Moving from materiality and science to politics and presentation, these Two-Dimensional Presentation: drawing design
classes help students place their products of design—and themselves— and graphics identity
in powerful design contexts. In Material Futures, students convene A crucial skill of the designer is the ability to explore and communi-
at New York’s Material ConneXion to investigate how intelligent cate processes and ideas quickly through two-dimensional representa-
material selection can improve product performance and reduce envi- tion. In Drawing Design, we cultivate multiple drawing techniques on
ronmental impact. In Design Experiments, students develop methods paper and on electronic drawing tablets, helping students “think out
and frameworks to experiment with new scientific ideas, emerging loud” in live, two-dimensional space. In Graphics and Identity, we
technologies and participatory platforms. Design Performance pushes acknowledge that the products of design are increasingly experienced
the boundaries of presentation with innovative and performance-based through their graphic representation. Here students will explore the
approaches to introducing design solutions to clients, consumers and fundamental principles of graphic and identity design, building identi-
other stakeholders. ties and portfolio templates.

Products of Design 360 361 www.sva.edu/grad/productsofdesign


Faculty

Allan Chochinov, chair Curator: “Simplicissimus, Germany’s Most Influential Satire Publications include: So Good, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Brian Chui
Partner, Core77 Magazine,” Goethe House; “Political Art, Ten Years of Graphic The New York Times Magazine, Create, Apicius, Traditional Designer
Education: BA, University of Toronto; MID, Pratt Institute Commentary,” AIGA; “L’Assiette au Beurre,” French Institute; Home, Jack. New York Restaurants, Time Out New York, Oxford Education: BID, Pratt Institute
Professional experience: Editor-in-chief, Core77.com, Coroflot. “Typographic Treasures, The Work of W.A. Dwiggins,” ITC Center University Press, Wired, American Theatre, London Financial Times Professional experience: Industrial designer,
com, DesignDirectory.com; design consultant, Herman Miller, Olive Awards include: Special Educators Award, Art Directors Club; One-person exhibitions include : Florian Papp, Inc. Smart Design New York
1:1, Crunch Fitness, Pentagram; designer, Tanaka Kapec Design AIGA Medal for Lifetime Achievement; National Endowment for the Group exhibitions include: 3rd Ward; Max Lang; Israeli Design Publications include: The New York Times, designboom
Group; designer, Louis Nelson Associates. Board member: Designers Arts; Society of Illustrators; Outstanding Client Award, Graphic Artist Center; Angel Orensanz Foundation, Inc.; Salone Satellite One-person exhibitions include : NYCoo Gallery, ChopsticksNY,
Accord, Design Ignites Change, DesigNYC Guild; Richard Gangel Award for Art Direction; Hershel Levit Award, Awards and honors include: Central Park Conservancy Food Cut&Paste International Design Tournament
Clients include: Autodesk, Adobe, Alias, I.D., Print, HOW, PSFK, Pratt Institute; Masters Series Award, School of Visual Arts Service Design; GreensCart; American Design Club Group exhibitions include : International Contemporary
Design Observer, Industrial Designers Society of America, AIGA, website: www.emiliebaltz.com Furniture Fair; Motorola Club 903, Hong Kong; Cooper-Hewitt
Interaction Design Association, Herman Miller, Johnson & Johnson, Marc Alt National Design Museum: ICFF; Brooklyn Design
DuPont, Nidecker, Autism Speaks, GE Plastics, Dessault Systems, Founder, publisher, Open Source Cities Ayse Birsel Patents: USD583,602S; USD583,616S; USD582,195S;
Karim Rashid Studio, Metropolis, Art Directors Club, Scholastic, Education: New York University Founder, co-principal, Birsel + Seck USD582,196S; USD589,291S; USD537,004S; USD529,404S
BMW North America/MINI USA, Lippincott, Neenah Paper, Green Professional experience: Founder, publisher, Open Source Cities; Education: BID, Middle Eastern Technical University, Class Awards and honors include: GOOD Design Award; Industrial
Electronics Council, Consumer Electronics Association of America, executive director, Green Parking Council; president, Marc Alt + Valedictorian; MID, Pratt Institute Designers Society of America Merit Award
OgilvyEarth Partners; co-chair, founder, partner, Greener Gadgets Conference; co- Professional experience: Founder, principal, Olive 1:1; founder,
Publications include: Core77; The New York Times; The New York founder, co-chairman, AIGA Center for Sustainable Design; Advisory principal, Birsel Design Ltd. Michael Chung
Times Magazine; Design Observer; Design Revolution; Voice: AIGA Board, Designers Accord, Opportunity Green, Design Ignites Change Clients include: Herman Miller, Knoll, Hewlett-Packard, Designer, photographer, filmmaker
Journal of Design; Print; Wired; TreeHugger; Adobe Inspire; Design Clients include: BMW North America/MINI USA, Lippincott, OfficeMax, Target, Johnson & Johnson, Toyota, Museum of Education: BS, San Jose State University
Glut; See magazine; Before & After series; Design Disasters: Great Neenah Paper, Green Electronics Council, Consumer Electronics Modern Art, Renault, Toto, Victoria’s Secret, Ann Taylor, Hasbro, Professional experience: Content guide, project lead, IDEO
Designers, Fabulous Failure, and Lessons Learned; I Love Design Association of America, OgilvyEarth International Flavors & Fragrances Inc., HBF, Acme, Merati Clients include: Johnson & Johnson, Chase, Eileen Fisher, Intel,
Awards and honors include: I.D., Communication Arts, Publications include: Open Source Cities One-person exhibitions include : Resolve Office System Launch, HP, Zyliss, Handspring, Motorola, Samsung
Art Directors Club, The One Club Awards and honors include: Art Directors Club Herman Miller Showroom; NeoCon Publications include: I Miss My Pencil, Photography Served,
Patents: D 338,002; D 324,721; 5,069,782; 5,016,303; 5,400,572; website: www.marcalt.com Group exhibitions include : Moroso M’Afrique; Museum of clickblog.it, photodonuts.com, dabomba.net
5,588,745 Modern Art; Design Trust for Public Space; New York Autoshow; Awards and honors include: Industrial Designers Society of
websites: www.core77.com, www.coroflot.com, Paola Antonelli P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center Café; International Contemporary America, I.D., iF Award, Red Dot, INDEX, One Life International
www.designdirectory.com Senior curator, Department of Architecture and Design, Furniture Fair; Milan Furniture Fair; Pratt Institute Photos Project
Museum of Modern Art Publications include: Huffington Post, I.D., Metropolis, website: http://cinematic-reality.com
Steven Heller, program co-founder Education: Laurea di Dottore, Polytechnico Di Milano Interiors, Intramuros
Co-chair, MFA Design Department, School of Visual Arts; special Professional experience: Editor, Abitare; contributing editor, Collections include: Museum of Modern Art; Cooper-Hewitt, Andrew H. Dent
assistant to the president, School of Visual Arts; co-founder, MFA Domus; Harvard Graduate School of Design, visiting professor National Design Museum Vice president, Library and Materials Research, Material ConneXion
Design Criticism Department, School of Visual Arts; editor, Voice: Exhibitions curated include : “Talk to Me,” “Design and the Awards and honors include: Gold Award, IDEA; Gold Award, Education: PhD, Cambridge University
AIGA Online Journal of Graphic Design; contributing editor, Print, Elastic Mind,” “Humble Masterpieces,” “Achille Castiglioni: Design!,” I.D.; Athena Award, Rhode Island School of Design; Best of Show, Professional experience: Rolls Royce PLC; Postdoctoral
Eye, I.D., Baseline; contributing writer, Metropolis, Grafik, Step, “Thresholds: Contemporary Design from the Netherlands,” “Safe: Design Best of Category Awards, NeoCon; Young Designer Award, Brooklyn research at Cambridge University and at the Center for Thermal Spray
Visuals; columnist, The New York Times Book Review. Formerly, art Takes on Risk,” “Mutant Materials in Contemporary Design,” “Projects Museum; Fulbright Scholar Research, SUNY Stony Brook (research projects include work for the
director, The New York Times Book Review 66: Campana/Ingo Maurer,” “Workspheres,” Museum of Modern Art website: www.birselplusseck.com United States Navy, DARPA, NASA, British Ministry of Defence)
Education: New York University Books include: Objects of Design from the Museum of Modern Clients include: Adidas, BMW, Proctor & Gamble, Whirlpool
Books authored or co-authored: More than 100 books on Art; SAFE: Design Takes On Risk; Humble Masterpieces: Everyday Scott Chapps Publications include: Ultra Materials: How Materials
graphic design, illustration and political art, including The Design Marvels of Design; Design and the Elastic Mind Co-founder, creative director, ChappsMalina Inc. Innovation is Changing the World; Material ConneXion: The
Entrepreneur; Iron Fists: Branding the 20th-Century Totalitarian Publications include: Harper’s Bazaar, Harvard Design, I.D., Education: BA, high honors, Ravensbourne College of Design and Global Resource of New and Innovative Materials for Architects,
State; Art Direction Explained, At Last!; Design Disasters: Great Metropolis, Nest, Paper, Seed Communication Artists and Designers; bi-weekly “Material Innovation” column for
Designers, Fabulous Failure, and Lessons Learned; Paul Rand; Awards and honors include: Design Mind Award, Cooper- Professional experience: Lead product designer, Arnell Group BusinessWeek
Design Literacy: Understanding Graphic Design; The Swastika: A Hewitt, National Design Museum; senior fellow, Royal College of Art, Clients include: Panasonic, Samsung, Electrolux, Johnson & website: www.materialconnexion.com
Symbol Beyond Redemption?; The Education of a Graphic Designer; London; honorary doctorate, Kingston University Johnson, Kimberly-Clark, PepsiCo, Home Depot, Help Remedies Inc.
Faces on the Edge: Type in the Digital Age; German Modern: Art Publications include: New Design, Simply Packaging, Wallpaper,
Deco Graphic Design; French Modern: Art Deco Graphic Design; Emilie Baltz The New York Times, Monitor, Innovation, IDSA Yearbook of
Graphic Wit: The Art of Humor in Design; Art Against War; The Art Creative director, BALTZ WORKS Industrial Design Excellence, Becoming a Product Designer: A
of Contemporary Caricature; Seymour Chwast: The Left Handed Education: BA, Film Studies, Vassar College; MID, Pratt Institute Guide to Careers in Design
Designer; Innovators of American Illustration; The Graphic Design Professional experience: Manager, visual brand strategy, Awards and honors include: RSA, Industrial Designers Society
Reader; Design Humor; Cuba Style; Citizen Designer; Graphic Style; Aruliden; art director, L Design of America /IDEA, Red Dot, iF Award, MDEA, The Dieline Award,
Typology; The Education of an Art Director; Euro Deco: Graphic Clients include: Limoges Porcelain; Museum of Sex; Marc Ecko GOOD Design, I.D.
Design Between the Wars; Merz to Emigre: Avant-Garde Magazine Enterprises; Umami Food & Art Festival; Central Park Conservancy; Patents: D612268, D611846, D611845, D601353, D600569,
Design of the 20th Century; Becoming a Graphic Designer The Battery Conservancy; Wired; GOOD; Design Workshops at D599216, D598300, D505206, D501558, D492248
Boisbuchet, Vitra Design Museum; Ark Restaurants Corporation; website: www.chappsmalina.com
Picnick; Joovy; Aventino Restaurant 

Products of Design 362 363 www.sva.edu/grad/productsofdesign


Carla Diana Professional experience: Organizer, Industrial Designers Society Sigi Moeslinger Group exhibitions include: Museum of Modern Art; Design
Senior designer, Smart Design of America SF, LA; Design Management 3, Art Center College of Partner, Antenna Design New York Inc. Exchange; Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum; Milwaukee
Education: BE, The Cooper Union; MFA, Cranbrook Academy of Design Education: BS, Art Center College of Design; MS, New York Institute of Art & Design, WI; Moss; Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA;
Art; Pratt Institute Clients include: Coca-Cola, General Electric, Puma, Litl, Augen University NEC STEP; Samsung Exhibit of American Product Design
Professional experience: Senior design technologist, frog Optics, Nixon, NY Department of Health, JimmyJane, Johnson and Professional experience: Interval research fellow, New York Collections include: Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum;
design; creative director, Planetii; director of engineering, The Good Johnson, Mastercard University, Interactive Telecommunications Program; senior industrial Design Exchange
Housekeeping Institute Publications include: Los Angeles Times, I.D. designer, IDEO Product Development Patents: 6,694,893; D471,730; D470,320; 6,363,865; 6,283,544;
Clients include: HP, Microsoft, Samsung, Hitachi, Mazda, Exhibitions include: Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum; Clients include: Bloomberg, JetBlue Airways, Johnson & Johnson, D437,706; D436,263; 6,171,173, D429,097; D423,825;
Gulfstream, TurboChef, Scholastic, Neato Robotics Pasadena Museum of California Art Knoll, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Metropolitan Transportation D423,254;D423,171; D385,002; D372,750
One-person exhibitions include : Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Awards and honors include: Projects with fuseproject: Spark!, Authority, Sony website: www.reinsteinross.com
TX; Spruill Center for the Arts, Atlanta, GA; Telfair Museum of CES Design and Engineering Award, GOOD Design Award Group exhibitions include: Cooper-Hewitt, National Design
Art, Savannah, GA; Galerie Bleue, Lacoste, France; Nuove Modalita websites: www.superhappybunny.com and www.fuseproject.com Museum; Flexibility—Design in a Fast Changing Society, Turin; Jason Severs
Espressive Nell’era Del Digitale; Villa Aragona Cuto, Palermo, Italy Museum of Modern Art; Brooklyn Bridge Anchorage; Walker Art Principal designer, practice lead, frog design
Group exhibitions include:  MAD Museum; St. Etienne Design Claire Hartten Center, Minneapolis, MN; American Museum of Natural History Education: BFA, Memphis College of Art; MA, Columbia Universty
Biennial; Berkeley Art Museum, CA; Hosfelt Gallery; Spruill Center for Sitopian designer, researcher, project developer Collections include: Museum of Modern Art, Corning Museum Teachers College; George Brown College
the Arts, Atlanta, GA; SUNY Oswego; Zajazd w Dolinie, Mragowo, Education: BA, Swarthmore College; MA, Central Saint Martins of Glass Professional experience: Designer/technologist, Condé Nast
Poland; Art Directors Club; Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, College of Art & Design Publications include: Businessweek, I.D., Wired, The New Publications; designer, Bruce Mau Design and the Institute without
MI Professional experience includes: Hungry New York York Times, Monitor, AXIS, Creativity, Design Week, eDesign, Boundaries; designer, Columbia Center for New Media Teaching
Publications include: Core77; Interactions, Journal of the ACM; with Carolyn Steel, author of Hungry City: How Food Shapes Our Architektur&Wohnen, Metropolis, Design Report, Dwell, Berliner and Learning
AIGA Journal; Good Housekeeping Lives; The Dirt Cafe Projects; The Green Rabbits; Shoe Town to Brew Zeitung, Profil, Die Presse Clients include: American Express, AT&T, Colgate, Cox
Awards and honors include: MAD Museum Residency; Gold Town: Craft Brewing Meets Green Development; Eco-Feast, Lower Awards and honors include: Gold, silver, bronze awards, Communications, ETS, Fiat, GE, Humana, HP, LG, Neutrogena,
Award, Output; Gold Award, International Yearbook; Brown East Side Ecology Center; The Willow School’s Health, Nutrition IDEA; National Design Award, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Qualcomm, Sandisk, Thomson Reuters, Vonage.
Foundation Fellowship, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Digital Design & Wellness Center; outreach strategy for documentary film, What’s Museum; United States Artists Target Fellowship; Wired Rave Publications include: Contributing author, Massive Change,
Competition, Print; Presidential Fellowship, Savannah College of Art Organic About Organic?; The Rye Bread Project; New Amsterdam Award; iF Award; I.D. The Future of Global Design; The Fabric of the Cosmos; The
and Design; Horizon Interactive Design Awards; Art Directors Club Market; Jimmy’s No. 43; La Fromagerie, London; collaborator, website: www.antennadesign.net Hidden Reality
Young Guns; Flash Forward Film Festival, San Francisco; Flash in the The Borough Market Cookbook; London Design Festival; British Exhibitions include: Mixed Greens Gallery; Vancouver Art Gallery;
Can Film Festival Design Council. Jay Parkinson AGO Toronto; Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago; HERE Art;
website: www.carladiana.com Website:  www.clairehartten.com Co-founder, The Future Well, Co-founder, Hello Health Meat Market Art Fair
Education: BA, Washington University; MD, Pennsylvania State Awards and honors include: Design Research Fellow Columbia
Tina Roth Eisenberg Monica Khemsurov University; MPH, Johns Hopkins; Department of Pediatrics residency, Center for New Media Teaching and Learning
Founder, Swissmiss Studio; creative director, organizer of lecture series Co-editor, Sight Unseen; writer; co-founder, curator, Saint Vincent’s Hospital, New York website: www.jasonsevers.com
CreativeMornings Noho Design District Clients include: National Health Service (UK), Sanofi-Aventis, The
Education: BS, Kantonschule Trogen; MA, University of Applied Education: BA, Northwestern University Freelancers Union, Brown Forman Jill Singer
Science Munich; Ecole des Arts Decoratifs Professional experience: Senior editor, I.D. website: http://blog.jayparkinsonmd.com Co-editor, Sight Unseen; writer; curator; co-founder, curator, Noho
Professional experience: Consultant, Smart Design; consultant, Clients include: The Future Perfect, Great Jones Lumber, Areaware, Design District
Museum of Modern Art; design director, Plumbdesign/Thinkmap, Inc.; Roll & Hill Andrew Schloss Education: BA, Stanford University
senior designer, Drumbeat Digital; senior designer, New York Zoom Publications include: T, The New York Times Style Magazine; Director, Brand, Reinstein/Ross, Goldsmiths Professional experience: Managing editor, I.D.
Clients include: Museum of Modern Art, Food Network, W; Surface; New York; Details; Wallpaper; Wall Street Journal; Education: BA, MS, University of Oregon; MID, Pratt Institute Clients include: The Future Perfect, Oak, Great Jones Lumber,
Geneva Labs Travel + Leisure; V Man; Business 2.0 Professional experience: President, ABS Design; partner, Areaware, Roll & Hill
Awards and honors include: AIGA, The One Show website: www.sightunseen.com Bernstein Design Associates Publications include: T, The New York Times Style Magazine;
website: www.swiss-miss.com Clients include: Penhaligon’s Perfumers, Zelco Industries, George W; Surface; Print; New York; Departures; Interior Design; V
David Malina Kovacs, Artemide SpA, Disney/Fantasma, Columbia Presbyterian Magazine; Co Design; The Faster Times; Core77; GQ; Cultured;
Ingrid Fetell Co-founder, ChappsMalina Inc. Hospital, Just Toys, Hands on Toys, Benza, ABC School Supply, Popular Science
Human factors specialist, IDEO Education: BS, Art Center College of Design Childtime Learning Centers, Warnaco, Diamond Direct, David Torres Awards and honors include: Young Guns of Design,
Education: BA, cum laude, Princeton University; MID, Pratt Institute Professional experience: Design Director, Arnell Group; Senior Productions Dwell magazine
Professional experience: Strategist, Redscout; senior brand con- Designer, Design Continuum Publications include: Businessweek, Washington Post, The website: www.sightunseen.com
sultant, Landor Associates; research manager, Penn Schoen Berland Clients include: Panasonic, Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Travel + Leisure, ELLE, W,
Clients include: Time Inc., Condé Nast, Diageo, PepsiCo, Cadbury Kimberly-Clark, Samsung, Electrolux, Samsung, Help Remedies, Bob Sportstyle, Men’s Health, GQ, New York, Promenade Magazine,
Schweppes, Amend, Eileen Fisher, Johnson & Johnson Vila, Estee Lauder Style New York, Sun Valley Architecture and Interiors, Lighting
Awards and honors include: Worldchanging Publications include: Simply Packaging; Boxed and Labeled: Design, Ready Made, I.D., Interior Design
website: www.ingridfetell.com New Approaches to Packaging Design; Monocle; The New York Awards include: Gold Medal, IDEA; I.D.; Early Childhood
Times; Monitor; Wallpaper*; Creativity Education Director’s Choice Awards, Best of Show, Supershow,
Bart Haney Awards and honors include: Red Dot, IDEA, COR, Good Speedo Authentic Fitness
Account lead, Fuseproject; founder, Superhappybunny Design, The DieLine
Education: BS, Industrial Design, Art Center College of Design website: www.chappsmalina.com

Products of Design 364 365 www.sva.edu/grad/productsofdesign


Faculty
at Large

Sinclair Smith Masamichi Udagawa Rob Walker William Drenttel


Industrial designer Partner, Antenna Design New York Inc. Journalist. Freelance: The New York Times Magazine, Slate. Partner, Winterhouse Studio; director, Winterhouse Institute
Education: BFA, New York University; MID, Pratt Institute Education: BS, Chiba University; MFA, Cranbrook Academy of Art Education: BS Radio Television Film, Critical-Cultural Studies; Education: BA, Princeton University
Professional experience: Product designer and consultant; Professional experience: Project manager, lead designer, IDEO University of Texas at Austin Professional experience: Partner, Winterhouse; publisher, edito-
design/build contractor; cinematographer Product Development; senior industrial designer, Apple Computer, Professional experience: Editor at The New York Times rial director, Design Observer; vice president Design & Communica-
Clients include: Microsoft, Anomaly, Braun, Disney, P&G, Industrial Design Group/Advanced Technology Group; senior indus- Magazine, Money, Fortune, SmartMoney, American Lawyer; tions, Teach For All; senior faculty fellow, Yale School of Management;
PSFK, Target, Samsung, BMW, Staple Design/Reed Space, Airwalk, trial designer, Emilio Ambasz Design Group; industrial designer, writer at GQ, Fortune, Wall Street Journal, New Republic, Details, founder, Polling Place Photo Project; publisher, Winterhouse Editions;
Umbro, HLW, This American Life, The Canary Project, Kipling, Yamaha Product Design Laboratory, Hamamatsu, Japan Washington Post, Wired, The Nation, Inc, New York magazine, Texas trustee, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum; fellow, New York
DKNY, Dolce Vita. Clients include: Bloomberg, JetBlue Airways, Johnson & Johnson, Monthly, Adbusters, World Art, The New York Times Book Review University Institute for the Humanities; president emeritus, AIGA
website: http://s3id.com Knoll, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Metropolitan Transportation Publications: Letters From New Orleans, Buying In, Clients include: Teach For America, Mayo Clinic Center for
Authority, Sony Significant Objects Innovation, Archives of American Art, Poetry Foundation, The New
Becky Stern Group exhibitions include: Cooper-Hewitt, National Design website: www.robwalker.net Yorker, New England Journal of Medicine, New York University
Associate editor/video producer, Maker Media (MAKE: magazine, Museum; Flexibility—Design in a Fast Changing Society, Turin, Italy; School of Journalism, Harvard Law Review, Yale Environment 360,
craftzine) Museum of Modern Art; Brooklyn Bridge Anchorage; Walker Art Helen Walters University of Chicago
Education: BFA, Parsons School of Design; Arizona State University Center, Minneapolis, MN; American Museum of Natural History Writer, researcher, Doblin Publications include: Looking Closer: Critical Writings on
Clients include: Maker Shed, Adafruit Collections include: Museum of Modern Art, Corning Museum Education: BA, Bristol University Graphic Design
Publications include: MAKE: magazine, CRAFT magazine, of Glass Professional experience: Editor, Innovation Design, Bloomberg Exhibitions include: Narodna galerija, Ljubljana Slovenia; University
The Best of Instructables Publications include: Businessweek, I.D., Wired, The New York Businessweek; Contributing editor, Creative Review of Hartford, CT; Grolier Club; Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum
Group exhibitions include: Museum of Craft and Folk Art; NYC Times, Esquire, Monitor, AXIS, Creativity, Design Week, eDesign, Publications include: 100% Cotton: T-Shirt Graphics; 200% Collections include: Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum,
Resistor; Gizmodo Gallery; Schmancy Gallery, Seattle, WA; Bragg’s Pie Architektur&Wohnen, Metropolis, Design Report, Dwell, Berliner Cotton: New T-Shirt Graphics; 300% Cotton: More T-Shirt Yale University
Factory, Phoenix, AZ Zeitung, Profil, Die Presse Graphics; GH avisualagency; Animation Unlimited: Innovative Awards and honors include: Art Directors Club Hall of Fame;
website: www.sternlab.org Awards and honors include: National Design Awards, Cooper- Short Films Since 1940; Core77.com; 4; Ampersand; Black Book; Alliance Graphique Internationale; American Academy in Rome;
Hewitt, National Design Museum; United States Artists Target BusinessWeek; California Home + Design; Creative Review; Rockefeller Foundation
Manuel Toscano Fellowship, Architecture and Design Category; Muriel Cooper Prize, Creativity Spark*; Design Observer; Design Week; Fast Company, website: www.winterhouse.com and www.designobserver.com
Zago; co-founder, principal, Helsinki Group Design Management Institute; Wired Rave Award/Industrial Design; Grafik; i-D; Mojo; Playboy; Print; Res; Spread: ArtCulture; Step
Education: BFA, Corcoran College of Art and Design; iF Award; I.D. Inside Design; Stereotype; TED.com; The Face; The Times Natalie Jeremijenko
MFA, School of Visual Arts website: www.antennadesign.net Awards and honors include: Jury member Ad.Print; Alt Pick; Director, Environmental Health Clinic and Lab, New York University
Professional experience: Communications director, Emergency BAFTA Interactives; BusinessWeek/Architectural Record Architectural Education: BS, Griffith University; BFA, with honors, Royal Mel-
USA; wire photographer, United Press International Inc. (UPI) Jen van der Meer Awards; Catalyst Award, Industrial Designers Society of America; bourne Institute of Technology; D.Phil., University of Queensland
Clients include: Human Rights Watch, UNESCO, UNDP, UN Executive vice president, strategy, Dachis Group Creative Review Creative Futures; Young Guns Professional experience includes: Associate professor of art
Global Pulse, Digital Democracy, The Center for Court Innovation, Education: BA, Trinity College; MBA, HEC Paris website: http://helenwalters.wordpress.com and art professions, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and
Poptech, Apnee App, The Ecology Center Professional experience: Independent strategy consultant; gen- Human Development; affiliated professor in Computer Science, Cou-
Collections include: Museum of Modern Art, J. Paul Getty eral manager, frog design; client partner, director of business develop- John Zapolski rant; assistant professor of engineering, Yale University; affiliated
Museum, The Kreeger Museum ment, strategy, Organic Inc.; equity analyst, Needham & Company; Co-founder, Fonderie47 professor in Environmental Studies, Arts and Sciences, New York
Awards and honors include: Rockefeller Foundation Grant, research associate, Japan Development Bank Professional experience: Director, Strategos University; visiting professor, Design Interaction, Royal College of
AIGA, Print, Type Directors Club, Industrial Designers Society Clients include: Toyota, Target, Discovery Communications, Clients include: The New York Times, AARP, Nokia, Telefónica Art, London; visiting global distinguished professor, College of Arts
of America Levi’s, GE Publications include: Boxes and Arrows, Perspectives, and Sciences, New York University; assistant professor, Department of
website: www.zagollc.com website: www.jenvandermeer.com Businessweek Visual Art, University of California, San Diego and La Jolla
Exhibitions include: University of California, Berkeley; SIGCHI; Exhibitions include: Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase, NY;
Richard Tyson Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston; Institute of Contemporary
Co-founder, managing principal, Helsinki Group website: http://fonderie47.com Art, Boston; Les Complices Espace libre & Editions, Zurich; Cooper-
Education: Harvard College, Whitman College, The New School for Hewitt, National Design Museum; National Design Triennial; Post-
Social Research masters Gallery; Whitney Museum of American Art; Whitney Biennial;
Professional experience: Strategy director, Stone Yamashita; MASSMoCA; National Gallery of Indonesia, Jakarta; Museum of
global account manager, associate partner, Doblin Inc./Monitor Group; Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka, Croatia; Carnegie Arts Cen-
CEO, Bloodstone Networks; founder, managing principal, ITVR. ter; Eyebeam; The Kitchen
Clients include: IBM, Mars Foods, Baxter Healthcare, Office of Publications include: The New York Times, Core77, GOOD,
the Secretary General of the United Nations, Nikon, Sony, Kraft, Slate, Washington Post, SEED, Flavorpill, I.D., Wired, The Guardian,
Microsoft, Audubon MAKE: magazine, WorldChanging, San Francisco Chronicle, Adbusters
website: www.helsinkigroup.net Awards and honors include: 2011 Most Influential Women in
Technology, Fast Company; Sentient City Commission, Architecture
League of New York; New York Prize in Sustainable Cities and the Social
Sciences, Van Alen Institute; New York State Council on the Arts; Daniel
Langlois Fellowship; Revolutionary Minds Award, SEED Magazine; Mil-
dred C. Brinn Endowed Chair, Skowhegan; I.D. Forty Award

Products of Design 366 367 www.sva.edu/grad/productsofdesign


Guest Lecturers

Bill Moggridge Amy Whitaker Deborah Adler Anthony Dunne Field Trips Workshops
Director, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Author, creative strategist Deborah Adler Design Dunne + Raby Commonwealth Mariana Amatullo
Education: Central School of Design Education: BA, magna cum laude, Williams College; MBA, Yale
Professional experience: Co-founder, IDEO University; MFA, Slade School of Fine Art, University College, London Yves Behar Robert Fabricant Etsy co-founder/vice president,
Clients include: From Apple to Zyliss Professional experience includes: Project manager, Jenny fuseproject frog design Designmatters
Publications include: Designing Interactions, Designing Media Holzer Studio; special projects coordinator, Solomon R. Guggenheim MakerBot
Awards and honors include: RID (Royal Designer for Industry) Museum; sales and marketing associate, Museum of Modern Art; busi- Janine Benyus Steven Heller Matthew Miller
Lifetime Achievement Award; Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Award; ness strategy associate, Tate Modern Biomimicry Institute Program co-founder, RedHook Design District project architect,
Prince Philip Designers Prize Clients include: Locus Analytics; Alamos; Crosstown Arts, Memphis
Tim Brown Author Uhuru Project H Design
websites: http://www.cooperhewitt.org, www.designing-media.com, Presentations include: “What Would Leonardo Do? Visual
www.designinginteractions.com Thinking, Creativity, and Imagination in the Workplace and Everyday IDEO Aimee Mullins Emily Pilloton
Life,” IBM, Armonk, NY; “Business School for Artists: Tools for Social
Valerie Casey Athlete, Model, Advocate Founder, executive director,
John Thackara Practice,” Queens College. Presentations of “Museum Legs” include:
Director, Doors of Perception Authors@Google Program, Mountain View, CA; Warhol Museum, The Designers Accord Fiona Raby Project H Design
Education: BA, with honors, University of Kent; Diploma, Centre for Pittsburgh; Birmingham Museum of Art; Seattle Museum of Art.
Stephen Burks Dunne + Raby
Journalism Studies, Cardiff Books include: Museum Legs: Fatigue and Hope in the Face of Art;
Professional experience: Director, Netherlands Design Institute; Business School for Artists Readymade Projects Stefan Sagmeister
steering committee, Interaction Design Institute Ivrea; program direc- Publications include: Commercial Appeal, The New York Times
Matali Crasset Sagmeister Inc.
tor, Designs of the Time (DOTT 07); commissione, Cité du Design; Awards and honors include: Fellowship, Vermont Studio Center;
managing director, Design Analysis International (London & Tokyo); Association for Cultural Advancement Through Visual Art; Fine Art Matali Crasset Production Steve Portigal
director of research, Royal College of Art; senior editor, New South Project Grant, Slade School of Fine Art; Olin Fellow in Economics,
Dale Doherty Portigal Consulting
Wales University Press; editor, Design, London; modern culture edi- Yale University
tor, Harper’s Bazaar; design correspondent: The Guardian, The Website: www.museumlegs.com MAKE / Maker Faire Scott Wilson
Spectator; correspondent, contributor, The Late Show (BBC) MNML
Clients include: Hong Kong Design Task Force; Design and
Innovation Research Centre (DIEC); European Union; fellow of The
Young Foundation; UK Parliament Standing Commission on Design;
Asahi Shimbun; European Commission; Schipol Airport; Japan Air
Lines; Architectural Association
Publications include: Clean Growth: From Mindless
Development to Design Mindfulness; wouldn’t it be great if...Designs
of The Time Manual; In the Bubble: Designing in a Complex World;
The New Geographies of Learning; Winners! How Europe’s Most
Successful Companies Use Design To Innovate; Lost In Space: A
Traveler’s Tale; Leading Edge; Image and Object: Nouveau Design
de Londres; Design After Modernism; New British Design
Exhibitions include: Saint Étienne International Design Biennale,

Tel: 212.592.2118
France; Dott 07 festival, England; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris;

Contact Us
Victoria & Albert Museum, London; Axis Gallery, Tokyo
websites: www.thackara.com, www.doorsofperception.com
E-mail: productsofdesign@sva.edu
www.sva.edu/productsofdesign
department site: productsofdesign.sva.edu
Come to our Departmental Information Session or contact us directly for more information.

All times and locations will be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit

To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website or


contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu

Products of Design 368 369 www.sva.edu/grad/productsofdesign


MFA Social XX The MFA in Social Documentary Film program guides and supports emerging
artists to fully explore the social documentary film form

Documentary Film XX Trains students to find innovative ways to examine and communicate the core
experiences and events that define us
XX Open to qualified students at any level—no filmmaking background required
www.sva.edu/grad/socialdocumentaryfilm XX A tailored curriculum designed for students to attain artistic and technical
department site: mfasocdoc.sva.edu fluency in documentary filmmaking

“Documania”—that’s how The New York Times recently referred to the stunning proliferation of docu-
mentary film made possible by the signature technologies of our time. In short, it has never been easier
to make a documentary. But producing a film that stands out is another story, another challenge altogeth-
er. As more and more non-fiction films crowd the marketplace—competing for limited resources
and audience share—true fluency with the form increasingly confers a vital edge, an crucial advantage
that makes one film rise above the rest.
Our mfa program in Social Documentary fosters filmmaking that is skillful and sure—not just tech-
nologically, but artistically, socially, and critically as well. With every shot composed, cut made, and
interview question asked, our students learn to make the motivated creative decisions that result in im-
pactful films, ones with the power to truly shift our consciousness and change the way we see our world.
Located in the heart of Manhattan, we are part of the most active, productive documentary film
community in the world. Students work directly with inventive, accomplished nonfiction storytellers
and visual journalists—as faculty, mentors and collaborators. Over the course of the two-year pro-
gram, as “SocDoc” students learn the fundamentals of nonfiction filmmaking in a supportive, inclusive
environment, they are also introduced to the wider industry through internships, film festivals, guest
lectures, closed screenings and a host of other networking events in the City.
When it comes to making their own films, however, our students are in no way confined to New York.
In the past two years, students in the mfa program have produced films in China, Indonesia, Guatemala,
Nigeria and Vietnam. And regardless of their geographic coordinates, they have been able to rely on the
department for equipment and solid advice, both practical and artistic.
Dedicated to instilling the apparatus and ethics of the professional documentarian, our program is
open to qualified students from varying backgrounds—some have prior filmmaking experience, others
do not. Ultimately, we are looking for passionate, insightful individuals who are eager to learn how best
to share the stories they have a compulsion to tell.
No matter the subject matter or style—be it personal, political, comical, revolutionary—social docu-
mentary films increase our awareness of ourselves and the world we inhabit. They are a window into
who we are. As such, they have a unique ability to engage, illuminate and inspire. At sva, we are commit-
ted to realizing that potential.

Maro Chermayeff, chair

371
Connect,
Sasha, David and Bao in the
SocDoc’s beautiful 47-seat HD
theater. The theater is exclusively
for the SocDoc department and is

Collaborate,
used for classes, the weekly Process
& Style guest lecture series and
for student screenings. With 24/7
access to the facilities—the SocDoc

Construct
department quickly becomes a
second home to students.

Student Profile:
Sasha Friedlander, David Osit,
and Bao Nguyen
Graduating students Sasha Friedlander, David Osit, and Bao Nguyen took different routes to
sva’s mfa program in Social Documentary Film, but have ended up as enthusiastic collaborators and
firm friends. For Friedlander, it was an undergraduate class in ethnographic film that sparked her interest
in the form: “After that,” she recalls, “I did some small projects on my own and worked in Indonesia for a
while. Then once I decided on further study, I visited sva and it was a done deal.” Nguyen arrived having
worked as a photographer and political activist: “I settled on documentary film because it seemed like a
perfect marriage between my love for images and my passion for social issues. So this program seemed
perfect.” Osit also saw filmmaking as one way to further an existing interest: “After finishing an under-
graduate degree in Middle Eastern Studies, I joined FilmAid International to work with refugee popula-
tions in Africa, and made my first documentary there.”
While filmmaking experience isn’t a prerequisite for the program, the trio emphasizes the benefit of
arriving with a workable idea. Friedlander describes her pet project: “When I was in Indonesia, I’d visited
a volcano in East Java, mainly because it was such a beautiful location. But when I got there I discovered
that it was also the site of an extremely labor-intensive sulfur mine. When I decided to apply to sva,
I knew I wanted to go back there and make a film. It seemed far-fetched, but I launched a Kickstarter
campaign and managed to raise the money.” She smiles at Osit and Nguyen. “But it would still have been
impossible without the help that these two gave me.”
Close and varied collaboration is key to the program’s immediate success. “I don’t think I could have
done anything without support from others in the program,” says Osit. “Just having someone around to
look at your cut every day is phenomenal. You don’t get that if you’re out in the world trying to construct
your own education. You don’t have access to the same community.” The status of course instructors
as active professionals is vital too. “They’re preparing us for the things they deal with every day of their
filmmaking careers,” Osit continues. “They’re all grappling with their own access issues, their own rough
cuts, their own edits as they’re teaching us about those things. So when they learn how to solve a problem,
we learn how to solve it too. We became our professors’ colleagues, not just their students.”
Ultimately, the program presents graduates with a range of career paths. “We’re not pressured into
any particular role,” says Osit. “I discovered that I like doing sound, and that there’s a demand for it.
Bao came here with a love of cinematography and he’s pursued that. And Sasha likes bossing people
around!” He laughs. “And editing, of course, she’s a fantastic editor.” The challenge of the program and
the discipline is, he concludes, to make films that say something about the world we live in. “Movies are
for entertainment, but the best ones leave you with something significant. Documentary is great for that.”
Nguyen, grinning, chips in: “You can’t make this stuff up!”

Bao Nguyen shooting on the streets of


New York with sound help from David Osit.
Learning how to collaborate on film projects
and forming lifelong working relationships with
classmates and faculty are some of the main
reasons students attend the SocDoc program.
David Osit uses a
Sennheiser 416 covered
with a zeplin and coupled
with a Sound Devices
302 mixer to capture the
cleanest sound possible
while out in the field.

Sasha Friedlander hits the busy


Chelsea streets with one of the
department’s Sony EX-1 HD
cameras. With it’s high energy,
access to top filmmakers and
resources, and endless story
possibilities—the heart of New
York City is the perfect location for
a documentary film program.
The MFA Social Documentary Department has settled into its
chair interview brand new home on the first floor of 136 West 21st Street in the heart of

Maro Chermayeff
Manhattan. The focal point of the department is the state of the art theater
in the center of the space. Additionally there are five editing suites, two
classrooms, an equipment, film and text library, department office and
When Maro Chermayeff talks about how exciting it was to build sva’s powerhouse mfa Social community work space. The following illustrates a day in the life of a MFA
Documentary program, she almost sounds like the coach who got to assemble the first Olympic Dream Social Documentary film student.
Team squad. Actually, that is exactly what she sounds like: “There really hasn’t been a documentary
program in New York of this caliber, so it was really fun to put it together. It’s an amazing program and
it’s here in New York, so you have the ability to have all these top people in the field come here, like
“It’s an amazing
Alex Gibney is going to bring over Client 9, and Marshall Curry is coming. Alan Curtis is coming.
program and it’s
Sam Pollard. We have really incredible faculty and guests, and our own theater to screen student work.
here in New York,
There are only 22 spots, so the relationship between teachers and students is tight. It’s a cohesive think
so you have the

On any
tank, a collaborative work environment—and everyone is making his or her own film. It’s like taking
ability to have all
two years off to think and work and focus on film. And it just works really well.”
these top people in
This program teaches the art form of documentary filmmaking. You can apply with no experience.
the field come here.”

given day...
Entering classes feature mixed ages and experience ranges. The program’s focus is on character-driven
storytelling as a way of exploring resonant, universal subjects. You can learn every technical aspect
of making a documentary. And when you leave, you’re also professionally prepared for lucrative work
in non-fiction- and reality-tv.
Chermayeff has worked with experimental filmmaker Stan Brakhage as an undergrad, and today
co-runs nyc-based production company Show of Force, which creates documentaries and event
television series for major networks like hbo and pbs. She just wrapped Mann v. Ford, a film about
9am  Timothy Doyle, department assistant updates the events calendar 1pm  Students have their editing class with editor Ann Collins. Today
the Ramapough Indians in upper Ringwood, New Jersey, who sued Ford Motor Co. for poisoning
for the department with all of the latest lectures, SVA events and New York the lecture covers montage and how it can be used effectively within
their land with toxic sludge from their Mahwah plant. The film, which took five years to finish, follows
film industry gatherings. nonfiction films.
their lawsuit in a dramatic story about poverty and corporate greed.
Maro and the Show of Force team are currently finishing the feature documentary Marina 10am  Three to five students arrive for the camera and sound lab held 2pm  Maro Chermayeff has a phone conference with guest lecturer
Abramovic: The Artist is Present (hbo) and Maro’s next project is in production, Half the Sky (cpb/ in the conference classroom. The lab is run by our video production Jamie Redford about creating an ongoing alliance and potential
pbs/itvs) is a series based on the bestselling book by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. The manager Joe Neal and will provide students who need additional projects with the SocDoc Department and the Redford Center.
series will premiere as a special presentation on Independent Lens in Fall 2012. This social issue docu- technical assistance with hands-on lessons with the camera, sound
mentary project is a cornerstone of the recently announced itvs Women and Girls Lead campaign and and lighting equipment. 3pm  Students attend their directing course in the theater classroom.
aims to illuminate a number of critical human rights issues that face women all over the globe. The Directing I course is taught by award-winning documentarian
“Film isn’t made for an audience of one,” Maro says, as her studio partner Jeff Dupre and filmmaker 10:30am  Niki Bhattacharya, director of operations, meets with faculty Deborah Dickson and will cover interviewing skills.

Sam Pollard laugh in the next room. “You may be watching it alone in your living room, but still, millions member Thom Powers to discuss Stranger Than Fiction documentary
series at IFC and the involvement of SocDoc department and students. 4pm  Maro Chermayeff has a meeting with faculty member, producer
of people are watching it. That is the goal of film. Film is light, it’s in a room; you’re having an experience.
and editor Sam Pollard and director Spike Lee about the possibility of
You want to translate your ideas in a way that draws in the audience and creates that experience.”
11am  Maro Chermayeff, department chair, meets with Sheila Nevins, them hosting a screening of Spike Lee’s and Pollards’ film, 4 Little Girls,
president of Documentary and Family Programming for HBO and in the new SVA Theatre.
Cinemax, to discuss the film that Maro is presently directing for HBO
and the possibility of Sheila and Maro screening the work-in-progress 6pm Students, as well as staff and some faculty, attend the weekly
during a Process and Style event. In the meeting, Maro and Sheila Process and Style lecture series in the auditorium classroom.
also discuss possible opportunities for collaboration between SocDoc This week Alex Gibney will be screening his latest film and will stay
students and HBO Documentary. afterwards to discuss.

noon  Students enjoy lunch at the large tables near the kitchenette; Ongoing  MFA Students submit thesis proposals and pitch their thesis
they chat about their upcoming shoots and projects. Tack walls assist films to the advisors for approval; an ongoing relationship with top
students with jotting down project ideas as they discuss. festivals (Sundance) and markets are solidified (Sunnyside of the
Doc and Latin Side of the Doc, both under the directorship of guest
lecturer Yves Janneau); students submit projects to various festivals.

Social Documentary Film 378 379 www.sva.edu/grad/socialdocumentaryfilm


The Program  The School of Visual Arts’ mfa program in Social Documentary Film provides a solid
foundation in the fundamentals of nonfiction filmmaking, as well as an immersion into the critical and analytical Course Descriptions
processes necessary to conceptualize and develop significant, socially relevant film projects. This program repre-
sents the convergence of journalism, social activism and the art of filmmaking. ¶ Within the broad spectrum,
a documentary film can be personal, revolutionary, engaging, funny, political, and more; simply put, social
documentary films tell us more about ourselves and the world we inhabit. Working with documentarians as
teachers and mentors in a collaborative think-tank environment, the mfa Social Documentary Film program
will not only teach students how to tell a story, it will guide them towards a lifelong career in filmmaking. ¶
The first year of study offers a core curriculum devoted to exploring the past, present and future of the art of Cinematography and Sound I & ii Editing, Camera and Sound Labs
Success in the film industry requires fluency in the standard terminol- In addition to the core classes and the Process and Style guest lecture
documentary film while mastering tools and techniques needed to tell compelling stories. Each student will
ogy of cinematic language and an immersion in the world of produc- series students in the first year attend two lab sessions per week. One
complete two documentary shorts, in addition to other class assignments. During the second year student focus tion techniques. Beginning with the uses of image and sound as the lab covers camera and sound and one covers editing—both labs deal
rudimentary tools of storytelling, this series of courses will focus on with the nitty-gritty of how to use all of the equipment. The labs allow
on their thesis films, and courses are designed to support them in their production. Each student will direct his or gaining a comprehensive grasp of the technical demands of documen- students (who enter the program at varying levels of proficiency with
her own film and serve as a key production crewmember on at least one other thesis project. ¶ Degree candidates tary filmmaking. Through class and laboratory sessions, a range of the technical equipment) to get comfortable using microphones, cam-
equipment—cameras, tripods, lighting instruments, audio recording era and software as storytelling tools, while also opening up the core
must successfully complete 60 credits, including all required courses, with a cumulative grade point average of and microphones—will be explored. Students will then focus on a classes to discussions of aesthetics and style.
3.0. A residency of two academic years is required. In the final semester, each student completes a thesis project, broad spectrum of non-fiction cinematographic techniques, covering a
discourse on how to use camera angles, sound and lighting to convey Process and Style I & ii
which must be reviewed and approved by the thesis committee and the department chair in order for the student
meaning and further their narrative. Finally, on-camera interview- Independent voices from the field will share their professional experi-
to be eligible for degree conferral. ing skills—the essence of much of the documentary experience—will ences and offer diverse perspectives in documentary film. Lecturers
receive a thorough examination. will discuss a range of specialized topics, including new technologies
and new platforms; film festivals and distribution; the relationship
Directing I & II between subject and filmmaker; the pitch; rights and clearances; archi-
Sample Program The potency of any documentary is invariably linked to the perspicac- val research; job opportunities and career advancement. Many sessions
ity of the director, whose acuity of mind and eye must be able to trans- will highlight documentary filmmakers who will screen their projects
late intellectual content into an aesthetic experience. These courses will and share details and anecdotes about the filmmaking process.
first year address topics that include how to most effectively tell a story, how to
conduct meaningful and informative interviews, and how to navigate Producing I & II
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
the relationship between subject and filmmaker. With an emphasis Multifunctional and multidimensional in approach, the role of a docu-
Cinematography and Sound I 3 Cinematography and Sound II 3 on originality as it applies to the documentary, students will explore mentary film producer is to initiate, coordinate, supervise and control
Directing I 3 Directing II 3 new mediums and a variety of directing styles, tones and techniques. all matters in the realization of a film project, such as fundraising and
Editing I 3 Editing II 3 Included will be an extensive study of documentary film history and hiring key personnel. Beginning in the first semester, students will
theory, which will examine a wide range of texts and films from the receive a full grounding in what they need to know to proceed with
Process and Style I 0 Process and Style II 0 early 20th century to the present and look at such genres as realism, their first assigned projects. All key aspects of documentary produc-
Producing I 3 Producing II 3 formalism, semiotics, feminism and postmodernism. Class assignments tion will be covered in these courses, from pitch, grant writing, and
Visionary Journalism: Introduction 3 Thesis: The Pitch  0 will emphasis the interview technique, with exercises involving inter- budget preparation to production set-up, accounting, scheduling and
views within the class itself, interviews with family and friends, and crew management, and postproduction workflow. Students will learn
Editing, Camera and Sound Labs 0 Visionary Journalism: Script, Text  3 ‘man on the street’ interviews with anonymous pedestrians. how to analyze a project and apply this analysis in cost and project
and Treatment I management, from preproduction rights to editing and film distribu-
Editing, Camera and Sound Labs 0 Editing I & II tion; in addition they will learn how to implement production arrange-
If viewing a film is understood to be an interpretive process, then the ments singular to the field of documentaries, such as the use of ‘fixers’
orchestration of image and sound, and the rate at which information and ‘carnets’ in international shooting. How to read, understand and
is disseminated, is critical to the endeavor. It is often the editor who negotiate contracts with vendors, crewmembers and distributors will
second year transforms this process from observation to an engrossing experi- be included.
ence. These courses will examine the critical role that editing plays
FALL Semester Credits SPRING Semester Credits
in non-fiction programs, and look at how the editing room is often Thesis: Directing
Process and Style I 0 Process and Style II 0 the arena where the structure and narrative arch are created. Classic This course will guide students through the process of bringing their
Thesis: Editing 3 Thesis: Directing Lab 6 documentaries will be screened to provide students with a fundamental thesis ideas and script to fruition. Of central focus will be the aesthetic
understanding of editing styles, aesthetics and techniques. Laboratory and overall style considerations for thesis films. Emphasis will also be
Thesis: Directing  6 Thesis: Editing Lab 6
sessions will demonstrate editing techniques with industry-standard placed on the student-director’s communication with the producer, cin-
Thesis: Producing 3 Thesis Review and Presentation 3 technology. Topics will cover a wide range of subjects—from continu- ematographer, sound recordist and other personnel who will assist on
Visionary Journalism: Script, Text  3 ity of motion to montage, jump-cut, music usage and program struc- the project and help to make each student’s thesis vision a reality.
and Treatment II ture. Finally, these courses will explore voice-over narration, sound
design, music and other postproduction techniques to further the story Thesis: Directing Lab
and deepen the experience. Bolstered by critiques of professional film directors and fellow class-
mates, students will gain additional insights and the technical resources
to develop their thesis films. Directors’ cuts of thesis films will be
screened and analyzed, and students will have the opportunity to
incorporate valuable suggestions into the final work.

Social Documentary Film 380 381 www.sva.edu/grad/socialdocumentaryfilm


Faculty

Thesis: Editing Visionary Journalism: Introduction Maro Chermayeff, chair Ann Collins
On average, in documentary films there is a ratio of 10 hours of foot- The field of social documentary is as much about journalism as it Partner, co-president, Show of Force Film editor
age shot for every minute in the final film. This course will address is about filmmaking; therefore, it is paramount that the journalistic EDUCATION: BA, University of Colorado, Boulder EDUCATION: BFA, New York University
the challenge of managing the sheer bulk of media that will have been process be comprehensively examined. From finding and research- PROJECTS INCLUDE: Executive producer, co-creator, director, Carrier; FILM AND TELEVISION PROJECTS INCLUDE: The Heart of the Matter,
amassed for the thesis film. While shooting may continue throughout ing a story to writing a treatment and a shooting script, learning and producer, director, writer, Julliard, Role Reversal; producer, director, Belly Talkers, The Charcoal People, Sound and Fury, Porgy and
much of this period, students will be required to block out the basic adhering to established journalistic ethics is of primary importance. Frontier House, The Kindness of Strangers, Nashville, Crossing the Bess: An American Voice, Frontline: Merchants of Cool.
sequence from what has already been filmed, and hew the narrative This course will engender a full understanding of the ethical standards Line; producer, Another Day in Paradise, Brain Fingerprinting SCREENINGS INCLUDE: Sundance Film Festival, Human Rights
together into a rough cut. The goal is to bring projects into readiness inherent in print and broadcast journalism, and non-fiction writing as AUTHOR: Julliard Watch Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival,
for fine-tuning and finishing in the spring semester. they relate to social documentary. Working within these strictures, we AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDE: Ciné Golden Eagle; Sundance Film San Francisco Film Festival.
will approach how to successfully tell a story—from origin of concept Festival; Chicago Film Festival; Buenos Aires Film Festival; Emmy AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDE: Freedom of Expression Award
Thesis: Editing lab to finished project. Award at the Sundance Film Festival, Golden Spire Award San Francisco
This course will encompass all of the finishing touches for the thesis Film Festival.
film projects, including opening titles, closing credits, sound editing Visionary Journalism: Script, Text and Treatment I & II Axel Baumann
and mixing, visual effects, color correction and film scoring. A pro- Building upon the journalistic industry standards examined in Director of photography Maryann De Leo
fessional editor, under whose guidance students will strengthen their Visionary Journalism: Introduction, these courses take students into education: BA, Union College Producer, director, writer
editorial acumen while completing their thesis films, will supervise the the practical experience of creating the written body of work for their FILM PROJECTS INCLUDE: Leftovers, Is That All There Is, Creation, education: BA, SUNY Old Westbury
editing lab. thesis films. Topics will include the creation of a nonfiction project Sunday Morning FILM PROJECTS INCLUDE: White Horse, Chernobyl Heart,
proposal, a written proposal for funding or professional interest in the TELEVISION PROJECTS INCLUDE: CSI, Cold Case, Hudson’s Law, TELEVISION PROJECTS INCLUDE: Too Hot Not to Handle; Terror at
Thesis: Producing film and a project treatment that outlines the work. Each student will The Last 24 hours of Marilyn Monroe, Hugh P. Newton Show Home: Domestic Violence in America; High on Crack Street: Lost
In this course, students will don the mantle of a film producer—coor- also complete an initial thesis script, which can be an in-depth descrip- DOCUMENTARY PROJECTS INCLUDE: Liberia: An Uncivil War; Lives in Lowell. HBO: One Year in a Life of Crime; A Cinderella
dinating production schedules and book shoots, and navigating the tion of the film as it is envisioned or of material already shot, or a Carrier; Songs Under A Big Sky; Super Casino; Sick Humor; Future Season: The Lady Vols Fight Back; Six Months to Live: Alternative
often turbulent waters of location permits, budgets, expense reconcili- judicious balance of the two. Archival research for documentary film Life; Peter Gabriel/ US Tour; Iconoclast; Mystery Diagnosis; The Medicine and the Fight for Life; Rape: Cries from the Heartland;
ation, crew management, postproduction and film distribution. The and licensing will be addressed Ballad of Greenwich Village; Plato’s Retreat; Racing Dreams Bellevue: Inside Out (for “America Undercover”)
final result will be broadcast-quality documentary thesis films. AWARDS AND HONORS: Emmy Award SCREENINGS INCLUDE: The American Museum of the Moving
Image, Museum of Modern Art, The General Assembly (UN),
Thesis Review and Presentation Joshua Bennett Tokyo Video Festival
During their final semester, students will present their thesis projects Producer AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDE: Academy Award (Best
to a team of faculty advisors for review, advice and critique, and will Education: BA, with honors, Wesleyan University Documentary, Short Subject), Emmy Awards, Alfred I. du Pont
introduce their documentaries to the film community at large. Students Film and television projects include: Circus, Nimrod Nation, Award-Columbia University Award, CableACE Award, Bronze Award
will research, target and submit their thesis to a required number of Carrier, Exiled!, Dog the Bounty Hunter, Seacom, Mann V Ford, (Tokyo Video Festival)
film festivals both domestic and abroad. Generation Earth
Clients include: HBO, MTV, Discovery, A&E, Sundance Channel Deborah Dickson
Thesis: The Pitch Award: George Foster Peabody Award Producer, director
Getting an idea off the ground and maintaining the momentum is EDUCATION: MFA, New York University
often one of the most difficult facets of a production, even for talented Peter Chelkowski PROJECTS INCLUDE: Producer, director: Ruthie and Connie: Every
filmmakers. Yet without the proverbial green light, the most prescient Director, cinematographer Room in the House; producer, director, editor: Frances Steloff:
ideas atrophy by the wayside. Course sessions are designed to address EDUCATION: BA, New York University Memoirs of a Bookseller; director: The Education of Gore Vidal,
one of the most important skills in the filmmaking process—the pitch. FILM PROJECTS INCLUDE: Carnival Roots, Karma Calling, Last The Art of Influence; editor: Lalee’s Kin: The Legacy Of Cotton;
Using their own project ideas, students will articulate their vision Wish, 2% Fact, Half Pint, Upside Down, Hosay Trinidad, Tien Shan Suzanne Farrell: Elusive Muse; story editor: Going Upriver: The
clearly and concisely and deliver this vision to a panel of film industry Expedition Long War of John Kerry
professionals. Students will answer questions and address comments TELEVISION PROJECTS INCLUDE: De La Culture en Amerique for FILM FESTIVAL SCREENINGS INCLUDE: Munich, Toronto, Miami
posed by the panel. The course objectives are to build confidence in ARTE (French Television) International, Berlin, New York, Venice
the presentation of ideas and master a professional pitch. SCREENINGS INCLUDE: Taos Talking Pictures, American Film AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDE: Gold Hugo; Grand Prize,
Institute, Silverdocs Film Festival, Whitney Biennial, Kunsthalle Amsterdam Film Festival; Best Cinematography, Sundance Film
(Zurich), Ludwig (Cologne) Festival; Best Documentary, Seattle International and Nashville festi-
AWARDS INCLUDE: American Center artist-in-resident Award vals; Emmy Award; Columbia DuPont Award; George Foster Peabody
Award; ACE

Social Documentary Film 382 383 www.sva.edu/grad/socialdocumentaryfilm


Michael Epstein Michael Kantor Bob Richman E. Donna Shepherd
Filmmaker Producer, director; president of Almo Inc. Director of photography Editor
EDUCATION: BA, University of Michigan EDUCATION: BA, Cornell University; MFA, University of California, EDUCATION: BA, University at Buffalo TELEVISION PROJECTS INCLUDE: Carrier. Bravo: Kathy Griffin:
PRODUCER, DIRECTOR, WRITER: Novel Reflections: The American San Diego FILM AND TELEVISION PROJECTS INCLUDE: Iconoclasts, An My Life on the D-List. VH1: Power Girls; Driven: Lisa Marie Presley;
Dream; Combat Diary: The Marines of Lima Company; 10 Days: TELEVISION PROJECTS INCLUDE: Make ‘Em Laugh: The Funny Inconvenient Truth, Some Kind of Monster, Christo’s Umbrellas, 100 Greatest Rock & Roll Moments in Television; Where Are They
Antietam; Final Cut: The Making and Un-Making of Heaven’s Gate; Business of America; My Favorite Things: Julie Andrews Remembers; The Producers: A Musical Romp With Mel Brooks, My Architect, Now?; Teen Idols; Record Breakers; 101 Disney Musical Moments;
Innovation: Brain Fingerprinting; None Without Sin: Miller, Kazan Broadway: The American Musical; Wicked: The Road to Broadway; The Buried Secret of M Night Shyamalan, Paradise Lost, Before They Were Rock Stars; Hollywood & Vinyl; All Access: Divas;
& The Blacklist; Irving Berlin: An American Song; Hitchcock, American Masters, “Quincy Jones: In the Pocket;” The Impressionists; Revelations: Paradise Lost 2, The Kindness of Strangers, Dealers Hey, Ho, Let’s Go: The Story of the Ramones. MSNBC: Special
Selznick & The End of Hollywood; The Battle Over Citizen Kane; Cornerstone; The West; The American Experience, “Lindbergh” Among Dealers, A Tickle in the Heart, The September Issue Edition; Headliners & Legends: Jerry Springer. A & E Biography: 25th
The Hurricane of ’38; The Choice ’92 SCREENINGS INCLUDE: PBS, HBO, Bravo COMMERCIAL SPOTS INCLUDE: Clorox Bleach, Pepsi One, ESPN, Anniversary Special; Top 15 Comedians; Close-Up: Saturday Night
TELEVISION SERIES INCLUDE: American Masters, Biography, The AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDE: Emmy Award Gateway Computers, Partnership for a Drug-Free America, Lotto, Live; Oscar Wilde; Madame Tussaud; Dutch Schultz. MTV: Total
American Experience, Frontline Lexus, Mercedes-Benz Request Live; VJ for a Day. BBC: What Not to Wear
SCREENINGS INCLUDE: Toronto International Film Festival, Sundance Mark Mandler SCREENINGS INCLUDE: Sundance, Berlin, New Directors, Telluride,
Film Festival, Amsterdam International Documentary Festival, Berlin Sound mixer Montreal, Edinburgh, Nyon, Toronto Joia Speciale
International Film Festival. Collections include: Museum of Modern Art EDUCATION: BS, Florida State University AWARD AND HONORS: Cinematography Award, Sundance Film Festival Cinematography
AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDE: Emmy Award; Banff International FILM PROJECTS INCLUDE: Young @ Heart, The Big Bang Education: BA, St. Lawrence University
Rocky Award; Writers Guild Award; George Foster Peabody Award TELEVISION PROJECTS INCLUDE: The American Experience series, Jerry Risius Professional experience: Film editor, Maysles Films
including “New York, a Documentary Film,” “Eugene O’Neill”; Director of photography Film and television projects include: E dreams; Hole in the
Micah Fink American Masters series, including “Annie Leibovitz: Life EDUCATION: BA, University of Iowa Sky: Scars of 9/11; Sex, Food, Death…& Insects; Heights; Secrets of
Director, producer, journalist Through a Lenz,” “Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built”; FILM AND TELEVISION PROJECTS INCLUDE: Muskrat Lovely, the Heart; Intervention; Interrogators; Little Beauties
Education: BA, magna cum laude, Cornell University; MS, with hon- Frontline; Carrier The Devil Came on Horseback, A Walk to Beautiful, The Price Clients include: A&E, MTV, Sundance Channel, HBO, American
ors, Columbia University of Sugar, Our Brand Is Crisis, Unzipped. PBS: American Master’s, Society of Magazine Editors
Film and television projects include: Japan’s About Face, Michel Negroponte NOVA, Nature, Wide Angle, Independent Lens, POV. HBO: Brave Film festival screenings include: South by Southwest, Seattle
H5N1-Killer Flu, Young, Muslim and French, AIDS Warriors, News Filmmaker New Voices. National Geographic: Air Force One, Bob Ballard International, World Media
Wars, Jefferson’s Blood, The High Price of Health Care, Marijuana in EDUCATION: BSAD, MS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Deep Sea Exploration, (“Midway,” “Titanic Revisited,” “Baltic Sea,”
America, The Lost Children of Rockdale County, Inside Scientology FILM PROJECTS INCLUDE: I’m Dangerous with Love; Orthodox “Noah’s Ark”) J.T. Takagi
Publications include: Atlantic, New York Newsday, Brooklyn Stance; Manhattan, Kansas; Methadonia; W.I.S.O.R.; Children COMMERCIAL SPOTS: MTV, MTV Tres, Toyota Prius, Nokia, Coca-Cola Sound recordist, filmmaker
Bridge, Washington City Paper, New Arts Examiner Underground; Fastpitch; BookWars; Jupiter’s Wife; Resident Exile; AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDE: IDA ‘Documentary of the Year’, EDUCATION: BS, Antioch College; MFA, New York University
Awards and honors include: Cine Golden Eagle; Gold Medal, Who’s on First? Creativity Awards for MTV Ad Campaign, Sundance Audience SOUND PROJECT CLIENTS INCLUDE: American Masters, American
Council for Advancement and Support of Education; Japan Society AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDE: Special Recognition, Emmy Award; Award, UNAFF Cinematography Award (United Nations) Experience, Wide Angle
Media Fellowship; Kaiser Family Foundation; Nona Balakian Award, Sundance Film Festival; Best Documentary, Vancouver International FILM PROJECTS INCLUDE: Producer, Call for Change series; director,
Columbia University Film Festival Bernardo Ruiz Voices in the Street; She Rhymes Like a Girl; Echando Raices/Taking
Producer, director, writer, documentary filmmaker Root; The #7 Train: An Immigrant Journey; North Korea: Beyond the
Tom Hurwitz Thom Powers Education: BA, Sarah Lawrence College DMZ; Homes Apart: Korea; Bittersweet Survival; The Women Outside
Cinematographer Producer, director, festival programmer Professional experience includes: Associate editor, North AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDE: Gold Award, New York Expo;
FILM AND TELEVSION PROJECTS INCLUDE: Dancemaker, Harlan Professional experience includes: Documentary programmer, American Congress on Latin America Special Jury Award, San Francisco Film Festival; First Prize, Amiens
County USA, Wild Man Blues, My Generation, Down and Out in Toronto International Film Festival; artistic director, documentary Film and television projects include: Gardens of Paradise, International Film Festival. Fellowships include: Open Society Institute;
America, The Turandot Project, Liberty, Franklin, Faith and Doubt series Stranger than Fiction; artistic director, DOC.NYC Roberto Clemente, The American Experience, History Detectives, Charles H. Revson Foundation; Rockefeller Foundation; Steve
at Ground Zero, I Have a Dream, Questioning Faith, Bombs will Film projects include: Loving & Cheating; Private Dicks: Men Megastructures, Redemption, Skeleton Stories, Destination America, Tatsukawa Memorial Award for Asian Pacific American Community
Make the Rainbow Break Exposed; Breasts: A Documentary; Guns & Mothers Postcards from Buster, Matters of Race, The Sixth Section Service in Media; New York Foundation for the Arts.
AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDE: Emmy Award, Sundance Award, Publications include: Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Awards and honors include: New York Foundation on the Arts,
Jerusalem Award for Cinematography Filmmakers, Real Screen Rockefeller Bellagio Writing Residency, Yaddo Foundation, Latino
Public Broadcasting, Paul Robeson Fund, Fundacion Valparaiso
Robyn Hutt Writing Residency
Senior vice president, Current Programming and Specials, truTV.
Formerly, Vice President, Current Programming, Court TV; founder,
Testing the Limits Productions
EDUCATION: MA, New York University
FILM AND TELEVISION PROJECTS INCLUDE: Ocean Force, Speeders,
Suburban Secrets, Most Daring, Black Gold. Creator: Haunting
Evidence and Psychic Detectives, Voices From The Front; executive
producer, The Question of Equality

Social Documentary Film 384 385 www.sva.edu/grad/socialdocumentaryfilm


Guest Lecturers

Natalia Almada Susan Froemke Jay Keuper Sam Pollard


producer, director, editor director editor producer, editor
Alan Berliner Alex Gibney Simon Kilmurry Brian Oakes
filmmaker filmmaker executive director, POV motion graphics designer
Joe Berlinger Roberto Guerra Christine Le Goff James Redford
filmmaker director, producer, producer producer, director,
Vee Bravo cinematographer Muffie Meyer screenwriter
filmmaker Richard Hankin director, producer, editor Yoruba Richen
Kathy Brew editor Brett Morgen producer
producer, director Paula Heredia producer, director Amy Schewel
Mark Daniels director, editor, Robb Moss producer, researcher,
director of photography, cinematographer filmmaker archivist
writer, director, producer Glenda Hersh Sheila Nevins Deborah Shaffer
Sandi Dubowski producer, co-founder, president, director, producer
filmmaker president, True Entertainment HBO Documentary Films Ira Spiegel
Jeff Dupre Beth Hoppe Elena Paul sound editor
producer, director producer, co-founder, volunteer, Lawyer John Walter
president, Optomen Production For The Arts director, editor
Alice Elliott
Filmmaker Yves Janneau DA Pennebaker Pamela Yates
producer filmmaker producer, director, writer

Tel: 212.592.2919

Contact Us
Fax: 212.627.2526
E-mail: mfasocdoc@sva.edu
www.sva.edu/grad/socialdocumentaryfilm
department site: mfasocdoc.sva.edu
We strongly encourage applicants to visit our department prior to submitting application materials.

Come to our Departmental Information Session, or contact us directly to schedule a tour.

Departmental Information Session: Saturday, November 5, 2011.


All times and locations will be announced online: www.sva.edu/grad/visit

To register for a departmental information session, please visit our website or contact the
Office of Graduate Admissions at: gradadmissions@sva.edu.

Social Documentary Film 386 387 www.sva.edu/grad/socialdocumentaryfilm


General Information
The following includes information and opportunities available to graduate students.
Additional information is available in the SVA Handbook.

Exhibitions at SVA Housing Technology


Student Exhibitions Guest Artist Exhibitions Residence Life and Housing The School of Visual Arts provides valuable computing and networking
The exhibition program at SVA advances the College’s philosophy SVA’s exhibition program also affords students the opportunity to SVA currently offers the following campus housing options for gradu- resources that support the academic, institutional, research and admin-
of integrating life outside the classroom with the teaching that occurs study the work of renowned artists and designers, hear them speak at ate students: the George Washington (GW), the New Residence and istrative activities of the College. SVA’s computer services and facilities
within. Becoming a professional artist entails more than just developing lectures or even meet them in person—all on campus. Since 1960, SVA the Ludlow Residence. All residences include 24-hour security, laundry are an important aspect of our educational mission, which includes a
talent and honing skills; it also means gaining the practical experience has exhibited the work of some of the most significant figures in mod- facilities, cable service and Internet access. For more information on commitment to the pursuit of academic excellence and the highest level
and creative enrichment that come from showing work in a real gal- ern art, including Willem de Kooning, Sol Lewitt, Roy Lichtenstein, residence life policies and other related information, contact the Office of artistic expression. For up-to-date information on specific computer
lery setting. SVA’s commitment to this objective is second to none. Robert Motherwell, Robert Rauschenberg, Saul Steinberg, Mark di of Residence Life at 212.592.2140 or reslife@sva.edu, or visit www. facilities in each department, please visit our website at www.sva.edu.
We employ a full-time staff of gallery professionals to mount over 50 Suvero and Andy Warhol. Reflecting the breadth of its curricula, sva.edu/residencelife.
exhibitions a year in three exhibition spaces. There are two galleries on SVA has also exhibited prominent exponents of contemporary design, The George Washington is located one block from the 209 East MySVA
campus and one off campus. The lat­ter, which also houses the Office illustration and photography. In 1988, SVA inaugurated the Masters 23rd Street building and houses the largest population of SVA resident MySVA is the online community for the School of Visual Arts, and
of Student Galleries, comprises four fully equipped exhibition spaces as Series, an annual award exhibition that honors great visual communi- students. Students can request a single or a double room, each with a can be accessed at my.sva.edu. Designed for students, faculty and staff,
well as a terrace with a spectacular Hudson River view where outdoor cators of our time. Silas Rhodes, the founder of SVA, conceived it as a refrigerator and private bathroom. Although shapes vary, the average it offers a free @sva.edu e-mail account, access to WebAdvisor and
sculpture can be shown. Matriculated students can exhibit their work way of bringing public recognition to groundbreaking designers, illus- single room is 8x10'. The average size of a double is twice that of a links to information and services that will make many administrative
either as part of a department show, organized by their department chair trators and photographers who are sometimes unknown to the general single. A community kitchen is located on the top floor of the resi- functions simpler, including registration information, schedule access,
or a guest curator, or by applying to the Office of Student Galleries for public—a public that has nonetheless responded strongly to their dence, in the solarium. The use of cooking appliances is prohibited in grades, secure bill payment and more. All students, faculty and staff
a juried exhibition. For each student exhibition held at SVA, the College imagery and has been influenced by their work. Saul Bass, Seymour student rooms. are automatically assigned an account user name and password.
hosts an opening reception at which the exhibiting artists can interact Chwast, Jules Feiffer, Milton Glaser, George Lois, Mary Ellen Mark, The Ludlow Residence is a new facility on Manhat­tan’s Lower East
with the public and members of the arts community as well as celebrate Paul Rand, Paula Scher and Massimo Vignelli are among those who Side. The residence is composed of single and double rooms arranged wireless
their accomplishments with friends, family and colleagues. This is a have received the Masters Series Award. The latest honoree in the series in suites. Each room includes a microwave/refrigerator unit. A commu- SVA has wireless network coverage throughout the campus, includ-
long-standing practice. Artists such as Renée Cox, Keith Haring, Joseph is Edward Sorel. Hailed by The New York Times as “one of America’s nity kitchen is located on the lower level of the residence. ing residential halls. The wireless network is available to all faculty,
Kosuth, Elizabeth Peyton, Lorna Simpson and Sarah Sze held some of foremost political satirists,” Edward Sorel has delighted magazine read- The New Residence is located adjacent to the 209 East 23rd Street students and staff. To connect to the network with campus wireless,
their first exhibitions as students at SVA. ers for decades with his social critiques, political satires and whimsical building and is reserved for first-year students. Apartments are two- or simply use your wireless client application on your mobile device
picture essays. With over 100 drawings, caricatures and illustrations, three-bedroom suites, with central air and heat, as well as full kitchens to associate with the nearest Access Point. The SSID broadcast by
SVA Gallery “The Masters Series: Edward Sorel” reveals a major American artist and bathrooms. Each apartment houses between four and six students. the wireless network will be in the format “SVA -buildinglocation”
209 East 23 Street, ground floor whose intelligence and humor are matched by his cunning storytelling All SVA residence halls have live-in staff knowledgeable in SVA For example, “SVA – 23LEX Residence” would be for the George
Monday through Friday, 9am to 7pm; and incisive social commentary. administrative procedures and trained in peer counseling and community Washington Residence Hall. Once you open your browser and authen-
Saturday, 10am to 6pm Exhibitions at SVA are also meant to engage students in understand- development. Please visit our website at www.sva.edu/residencelife for ticate using your MySVA login and password, you will be able to
ing art-making in varied contexts as it occurs today. For instance, “The current housing rates. continue to your destination on the Web. If you have questions about
SVA Westside Gallery Influentials: SVA Women Alumni Invite Artists Who Have Shaped Their the new campus wireless service in your building, please contact the
141 West 21 Street, ground floor Work” is an exhibition that showcases the work of notable female How to Apply for Housing Help Desk at 212-592-2400 or e-mail us at helpdesk@sva.edu.
Monday through Friday, 9am to 7pm; alumni and the diverse group of mentors and peers that have influenced Once an offer of admission has been extended, a nonrefundable $1,000
Saturday, 10am to 6pm their artistic practice. Participating SVA artists include: Kate Gilmore, enrollment fee and an $800 housing deposit (a $300 nonrefundable
Mika Rottenberg, Phoebe Washburn, and Marianne Vitale. It is as much placement fee and a $500 security deposit) must be submitted. Students Library
Visual Arts Gallery an investigation into the lineage and relationships between artists as will receive a housing preference form and contract. The Office of The Visual Arts Library is a comfortable and inviting place where
601 West 26 Street, 15th floor it is a dialogue between mentors and mentees that crosses generations Residence Life will then place new students in housing on a first-come, students can study, collaborate with peers or work with a librarian.
Monday through Saturday, 10am to 6pm and gender to give form to an interconnected creative community that first-served basis while space remains available. All housing contracts Over 80,000 books, current subscriptions to 460 magazines and jour-
(closes at 5pm on Fridays in the summer) enriches contemporary art practice. are for the entire academic year and will not be canceled unless a stu- nals, and specialized collections of pictures, slides, film scripts, comics,
This College, a longtime proponent of artists’ social awareness, pres- dent withdraws from SVA or takes an official leave of absence from DVDs and CDs are all available seven days a week. The Visual Arts
ents “Being American,” an exhibition that delves into the multiplicity of the College. Library also serves as a portal that links students to major online aca-
experience in American life today through a mix of photography, illus- demic and creative resources, including databases containing 15,600
tration, animation, painting and video. The works of Barry Blitt, Steve Note: Receipt of the enrollment fee and the housing deposit does not full-text periodicals. These materials have been carefully selected to
Brodner, Edward Burtynsky, Jessica Craig-Martin, Alfredo Jaar and guarantee placement in SVA housing. support SVA’s curriculum and meet the specialized needs of aspiring
Martha Rosler, among others, comment upon the heterogeneous social art and design professionals. The Visual Resources Collection contains
environments from which they arise. The fact that not all of the artists 150,000 slides and 48,600 digital images that document the history
in the show are Americans makes the variety in “Being American,” all of art and design; it also provides SVA faculty and students licensed
the more intriguing. access to two million digital images. Additionally, the Library houses
the Milton Glaser Design Study Center and Archives containing original
works by preeminent designers, illustrators and art directors who have
close ties to the School of Visual Arts. A friendly and creative staff,
including knowledgeable art librarians, is eager to help patrons get the
most from their library. At the Visual Arts Library, you’ll develop the
kind of knowledge that can power a lifetime of creativity.

General Information 388 389 www.sva.edu


Office of Alumni Affairs Office of Career Development Office of Disability Services (ODS) Veteran Students
The School of Visual Arts is proud of the reputation it has attained The Office of Career Development offers a wide range of services to The mission of the ODS is to assist in creating an accessible campus The School of Visual Arts is approved for veteran training under the
through the achievements of its many talented alumni. Many live and matriculating SVA students and recent alumni. These services support environment at the School of Visual Arts where students with disabili- authorizations established by the federal government. Students attend-
work in New York City; others can be found throughout the United individuals in exploring, identifying and pursuing their unique career ties have equal access to educational programs and the opportunity to ing under the G.I. Bill must submit their eligibility documents to the
States and in more than 30 other countries. SVA alumni have made goals, while providing tools and professional networking opportunities participate fully in all aspects of campus life. Through partnerships veterans’ counselor. The veterans’ counselor can be reached Monday
major contributions to contemporary fine arts. They are included to help them along the way. with students, faculty and staff members, ODS works to promote stu- through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, by telephone: 212.592.2201; fax
in prominent museum collections, are represented by renowned gal- Career Development provides one-on-one career counseling and dents’ independence, self-advocacy, and development, and also ensures 212.592.2069; or e-mail: veterans@sva.edu.
leries and have exhibited around the world. SVA alumni are leaders assistance in areas such as researching employment, résumé writing and that students are recognized for their abilities–not their disabilities. At
in advertising, graphic design, interactive media, broadcast design, interview preparation. The office manages the College’s online job board, SVA we foster an environment that promotes the inclusion of students
typography, packaging, interior design, illustration, photography, and which hosts listings from thousands of companies as well as gives stu- with disabilities. Family Educational Rights
related disciplines. They can be found at film, animation and cartoon- dents and alumni the option to post résumés and portfolio images for The main purpose of the ODS is to maintain federal compliance
ing studios; advertising and design firms; television networks; publish- prospective employers to review. Career Development also manages SVA’s with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the and Privacy Act (FERPA)
ing houses and record companies. internship for credit program and assists qualified students in securing Rehabilitation Act of 1973 by ensuring students registered with the Annually, the School of Visual Arts informs students of the Family
Many are freelancers or run their own companies. They’ve won internships with many top creative companies in New York City. ODS receive appropriate and reasonable academic accommodations. Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974. The College
Academy Awards, Emmys, CLIOs, Ruebens, NEA and Fulbright fel- Throughout the academic year, Career Development hosts events According to the ADA of 1990, a disability is defined by the following complies fully with this Act, which was designed to protect the pri-
lowships, countless film festival awards, website and design awards and workshops on employment opportunities, relevant industry trends criteria: a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one vacy of education records, establish the right of students to inspect
and have garnered national and international press recognition. Still and the development of career-building skills. For more information, or more of the major life activities of such an individual, or a record of and review their education records, and provide guidelines for the
others extend SVA’s tradition of educating artists by becoming teach- please visit us at: www.sva.edu/career. such an impairment, or being regarded as having such an impairment. correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and
ers themselves. Major life activities/functions include: caring for oneself, performing formal hearings. Students also have the right to file complaints with
The Office of Alumni Affairs serves as the primary liaison between manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, the FERPA office concerning alleged failures by the College to com-
the School of Visual Arts and its alumni. Through programs, publica- Student Health and thinking, sitting, standing, reaching, interacting with others, concen- ply with the Act. Local policy explains in detail the procedures to be
tions and special events the office actively engages SVA alumni in an trating, lifting, sleeping, reproduction, running, and working. used by the College for compliance with the provisions of the Act.
effort to advance their educational and professional best interests while Counseling Services Disabilities can be visible or visually undetectable and vary on how Copies of the policy are available in the Office of the President, the
encouraging their support of the College. All certificate and degree Confidential services are provided free of charge in a non-judgmental they impact a person’s major life functions. For example, a student Registrar’s Office and on MySVA. These offices also maintain a direc-
graduates of SVA are considered alumni. Alumni benefits may include: environment. A Registered Nurse is available for health education. diagnosed with a learning disorder may need the support of assis- tory of records, which lists all student education records maintained
Licensed Therapists and a part-time Psychiatrist provide short-term tive technology (AT) and others may require a note-taker. Due to the by the School of Visual Arts. Questions concerning FERPA should
XX Discounts for continuing education classes psychotherapy for a variety of mental health issues. Medical services varying differences in disabilities, ODS can only determine academic be referred to the Registrar’s Office. Telephone: 212.592.2200; fax:
XX Services provided by the Office of Career Development are not available on-site. Staff work with students to assist them with accommodations based on the respective documentation from the stu- 212.592.2069; e-mail: registrar@sva.edu.
XX Access to the Visual Arts Library accessing community based health care providers. dent’s clinician and the student’s self-report. Generally, students regis-
XX Discounted dental plan and health, auto, home and renter’s insurance The office is open Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm and is located in tered with ODS can receive any one or more of the following academic
XX Discounts to art related organizations and retailers the George Washington Residence at 23 Lexington Avenue. For more accommodations: extended time on exams; reduced course load; ability Grading Policy
XX Invitations to special events information please call 212.592.2246. to take an exam in a distraction free environment (proctored at ODS); Most of the graduate departments at SVA require students to maintain
XX Free subscriptions to the Visual Arts Journal a note-taker; a reader; use of a computer for spell check; and/or indi- a minimum GPA of 3.0 in order to remain in good academic standing.
XX Access to the SVA online alumni community STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE vidualized support services, such as time management, organizational A graduate department may, at its discretion, adopt a policy that accepts
Students are automatically enrolled in SVA-sponsored accident insur- skills, and learning strategies. only those courses completed with a grade of B- or higher toward the
Questions regarding alumni programs and services should be directed to the ance. Additionally, students are automatically enrolled in the SVA- Per the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, a student enrolled degree, or a pass/fail philosophy. Each graduate department makes clear
Office of Alumni Affairs at 212.592.2300 or by e-mail at alumni@sva.edu. sponsored sickness coverage. Students who want to waive the Health at SVA is responsible for self-identifying as a disabled person. The thier grading policy within their department literature.
Insurance Fee must have sufficient insurance coverage and waive the fee student is required to obtain the following documentation from his/her
online before the applicable deadline. For more information about the practitioner: a letter stating the disability, a clinical narrative on how
insurance, including how to waive the fee, go to www.sva.edu/aetna. the disability impacts the student’s functioning, and a list of suggested
academic accommodations. ODS retains these documents, which are
kept confidential.
The ODS will provide the student with the registration instructions
and forms (all on my.sva.edu). Once the proper forms and docu-
mentation have been returned to the ODS, the ODS will review and
contact the student for a consultation to review his/her disability and
discuss his/her eligibility for services. Please note that each student is
consulted with on an individualized basis, which means that he/she
receives tailored academic accommodations.
Throughout the student’s tenure at the SVA, he/she is responsible
for maintaining contact with ODS.

General Information 390 391 www.sva.edu


Tuition and
Expenses
2011–2012 Schedule of Expenses

Tuition Graduate Departmental Fees Miscellaneous fees Design Criticism: Students enrolled in Design Criticism must supply
Art Education (one-year program) Art Criticism and Writing $250 per semester Late registration fee $100 their own Macintosh computer (G4 or better). The computers will be
$16,540 per semester, fall and spring semesters Art Education $250 per semester Late payment after the tuition due date $200 networked through the College in the Design, Design Criticism and
(12 to 15 credits per semester) Art Practice Returned check fee, plus applicable Interaction Design studios. Printers, scanners and all Adobe software
$6,630 summer semester (6 credits) (summer semester only) $500 per summer semester late charges $20 are available in the studio.
Art Therapy $250 per semester Late course adjustment fee $100
Art Education (two-year program) Branding $325 per semester Replacement of lost student Design for Social Innovation: Students enrolled in Design for Social
$1,105 per credit, fall and spring semesters Computer Art $1,200 per semester identification cards $20 Innovation must have their own Macintosh laptop, Intel recom-
(up to 11 credits per semester) Critical Theory and the Arts $250 (estimate) per semester mended. The computers will be networked through the college.
$6,630 summer semester (6 credits) Design $400 per semester Estimated Supplies Printers, scanners and software will be provided in the computer lab,
Design Criticism $250 per semester Art Criticism and Writing $500 but we suggest that students bring their own Adobe software if pos-
Art Criticism and Writing; Art Therapy; Computer Art; Design Design for Social Innovation $400 (estimate) per semester Art Education $1,000 sible
Criticism; Fashion Photography; Fine Arts; Illustration as Visual Essay; Fashion Photography $1,200 per semester Art Practice $1,000
Live Action Short Film; Photography, Video and Related Media Illustration as Visual Essay $500 per semester Art Therapy $1,000 Digital Photography: Students enrolled in Digital Photography must
$16,540 per semester (12 to 15 credits per semester, with the Interaction Design $400 per semester Branding $1,000 own or have access to a desktop workstation with current versions of
exception of Art Criticism and Writing and Design Live Action Short Film $1,000 per semester Computer Art $1,000 Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and Photoshop (preferably Extended),
Criticism majors, who may take up to 16 credits per semester at Photography, Video and Design $5,000 250 GB external hard drive, 13” inkjet printer and professional digital
the base tuition rate) Related Media $1,200 per semester Design Criticism $1,500 camera with off-camera flash. Online students should have access to
Products of Design $550 (estimate) per semester Design for Social Innovation $4,500 studio lighting equipment with three heads and a total of 500 watt/
Art Practice Digital Photography $4,000 seconds.
$1,105 per credit, fall and spring semesters (7.5 credits per semester) Note: Digital Photography, Fine Arts and Social Documentary Film Fashion Photography $4,000
$13,260 per summer semester (12 credits per semester) have no departmental fees. Fine Arts $2,700 Fashion Photography: It is recommended that students enrolled in
Illustration as Visual Essay $2,500 the MPS Fashion Photography program own their own Macintosh
Branding Per-Credit Charge Interaction Design $6,000 computer with the following software programs: Adobe Photoshop,
$17,670 per fall and spring semesters (12 to 15 credits per semester) Students registered for less than 12 credits or more than 15 credits per Live Action Short Film $1,000 InDesign, Dreamweaver and Illustrator. Students must also have an
$7,080 summer semester (6 credits) semester for Graduate Division courses (16 credits for Art Criticism Photography, Video external hard drive no smaller than 250 GB.
and Writing, and Design Criticism majors) will be billed at the rate of and Related Media $4,000
Critical Theory and the Arts $1,105 (estimated) per credit ($1,180 for Branding, Design, Design Products of Design $6,500 Interaction Design: Students enrolled in Interaction Design must supply
$1,105 per credit (estimate) per semester: fall, spring and summer for Social Innovation (estimated), Interaction Design and Products of Social Documentary Film $4,000 their own Macintosh computer (Intel recommended). The computers
(12 credits per semester) Design (estimated); $1,350 for Social Documentary Film). Tuition for will be networked through the College in the studio. Printers, scanners,
more than 15 credits (16 credits for Art Criticism and Writing, and Art Practice: Students enrolled in Art Practice must have access to and Adobe software are available in the studio; however, we recom-
Design, Interaction Design Design Criticism majors) is fully refundable during the drop/add period. a computer operating on either Windows 7 or later, or Mac OS X mend that students using their own laptops bring their own Adobe
$17,670 per semester (12 to 15 credits per semester) After the drop/add periods, refunds for extra credit tuition charges will or later. Supplies and associated expenses will depend on the media software.
be prorated based on the institutional refund policy. employed. Basic studio and lab fees may range between $1,000 and
Design for Social Innovation, Products of Design Note: Graduate students may audit one undergraduate or one continu- $2,000 per summer semester. Other supply-related costs will be deter- Live Action Short Film: Students enrolled in Live Action Short Film
$17,670 per semester (12 to 15 credits per semester) (estimated) ing education course each semester that they are enrolled as matriculated mined on an individual basis. must have a MacBook Pro laptop equipped with Final Draft and Apple
and full-time students. Courses must be audited during a two-year Final Cut Pro, and an external hard drive of 1TB.
Digital Photography period and cannot exceed four courses in total. All applicable course fees Branding: Students enrolled in Branding must have access to their own
$13,260 per semester, fall and spring semesters will be charged. Courses open to auditing are subject to availability. computer, printer, scanner and software. Wireless will be available Photography, Video and Related Media: It is recommended that stu-
(12 credits per semester) within the Branding Studio and students may bring a laptop to class if dents enrolled in Photography, Video and Related Media own or have
$9,945 summer semester (9 credits) Enrollment fee need be. Additionally, there is a computer studio located on the main access to a Macintosh computer (G5 or better) equipped with cur-
Once an offer of admission has been extended, applicants must sub- campus which provides Macintosh computers, scanners and printers. rent imaging software including Adobe Photoshop and Final Cut Pro.
Social Documentary Film mit a $1,000 nonrefundable enrollment fee to the Office of Graduate Students must have an external hard drive with at least 500 GB.
$20,200 per semester (12 to 15 credits per semester) Admissions in order to secure a space in their intended program of study. Design: Students enrolled in Design must supply their own Macintosh
Enrollment fees will be processed only as space remains available in each computer, OS X 10.5 with a 2GHz or greater processor (Intel). The Products of Design: Students must supply their own computer (laptop
Note: Tuition includes registration, student activities, technology department; $500 of this fee will be applied to the first-year tuition. computers will be networked through the College. Printers and scan- preferred). These computers will be networked through the College
fees; student, accident insurance, locker rental, library and ners are available in the studio. All Adobe software will be provided to in the studio with printers, scanners, and other peripherals available.
buildings and grounds fees. health insurance fee each student. See department website for more details.
$770 per semester (waivable)
Students are automatically enrolled in SVA-sponsored accident and Social Documentary Film: Students enrolled in Social Documentary
sickness insurance and billed the Health Insurance Fee. Students who Film must have a 17” MacBook Pro laptop, with express card reader,
want to remove this charge must have sufficient insurance coverage equipped with Apple Final Cut Pro, a small portable 320GB 7299
and waive the fee online before the applicable deadline. For more RPM hard drive for editing from a laptop, and an external hard drive
information about the insurance, including waiving the fee, go to of 1TB for footage backup.
www.sva.edu/aetna.

Tuition and Expenses 392 393 www.sva.edu


Estimated Living Expenses Tuition Payment Plan Summer
Housing costs in one of the College’s residences range from $9,600 to Students may choose to pay annual tuition charges in 10 monthly Please note that the length of the summer program varies by depart-
$13,950 for the 2011–2012 academic year. For students living away installments—five per semester. The agreement is for the fall and ment. This information is located on the webpage of each individual
from home, estimated expenses, including room, board, transportation spring semesters, and payments begin on August 1 and end on May department.
and personal expenses, are $20,000 for a nine-month period. 1. Students will be asked to sign the Payment Plan Application and
Agreement form in order to participate in the plan. SVA offers this Programs 12 weeks and over:
Note: Tuition, fees and housing charges are expected to increase option free of any interest or finance charge. There is a $200 pro- 0% if withdrawal occurs prior to the start of classes
at a minimum of 4 percent to 7 percent annually. cessing fee per year for participating in the plan. SVA will consider 10% if withdrawal occurs during the first and second week
all financial aid awards when calculating the payment plan, thereby of the semester
Payment reducing the amount of the monthly installments. 50% if withdrawal occurs during the third and fourth week
Payment may be made by check; money order; or American Express, International students are eligible for the payment plan only after of the semester
Discover, MasterCard, Visa or JCB credit cards. Checks should be they have attended at least one full semester at SVA as a full-time 75% if withdrawal occurs during the fifth through eighth
made payable to: School of Visual Arts. The College does not accept student and paid their tuition in full. Contact the Office of Student week of the semester
cash payments. Accounts for more information: Telephone: 212.592.2415; 100% if withdrawal occurs after the eighth week
All payments are to be made in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. bank. fax: 212.592.2088; e-mail: studentaccounts@sva.edu
An additional fee of $75 plus any other balance incurred for conver- No refund will be made for withdrawal occurring after the eighth week
sion of foreign currency to U.S. funds will be charged for processing REFUND POLICY of the program.
money orders or bank checks drawn on a foreign bank or a foreign The enrollment fee is nonrefundable. The health insurance fee is
branch of a dom­estic bank. To avoid the processing fee, payments refundable only if withdrawal occurs prior to the applicable semester Programs 9-11 weeks:
from foreign banks may be made by wire transfer to: waiver deadline. The waiver deadline is located on the Student Health 0% if withdrawal occurs prior to the first day of class
and Counseling Services webpage. Students who wish to withdraw 25% if withdrawal occurs during first or second week of the program
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. from SVA must notify their academic advisor in writing. Written 50% if withdrawal occurs during the third and fourth week of
420 Montgomery Street approval from a parent or guardian must be included if the student is the program
San Francisco, CA 94104 under 18 years of age. The effective date of the withdrawal is the date 75% if withdrawal occurs during the fifth week of the program
For the account of written notification is received by the academic advisor. Lack of atten- 100% if withdrawal occurs after the fifth week of the program
School of Visual Arts, Inc. dance alone does not entitle a student to a refund.
Account #4121919880 Refunds, less the nonrefundable enrollment fee and health insurance No refund will be made for withdrawal occurring after the fifth week
ABA #121000248 fee (if applicable), are made after the prorated percentages of liabil- of the program.
Swift Code: WFBIUS6S ity are applied, unless superseded by an existing state or accrediting
agency refund policy. Upon withdrawal from the semester, SVA does Programs up to and including 8 weeks:
Please include the student name and SVA identification number not charge any department or course fees. However, payment plan 0% if withdrawal occurs prior to the first day of class
in wire notes. fees, late fees and any other administrative fees are not prorated. Only 25% if withdrawal occurs during the first week of the program
tuition and housing costs are prorated. Prorated housing costs are 50% if the withdrawal occurs during the second week of the program
Note: Please take into account any additional bank charges for based on the check out date, not the official date of withdrawal. 75% if the withdrawal occurs during the third week of the program
payment of wire transfers. Wire transfer payments will be processed 100% if the withdrawal occurs after the third week of the program
on the date they are received, not the date they were issued; please The prorated percentages of liability (tuition and fees owed) are based
plan accordingly. on the official date of withdrawal, as follows: No refund will be made for withdrawal occurring after the third week
of the program.
A student’s registration for a semester is not complete until all bills Fall and Spring
due for that and any prior semester are paid in full. Bills for tuition are 0% if withdrawal occurs prior to the start of classes
mailed beginning June 15 for the fall semester and November 1 for the 10% if withdrawal occurs during the first and second week
spring semester, and are payable by August 1 and December 1, respec- of the semester
tively. The Office of Student Accounts will impose a late charge if any 50% if withdrawal occurs during the third and fourth week
part of the semester bill is not paid when due. of the semester
No degrees will be conferred and no certificates of attendance or 75% if withdrawal occurs during the fifth through eighth
transcripts will be furnished until all bills due the School of Visual Arts week of the semester
are paid in full. 100% if withdrawal occurs after the eighth week

No refund will be made for withdrawal occurring after the


eighth week of the semester.

Tuition and Expenses / Financial Aid 394 395 www.sva.edu


Financial Aid

The primary function of the Office of Financial Aid is to coordinate Types of Financial Aid Important Information About Federal Student Loans SVA Scholarships and Assistantships
the many sources of aid to meet as much of the student’s financial Additional Sources of Aid for New York State Residents Federally mandated entrance interviews are required for all students After acceptance, scholarships are awarded to qualified new students
need as funding permits. Financial aid packages may consist of grants, Aid, in the form of grants and scholarships, is awarded yearly through receiving a Federal Perkins loan, a Federal Stafford loan or a Graduate to some graduate degree programs. Students may apply for assistant-
scholarships, loans and/or work-study awards. All of these sources of the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation, Albany, PLUS loan for the first time at SVA. The student must attend an ships once they have entered the program. These awards are based
aid supplement financial resources and assist students in meeting edu- NY 12255, includes Vietnam and Gulf War Veteran Tuition Awards, entrance interview before any loan proceeds may be received. The upon individual merit and past performance and vary by department.
cational costs. The financial aid staff assists students and their families Child of Deceased Correction Officers Awards, Memorial Scholarships entrance interview is an information session explaining the student’s
with the financial aid application and award process, coordinating a for Families of Deceased Police Officers and Firefighters, and Child of rights and responsibilities regarding these loan programs. Group Private Loans
personalized aid plan of grants, scholarships, loans and/or work-study. Deceased or Disabled Veteran awards. Individuals with disabilities may entrance interviews will be conducted during orientation and through- Private loans are available to students through various private agen-
The Office of Financial Aid is open Monday through Thursday, contact the Office of Vocational and Educa­tional Services for Individuals out the academic year. All students must sign a promissory note for cies and/or lenders. SVA recommends that students review borrowing
9:00 am to 6:00 pm, and Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm; it is located with Disabilities (VESID), NYS Education Department, Albany, NY each year they are receiving a Federal Perkins loan and the first year options through the federal loan programs first, then evaluate the
at 209 East 23rd Street, room 107. Telephone: 212.592.2030; fax 12234. Funds are provided for tuition, fees, etc., as well as for note tak- they are receiving a Federal Stafford loan. Students who indicated on private loan options.
212.592.2029; e-mail: fa@sva.edu. ers and interpreters in the instance of a blind or deaf student. Eligibility their FAFSA that they are interested in student loans will receive a
is determined by VESID. Aid programs for the visually impaired are master promissory note in the mail.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES available through the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Other Disclosures
SVA participates in all forms of federal financial aid and requires Department of Social Services, Albany, NY 12243. State Aid to Federal Work-Study Program Return of Title IV Federal Student Aid Policy
only one form, the 2012­–13 Free Application for Federal Student Aid Native Americans may be obtained by contacting the Native American Available to full- and part-time graduate students. Students who are Federal regulations determine the formula for calculating the amount
(FAFSA). The FAFSA should be filed as soon after January 1, 2012 as Education Unit, NYS Education Department, Albany, NY 12234. awarded federal work-study earn salaries at an hourly rate until their of federal aid you may retain when you interrupt your studies.
possible. SVA’s Title IV school code is 007468 (step 6 of the FAFSA). award allocation is exhausted. Currently, graduate students earn Students who withdraw from all classes prior to completing more than
Students may complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov Federal Self-Help Loans and Work-Study $10 per hour. Federal work-study provides both on- and off-campus 60 percent of an enrollment term will have their eligibility for federal
(remember to electronically sign your application or print, sign and Federal Perkins Loans employment opportunities. Positions are available on a first-come, aid recalculated based on the percentage of the term completed, which
submit the certification page by mail). Available to full- and part-time graduate students. The SVA financial aid first-served basis. shall be calculated based on the number of days completed by the total
committee determines eligibility and loan amounts based on the student’s number of days in the semester.
Note: Only United States citizens and legal permanent residents are financial need and the funding available from the federal government. Important Information About Federal Work-Study The total number of calendar days in a semester excludes scheduled
eligible for federal and state need-based aid. Federally mandated entrance interviews are required for all students breaks of five days or more. Unearned federal aid (the amount that
Federal Stafford Loans (FSL) participating in Federal Work-Study. The student must attend an must be returned to the appropriate program) will be returned in
DETERMINATION OF FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY Available to full- and part-time graduate students. The SVA financial entrance interview and follow up with placement activities. The inter- the following order: Federal Stafford Loans (unsubsidized, then subsi-
Within two weeks of submitting the FAFSA, financial aid applicants aid committee determines eligibility and loan amounts based on the view is an information session explaining student rights and respon- dized), Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Graduate PLUS Loans, Federal
will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) from the federal processor. student’s financial need. The criteria used to determine loan amounts sibilities regarding this program. Group interviews will be conducted Undergraduate PLUS Loans, Federal Pell Grants, and Federal SEOG.
The SAR will report the information from the original application and include financial need and full- or part-time status. during orientation and throughout the academic year.
the resultant Expected Family Contribution (EFC). EFC is determined There are two types of Federal Stafford Loans: subsidized and Note: Students who withdraw are responsible for any balance owed
by the federal government based on family resources and is the mini- unsubsidized. The federal government pays the interest that accrues on SVA Matching Outside Scholarship to the School of Visual Arts as a result of the repayment of federal
mum amount a student’s family is expect­ed to contribute toward his or the subsidized loan while the student is in school. Graduate students Available to full- and part-time graduate students. SVA will match aid funds. If funds are released to the student because of a credit
her education. who are not eligible for a subsidized FSL (based on their financial 25% of any outside scholarship that a student obtains. The total balance on the student’s account, the student may be required to
Financial aid eligibility is based on financial need. This need is calculated need) will be eligible for an unsubsidized FSL. The unsubsidized FSL combined amount of the SVA Matching Scholarship may not exceed repay federal funds.
by subtracting the EFC from the estimated cost of education (also referred requires that the student pay the interest on the loan, which accrues $2,500 for each award year. Students must submit a copy of their out-
to as the student budget). The student budget comprises the yearly cost for throughout the time the student is enrolled in school. Repayment of side scholarship award letter to the Office of Financial Aid for the SVA Satisfactory Academic Progress
tuition and fees, as well as estimates for home maintenance/living expenses, both the subsidized and the unsubsidized FSL begins six months after Matching Scholarship to be awarded and renewed each year. Federal regulations also require SVA to establish a Satisfactory
personal expenses, transportation, books and supplies. the student graduates, withdraws or falls below half-time status. Academic Progress (SAP) policy for students receiving financial aid.
Further, SVA must notify students of the SAP policy and monitor the
Federal Graduate PLUS Loans (GradPLUS) Alternative Financial Options progress of all students receiving financial aid to ensure compliance
A need-based loan opportunity available to graduate or professional Organizational and Corporate Scholarships with the standards. The federal and state standards are available in the
students who do not have an adverse credit history. Graduate students The School of Visual Arts is pleased to direct graduate applicants to Financial Aid Office. It is the responsibility of all students to familiar-
may borrow up to their cost of attendance minus other estimated information about outside scholarship opportunities on the SVA ize themselves with these standards. Failure to meet the satisfactory
financial assistance. website at www.sva.edu. Applicants can access the following scholar- academic progress standards may jeopardize financial aid eligibility.
Students must reapply for the GradPLUS Loan and complete the ship search sites from the financial aid links:
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year. They
must have applied for the annual loan maximum eligibility under the www.fastweb.com
Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford Loan Program before www.collegenet.com/mach25
applying for a GradPLUS loan. Federally mandated entrance interviews www.collegeboard.com
are required for all students receiving a Federal Graduate PLUS loan. www.finaid.org
Repayment of the GradPLUS loan begins on the final disbursement of www.collegeanswer.com
the loan. Students should complete a GradPLUS Loan Pre-screen form www.brokescholar.com
and submit it by fax to the Office of Financial Aid. The Direct Loan
Servicing Center will notify the student of the credit decision. If the
decision is favorable, the loan will be considered pre-approved and
the Office of Financial Aid will be notified.
Financial Aid 396 397 www.sva.edu
Admission to
the Programs
Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree, or its
equivalent, from an accredited college or university.

Application Requirements Transcripts or SCHOOL RECORDS FROM FOREIGN INSTITUTIONS Letters of Recommendation Interviews
Receipt of the following materials by the Office of Graduate Applicants who have academic documents from institutions outside XX Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation from Departments will contact applicants to schedule in-person or phone
Admissions constitutes a completed application. Please refer to the of the U.S. are required to provide original, attested, or certified instructors or practicing professionals. interviews.
Departmental Requirements section that follows for information on true copies of academic records for all institutions attended beginning X X These letters should be submitted along with all other
individual departmental requirements. with the first year of college. These records should be in the original supplementary application materials. Personal interviews are required for applicants to the following
language issued. X X Recommenders should indicate the applicant’s full name and departments:
Note: Applicants may submit only one active graduate or undergrad- department of interest in the beginning of the letter as well as on X X MFA Art Criticism and Writing
uate program application for admission per academic year. Entry to The School of Visual Arts recommends that international post-sec- the outside of the envelope. Each envelope must be sealed and X X MAT Art Education
the graduate programs takes place in the fall semester only (summer ondary (university level) records be evaluated by one of the following signed by the recommender in order to be considered official. X X MFA Art Practice
only for MFA Art Practice). approved external evaluation agencies: X X The School of Visual Arts does not provide letter of X X MPS Art Therapy
recommendation forms. X X MPS Branding
Application and Fee American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers X X MA Critical Theory and the Arts
All graduate applicants are required to complete the online application (AACRAO) Note: Online submission of letters of recommendation is X X MFA Design Criticism
form and submit the $80 application fee. The application form can be Phone: 202.296.3359 currently under development. For more information, please X X MFA Interaction Design
found through our website at www.sva.edu/apply website: http://www.aacrao.org/international/foreignEdCred.cfm visit www.sva.edu/grad/applicationrequirements. X X MFA Products of Design
Prospective students living outside New York City may request to
Portfolio Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) English Proficiency waive the in-person interview. In such instances, a telephone or
Please refer to the Portfolio & Departmental Requirements on pages Phone: 414.289.3400 All applicants whose primary language is not English must demon- video (Skype for MFA Art Practice) interview is required.
401–405 for further details. website: http://www.ece.org strate proficiency in written and spoken English. Applicants must sub-
mit one of the following: The following departments may choose to schedule an interview after
Permanent Resident World Education Services (WES) X X Official score report showing a minimum score of 79 (100 for all required application materials have been reviewed:
If you are a permanent resident, you must submit a photocopy of your Phone: 212.966.6311 MFA Art Practice and MA Critical Theory and the Arts) on the X X MFA Design
Permanent Resident Card. website: http://www.wes.org/application Internet-based version (TOEFL ibt) or 213 (250 for MFA Art X X MFA Design for Social Innovation
Practice and MA Critical Theory and the Arts) on the computer- X X MPS Fashion Photography
Official Transcripts XX All transcripts must be converted into U.S. educational equivalencies. based version of the Test of English as a Foreign Language X X MPS Live Action Short Film
Applicants must submit one official transcript from each college or XX Only course-by-course evaluations will be accepted. (TOEFL cbt). For more information on taking the TOEFL, call X X MFA Social Documentary Film
university attended, whether or not it reflects enrollment in a degree XX Request that the School of Visual Arts is listed as the recipient 609.771.7100 or visit www.toefl.com.
program, and all transcripts for credits transferred to degree-granting of the evaluation. X X Official score report showing a minimum score of 6.5 (8.0 for Personal interviews are available but not required for the following
institutions. Transcripts should be sent in their original envelopes (with XX Credit evaluation can take six to eight weeks; please plan accordingly. MFA Art Practice and MA Critical Theory and the Arts) on the department:
the seal unbroken and the registrar’s signature intact to remain offi- XX All original academic records must be submitted in addition International English Language Testing System (IELTS). IELTS is X X MFA Illustration as Visual Essay program
cial) with all other application materials. Individuals who have made a to the evaluation. Note: If the original academic record(s) is not jointly managed by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations
name change since attending a college or university should make cer- in English, applicants must also submit an official translation (Cambridge ESOL), British Council and IDP Education Australia: Interviews are not available for the following programs:
tain that the transcript indicates the current name as it appears on the of these documents. IELTS Australia. For information on taking the IELTS, call XX MFA Computer Art
application for admission. XX All documents become the property of the School of Visual Arts 626.564.2954 or visit www.ielts.org. X X MPS Digital Photography
and will not be returned. X X Official score report showing a minimum score of 6 in all X X MPS Digital Photography Online/Summer Residency
categories (9 in all categories for MFA Art Practice and MA X X MFA Fine Arts
For more information about approved transcript evaluation agencies, Critical Theory and the Arts) of the English proficiency exam X X MFA Photography, Video and Related Media
please visit our website at: www.sva.edu/transcriptevaluations from the American Language Institute. For more information
on this test, call 212.998.7040. All applicants are encouraged to visit their prospective department and
Statement of Purpose X X Use CEEB Code 2835 for test score submission to SVA. should refer to the Departmental Visit section on page 407.
A written statement (250–500 words) of the applicant’s intent and rea-
son for pursuing graduate study may be submitted online or via mail. SVA will consider waiving the English proficiency exam requirement
for students who have earned a degree at a regionally accredited U.S.
Résumé college or university. Students seeking this waiver must submit a writ-
Applicants must submit a résumé, which should include professional ten request with their application materials.
experience as well as related activities such as research, awards and
exhibitions. The résumé may be submitted online or via mail. Note: The committee on graduate admissions will determine if
further proof of English language proficiency is required.

Admission to the Programs 398 399 www.sva.edu


Deadlines Application Procedures Additional Information Portfolio & Departmental
All applications and supporting materials must be received by All graduate applicants are required to complete the online
Friday, January 20, 2012, for the following departments:
XX
application form and submit the nonrefundable $80 application
ADMISSION NOTIFICATION
Applicants who submit all sufficient application material by Friday, Requirements
X X MPS Branding fee using a valid credit or debit card. Apply online at January 20, 2012, will receive a decision from the committee on In addition to the general requirements for admission, applicants
X X MFA Computer Art http://www.sva.edu/apply graduate admissions in writing, by April 1, 2012. The College does must also comply with the department requirements as outlined
X X MFA Design • The online application is not officially submitted until valid not disclose admissions decisions via phone or fax. All application in this section.
X X MFA Fine Arts credit card information has been supplied; upon completion materials become the property of the School of Visual Arts and The general portfolio submission criteria are listed as follows.
X X MFA Illustration as Visual Essay of this, an e-mail confirmation is sent. Applicants are strongly will not be returned. Please review these instructions as well as individual departmental
X X MFA Photography, Video and Related Media recommended to print this confirmation and keep it with portfolio requirements.
their records. DEFERRED ADMISSION AND REAPPLICATION
All applications and supporting materials must be received by XX Please submit all admission materials to the Office of Graduate Admission cannot be deferred to another academic year. Applicants Note: All portfolio submissions become the property of the School of
Wednesday, February 15, 2012, for the following department: Admissions in enough time to ensure they will be received by who delay enrollment must reapply to the program by submitting a Visual Arts and will not be returned. No oversized portfolios, bind-
X X MFA Interaction Design the appropriate departmental deadline. All required application new application, fee, and all additional application materials. Keep in ers, prints or original work will be accepted. Permanent bindings,
materials (except the online application and fee) must be received mind that being accepted to a program in the past bears no indication notebooks and oversized cases will be discarded. The College is not
The following departments have rolling admissions: together in one package. Incomplete applications will not be that an applicant will be accepted again as applicant pools change responsible for any media that is received in damaged condition and
XX MFA Art Criticism and Writing reviewed. every year. cannot be viewed.
X X MFA Art Practice XX When submitting application items, applicants are strongly encour-
X X MAT Art Education aged to use the Graduate Application Materials Cover Sheet EXTENSION LIMITATION MFA Art Criticism and Writing
X X MPS Art Therapy (optional, but recommended). This form should accompany all Students who matriculate in one of the College’s graduate degree pro- XX Applicants are required to submit a typed writing sample between
X X MA Critical Theory and the Arts supplemental materials. A PDF of this form can be found at grams must complete their coursework within four years, unless given 2,500 and 3,000 words long. Content is at the discretion of the
X X MFA Design Criticism http://www.sva.edu/CatalogRequests/catalogs/GRCoverSheet.pdf an official extension by the Coordinator of Academic Advisement. applicant. Applicants are encouraged to submit papers or articles
X X MFA Design for Social Innovation XX If you are in the New York City area, you may drop off your that have been published or presented, if applicable.
X X MPS Digital Photography materials in person at the main Admissions Office located on the X X Personal interviews are required.
X X MPS Digital Photography Online/Summer Residency first floor of the 209 East 23rd Street building (between Second All materials should be sent to:
X X MPS Fashion Photography and Third Avenues). The office is open Monday through Friday Office of Graduate Admissions MAT Art Education
X X MPS Live Action Short Film from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. School of Visual Arts XX A CD with 15 to 20 images must be submitted (jpeg or tiff, and at
X X MFA Products of Design XX When sending materials via post, we strongly advise applicants to 209 East 23 Street least 600x500 pixels). Images should be in a folder with your name
X X MFA Social Documentary Film submit them in one package via a traceable method and request New York, NY 10010-3994 on it, titled and numbered sequentially, i.e., Smith_John_001.jpg.
After Friday, January 20, 2012, applications for these programs will delivery confirmation. Telephone: 800.436.4204 or 212.592.2107 Portfolios should include at least 10 images of work in a major
be accepted and processed on a first-come, first-served basis, as space XX Throughout the application process the Office of Graduate Fax: 212.592.2116 studio art medium, and at least 2 examples of work in painting,
remains available. Admissions will send important correspondence to your e-mail E-mail: gradadmissions@sva.edu drawing and three-dimensional media. If the portfolio does not
address on file. This includes confirmation of application receipt as website: www.sva.edu/grad demonstrate proficiency in painting, drawing and 3-dimensional
well as notification of missing application materials. media, completion of additional coursework may be required for
XX Due to the high volume of mail received each day, questions about acceptance into the program.
the receipt of particular items may not be answered on demand. X X Applicants are required to have completed a minimum of 30
Please be mindful that all application materials are processed in credits in studio art, 12 credits in art history and 30 credits in
order of date received and can take up to three weeks to process. liberal arts and sciences. Course work in a language other than
XX For answers to the most common questions regarding application English is also required.
policies, requirements, financing, enrollment and other general X X We strongly recommend that applicants to the MAT program have
inquiries, please visit the FAQ section on the SVA website. This is taken the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST) required for New
located at www.sva.edu/grad/faqs York State certification and include a copy of LAST scores in their
application. Information on registering for the LAST is available at
www.nystce.nesinc.com.
X X Personal interviews are required. Prospective students living beyond
a 1,000-mile radius of New York City may request to waive the in-
person interview. In such instances, a telephone interview is required.

Admission to the Programs 400 401 www.sva.edu


MFA Art Practice MFA Computer Art MFA Design MFA Design for Social Innovation
Applicants to the Art Practice department must upload their XX Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a portfolio that Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a portfolio that reflects a XX Applicants to the MFA Design for Social Innovation Program must
portfolio to the Art Practice department’s SlideRoom account: reflects a wide range of work. wide range of design work, a fluency in typography, and a proficiency have an undergraduate four-year degree from an accredited college
http://svaartpractice.slideroom.com Applicants will have the X X 20 high-quality digital or photographic prints (8.5x11") must be in Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Final Cut or university. Admission to the program is based upon an evaluation
ability to upload the following: submitted. Pro, HTML and Flash. Portfolios should be submitted on a CD, which of the applicant’s written statement of purpose, college transcripts
X X Still imagery: 15 - 20 images. All images should be in jpeg format. X X Supplemental creative works on DVD (NTSC format only), contains an Apple OS-readable folder titled LastnameFirstname. This and portfolio and/or professional experience. Core design skills
Digital images should be no larger than 1500 pixels on the largest Macintosh- or PC-format CD (U.S. operating systems), or URL folder should contain the following: and mastery of applications are required, including all programs in
dimension, at 72ppi. should also be submitted. X X A print work folder titled LastnameFirstnamePrint, containing no Adobe Creative Suite and Apple Final Cut Pro, as well as HTML.
X X Video: mov, flv, or wmv files, not to exceed 10 minutes in length, X X In the statement of purpose, applicants should indicate their anticipated more than 20 still images. Images must be in jpeg format (.jpg), XX In addition to general application requirements, applicants to the
up to 60MB each. area of study, i.e., animation, motion graphics & digital video, interac- 600x500 pixels (maximum 1200x1200 pixels.) Files must be titled MFA Design for Social Innovation Program are required to submit
X X Audio: mp3 not to exceed 10 minutes in length, up to 10MB each. tive media, installation & digital fine art, or multidisciplinary study. and numbered LastnameFirstname##.jpg. More than 20 images the following:
X X Applicants must submit a 500-750 word-long writing sample, will not be reviewed. XX Essay articulating the individual›s vision for how he or she will
preferably an original essay describing an event in your life that MA Critical Theory and the Arts X X All interactive/web projects should be presented as screenshots and contribute to the betterment of the world, of up to 500 words in
has proven to be central to your artistic development. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an included within the 20 image file limit. length and submitted in Word or PDF format.
X X Interviews are required. All interviews will be conducted via Skype. accredited college or university. The program is highly selective. X X Optional: A video folder named LastnameFirstnameVideos, XX Portfolio reflecting a wide range of design work from communica-
X X A statement of approximately 1,000 to 2,000 words explaining the containing no more than five video files.  These files must be in tion design, product design, 3-D and interactive design, data visu-
MPS Art Therapy development of your interest in pursuing an MA degree in Critical Quicktime format, at 15fps (sized 320x240 pixels). Videos must be alization and system design. Portfolios should be submitted on a
XX 15 to 20 digital images (jpeg format preferred) on CD must be sub- Theory and the Arts must be submitted. In the largest sense, what’s no longer than 3 minutes each. CD in Apple OS X-readable format, titled with last and first name.
mitted. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a portfolio on your mind? Where are you now, and where have you been? X X Presentation formats (PDF, PowerPoint, Keynote) will not be This folder will contain any combination of the following:
that reflects a wide range of work. The statement should touch on your life and education to date, the accepted. Slides, printed portfolios and all other file formats will • 15–25 still images of print or photography, in jpeg format,
X X In addition to digital images, applicants may submit work on DVD range of your interests, your background (if any) in studying criti- not be accepted. Paintings, photographs or illustration work that no more than 1 MB each, and a one-page digital slide sheet in
(NTSC format only). cal theory—whether in college or on your own—and your experi- does not include type will not be considered. PDF format, titled with last and first name which contains a
X X Applicants must have completed a minimum of 18 credits (or ence in the arts, whether as an artist or in a number of other ways. thumbnail and description of each image
equivalent) in studio art and 12 credits in psychology (developmen- What are a few of the important books you have read to date? MFA Design Criticism • Up to three video files, in Quicktime format, no larger than 5
tal and abnormal are required; courses in introduction to psychol- What are you reading lately? What would you hope to gain in the XX Applicants are required to submit a typed short essay (750 words) MB each, and no longer than two minutes
ogy and theories of personality are recommended). program? Where might it lead for you? critiquing a design object, event or concept. • Word document with up to 5 URLs of websites
X X An admissions interview is required. In-person interviews are • Artists: include information about your practice and what X X Applicants are required to submit a typed writing sample of pub- • Up to three case histories of complete campaigns, with writ-
preferred, but those unable to travel to New York City will be your concerns are. We would be interested in seeing or read- lished or unpublished writing between 1,000 and 2,000 words. ten text explaining the problem, solution and results, if avail-
interviewed by phone or via video-conferencing/Skype. ing your work, but a portfolio is not required. Content is at the discretion of the applicant; however, the piece able, with thumbnails of visual elements
• Please indicate if your interests are especially social, political, should demonstrate the applicant’s research and analytical skills XX Personal Interview:  Applicants under consideration will be con-
MPS Branding philosophical, or art historical. and facility with language. The published sample can be from any tacted to schedule an interview.
XX Applicants are required to submit a typed short essay (750 words) • If your background is especially unique—as an independent context, including contributions to academic or commercial publi-
critiquing a brand of their choice. Subject matter should include scholar or writer, as some combination of this with work as cations, books, catalogs or exhibition wall texts. MPS Digital Photography;
the following: an artist, or as someone who has tried many things and now X X Personal interviews are required. Prospective students living beyond MPS Digital Photography Online/Summer Residency
• Relevance in the market wants to try something else—don’t hesitate to let us know; a 1,000-mile radius of New York City may request to waive the in- The Image Portfolio is the most important component of your applica-
• Historical significance (if any) we’re interested. person interview. In such instances, a telephone interview is required. tion. It should represent 1-3 photographically cohesive bodies of work
• Assessment of the brand’s positioning X X Please also submit something you have written, of at least several based on style, concept, and execution. Images may be derived from
• Creative analysis pages and on any topic, that will help the admissions committee digital or film originals. Total of 20 images on a CD for the Macintosh
X X Applicants are required to submit a typed writing sample outlining get a sense of your interests and who you are. The writing can be a platform formatted as follows:
why they have chosen to apply to this program, what they hope college essay or something you have published. X X Digital images must be between 2000 to 3000 pixels in either
to achieve during their course of study and what the concept of X X Personal interviews are required. Prospective students living width or height.
“branding” means to them. beyond a 500-mile radius of New York City may request a tele- X X 15 images as flattened JPG files
X X Any other material outlining the applicants expertise in this discipline is phone interview in place of a visit. X X 5 images with all Photoshop layers, channels, and paths intact
encouraged but not required, including any or all of the following: Enrollment of individuals from historically underrepresented groups in submitted as either TIF or PSD format. If you are using Adobe
• Design portfolio higher education is a priority of this program. Lightroom to process your files, please submit the 5 layered files
• Brand strategy or positioning proposal and/or white paper with two layers - the original-before and the processed-after and
• Any branding work currently in the market that they have label the layers accordingly.
contributed to with a statement outlining the challenge, their X X Images should be clean, sharp, color correct, sized and named cor-
participation and a rationale for the result. rectly. We recommend naming the layers of the TIF or PSD files.
X X Personal interviews may be required. Prospective students living X X Files must be labeled as follows: First initial, last name, project title
beyond a 1,000-mile radius of New York City may request to (or number) of image, e.g., jdoe_project01.jpg.
waive the in-person interview. In such instances, a telephone inter- X X Files that disregard the above criteria will not be reviewed.
view is required. X X Most importantly only submit the work you are excited about!
X X Please contact (mpsphoto@sva.edu) mpsphoto@sva.edu with any
questions or concerns regarding portfolio submissions.

Admission to the Programs 402 403 www.sva.edu


MPS Fashion Photography MFA Interaction Design MFA Products of Design International Students
XX Twenty (20) images must be submitted on a CD or DVD for the XX Applicants are strongly encouraged to curate a portfolio of work XX Project Portfolio: Applicants must submit a portfolio with at least SVA is authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant alien stu-
Macintosh platform and formatted exactly as follows: that demonstrates a broad range of interaction design work. We 15 projects, several of which showing process as well as finished dents. Our international students represent more than 50 countries and
• 8-bit, RGB, Adobe RGM recommend a guideline of 20 pieces that demonstrate your work work. Concept development, sketching, iteration, research, model account for approximately 18 percent of the student population.
• 3000 pixels on the longest dimension through concept, communication, craft and process. building, and presentation skills should all be in evidence, as The International Student Office (ISO) provides services and assis-
• 150 DPI X X Content: Work should demonstrate a fluency in at least some of well as strong problem-solving and analytical thinking. Be sure tance to international students, such as information concerning student
• Saved as .jpg file the following—Web design, application design or industrial design; to include published work (on the web, in print, or in exhibi- visas and immigration regulations, and helps with cultural adjustment,
• Name files as: lastname firstname imagenumber (0-20).jpg design research; a proficiency with interface design, information tion), awards or competition submissions, and any other materials through orientation programs, information sessions, activities and indi-
(Ex. Smith Jane 04.jpg) architecture or usability methods; prototyping methods; typogra- that evidence your commitment and passion for the enterprise of vidual advising. ISO also administers the College’s F-1 student and J-1
• Text file including: Full name, contact information, website phy and layout; attention to shaping human behavior. design. exchange visitor records and helps students to comply with federal
• Image information for each piece: title, year, medium X X Format: You can choose to submit your portfolio online or via XX Graphic Ability: In addition to strong three-dimensional abilities, regulations. The International Student Office can be reached by phone
X X Essay:  Applicants are required to submit a succinct essay on their a disk. If you choose a Web-based format, submit a single URL we are especially interested in candidates possessing strong two- at: 212.592.2236; fax: 212.592.2241; e-mail: iso@sva.edu.
work and its defining characteristics and relevance (500 words) with your application. All links in your portfolio must be active dimensional skills in typography, graphic design, and branding; International students with F-1 student status are required by federal
that includes an analysis of the current status of fashion photogra- through August 2012. If you choose a CD or DVD format, it must who can create visually convincing artifacts through identity and regulations to pursue a full course of study. To comply, all international
phy and how their work relates to or refutes it. be accessible from a Macintosh platform to be considered. Title the logo design, packaging, ad campaigns, websites, apps, and other students with F-1 student status must register for a minimum of 12-credits
X X Interview:  Personal interviews may be scheduled only on a case- disk, lastname-firstname. Include any required plug-ins. collateral elements. in the fall and spring semesters. In addition to the department’s thesis pro-
by-case basis. Departments will contact applicants to schedule in- X X Interviews: All prospective students, whether living in New York XX Applicants are asked to submit an optional, speak-into-the- duction classes, all international students with F-1 student status in the
person or phone interviews. City or beyond, will be required to take part in a telephone inter- webcam video profile, 2-3 minutes in length. Find specific content MPS Digital Photography Online/Summer Residency program are required
view as part of the application process. details on the department website at http://productsofdesign.sva. to register for a three-credit elective course for the summer semester. The
MFA Fine Arts edu. Video profiles should be in Quicktime .mov format, and must course must be selected during the spring semester in conjunction with the
XX Exactly 12 images on CD must be submitted (jpeg format for the MPS Live Action Short Film not exceed 20MB in file size. Videos can also be published online thesis project and be approved by the department chair.
Macintosh platform). Files must be labeled as follows: First initial, Please submit ONE of the following: with a link (and password if required), or included on the Project In addition to fulfilling the general and departmental requirements
last name, image number, e.g., jdoe_1. Digital images must be X X Video: A DVD (region 1 only) or Mini DV format. Work must not Porfolio CD or DVD disc. for admission, nonimmigrant applicants are required to submit a decla-
1500 pixels in width or height at 72 dpi. No Power­Point or other exceed 10 minutes in length. XX Portfolio Format: Applicants may submit a link to an online port- ration of finances and verification of finances prior to enrollment.
type of presentation format or online portfolio will be accepted. X X Still Imagery: 10-20 images on CD (jpeg format for the Macintosh folio, a CD, DVD, or a set of printouts. If sending a disk, provide
X X Video artists and those artists whose work addresses time or motion platform). Please also include an image list and printouts of the jpegs, pdf’s, and .mov files for the Macintosh platform only (no Note: The College cannot assume any responsibility for the preparation
may also submit a separate DVD. DVDs should not exceed five images as well. Files must be labeled as follows: First initial, last PowerPoint; no Keynote; no .exe files). of applications or financial sponsorship for international students.
minutes in length and should be labeled with the artist’s name and name, project title (or number) of image, e.g., jdoe-project.jpg. XX All prospective studentswill be required to take part in an in-
the title, date and running time of each work on the DVD. Digital images must be 1500 pixels in width or height at 72 dpi. person, telephone, or videochat interview as part of the application Declaration of Finances
Please note: only NTSC DVD discs will be accepted. The images should express the concepts of a central theme. A brief process. International applicants must submit a Declaration and Certification of
X X Printed inventory sheet with title, dimensions, materials and written commentary may accompany the images. No PowerPoint Finances indicating that the applicant has adequate financial resources
year of each piece. or other type of presentation format or online portfolio will be MFA Social Documentary Film to provide for his or her expenses at the College. The Declaration
accepted. XX Applicants must write a concise treatment for a documentary film and Certification of Finances supplied online must be completed and
MFA Illustration as Visual Essay Interviews: A select group of applicants will be chosen for in-person they might wish to produce (two to three double spaced pages returned to the Office of Graduate Admissions. A PDF of this form can
XX 15 to 20 digital images (jpeg format for the Macintosh platform). interviews. Selected students living beyond a 1,000 mile radius of in length). Be specific in detailing the nature of the issue to be be found at: www.sva.edu/grad/forms
Files must be labeled as follows: First initial, last name, project New York City may request to waive the in-person interview. In such addressed and describe the stylistic approach to be taken. Please
title (or number) of image, e.g., jdoe­_project.jpg. Digital images instances, a telephone interview is required. be precise about what the audience will see on the screen and what Verification of Finances
must be 1500 pixels in width or height at 72 dpi. No PowerPoint the story will be from begining to middle to end. All funds must be substantiated by a Verification of Finances letter from
or other type of presentation format or online portfolio will be MFA Photography, Video and Related Media Please submit ONE of the following: an officer of the student’s bank or sponsor’s bank, or a bank statement.
accepted. The work should be of professional publication quality Applicants can submit a digital portfolio (still images and/or videos) X X Video work: must not exceed ten minutes in length. These documents must reflect the total sum of tuition, fees and living
or published work. through SlideRoom.com. Please go to https://svamfaphotovideo.slide- DVD (region 1 only.) expenses for a minimum of one year of study, in a readily accessible
X X Applicants are also required to submit a typed writing sample room.com/ to upload files. SlideRoom will allow you to create X X Still imagery: 20 images on CD (jpeg format for the Macintosh form such as liquid assets. All documents must be in English and in U.S.
between 500 and 1,000 words long. Content is at the discretion of an inventory of works with the following information for each file: platform). Files must be labeled as follows: First initial, last name, dollars, or the current exchange rate must be supplied by the bank. If
the applicant. title, date, medium, dimensions or running time and optional notes. project title (or number) of image, e.g., jdoe_project.jpg. Digital this is not possible, a translation of the documents will be accepted if
X X Applicants should be proficient in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. The portfolio requirements for SlideRoom are: images must be 1500 pixels in width or height at 72 dpi. The signed and sealed by an appropriate government or bank official.
X X Personal interviews are available, but not required. X X 20 still images in jpg format not to exceed 5mb each in file size images should express the concepts of the central theme. A brief All supporting documentation must be dated within one year of initial
X X Videos uploaded as either .mov or mpeg4 files not to exceed 60mb written commentary may accompany the images. No online portfo- enrollment at the School of Visual Arts. Official and original documenta-
each in file size. The suggested total time of video files submitted lios will be accepted. tion must be provided.
(no matter how many pieces) is 10 minutes. X X Applicants without prior filmmaking experience must create a For the estimated total cost of attendance that must be substanti-
Application portfolios will be viewed on a 1920 x 1080 resolution visual documentation of a subject. Using a visual vocabulary ated, please refer to the Confidential Declaration and Certification of
screen. Files should be sized approximately 1920 x 1080 pixels at a (video, photographs or mixed media), they must create a body of Finances form supplied at: www.sva.edu/grad/forms. The estimated
resolution of 72 dpi. work that fully explores a documentary subject. total includes tuition, fees, supplies, living expenses, and other related
X X Please contact the department with questions about the application costs for one year of study.
requirements at mfasocdoc@sva.edu.
Note: Tuition, fees and housing charges increase at a minimum of 4
percent to 7 percent annually.
Admission to the Programs 404 405 www.sva.edu
Enrollment Information Departmental Information Sessions Departmental Visits
Enrollment fee For a complete list of all dates, times and locations, as well as to register for We strongly encourage applicants to visit their prospective department prior to submitting their application materials.
Once an offer of admission has been extended, applicants must submit a all Information Sessions, please visit www/sva.edu/grad/visit. Visits should be arranged directly through each department.
$1,000 non-refundable enrollment fee to the Office of Graduate Admissions
in order to secure a place in their intended program of study. Enrollment October 1, 2011 MFA Art Criticism and Writing MFA Design MFA Interaction Design
fees will be processed only as space remains available in each department. MFA Design Tel: 212.592.2408 Tel: 212.592.2600 Tel: 212.592.2703
Five hundred dollars of this fee will be applied to the first-year tuition. Fax: 212.989.3516 Fax: 212.592.2627 Fax: 212.627.2159
Payments may be made by check, money order, credit card or wire October 22, 2011 E-mail: artcrit@sva.edu E-mail: mfadesign@sva.edu E-mail: interactiondesign@sva.edu
transfer. This fee cannot be paid online. The Office of Admissions MFA Art Criticism and Writing www.sva.edu/grad/artcriticism www.sva.edu/grad/design www.sva.edu/grad/interactiondesign
will confirm receipt of enrollment fees via e-mail. MFA Illustration as Visual Essay http://artcriticism.sva.edu http://design.sva.edu http://interactiondesign.sva.edu

Immunization Requirements October 25, 2011 MFA Art Practice MFA Design Criticism MPS Live Action Short Film
After the enrollment fee is paid, applicants will receive a SVA Student MAT Art Education (also November 5, 2011) Tel: 212.592.2781 Tel: 212.592.2228 Tel: 212.592.2705
Health Form. New York State law requires that all students read infor- Fax: 212.592.2116 Fax: 212.243.1019 E-mail: mpsfilm@sva.edu
mation about meningococcal disease (meningitis) and submit a signed October 29, 2011 E-mail: artpractice@sva.edu E-mail: dcrit@sva.edu www.sva.edu/grad/shortfilm
form indicating that either they have had the vaccine or do not wish to MFA Art Practice www.sva.edu/grad/artpractice www.sva.edu/grad/designcriticism http://mpsfilm.sva.edu
have the vaccine. State law also requires that students born after 1957 http://artpractice.sva.edu http://dcrit.sva.edu
must have their health care provider complete the SVA Student Health November 5, 2011 MFA Photography,
Form for proof of immunity to measles, mumps and rubella. The SVA MAT Art Education (also October 25, 2011) MAT Art Education MFA Design for Social Innovation Video and Related Media
Student Health Form must be completed and submitted prior to register- MPS Art Therapy Tel: 212.592.2445 Tel: 212.592.2205 Tel: 212.592.2360
ing for classes. Students who do not submit a completed SVA Student MPS Branding Fax: 646.336.7702 Fax: 212.592.2308 Fax: 212.592.2366
Health Form will not be permitted to register for or to attend classes. MFA Design for Social Innovation E-mail: matarted@sva.edu E-mail: dsiinfo@sva.edu E-mail: mfaphoto@sva.edu
This form can be found online at www.sva.edu/healthform. MPS Digital Photography (on campus program) www.sva.edu/grad/arteducation www.sva.edu/grad/innovation www.sva.edu/grad/photovideo
In the event of an outbreak of measles, mumps or rubella at the MFA Photography, Video and Related Media http://dsi.sva.edu http://mfaphoto.schoolofvisualarts.edu
College, the commissioner of health may order officials at the School MFA Social Documentary Film MPS Art Therapy
of Visual Arts to exclude from attendance all students who lack immu- Tel: 212.592.2610 MPS Digital Photography; MFA Products of Design
nizations owing to medical or religious exemptions. November 12, 2011 Fax: 917.606.0461 MPS Digital Photography Tel: 212.592.2118
MFA Computer Art E-mail: arttherapy@sva.edu Online/Summer Residency E-mail: productsofdesign@sva.edu
GRADUATION VERIFICATION MFA Fine Arts www.sva.edu/grad/arttherapy Tel: 212.592.2170 www.sva.edu/productsofdesign
Students who will be completing undergraduate studies during the MFA Interaction Design Fax: 212.691.2687 http://productsofdesign.sva.edu
2011-12 academic year must confirm their bachelor’s degree by hav- MPS Branding E-mail: mpsphoto@sva.edu
ing an official, final transcript forwarded to the Office of Graduate November 14, 2011 Tel: 212.592.2744 www.sva.edu/grad/digitalphotography MFA Social Documentary Film
Admissions prior to the start of classes. Students are not officially MPS Digital Photography Online/Summer Residency (online session) Fax: 212.592.2116 http://svaonlinedigitalphoto.wordpress.com Tel: 212.592.2919
permitted to matriculate in any of SVA’s masters programs until their E-mail: branding@sva.edu Fax: 212.627.2528
bachelor’s degree is confirmed. For MA Critical Theory and the Arts, MFA Design Criticism, MPS Fashion www.sva.edu/grad/branding MPS Fashion Photography E-mail: mfasocdoc@sva.edu
Photography, MPS Live Action Short Film and MFA Products of Design, http://branding.sva.edu Tel: 212.592.2096 www.sva.edu/grad/socialdocumentaryfilm
please visit their websites for updates. Fax: 212.592.2336 http://mfasocdoc.sva.edu
MFA Computer Art E-mail: mpsfashionphoto@sva.edu
Tel: 212.592.2778 www.sva.edu/grad/fashionphoto
Fax: 212.592.2509
E-mail: mfaca@sva.edu MFA Fine Arts
www.sva.edu/grad/computerart Tel: 212.592.2500
http://mfaca.sva.edu Fax: 212.592.2503
E-mail: mfafinearts@sva.edu
MA Critical Theory and the Arts www.sva.edu/grad/finearts
Tel: 212.592.2098 http://mfafineart.sva.edu
Fax: 212.592.2564
E-mail: theoryarts@sva.edu MFA Illustration as Visual Essay
www.sva.edu/grad/cta Tel: 212.592.2210
http://cta.sva.edu Fax: 212.366.1675
E-mail: mfaillustration@sva.edu
www.sva.edu/grad/illustration
http://mfaillustration.sva.edu

Admission to the Programs 406 407 www.sva.edu


Administration

Board of Directors Office of the President Studio and Academic Departments Film, Video and Animation
Milton Glaser, acting chairman Ralph Appelbaum, special assistant to the president Reeves Lehmann, chair
Janet A. Knox John Dye, director of internal audit and control Undergraduate Salvatore Petrosino, director of operations
Michelle Musler Steven Heller, special assistant to the president Advertising and Graphic Design Karla Fisher, assistant to the chair
Joseph F. Patterson Jacqueline “Pif” Hoffner, executive assistant Richard Wilde, chair Mark Ramos, academic advisor, film and video
Anthony P. Rhodes Alberta Irene Kreh, special consultant to the president Kevin O’Callaghan, chair, 3D design Elvera Vilson, academic advisor, film and video
David Rhodes Nicole Marcelino, receptionist Carolyn Hinkson-Jenkins, curriculum coordinator Jennifer Joost, film librarian
Walter Rivera David Rhodes, president Sasha Agarwal, academic advisor Michael DelVecchio, film production manager
Eileen Hedy Schultz Alida Beck LaRocca, academic advisor Luis Negron, repair manager, film and video
Yolanda Powell, academic advisor Michael Westbrook, manager, digital technologies
Office of the Executive Vice President Kristine Wilson, academic advisor Shirli Michalevicz, systems support specialist
Office of the Chairman Anthony P. Rhodes, executive vice president Adria Ingegneri, assistant to the chair, 3D design Tien-Li Wu, senior systems support specialist
Milton Glaser, acting chairman Michelle Mercurio, assistant to the executive vice president Ingrid Li, systems coordinator Michael Capone, systems administrator Final Cut Pro
Carla Tscherny, executive assistant to the acting chairman Toni-Ann Agay, administrative assistant Benita Raphan, projects coordinator Mark Minnig, assistant manager, animation
Ori Kleiner, motion graphics coordinator Sean Ruch, production office evening supervisor
Visual Arts Museum Shaun Killman, studio manager, 3D design Kris Lindenmuth, production office assistant
Francis Di Tommaso, director Arlyn Lebron, assistant to the chair Angel Beltre, film repair assistant
Richard Brooks, assistant director Paula Paylor, receptionist Jane Miller, reservations coordinator
Jessica Hale, administrative manager Gabriela Ilijeska, front window coordinator
Eric Lendl, exhibitions coordinator Art History Zachary Hall, production office evening assistant
Tyson Skross, exhibitions coordinator Tom Huhn, chair John Roemer, production office day technician
Maria Dubon, office coordinator Holly Warren, assistant to the chair
Fine Arts
Visual Arts Press, Ltd. Computer Art, Computer Animation Suzanne Anker, chair
Anthony P. Rhodes, creative director and Visual Effects Jeanne Siegel, chair emeritus
Dee Ito, writer John McIntosh, chair Gary Sherman, assistant to the chair
Michael J. Walsh, art director Kate Schaffer, director of operations Dora Riomayor, academic advisor
Brian E. Smith, associate art director Imara Moore, assistant to the chair Gunars Prande, director of operations, printmaking
Jennifer Liang, assistant director Mahtab Aslani, academic advisor Erik Guzman, sculpture center manager
Abimbola Famuyiwa, senior multimedia/Web designer Jimmy Calhoun, curriculum coordinator Dominick Rapone, printshop manager
Patrick Tobin, senior designer Richard Hagen, senior systems administrator Luis Rodrigo Navarro, systems administrator, sculpture center
Eric Corriel, multimedia designer Darryl Wright, senior systems administrator Joseph Tekippe, systems administrator, digital lab
Sheilah Ledwidge, associate editor Raphael Ribot, systems administrator Sung Jin Choi, senior technical advisor
Thomas Swan III, DV systems administrator Daniel Wapner, sculpture center evening supervisor
Damon Dixon, desktop support specialist Keri Lorenson, studio manger
Sebastian Ebarb, night manager Joseph Pastor, sculpture center weekend manager
Alexandra Bequez, day manager Amanda Turner Pohan, digital lab assistant
Darren Santa Maria, night manager Anne Clark, administrative assistant
Sarah Schuerhoff, secretary
Humanities and Sciences
Maryhelen Hendricks, co-chair
Robert Milgrom, co-chair
Laurie Johenning, assistant to the co-chairs
Neil Friedland, coordinator, writing services
Helene Rubinstein, coordinator, English as a
Second Language program
Louis Phillips, editor, Words
Susan Kim, administrative assistant
William Fuentes, lab coordinator, writing resource center
Meredith Fernandez, office coordinator, writing resource center

Administration 408 409 www.sva.edu


Illustration and Cartooning Art Therapy Illustration as Visual Essay Lorraine Gerety, visual resources curator
Thomas Woodruff, chair Deborah Farber, chair Marshall Arisman, chair Malin Abrahamsson, acquisitions/administrative manager
Carolyn Hinkson-Jenkins, curriculum coordinator Aaron Cockle, program coordinator Kim Ablondi, assistant to the chair Christopher Bussmann, circulation manager
Sasha Agarwal, academic advisor Alison Stephen, assistant to the chair Mark Roussel, evening circulation manager
Alida Beck LaRocca, academic advisor Valerie Sereno, special programs and projects coordinator interaction Design Myra Schechtman, technology manager
Yolanda Powell, academic advisor Elizabeth Dellicarpini, internship coordinator Liz Danzico, chair Seth Chang, senior systems administrator
Kristine Wilson, academic advisor Qing Qing Chen, assistant to the chair David Pemberton, periodicals/pictures manager
Arlyn Lebron, secretary branding Todd Kelly, assistant visual resources curator
Paula Paylor, receptionist Debbie Millman, chair Live Action Short Film Eric Ingram, managing catalog technician
J’aime Cohen, director of operations Bob Giraldi, chair Zachary Sachs, archives assistant
Interior Design Emily Ross, assistant to the chair Keisha Wilkerson, catalog technician
Jane Smith, chair Computer Art Vanessa Rees, systems support specialist Grace Nesin, visual resources cataloging assistant
Kathleen Hayes, academic advisor Bruce Wands, chair David Shuford, cataloger
Diane Field, director of operations Photography, Video and Related Media Anna Helgeson, weekend/evening reference librarian
Photography Charles Lewis, assistant to the chair Charles H. Traub, chair
Stephen Frailey, chair Rebecca Adorno-Davila, academic advisor Randy West, director of operations
Alice Beck-Odette, chair emeritus Levent Cetiner, senior systems administrator Kelly Sullivan, assistant to the chair Administrative Offices and
Malcolm Lightner, director of operations
Angela Kaniecki, academic advisor
Jarryd Lowder, systems administrator
Jose Vargas, systems administrator
Adam Bell, academic advisor
Michelle Leftheris, systems administrator, network/video
Departments
Colleen O’Connor, assistant to the chair Hsiang Chin Moe, administrative assistant Seth Lambert, systems support specialist Academic Advisement
Eleanor Oakes, coordinator of special programs and projects A.-Lucky Checkley, coordinator
Lucas Thorpe, studio manager Critical Theory and the Arts Products of Design Blake Smith, assistant to the coordinator
Phillip Eric Graham, systems administrator Robert Hullot-Kentor, chair Allan Chochinov, chair Bibi Khan, administrative assistant
Giuseppina “Bina” Altera, senior systems support specialist Meghan Roe, assistant to the chair Stephanie Pottinger, assistant to the chair Rosa Paulino, receptionist
Seth Boonchai, systems support specialist
Todd Carroll, systems support specialist Design Social Documentary Film Academic Affairs
Ken Wahl, repair and maintenance coordinator Steven Heller, co-chair Maro Chermayeff, chair Jeffrey Nesin, provost
Andrea Reising, assistant studio manager Lita Talarico, co-chair Niki Bhattacharya, director of operations Deborah Hussey, curriculum coordinator
Aaron Murtagh, evening shift supervisor Esther Ro-Schofield, assistant to the co-chairs Timothy Doyle, assistant to the chair Laura Sterling, instructional technologist
Noah McLaurine, studio assistant Ronald Callahan, senior systems administrator Grace Kline, senior systems administrator Bradley Crumb, multimedia technician
Marlene Moura, studio assistant Joseph Neal, production equipment manager Jeremy Gordon, instructional designer
Matthew Pozorski, studio assistant Design Criticism Shannon Broder, catalog production assistant
Pacifico Silano, studio assistant Alice Twemlow, chair Rebecca Rubenstein, catalog production assistant
Tiffany Smith, studio assistant Emily Weiner, assistant to the chair Continuing Education and
Kimberlee Venable, studio assistant Mary Foti, senior systems administrator Special Programs Administrative Computing
Cosmin Tomescu, chief information officer
visual and critical studies Design for Social Innovation Continuing Education Serena Orteca, senior systems administrator
Tom Huhn, chair Cheryl Heller, chair Joseph Cipri, executive director Maria Paulino, assistant
Holly Warren, assistant to the chair Erin Hersey, director of operations Akiko Aubel, associate director
Phyllistine Travis, academic advisor Keren Moscovitch, program coordinator Administrative Network Services
digital Photography Paloma Crousillat, advisor Brian Nakahara, director of information technology
Graduate Katrin Eismann, chair Emily Diehl, advisor Ian Hill, network manager
Art Criticism and Writing Thomas P. Ashe, associate chair Georgette Maniatis, office assistant Lois Greene-Hernandez, Webmaster
David Levi Strauss, chair Edward Duffy, senior technical support specialist
Anette Wehrhahn, assistant to the chair Fashion Photography Arts Abroad Fishel Erps, network engineer
Stephen Frailey, co-chair Dora Riomayor, director Kevin Chan, Windows systems administrator
Art Education James Moffet, co-chair Michelle Mercurio, associate director Brandon Keeven, assistant network engineer
Rose Viggiano, chair Christopher Labzda, director of operations Kenneth Luguya, enterprise systems engineer
Christina Mazzalupo, assistant to the chair Gary Markelov, technical support specialist
Barbara Salander, thesis director Fine Arts Library Daniel Nepomnyashchy, technical support specialist
Michael Filan, student teaching supervisor David L. Shirey, chair Robert Lobe, director Evan Rabinowitz, help desk operator
Anna Roman, secretary JP Forrest, assistant to the chair Caitlin Kilgallen, associate director Helen Jorgensen, switchboard operator
Cathleen Cueto, assistant to the chair Zimra Panitz, technical services/systems librarian
Art Practice Amos Turner, head of reference services
David Ross, chair Beth Kleber, archivist, Milton Glaser Design Study Center
Jacquelyn Strycker, assistant to the chair and Archives
Administration 410 411 www.sva.edu
Admissions Development and Alumni Affairs Institutional Research Security Services
Javier Vega, executive director Carrie Lincourt, director Jerold Davis, director Nick Agjmurati, director
Adam Rogers, director Leigh Winter, associate director Lani Mysak, administrative assistant Murray Clendenin, associate director
Cheryl Pfeiffer, associate director Jane Nuzzo, manager Debbie Cunningham, manager
Jaime Garcia, assistant director International Student Office Felicita Crespo, supervisor
Cynthia Davis, manager, graduate and undergraduate admissions Digital Imaging Center Kaori Uchisaka, director Charles Jackson, supervisor
Christopher Jessick, manager, transfer admissions Stephen Alvarado, manager Tony (Hsien-Wen) Wang, associate director Sacha Larosiliere, supervisor
Jessica Hull, assistant manager, graduate admissions Jason Ng, assisnant studio manager Rosaceli Ortega, coordinator Isat Paljevic, supervisor
Yoi Tanaka Gayler, assistant manager, undergraduate admissions Angel Ibanez, assistant studio manager Brian Smith, supervisor
Quinn Dukes, counselor Viveca Diaz, lab assistant coordinator Physical Plant Latanya Grier, administrative assistant
Matthew Farina, counselor Alexandra Sullivan, evening systems administrator Jim Pirot, executive director
Doug Salati, counselor Andrew Gaska, weekend supervisor Martha Pellegrino, director Student Accounts
Joan Marie Turbek, counselor Charles Byrne, property manager Geanine Rando, director
Danielle Goldsmith, counselor External Relations Deborah Tighe, project coordinator Rebecca Fowler, associate director
Curtis Edwards, coordinator, undergraduate admissions Sam Modenstein, executive director John DeLuca, director of environmental health and safety Mary Graham, continuing education receivables manager
Sophie Holland, coordinator, undergraduate admissions Dan Halm, project manager Jennyfer Edwards, loan receivables coordinator
Brenda Hung, coordinator, undergraduate admissions Programs for International Students Malieka Sharry, coordinator
Mary Kirk Leonard, coordinator, visitor services Finance Andrew Chang, director Adrian Adorno, cashier
Emily Steinfeld, coordinator, undergraduate admissions Gary Shillet, chief financial officer Sarah Richardson, coordinator
Melinda Richardson, assistant to the executive director Michael Campbell, controller Student Affairs
Ashlie Cotton, receptionist Ivy Rauzin, assistant controller Registrar Javier Vega, executive director
Kevin Chea, assistant controller, budgeting and forecasting Jon Todd, registrar Megan Mannato, director
Audiovisual Services Tianna Bogle, senior accountant Celeste Barnes, associate registrar Tina Crayton, associate director, student activities
Robert Barton, manager Jean Saint Juste, senior accountant Gemma Prosper-Brown, assistant registrar, academic records; Edward Rabinowitz, MD, college psychiatrist
Peter Ross, assistant manager Patricia Burns, accounting manager veterans’ counselor Christine Gilchrist, RN, associate director, health and counseling services
Charles Gibbs, computer and event specialist Mario Cosentino, accounting manager Bernard Gibson, assistant registrar, operations Navah Steiner, LCAT, therapist
Earl Barrett-Holloway, support specialist Wanda Reece, accounts payable manager Albert Grier, assistant, data manager Rachel Dress, LMSW, therapist
Micah Welner, support specialist Kenneth Rodriguez, accounts payable supervisor Angelo Angeles, assistant Mark Howell, LCSW, therapist
Jim Gisriel, assistant Margaret Herndon, accounts payable coordinator Steve Birnbaum, assistant, rosters coordinator Joseph LoGiudice, associate director, learning disabilities services
Sharon Victory, accounts payable coordinator Kimberli Jervey, assistant, rosters Brandon Soucy, learning disabilities coordinator
Career Development Morgan Zipf, assistant to the chief financial officer Cassie McDonald, assistant Laurel Christy, associate director, residence life
Jennifer Phillips, director Mary Duffy, assistant Stefaine Joshua, residence hall director
Rhonda Schaller, assistant director Financial Aid Yvonne Singletary, academic records, archivist Adam Krumm, residence hall director
Katrina Chamberlin, coordinator William Berrios, director Maria Rovira, residence hall director
Tracy Ercetin, associate director, operations Resource Management Nicole Shillings, residence hall director
Computers at Visual Arts (CAVA) Gary Hayes, associate director, data management Christopher Gutierrez, director Amy Snyder, residence hall director
Aarathi Srinidhi, director Jose Rodriguez, loan coordinator James Cavaliere, manager Kathryn DeRaffele, office coordinator
Matt Miley, operations manager Wai Nei Kwan, advisor Lisa Brown, buyer Jamie Keesling, receptionist
Watson Dutton, senior sales technical support representative Ramona Moore, advisor Raymond Rawls, buyer
Kyle Patac, technology buyer Michelle Yates, advisor Raymar Mitchell, coordinator, office services and mail processing Student Galleries
Eugene Hill, customer support, cashier Patricia Melendez, office manager Allene La Spina, model registrar Francis Di Tommaso, director
Frank Quirindongo, clerk Curtis Confer, model registrar assistant Richard Brooks, assistant director
Colleague Computing Services Jasmin Quirsola, receptionist Destiny Lilly, model registrar assistant Jessica Hale, administrative manager
Elena Vasilenko-Blank, director Daniel Arthurs, mail processing assistant Eric Lendl, exhibitions coordinator
Lena Granoff, senior programmer Human Resources Andre Charles, mail processing assistant Tyson Skross, exhibitions coordinator
Irina Filimonova, senior programmer/analyst Frank Agosta, director Charles Davis, mail processing assistant Maria Dubon, office coordinator
Patricia Richards, systems analyst/programmer Vennette Jones, associate director Jason Gallegos, office services assistant
Roman Stanula, systems/database administrator Georgette Thomas Jones, benefits manager Dennis Gillyard, office services assistant SVA TheatRE
Ismenia Molina, employment manager Collin Murphy, office services assistant Jessica St. John, director
Communication Petronella Morrison, payroll manager Irene Hernandez, administrative assistant Chad Gardella, manager
Michael Grant, director Vanessa Robinson, payroll supervisor Gary Jean-Pierre, office services assistant coordinator Vidya Alexander, house manager
John Wyszniewski, assistant director Lloyd McIntosh, faculty contracts coordinator Alexander McRae, mail processing assistant
Keri Murawski, publicist Julissa Knight, payroll assistant Deirdre Suter, mail processing assistant coordinator
Chantelle Marcelle, coordinator Lizbeth Camacho, benefits assistant
Alexandra Prassas, assistant

Administration 412 413 www.sva.edu


Building Directory and
Campus Map W 44 ST.
W 43 ST. CHRYSLER BLDG
W 42 ST. GRAND CENTRAL STATION
W 41 ST.
PORT AUTHORITY BUS TERMINAL W 40 ST. BRYANT PARK
W 39 ST. E 39 ST.
205 East 23 Street 214 East 21 Street 133/141 West 21 Street W 38 ST. E 38 ST.
Registrar, 1st floor Eastside Gallery, 2nd floor Academic Affairs, 6th floor JAVITS CENTER W 37 ST. E 37 ST.
Fashion Photography (MPS), 3rd floor Art History, 5th floor W 36 ST. E 36 ST.
207 East 23 Street Photography (BFA), 4th, 5th, 6th floors Arts Abroad, 7th floor W 35 ST. E 35 ST.
Computers at Visual Arts (CAVA), Photography (MFA), 1st, 4th, 5th floors Computer Art, Computer Animation and W 34 ST. E 34 ST.
EMPIRE STATE BLDG
1st floor President, 7th floor Visual Effects (BFA), 2nd, 3rd floors

ELEVENTH AVE.
MADISON SQ GARDEN/ W 33 ST. E 33 ST.

TWELFTH AVE.
Radio Station, WSVA, 7th floor Computer Art (MFA), 10th floor PENN STATION
W 32 ST. E 32 ST.
Student Lounge, 7th floor Coordinator of Academic Advisement,

BR
209 East 23 Street

OA
W 31 ST. E 31 ST.

LEXINGTON AVE.
Admissions, 1st floor 7th floor

MADISON AVE.
DW
SEVENTH AVE.
Advertising and Graphic Design (BFA), 23 Lexington Avenue Critical Theory and the Arts (MA), 6th floor W 30 ST. E 30 ST.

EIGHTH AVE.

AY
SIXTH AVE.

FIFTH AVE.

PARK AVE.
2nd floor George Washington Residence Environmental Health and Safety, W 29 ST. E 29 ST.

SECOND AVE.
TENTH AVE.
Continuing Education, 1st floor Health Services, mezzanine 12th floor W 28 ST. E 28 ST.

NINTH AVE.

THIRD AVE.

FIRST AVE.
Digital Imaging Center, 5th floor International Student Office, mezzanine Fine Arts (MFA), 8th, 9th floors W 27 ST. E 27 ST.
16
Executive Vice President, 1st floor International Students Program, mezzanine Institutional Research, 6th floor SHUTTLE BUS ROUTE W 26 ST. E 26 ST.
Facilities Management, lower level Residence Life, mezzanine Interior Design (BFA), 11th floor W 25 ST. MADISON E 25 ST.
Film, Video and Animation (BFA), Student Affairs, mezzanine Model Registrar, 1st floor SQ PARK
W 24 ST. 9 1, 2 E 24 ST.
5th floor Technical Support Services, solarium south Printmaking Studios, 5th floor 14
W 23 ST. 3 E 23 ST.
Financial Aid, 1st floor Provost, 5th floor
Illustration and Cartooning (BFA), 17 Gramercy Park South Student Lounge, lower level 11 W 22 ST. GRAMERCY PARK 4, 5
12, 13 W 21 ST. 6 E 21 ST.
2nd floor Gramercy Women’s Residence Visual and Critical Studies (BFA), 5th floor
Mail Processing Center, lower level Westside Gallery, 1st floor W 20 ST. 10 E 20 ST.

Management Information Technologies, 132 West 21 Street Writing Resource Center, lower level W 19 ST. E 19 ST.

mezzanine Art Criticism and Writing (MFA), 7th floor W 18 ST.


UNION SQ
E 18 ST.
Physical Plant, lower level Art Education (MAT), 4th floor 335 West 16 Street 15 W 17 ST. E 17 ST.
STUYVESANT
Security Management, lower level Art Therapy (MPS), 3rd floor Art Practice (MFA), 5th floor W 16 ST. E 16 ST. SQUARE
Student Accounts, 2nd floor Branding (MPS), 11th floor Fine Arts (BFA), 4th, 5th floors W 15 ST. E 15 ST.
Student Lounge, 2nd floor Digital Photography (MPS), 2nd floor Fine Arts Sculpture, 1st floor, lower level W 14 ST. E 14 ST.
SVA Gallery, 1st floor Interaction Design (MFA), 6th floor Fine Arts Digital Lab, 2nd floor E 13 ST.
W 13 ST.
Visual Arts Museum, 1st floor Live Action Short Film (MPS), 8th floor
W 12 ST. E 12 ST.
Products of Design (MFA), 6th floor 333 West 23 Street
W 11 ST. E 11 ST.
215 East 23 Street SVA Theatre  1 205/207/209 East 23 Street 7
W 10 ST. E 10 ST.
New Residence Hall 136 West 21 Street
 2 215 East 23 Street W 9 ST. E 9 ST.
Visual Arts Student Association (VASA), Alumni Affairs, 6th floor 601 West 26 Street TOMPKINS
OR SQUARE
1st floor Career Development, 6th floor Student Galleries Office, 15th floor  3 220 East 23 Street
W 8 ST. AST CE ST. MARKS PLACE
PLA E 7 ST.
Communication, 6th floor Visual Arts Gallery, 15th floor
220 East 23 Street Design Criticism (MFA), 2nd floor  4 380 Second Avenue E 6 ST.

LAFAYETTE ST.
E 5 ST.
Office of the Chairman of the Board, Design for Social Innovation (MFA), 4th floor 101 East 10 Street  5 310 East 22 Street WASHINGTON SQUARE
E 4 ST.
6th floor Development, 2nd floor Tenth Street Residence

B OW
Visual Arts Press, Ltd., 3rd floor External Relations, 6th floor  6 214 East 21 Street E 3 ST.

ERY
Illustration as Visual Essay (MFA), 12th floor 101 Ludlow Street E 2 ST.
 7 101 East 10 Street
380 Second Avenue Social Documentary Film (MFA), 1st floor Ludlow Residence E 1 ST.

ST.
Animation Studios (BFA), 5th floor  8 101 Ludlow Street .
HOUSTON ST

.
ALLEN ST

LUDLOW
Audiovisual Equipment, 8th floor
Finance, 8th floor  9 23 Lexington Avenue
Human Resources, 8th floor 10 17 Gramercy Park South
Humanities and Sciences, 8th floor 8 URG
WILLIAMSB
Library, 2nd floor 11 133/141 West 21 Street BRIDGE
ST.
D ELANCEY
Resource Management, 8th floor
12 136 West 21 Street

310 East 22 Street 13 132 West 21 Street


Illustration Studios, 7th floor
Design (MFA), 5th floor 14 333 West 23 Street

15 335 West 16 Street


M
16 601 West 26 Street AN
HA
TT
AN
BR
ID
Building Directory and Campus Map 414 GE
© 2011, Visual Arts Press, Ltd.

Catalog Committee: Anthony P. Rhodes, chair; Marshall


Credits

Arisman; Jerold Davis; Jessica Hull; Michelle Mercurio;


Sheilah Ledwidge; Adam Rogers; Charles Traub; Alice
Twemlow; Javier Vega; Michael J. Walsh

Creative director: Anthony P. Rhodes


Art, editorial and production director: Michael J. Walsh
Designer: Brian E. Smith
Managing editor: Sheilah Ledwidge
Editor: Abby Kreh
Contributing writers: Michael Wilson, Dan Rubinstein,
Anthony Antoniadis

Principal Photography: Harry Zernike


(Photography on pages 150-151, 232, 328-329 David Corio;
188-190 Michael Lewis ; 224, 233 Seth Boonchai)

Looking for the graduate application form? It’s online!


For more information, visit www.sva.edu/apply

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