DR. GUIDO E. ALVAREZ PhD, MFA
January 2016 Dear members of the search committee: My name is Guido E. Alvarez. I was born and raised in Ecuador, South America where I completed my BFA in Design at Universidad del Azuay in Crafts and Graphic Design. After practicing jewelry and graphic design and working as an art director for a local bank I decided to further my education. I applied to academic opportunities abroad and as a result I was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship back in 1997. As I Fulbrighter I travelled to Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia where I obtained an MFA in Design and Visual Communication. Upon my return to Ecuador I began my teaching career at Universidad San Francisco de Quito, the best private Liberal Arts College in the country. As a full time associate professor at USFQ I taught courses in: Design Foundation, Information Design, Design History, Typography, Digital Photography, Intro to Ceramics, Mixed Media, Design Thinking among other subjects. In addition, I served the role of the design and photography department coordinator. After four years I decided to expand my knowledge-base with the intention to become a better-rounded educator. I wanted to be able to offer a richer learning experience to my students therefore I applied to the PhD in MATX program at Virginia Commonwealth University. The MATX program, I must add, is a joint effort between the School of the Art, the School of Mass Media, and the English Literature Department at Virginia Commonwealth University. Its academic proposal is based in the notion of interdisciplinarity as the means to construct new knowledge. The intensity of the course work during the doctoral program demanded a rigorous and committed lifestyle that became a life changing experience in every possible way. Near the completion of my course work I was offered a full time teaching position at Saint Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota which I gladly accepted. During my years as an assistant professor at Saint Olaf I was in charge of teaching New Media Art foundation, Animation, and Video Art. This change of focus from Design to New Media Arts allowed me to expand my horizons both in terms of teaching and professional practice. I now see myself as a potential faculty member who would be happy to teach Design, Art, Media Studies, and Philosophy of New Media with an emphasis in contemporary and post-modern art teaching practices. However, given my dedication to teaching career and a plethora of personal matters pertaining my former marriage and its subsequent divorce I could not find time to finalize my doctoral dissertation work. In spite of having been in a tenure-track position I took complex decision to resign from Saint Olaf and to move back to Ecuador to continue with my art and design practice. While in Ecuador I was offered an interesting position in a worldwide university part of the Laureate Academic Group which I accepted. I worked for Universidad de las Americas where I served as Director of the Graphic and Industrial Design Program. However, after almost a year into the job I decided to resign to be able to complete my doctorate program, which I did back in December 2015 reaching the end of a long and treacherous eight-year experience. I completed and defended my research on a theoretical construct pertaining the worlds of cyborgs, avatars, and construction of identity on cyberspace. Upon graduation I moved back to Minnesota and I am currently looking for opportunities to further my professional practice, my teaching career as well as my research interest in Design, Visual Communication, and Cyborg Theory. I think that fifteen years of teaching Design and Art at the higher level in addition to the recently acquired experience as a program director provides me the foundation to validate my application to the position offered by your fine institution. In wrapping up this letter I must add that I consider myself not a Latino anymore but a world citizen who has made America his second home away from home. Being a minority myself and having a global vision of teaching and design/art practices I bring to the job a fresh perspective about how to approach the complex and ever changing discipline of Design with a global vision. Respectfully yours
Dr. Guido E. Alvarez, PhD, MFA
[ 1904 Lincoln Street S. Northfield, MN 55057 ] [ guido.alvarez.arts@gmail.com ] [ 804.503.0906 ]
DR. GUIDO E. ALVAREZ PhD, MFA
ON EDUCATION & TEACHING “Education is what remains when we have forgotten all that we have been taught” George Savile, Marquis of Halifax (1633-1695)
Every semester I face the same monster before me, its name is doubt. Why do I teach? Why do I do it when I could be working in the advertising, design, or art industries? The monster looks me into the eye and I hesitate to concoct an answer as I stand in front of my students. After a minute and a half or so I look at those puzzled faces with inquisitive eyes sitting on the classroom and then I know why I teach, I just love it. I love to relive those moments every semester, I love to tell stories and help students to discovery that they can design, make art, or think creatively on their own. I feel privileged to facilitate the unleashing their powers of creativity and design thinking. That feeling is what moves me as an educator, that is why I teach. I must confess that early on as a design student I discovered that neither did I align to the traditional structure of teaching, where students are expected to be passive receptors of information, nor have I found my college education to be memorable as it could had been. I notice that I remember only a few professors from all the ones I have had during my academic life. I remember those years who created a deep impact on my life. When I analyze what the professors who found fertile soil in my brain did versus the ones who were just I observe that it is not about knowledge or information per se, but about attitude and methodology. As a
result of my observations I developed a single tenet that in now the foundation of my teaching philosophy:
Learning must be fun. Teaching to achieve my proposed pedagogical methodology entails the combination of concepts such as: experience, life, memory, and meaning. Said concepts are constructed by incorporating as many senses in the process as possible. Even though I will not claim to implement a Montessori approach per se I can comfortably tell that my teaching has a strong component of her philosophies, practices, and methodologies. I apply them in every studio course that I teach as much as possible. In addition, I replicate the positive aspects of interdisciplinary thinking and practice that I learned during my doctoral studies. I approach this goal by adding fiction narrative into the learning concoction to establish an aura of fantasy in the classroom. An aura that nurtures non-linear thinking. I will elaborate on this aspect by the end of this text. On the other hand, the opening quote by Savile summarizes the goal that I try to reach with my teaching. I want my students to remember the experience of learning. Just think about it, if Savile is right how would one—as educator—could even teach being aware that most of the information, techniques, theories, and stories that are presented during class time will fade away right after the semester is over? I certainly do not have the answers to this question but I am investing my educated guesses on the way I teach since I have seen its effectiveness time and again. Every semester during the syllabus introduction I make sure that my students assimilate the difference between teaching and educating. I make sure that they understand that I don’t spoon-feed them yet I guide them to discover by themselves.
[ 1904 Lincoln Street S. Northfield, MN 55057 ] [ guido.alvarez.arts@gmail.com ] [ 804.503.0906 ]
I must confess that some students have a rough first couple of weeks until they realize that my courses are a bit unconventional. In order to achieve good results, I have found out that creating the appropriate environment for the brain to be ready to bloom is essential for effective teaching. For that reason—and whenever possible—I transform the place where I teach into a creative environment conducive to construct said memorable learning experiences. I must add that my intention is not to teach technique alone but a way of thinking, design thinking that is. A way to solve the design process as riddle by means of combining the expression and sensibility found in fine art applied to the practice of design. Moreover, I attempt to teach students how to be self-sufficient and to break free from the notion of going through college to find a job but to complete the learning experience to create a life for their own using design as a mechanism to cope with the complexities of reality. I find ways to motivate young students to visualize themselves as makers and not mere service providers. I like to seduce their brains into embracing the idea that they are not only components of a bigger machinery of production but free thinkers who may reach moments of happiness and a sense of freedom through professional design. In less philosophical terms I educate students how NOT to depend on a particular piece of software or hardware but to learn the principles that will remain constant through time, as opposed to the technological gimmicks that are subject to planned obsolescence. In order to realize said reflection my courses are designed to motivate students to learn by contrast between play and systematic thinking. To illustrate what I am explaining I offer a few real case-studies. In the past I have had students develop personal blogs as electronic repositories where to plant and
nourish their projects as they evolve. The blog becomes a representation of progress, a conceptual mental map that serves two different purposes: first, it allows students to deliver their work in an orderly manner while pushing them to become knowledgeable in both, electronic communication and distribution of content in cyberspace. And second, it allows myself to keep all my exploding divergent thinking contained and organized for the benefit of my students and that myself. By the end of every semester I gain a fully developed archive of every project made during each term. Visit the following URLs samples to get a better idea of what I just described, please consider them for what they are, case-studies: 1. ART104 New Media Foundation. Fall 2010 http://www.guidoalvarez.typepad.com/new_media _foundation/ 2. Media160 Mass Media Foundation. Fall 2010 http://www.guidoalvarez.typepad.com/media_160/ In both cases all the content developed during class time is available. The central section of the blog contains the syllabus as well as different timelines and all the briefs delivered to students with detailed instructions on how to approach every project from A to Z. The Media 160 blog also incorporates an entry containing every final project (playable audio files) as well as the content required to complete different tasks. For the art104 blog the central section contains the syllabus, all briefs with detailed explanations, and several timelines with adjustments. On the left column a long list of projects is available, organized by project name as well as by student’s last name. Within the personal page you will be able to find—and listen—to another innovation that I designed a few years ago (as teaching
[ 1904 Lincoln Street S. Northfield, MN 55057 ] [ guido.alvarez.arts@gmail.com ] [ 804.503.0906 ]
methodology). It consists of delivering research papers in audio format. I made the decision of switching medium from paper to audio in order to gain a more personal approach to the presentation of research findings. I have found—with valuable intellectual gain—that having students present their thoughts in audio format turns out to be an enriching experience as well as a liberating one. It does not only provide them with the opportunity to learn new skills—audio production—but also gives them the chance to experiment public speaking. I find public speaking as a key component of what a designer/artist must be able to do during his/her professional career. A major aspect of my teaching is that I try to make sure that my students do not take my classes as instruction courses on technology. I emphasize this aspect throughout the semester simply because in my experience there is a high expectation on students’ behalf to walk away from my class as experts in software use. Even though they do walk out conversant in digital fabrication and manipulation the emphasis is not on learning how to use any given piece of software but how to develop a healthy relationship with technology that will allow them to find the best possible solution to design problems without depending on any given piece of software. To conclude, what I envision is to become a mentor for my students. A long term, lifetime, mentor to be there for them whenever they need professional guidance in design matters as well as in life too.
There is one particular research subject that is recurrent and I plan to continue using in my teaching. It is the analysis of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein as a metaphor of technology’s affect and effect on our daily lives. I have found out this seminal text to work perfectly well as a fertile soil for conceptual development in digital technology teaching. Frankenstein’s intertext spawns from the interceptions among media to generate innumerable layers of relevant meaning that I find to be appropriate for the academic discussion about culture, ethics, and art practices in contemporary environments. Lately, I have also chosen another great text that I plan to use for the same purpose. It is “1984” by George Orwell. It is so rich and deep in meaning that I believe its analysis may offer students many reflections on design, art, and culture to ignite debate, and analysis on contemporary culture, design thinking, and art-making. Reflections that will serve as brain launching stations to help students generate high quality design and will make every class memorable.
Dr. Guido E. Alvarez, PhD, MFA
Learning never ends, neither should education. Finally, my teaching has a very defined approach to the development of interdisciplinarity. In order to achieve this goal all guided projects are derivatives of works of art, advertising, design, and literary works from cultures all over the world with special focus on post-human philosophy and Cyberculture.
[ 1904 Lincoln Street S. Northfield, MN 55057 ] [ guido.alvarez.arts@gmail.com ] [ 804.503.0906 ]
Guido E Alvarez , PHD, MFA 1904 Lincoln Street S
Northfield, MN. 55057
804 503 0906 dr.guido.alvarez@gmail.com
www.guidoalvarez.com www.facebook.com/guido.alvarez.arts
PROFILE Guido E Alvarez is a New Media Arts and Design Educator whose work revolves around the notion of a hybrid reality procured by electronic technology. His artistic work is the result of an interdisciplinary approach between traditional art practices and new media technology. His professional teaching focus is in on the implementation of progressive education within the liberal arts education with an emphasis in media studies and creative development. He recently completed his doctorate at VCU in Richmond Virginia after having taught New Media Foundation, Digital Image Manipulation, Stop Motion Animation, and Video Art for Saint Olaf College in Minnesota for several years. Over the last years he served as a director for Universidad de las Americas Graphic and Industrial Design program in Quito Ecuador. He is currently looking for a full time position in Design, Visual Communication, Media Studies, or Fine Arts around the world as well as to further his research in visual communication and identity construction in Cyberspace through post doctoral research. Additionally, he is an Online instructor for Domus Academy teaching a course on Design Thinking.
EXPERIENCE 2006 – 2015 Branding and Design consultant for Pachamama School Responsible for developing and mantaining the brand and brand managment for a private progressive school located in the Tumbaco valley near Quito, Ecuador. 2014 – 2015 Graphic and Industrial Design Program Director, Universidad de las Americas. Quito Ecuador Responsible for managing all administrative and academic aspects for a 350-student and 30-professor academic program and department. 2009 – 2013 Responsible for teaching New Media Arts and other related subjects such as animation and video art for Saint Olaf College while completing his doctoral dissertation for the Media Art and Text doctoral program at Virginia Commonwealth University. 2007 – 2009 Adjunct Professor (GTA), Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond Virginia Responsible for teaching two courses per semester while completing the course work towards the completion of a doctoral program designated as Media Art and Text. During the two years of course work I taught Graphic Design and Advertising for VCU schools of Graphic Design and Mass Media Communication for the Department of Mass Communication.
MORE EXPERIENCE 2003 – 2007 Associate Professor, Department Coordinator. Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Cumbaya, Ecuador Responsible for teaching a full time tenure track professorship appointment and coordinating the department of Communication Design at USFQ. Courses taught include: Typography, Design Theory, Graphic Design, Branding, Design History, Digital Photography, Intermedia, Ceramics, Information Design,Portfolio, Final Project, Creative Direction, and Design Center. Responsible for revamping the Design Communication Program. 2005 – 2007 Creative Director, Center for Andean Freedoms, Quito, Ecuador Responsible for directing all the design processes involved within the Center. The positions implies generating ideas for communication pieces related to the Center needs. Status: volunteer 2005 – 2006 Art Director, To Love Children International Educational Foundation Inc. Responsible for directing all the design processes involved within the Foundation as a volunteer. 2004 – 2007 Online Design Volunteer, United Nations, New York Responsible for designing graphic products for organizations worldwide. I have developed projects for Unite for Sight Eyecare organization. The Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara in Africa, among oth- ers. 2003 – 2007 Assistant Professor, Universidad del Azuay. Cuenca, Ecuador Responsible for teaching Design Foundation and Graphic Design courses. 2000 – 2001 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Virginia Commonwealth University. Richmond, VirginiaResponsible for a ssisting the History of Graphic Design class, and designing several communication pieces for the CARD department. 1998 – 1999 Professional practice in Graphic Design (Freelancing), Self-employed. Cuenca, Ecuador — 1998 - 1999 Design studio specialized in corporate identity design, packaging design, and print collateral. Re- sponsible for 1996 – 1998 Art Director, Creative Director, Copywriter, Designer, Advertising strategist. Banco del Austro S.A. Banking and Responsible for developing the corporate identity for a nationwide bank with forty branches around Ecuador. Work included developing advertising campaigns to enhance the bank´s image as well as designing whole campaigns from ideation to production. 1995 – 1996 Graphic Designer, Illustrator. PASAMANERIA S.A. Cuenca, Ecuador Responsible for designing and thinking motifs for silkscreening on clothing for youngsters, chil- dren and babies. Work involved a highly creative, fast-paced design process.
EDUCATION Virginia Commonwealth University, School of English Literature. Richmond,Virginia — Doctor in Media Art and Text (MATX). Class 2015. Virginia Commonwealth University, School of the Arts. Richmond, Virginia — Masters in Fine Arts in Visual Communication and Design class of 2002. Universidad del Azuay, Cuenca, Ecuador — Bachelor in Fine Arts, Crafts, and Graphic Design class of 1994. Colegio Hermano Miguel La Salle, Cuenca, Ecuador — Bachelor in Physics and Mathematics class of 1989.
RECOGNITIONS & AWARDS November 2010 Self portrait research work included in: SELF. Ovenden Contemporary (Art Promo-tions). A collection of selfportraits from all over the world. United Kingdom. 2009. October 2009 equality and education among indigenous women in the Andes was chosen to be published as part of the internationally acclaimed book LOGOLOUNGE 5. March 2008 “Who is who among students in American Universities,” One of the three graduate students who represents VCU in this nationally recogzined publication. August 2007 Graduate Teaching Assistanship award to become a Ph.D. Candidate for the Media, Art, and Text program (MATX.) Virginia Commonwealth University. Richmond, Va. 2007-2011 March 2007 Brandmark designed for “La Hacienda” Montessori Kindergarten was chosen to be published as part of the internationally acclaimed book LOGOLOUNGE 4. October 2006 Ecuador’s capital (Quito; 2 million people) celebration image for 2006: FIRST PRIZE. October 2006 Festival Iberoamericano de Cine: Cero Latitud, National Poster Design Competion. Juried exhibition September 2006 May 2006 August 2006 Culturbano: Design Competition. Third Prize November 2005 Festival Iberoamericano de Cine: Cero Latitud, National Poster Design Competition. Honorable Mention August 2005 estival Uno: First Advertising Festival. Category: Socially Conscious Design. Silver Prize June 2005 “Ekecheiria” Art Exhibition on occasion of the 2004 Olympics under the concept of “Truce” June 2004 Fulbright Scholarship awarded by the Congress of the United States August 1999-August 2001 Graduate Assistantship and Fellowship awarded by Virginia Commonwealth University
September 2000-May 2001 Janou Pakter Award for Design awarded by World Studio Foundation September 2000-May 2001 Heineken Beermat international competition winner and runner up for three times in previous versions of the contest 1999-2000 Children’s painting local exhibition. Oil on Canvas. Best in Show
EXHIBITIONS This Here and Now: Nature and Human Consciousness. The exhibit, featuring 13 prints borrowed from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and works by artists Christine Baeumler, Jil Evans, Chris Larson, Guido Alvarez, and Jill Ewald, is supported by this year’s theme, Liberal Learning and Religion. THIS HERE NOW: Nature and Human Consciousness is an exhibit of historical and contemporary art that bi-products of an imper- sonal, mechanical reality not driven by purpose and meaning? Is consciousness itself only a complex physico-chemical process or is it some new reality that is more than physical processes? Some of the great world religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, some Hindu traditions and more) see the natural world in purposive terms and recognize subjectiv- ity and experience as unique realities. While some philosophers embrace reductive forms of materialism, others counter that subjectivity, experience, and purposiveness are foundational, irreducible realities. Such debate forms an important part of the contemporary conversation about science and philosophy, religion and the liberal arts.
PUBLICATIONS Soul Hunting: The ultimate user’s guide on how to capture souls and keep them in electronic Paper- back), VDM Verlag Dr. Müller (December 3, 2008) English. ISBN-10: 3639106938. Breakthrough_typoetry (Paperback), HyperScholar Inc. (January 1, 2008). ASIN: B002AD4510. Cyborg Art: Génesis (Volume 1) (Paperback.) CreateSpace (November 6, 2008). English. ISBN-10: 1440460183. Cyborg Art Genesis: Two universally untold stories (Kindle Edition). File Size: 1544. CreateSpace; 1 edition (August 26, 2008) Sold by: Amazon Digital Services. English. ASIN: B001NMUGXA. International Publications where my work has been chosen to be part of SELF. Ovenden Contemporary (Art Promotions). A collection of self-portraits from all over the world. United Kingdom. 2009. David Gardener and Andrea Wilkinson. Ramp Press, Wintec (Waikato Institute of Technology); First Edition edition (October 2, 2008) LogoLounge 4: 2000 International Identities by Leading Designers (v. 4) (Hardcover) Catharine Fishel ,Bill Gardner. Rockport Publishers (March 1, 2008) LogoLounge 3: 2,000 International Identities by Leading Designers (v. 3) (Hardcover). Rockport Publishers. Catharine Fishel ,Bill Gardner. Rockport Publishers (October 1, 2006) Type in Motion 2 (No. 2) (Hardcover) Matt Woolman (Author). Thames & Hudson (November 1, 2005)
[ DR. GUIDO ALVAREZ ] [ PORTFOLIO 16 ]
BRIEF STORIES BEHINDPROFESSIONAL WORK IMAGE 01 SAINT SCHOLASTICA PROTECTOR
Evolving art and design project started in 2007 aimed to construct a contemporary ecumenical patron designed to protect and care for scholars and academics worldwide. It has taken several forms already, from a traditional photo studio/installation composition, to a flat installation made out of photocopies taken directly from the body, to a larger-than-life painting completed in 2013.
IMAGE 02 SELECTION OF PUBLISHED COMMUNICATION DESIGN WORKS
Poster and brands designed for several clients over the years. The two brands on top had been published in Logo Lounge, an international yearly publication on the best logos around the world.
IMAGE 03 TEMPORAL FLOW
Art installation part of the collective exhibition “THIS, HERE, NOW” presented by Saint Olaf’s art gallery in 2010. Temporal Flow seeks to question the validity and the construction of Reality by presenting several electronics feeds (video and audio) of what was meant to be read as a live-feed of a unique living creature (Taboo the axolotl) that lived underground as my class’ pet.
IMAGE 04 ARTWORK(S)
A few samples of mixed media paintings I work on regularly. My approach to art is based on the idea of endless layering to obtain textures that are unique. My paintings and illustrations provide a creative outlet with no limitations.
IMAGE 05 VIRULIA
Art installation commissioned by the school of Engineering at Saint Olaf College. It consists of daily objects from the past, such as syringes, lab tubes, valves, and some magnifying plastic units dismantled from old school retro-projectors. All the elements arranged in a such a way that the public perceives insects before the actual objects to reflect on the construction of Reality.
IMAGE 06 DA FINE LINE
To be able to buy a bucket of chalkboard paint and cover your car with it is pure blessing. The intention was to make living art, transforming, adapting, and responding to nature. I then drove the car from Minneapolis to Florida while changing its outer appearance to reflect my state of mind. The reactions of people looking puzzled, happy, sometimes in awe, were priceless.
IMAGE 07 LINE ART
My illustrations with pen on paper are designed to combine the disciplines of art, design, and writing. In this particular case Jacques Derrida smokes a Freud with thoughts organized behind his head. Art lets the brain grow wings, when combined with design it transforms the world.
IMAGE 08 ANDREA TELLO
Tello is one of the leading jewelry designers in Ecuador. Her work on silver travels around the world and is worn by royalty and laymen alike. I had the opportunity to design two magazine adds for her. Both based on the concept of art as zenith of beauty.
Copyright 2016 © by Guido E. Alvarez. All Rights Reserved
[ DR. GUIDO ALVAREZ ] [ PORTFOLIO 16 ]
BRIEF STORIES BEHINDPROFESSIONAL WORK IMAGE 09 BEAUTY INTOLERABLE
Promotional poster designed for opera composer Sheila Silver to represent her work entitled “Beauty Intolerable: A songbook based on the poetry of Edna Saint Vincent Millay”. The opera took place in New York. IMAGE 10 STUDIO LOOR
Selected posters designed to promote STUDIO LOOR. It is an international network of small jewelry shops selling fine hand-made artworks. The work I deliver to Studio Loor comprises photography, communication design, and advertising.
IMAGE 11 PACHAMAMA SCHOOL
Selected communication design pieces to reflect the work that I have provided to Pachamama School in the Ecuadorian Andes. IMAGE 12 MORE SAINT SCHOLASTICA
Here’s another facet of the Saint Scholastica long-term project. The canvas is actually a reused highway banner that has been subject to a series of studies and transformations to become a larger-than-life painting. It will eventually turn into a wallet-size image to carry around.
IMAGE 13 THE BUG LADY
Self-published story book on the complex subject of emotions and mood swings. I call the writing style TYPOETRY. It is a form of non-traditional poetry that abides to no regulations to avoid disciplinary conflict. The illustrations began as hand-made drawings and collages with collected dead bugs to digital paintings on a wacom cintiq tablet. Available at Amazon.com IMAGE 14 BREAKTHROUGH : TYPOETRY
Over a period of about two years I collected self-portraits on public restrooms. There were no selfies back then or cameras on phones therefore all images are the result of placing the camera on a flat surface and using its timer. Performance with design and writing to tell stories make this book, self-published available at Lulu.com. IMAGE 15 PHOTOGRAPHY
A short collection of digital images captured during Mabel Petroff’s theatrical performance.
Copyright 2016 © by Guido E. Alvarez. All Rights Reserved
[ DR. GUIDO ALVAREZ ] [ PORTFOLIO 16 ]
BRIEF STORIES BEHINDSTUDENTS IMAGE 01E NOBODY
This iterative project (7 versions so far) consists of the use of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) to teach digital manipulation while having discussion on the subject of virtual identity in cyberspace. Chet Flaum created his creature from the combination of his roommates’ photographs. Nobody is a long term academic project meant to evolve into a book on the subject of identity.
IMAGE O2E IPSO FACTO
Austin Martin was given the time and space to explore his academic interests in combination with the more rigorous science courses he was taking. The result is a sound piece composed in Reason.
IMAGE 03E IN RESPONSE TO BATORY POSTER
Zoe Hernandez presents two promotional posters for real college events. Her class was asked to design with a hybrid approach where students are expected to combine media and production mechanisms.
IMAGE 04E NOBODY : DIGITAL PAINTING
Emily Bergslien created her Frankenstein creature from several painting from classical art. Later she would use her created character as subject of a digital composition using a cintiq screen.
IMAGE 05E NOBODY 5.0 : FULL BODY
This iterative project (7 versions so far) consists of the use of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) to teach digital manipulation while having discussion on the subject of virtual identity in cyberspace. Height’s creature comprises parts and pieces of every member of Saint Olaf’s Lacrosse team.
IMAGE O6E LIFE ENTERS THE MORGUE
Jennifer Arnspong was given the time to explore her interests. In her case she wrote a poem and from it, produced a video art work where she performs. Allowing advanced students who demonstrate initiative is a fundamental factor of my teaching methodology and philosophy.
IMAGE 07E HEADGEAR
Students from Universidad de las Americas were asked to design prototypes of headgear for theater. They were given access to a limited amount of materials and were let lose to explore.
IMAGE 08E CATMOUSE ME
Marielena Ramirez’s exploration demonstrates her acquired talents and skills in her final graduation Design project. Her aim was to turn her personal taste on clothing according to her emotions in personalized dolls. She successfully reached the stage of prototypes. They were delivered along with a theoretical document to support her practice.
Copyright 2016 © by Guido E. Alvarez. All Rights Reserved
[ DR. GUIDO ALVAREZ ] [ PORTFOLIO 16 ]
IMAGE 09E LEYENDAS DESLINEALES
Leyendas Deslineales was a mural designed and digitally constructed as a collaborative piece among all students from the school. The larger-than-life printed mural became part of the Paris Biennials international events and exhibitions hosted by Universidad San Francisco de Quito.
IMAGE 10E LAST SUPPER
Design Semiotics’ class at Virginia Commonwealth University were asked to reinterpret the classical painting. One of the students even brought her pet chicken to the classroom, it became an important actor in the final image. We had lots of fun in the process and many theoretical insights. IMAGE 11E TACTUSIKUS
VCU’s Mike Doherty was given the time and attention to construct an experimental “playable” suit. Even though I have no knowledge of electronics I was able to give the conceptual and design aspects of his proposal to fruition.
IMAGE 12E CRONICAS GRINGUESCAS
Francisco Gallarraga’s love for illustration pushed him to integrate communication design into his works of art. His graduation project incorporated all the people he considered made a difference in his academic life at Universidad San Francisco de Quito. The result was a book containing stories and rich imagery made by hand and in computer. IMAGE 13E GREENGO
Expanding on my personal art project DA FINE LINE, I invited students to collaborate and experiment with the notions of ephemeral art. A previous stage of the chalk board car involved graffiti and spray paint. Public intervention of space, even highly controlled, opens many discussions and conversations for students on contemporary subjects worth tackling.
IMAGE 14E FLOWER POWER
Even an intro to ceramics course can be taken into the realm of conceptual development. In this particular case students from Universidad San Francisco de Quito were invited to create a self portrait as vase. Results were not only engaging but capture the essence of their personalities to the T, transforming a regular academic exercise into a memorable experience.
IMAGE 15E THE SHORT AND PERILOUS LIFE OF FRANK
Students from Saint Olaf’s animation course were asked to construct a short film using stop motion animation techniques. It was a long and complex undertaking that offered many pedagogical opportunities to converse about the role of animated imagery in today’s society.
Copyright 2016 © by Guido E. Alvarez. All Rights Reserved
DR. GUIDO E. ALVAREZ PhD, MFA
Dr. Tarynn Witten
PhD committee member and doctoral guide Professor and Director of R and D Virginia Commonwealth University tmwitten@vcu.edu 804-827-7371
Dr. Richard Fine
PhD main adviser Professor Virginia Commonwealth University rfine@vcu.edu 804-828-4483
Mrs. Sonya Algosaibi Design Client Jewelry Designer sonya.algosaibi@gmail.com 310-819-5545
Dr. Hugo Burgos
former boss/supervisor Dean School of Communication and Arts Universidad San Francisco de Quito hburgos@usfq.edu.ec (+593) 2 297-1700 ext. 1787
Mr. John Feldman
Design client Independent film maker johnfeldman@hummingbirdfilms.com 518-821-4582
Mrs. Sheila Silver
Design client Opera composer argenta@sheilasilver.com 518-929-5705
[ 1904 Lincoln Street S. Northfield, MN 55057 ] [ guido.alvarez.arts@gmail.com ] [ 804.503.0906 ]