GGD 2011 Viewbook

Otis Graduate Graphic Design

PRO GR A M D E SCR I P T I O N

The limited-residency MFA in Graphic Design provides a rigorous and challenging academic and studio environment for candidates interested in enhancing their current professional practice. Participants select from three individual themes or tracks: social responsibility of the designer in society, typography and type design, or advancing the discipline through theory and innovation.

Each track speaks directly to educating conscientious individuals who recognize the value of design and its role in society.

Coursework is comprised of research, readings, studio projects (assigned and self-directed), and a final project. The department provides students with instruction by core faculty, visiting lecturers, and visiting artists who are recognized nationally and internationally in their design and art practice.

S T U D E N T BO DY

Our students come from a variety of backgrounds in various disciplines, (graphic design, engineering, fashion, product, and fine art) and pursue projects that confirm the value of merging personal histories, design philosophy, and social relevance.

Program Sch edule

The program is two years and two months running for three consecutive summers with two part-time spring semesters that can be completed on or off-site. Incoming students begin the program at the start of each summer session.

Wor ks h ops

M entors h ips

Each summer, visiting artists

During the two spring sessions,

from within the Los Angeles

MFA candidates work with

area, across the country

mentors in one of two ways:

and abroad host workshops

producing texts that are

ranging from one to three

historical, critical, and/or

days in length. Students

theoretical; or designing an

may be handed instructions

original typeface. In both

beforehand to research

scenarios, work researched

information or prepare

and produced must be

specific materials before the

relevant to their goals as

workshops begin. Guests often

a future practitioner and

take advantage of the city

intended for publication or

and its surrounding areas as a

production.

staging ground for individual and group projects.

Communications via digital technologies, telephone, or face-to-face meetings all contribute to the mentorship process.

Lectures

Symposia

The program hosts weekly

MFA students assist in the

lectures, open to the public,

promotion and organizing

by artists and designers from

of two symposia. “Untitled”

Los Angeles and beyond.

is a bi-annual event. “What

All students are required to

Matters” is a tri-annual. Both

attend. MFA 2s spend the day

host internationally recognized

in conversation with each

guests and attendees

visiting artist in a group setting

whose practice exemplifies

or in one-on-one studio visits.

alternative practice and

S tudio I nteraction

Studio spaces during intensive summer sessions promote strong relationships among our MFA candidates. This environment promotes experimentation and crossover between students who enter the program with expertise in various disciplines.

unique collaboration.

2 010 Facult y B i os Kali N i k itas Chair , A ssociate Professor

MFA CalArts, Principal of Graphic Design for Love (+$).

Co-programmed international symposia: “Just the Type,” “What Matters,” and “Untitled: Variations in Design Practice.”

Lectured internationally,

M aja B la z ejews k a S enior Lecturer

MFA CalArts, currently designer for LACMA for publications, marketing materials, special exhibition graphics and exhibitions’ visual identities. Recognition from AIGA, awards from Art Directors Club, :output.

received awards from the ACD, AIGA, Graphis, and Type Directors Club.

S tuart Bailey S enior Lecturer

University of Reading, Werkplaats Typografie.

Co-founder of the arts journal Dot Dot Dot, Since 2006, he has worked together with David Reinfurt as Dexter Sinister. Dexter

M eg Cranston Chair B FA F ine Art, Professor

MFA CalArts, performance and installation artist. Numerous international solo shows.

Recipient COLA Individual Artist’s Grant, Architectural Foundation of America Art in PublicPlaces Award, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship.

Sinister has exhibited at the Centre d’Art Contemporain in Geneva, the 2008 Whitney Biennial, The Kitchen in New York, and Somerset House, London.

J uliette B ellocq S enior Lecturer

MFA CalArts, prior studies in design and typography in Paris and the Netherlands. Designer at Handbuilt Studio and Osborn Architects. Published New York Times, ID Magazine.

Recognition from the AIGA, Graphis, Spark Awards.

Yasmin K han Adjunct Professor

MFA CalArts, partner in Counterspace, an LA-based design studio focused on design for cultural institutions and branding/identity in Web, broadcast, and print media.

Recent clients: MOCA, the Orange County Museum of Art, Imaginary Forces, Arthur Magazine, HarperCollins, REDCAT.

lauren mack ler

R enee Petropoulos

senior lecturer

A ssociate Professor

MFA RISD, Graphic designer,

MFA UCLA, artist. Recent

artist and curator whose

exhibition Museum of

practice includes making

Modern Art in San Salvador,

catalogs for exhibitions,

El Salvador. Grants include a

posters, artist edition prints,

Durfee Foundation Fellowship

videos, installations and

and a COLA Individual Artist

curating group exhibitions in

Grant. Represented by the

New York and Tokyo. Founding

Rosamund Felsen Gallery in

member of the Museum of

Los Angeles.

Public Fiction.

Kerri S teinberg Aram M os hayedi

A ssistant Professor

Lecturer

Ph.D. Art History UCLA. Interests

MA, Art History, USC, current

include visual culture, graphic

doctoral candidate in Art

design history, theory, design

History. Assistant curator,

citizenship, advertising,

2008 California Biennial at

and American Jewish visual

the Orange County Museum

culture. Currently working on a

of Art. Published in Art in

manuscript provisionally titled,

America, Art Lies, Reading

Advertising the American

Room: A Journal of Art and

Jewish Experience.

Culture, Art Papers, Bidoun, and Artforum.com.

Davey W h itcraft A ssistant Professor

Ch ris Oatey

MFA UCLA. Recognized

Coordinator , Lecturer

by AIGA: 50 Best books

MFA Otis, Exhibitions include

2006, Graphis, Art Directors

CB1 Gallery, Los Angeles; Kent

Club NYC, Print Magazine,

State University, Ohio: Creative

SXSW Interactive, Altpick,

Artists Agency, Los Angeles;

Eisner American Museum of

Cranbrook Academy of Art;

Advertising and Design and

Recipient of Durfee Foundation

EvoMUSART.

Grant and Ucross Foundation Fellowship.

Select Visiting Artists

Åbäke

Vinca Kruk

Jon Sueda

Doug Aitken

Zak Kyes

Carolina Trigo

Mark Allen

Harmen Liemberg

Alice Twemlow

COMA

Henri Lucas

Underware

Eames Demetrios

Kate Moross

Jeffrey Vallance

Keetra Dixon

Marlene McCarty

Daniel van der

Jori Finkel

Leigh Okies

Velden

April Greiman

Florian Pfeffer

Carol Wells

Fritz Haeg

Stephen Prina

Pae White

Karrie Jacobs

Erica Rothenberg

Lorraine Wild

John Knight

Louise Sandhaus

Jan Wilker

Sophie Krier

Erik Spiekermann

Mario Ybarra Jr.

Course D escriptions S eminar I/I I/I I I

In this three-term course sequence, all graduate students, work on project-specific assignments. Faculty and visiting artists provide the opportunity for in-depth discussion, conceptual and formal investigation.

The intention of this course is to find focus and specialization in the program.

T ypography and T ype D esign

The projects assigned, use theory, methodology, and personal interests to expand student‚ knowledge of typography and its role within graphic design.

Each section will host a visiting type designer who will workshop with the students and establish the beginnings of designing a typeface.

Social R esponsibility of t h e D esigner in Society

This course defines “social responsibility� as a nuanced and contextual idea, one whose meaning is constantly evolving and whose manifestations shift between cultures and generations. Specific project topics and themes rotate by semester. All projects will involve an intensive research component that includes both informational and formal/visual research (collecting and making).

Advancing t h e D iscipline t h roug h T h eory and I nnovation

Students will cultivate personal working methodologies and develop and test them throughout the course.

Careful examinations of current/previous design vanguards with particular attention to the relationship between method and form. Students will produce a series of projects and will be critiques throughout the semesters by peers and faculty/guest faculty.

Visiting Artist Criti q ue

This course offers one-on-one studio critiques with visiting artists. The focus is on the individual student’s practice. In-depth discussion with artists and designers give students the opportunity to strengthen their conceptual and aesthetic development.

D irected S tudy: M entors h ip

Students produce academic texts related to design that are historical, critical, and/or theoretical. Through mentorship, students will begin to establish a body of work that can and should contribute to contemporary design discourse. Communication via digital technologies, telephone, or face-to-face meetings all contribute to the mentorship process Publication material in digital or analog form is required.

D irected S tudy: D e veloping a T ypeface

Students interested in designing typefaces, will work closely with a type designer over the Spring session to create their own typeface. Research, thorough formal investigations, and conceptual development play a critical role. Students are encouraged to choose a mentor whose thinking, work ethic, and craft are inspirational and will undoubtedly shape their own practice.

Considering F inal Project

A diversity of critical approaches to twentieth and twenty-first century design are situated historically while introducing current themes and debates in contemporary design practice and related disciplines.

F inal Project

This course focuses on assisting students as they research, produce, and complete their final project.

Guided by faculty, classmates, and visiting artists, all MFA candidates seek to solidify their place in the field of graphic design by initiating a project that redirects, re-establishes, and challenges the practice as it is today.

Graduate Graph ic D esign — Primary F irst Year

S ummer

S pring

Seminar I

6

—

History + Theory: Cont. Theories in Design

3

—

Studio Topics: Typography and Type Design

2

—

Studio Topics: Social Responsibility of the Designer

2

—

Studio Topics: Advancing the Discipline

2

—

Directed Studies

—

7.5

Total credits per semester

15

7.5

S econd Year

S ummer

S pring

Seminar II

6

—

Visiting Artists Critique

2

—

3

—

History of Graphic Design & Visual Culture 1

Studio Topics: Typography and Type Design 1

2

—

Studio Topics: Social Responsibility of the Designer 1

2

—

Studio Topics: Advancing the Discipline

2

—

Directed Studies

—

7.5

Total credits per semester 1. Students must choose two of these courses

15

7.5

T h ird Year

S ummer

Seminar III

6

Final Project

4 3

Considering Final Project

Studio Topics: Typography and Type Design 2

2

Studio Topics: Social Responsibility of the Designer 2

2

Studio Topics: Advancing the Discipline 2

2

Total credits per semester 2. Students must choose one of these courses

15

Graduate Graph ic D esign — Alternate F irst Year

S ummer

S pring

Seminar I

6

—

Studio Topics: Typography and Type Design

2

—

Studio Topics: Social Responsibility of the Designer

2

—

Studio Topics: Advancing the Discipline

2

—

Seminar III

—

3

Directed Studies

—

9

History + Theory: Cont Theories in Design

3

—

Total credits per semester

15

12

S ummer

S pring

S econd Year

Seminar II

6

—

Visiting Artists Critique

2

—

Studio Topics: Typography and Type Design 1

2

—

Studio Topics: Social Responsibility of the Designer 1

2

—

Studio Topics: Advancing the Discipline 1

2

—

Seminar III

—

3

Directed Studies

—

6

History of Graphic Design & Visual Culture

—

3

Total credits per semester 1. Students must choose two of these courses

12

12

T h ird Year

S ummer

Final Project

Studio Topics: Typography and Type Design 2

2

Studio Topics: Social Responsibility of the Designer 2

2

Studio Topics: Advancing the Discipline 2

2

Considering Final Project

3

Total credits per semester 2. Students must choose one of these courses

9

4

1

Graduate Graph ic D esign — Accelerated F irst Year

2

S ummer Fall S pring

Seminar I

6

—

Studio Topics: Typography and Type Design

2

—

—

Studio Topics: Social Resp. of the Designer

2

—

—

Studio Topics: Advancing the Discipline

2

—

—

Visiting Artist Critique

2

—

—

History + Theory: Cont Theories in Design

3

—

—

Directed Studies

—

8

7

Seminar II

—

—

6

History of Graphic Design

—

—

3

Studio Topics: Typography and Type Design

—

—

2

Total credits per semester

17

8

18

S E CO N D Year

S ummer

Seminar III

6

Studio Topics: Typography and Type Design 3

2

Studio Topics: Social Resp. of the Designer 3

2

Studio Topics: Advancing the Discipline 3

2

Final Project

4

Considering Final Project

Total credits per semester 1. Must be recommended by MFA portfolio committee 2. Off-site 3. Students must choose two of these courses

3 17

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