The University of the Arts from the Archives Om the Fr PRESIDENT
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SUMR M E 2012 the magazine edgof e THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS FROM THE ARCHIVES OM THE FR PRESIDENT The craft disciplines satisfy the human change increases, the possibilities for need to work with our hands, creating continued shifts, expansions and daring objects both beautiful and useful. Craft amalgamations seem almost limitless. is a vibrant and diverse field – from jewelry to wood to fibers and much Craft holds an eminent and historic place C O N T E N T S more – and today’s craft artists are at the University of the Arts, tracing its bringing together the traditional and lineage back to the 1876 founding of one the innovative in exciting ways. These of the institution’s earliest predecessor artists are exploring questions of schools – one of the nation’s first schools materiality and making and, in the of art – the Pennsylvania Museum and process, are redefining the discipline. School of Industrial Art. It counts among its luminaries Wharton Esherick, known Some craft artists challenge and decon- as “the dean of American craftsmen,” mod- struct the intrinsic, intimate relationship ernist jewelry pioneer Olaf Skoogfors BFA ’53 JASON CHEN of jewelry to the body. Jewelry/Metals (Metals) and Dan Dailey BFA ’69 (Glass), major Chi Yan Tse BFA ’12 (Crafts), one of America’s premier glass artists. for example, made earrings (see page 7) in the form of hypodermic needles, In this issue of Edge magazine, we focus linking the mortification of the body on craft, including pieces on the University’s through piercing to the healing – or new Glass major; a generous donation narcotizing – of the body through that will help to create a dedicated center injection. for Glass Arts; an evolving relationship with Steneby, a craft school in Sweden; Fiber artists are going beyond traditional and a recent alumna who’s forging a path (this page, clockwise) textiles and wearable art, using conventional for herself by launching a gallery and Written on the back of this photo from the early 1950s: and unconventional materials in often- studio space for her fellow craft artists. “anatomy tests” surprising ways. Samantha Anderson Written on the back of this photo: “fdeP.R. BFA ’12 (Crafts), a senior Fibers student, I hope you enjoy this issue of Edge. [Fred deP. Rothermel, faculty]; final anatomy project, 1952” wove clothing into wall coverings and had As always, we welcome your thoughts student collaborators wear – or be worn and suggestions. Philadelphia Museum School of Art student John Fulton Short by – the walls, forcing us to ask questions graduated in 1954, moved to Spain, and became a successful bullfighter known as “El Yankee.” Joe took this shot of John while about figure and ground, about clothing both were still students, circa 1950. and structure (see page 8). One of the photos from the article “Left Bank at Broad and Pine” by Warm regards, As these examples suggest, with the Nancy Love, with photos by Joseph Nettis. The article appeared in Greater Philadelphia: The Magazine for Executives, 55.12 (December introduction of new technologies, 1964), p. [44]. caption: “instructor Sol Mednick briefs pensive sophs on materials and approaches, the boundaries basic photography.” of the craft disciplines have become increasingly fluid, as has their relationship to what has been defined traditionally as Sean T. Buffington ALL PHOTOS BY JOSEPH NETTIS. fine art. And as the speed of technological President, The University of the Arts Please send any corrections to Sara MacDonald at [email protected]. EDGE WINTER 2012 SUMMER 2012 EDGE 61 Z T WI O K L EVE BE T S 4 THE ALCHEMIST’S ART Gift opens new era in Glass Arts 10 RE-INVENTING THE CORE Creating a new core for College of Art, Media and Design C O N T E N T S 14 20 24 WEAVING THE MAKING LEGACY GLOBAL NETWORK CONNECTIONS Celebrated Dance alumnus Global exchanges Designing with people made change through art expand UArts’ reach with disabilities 26 RETIRING DEAN LOOKS BACK Poetry and perspective NEWS 26 ALUMNI NOTES 44 from Peter Stambler FACULTY/STAFF NOTES 38 IN MEMORIAM 58 ALUMNI ACTIVITIES 40 FROM THE ARCHIVES 60 SUMMER 2012 EDGE 1 Sean T. Buffington PRESIDENT Paul F. Healy EDITOR-IN-CHIEF VICE PRESIDENT OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS Carise Mitch MANAGING EDITOR Mac Branscom DESIGNER James Maurer PRODUCTION MANAGER Dana Rodriguez CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Gabriela Barrantes ’13 Laura Beitman-Hoover Steve Belkowitz Cassandra Gardner Jason Chen BFA ’08 Paul F. Healy Kristine Eng BFA ’12 Sara MacDonald Nicole Giusti BFA ’12 Carise Mitch Dave Jackson Dana Rodriguez Julie Lemberger Juliana Rossetti Akiko Miyake Kristen Scatton Christy Pessagno Joanna Sung Tara Robertson BFA ’12 Lauren Villanueva Ken Yanoviak COVER IMAGE Samantha Schechter ’13 The Haunted Hallway, 2012 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Edge c/o University Communications, The University of the Arts, 320 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19102 EdgE, VolumE 1, NumbEr 7 Edge is the magazine of the university of the Arts. readers are encouraged to submit ideas for original articles about university students, faculty and alumni; advancements in arts and arts education; and visual, performing and media arts. The submission of artwork for reproduction is also encouraged. Please include contact information when submitting art. unless requested, artwork will not be returned. Please send all comments, kudos and criticisms to Edge c/o The Office of University Communications, Letters to the Editor, 320 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102; or e-mail [email protected]. (foreground) Kristin Banks ’13 (Multidisciplinary Fine Arts) in painting studios, Anderson Hall 2 EDGE SUMMER 2012 WINTER 2012 EDGE Z T WI O K LO EVE BE T S (foreground) Kristin Banks ’13 (Multidisciplinary Fine Arts) in painting studios, Anderson Hall WINTER 2012 EDGE URE AT E F THE ALCHEMIST’S ART A NEW ERA FOR GLASS ARTS AT UARTS Like water, glass both flows and “freezes,” although the chemical process by which it changes from a molten liquid to a cold, hard solid is so different from the way water freezes that even today scientists don’t entirely understand it. In nature, it can be cre- ated by the flow of lava from volcanoes and lightning striking sand. It has been made and worked by humans since the Stone Age and can be as technologically advanced as an iPhone screen or the mirror in the Hubble Space Telescope. For nearly five centuries, its secrets were closely guarded on a Venetian island by a guild of artisans forbidden to leave the country. “Working with glass is a kind of alchemy,” says Alexander Rosenberg, assistant pro- fessor of Crafts at the University of the Arts and new head of the University’s Glass program. “It is amazing as a sculptural medium. It has the ability to be transparent or opaque, colorless or vibrant. It can mimic the textures of stone or wood. There’s some- thing about the medium that I think makes the transmission of ideas very accessible.” 4 EDGE SUMMER 2012 FEATURE Z T WI O K L EVE BE T THE ALCHEMIST’S S Glass has been an integral part of UArts’ Crafts department “The physicality of the glass-working process can be deeply at- since Roland Jahn, a member of the Crafts faculty and a cerami- tractive,” he adds. “It tends to be loud, visually dazzling and hot.” cist, established the Glass program in the late 1960s. A student of Harvey Littleton, known as the father of the American studio Chi Yan Tse BFA ’12 (Crafts) is representative of the students drawn glass movement, Jahn was one of the first glass instructors in to glass. A jewelry maker and Metals major, she took an elective higher education. Today, the Glass program is entering a new class in Glass and became entranced by the medium. “I got into stage with the creation of the Borowsky Center for Glass Arts, the torch,” she says, describing her fascination with flame-working a new director and the establishment of the Borowsky Prize in in this remarkable medium. Glass-working allowed her to Glass Arts at the University of the Arts (see story on page 7). create her own gemstones of any color or as clear as water. Rosenberg, a glass artist with an undergraduate degree from Tse says she was attracted to glass’s fragile quality and also its RISD and a master’s degree in Visual Studies from MIT, is an sense of danger. “Glass can cut you,” she points out. “Glass evangelist for the excitement of glass. Students describe it as has these elements of both function and non-function,” adds “getting hooked on glass,” he says. Rosenberg. “It can be used for functional objects but then also has these material qualities that push against that.” (above) Jacqui Powell ’14 (Illustration) Melissa Rothman ’14 (Illustration) SUMMER 2012 EDGE 5 FEATURE “[GLASS-WORKING] TENDS TO BE LOUD, VISUALLY DAZZLING AND HOT.” Z Z T T WI WI O — Alexander Rosenberg, O K K L Assistant Professor, Crafts L EVE BE EVE BE T T S S Glass is one of the younger crafts disciplines to be adopted 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the development of by conceptual artists. “It really has only 50 years as a fine the American Studio Glass movement. In 1962, the emer- art medium,” says Rosenberg. “It gives you opportunities to gence of independent glass artists working outside of large work in a way that hasn’t been done before.” factories was made possible by the artist Harvey Littleton and scientist Dominick Labino’s development of a small Rosenberg’s own work encompasses both objects and in- furnace and easy-to-melt glass.