Category Archives: News

Ben Katchor’s Opera Reviewed in the New York Times

Events, Illustration Faculty, Illustration Industry, News, Performances, Reviews, , , ,

slug bearers shot

The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island (Or, the Friends of Dr. Rushower), an opera created by Associate Professor of Illustration Ben Katchor and Mark Mulcahy, received an enthusiastic review by New York Times’ critic Ben Brantley yesterday. Here’s an excerpt:

“The Slug Bearers” may deal with subjects common to contemporary satire: fiendish industrial autocrats (in this case, the cackling George Klatter, played by a Lex Luthor-like Stephen Lee Anderson); shortsighted do-gooders; the limited attention span of news gatherers; and the (literal) insubstantiality of a technology-driven culture.

But Mr. Katchor is not an attack artist, and “The Slug Bearers” is neither sendup nor angry social rebuke.

Instead, like much of this artist’s work, it is propelled by a brooding and amused awareness of the strange, individual quirks and appetites that both keep people apart and occasionally bring them together.

This sensibility is conveyed with real enchantment by the set and projection designs of Jim Findlay and Jeff Sugg (subtly enhanced by Russell H. Champa’s lighting), which bring to eye-teasing life Mr. Katchor’s drawings of lonely town (as in New York City) and polluted country (as in the tropical isle of Kayrol). Projections on scrims are used to create some delightful trompe l’oeil moments involving walking amid street traffic, riding elevators and even answering the phone.

These are never mere sight gags, though, but part of a thoroughgoing mise-en-scène that melts boundaries between the real and representational. At the same time there’s a strong, melancholy suggestion that the people who inhabit this flat but fluid landscape can never fully step into the world they live in. (And I mean the characters, not the performers.)

Read the complete review here, listen to a narrated slideshow about the opera’s development here, and as an extra bonus, we present you with a small preview of the show:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1l7p7XBHc4&rel=1&border=1]

The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island (Or, the Friends of Dr. Rushower)
An Opera by Ben Katchor and Mark Mulcahy
Vineyard Theater
108 E. 15th St (btw Union Square and Irving Pl.)
New York, NY
212-353-0303

[image by Carol Rosegg]

Upcoming: Illustration Alum William Buzzell show at Giant Robot NY

Events, Exhibitions, Illustration Alumni, Illustration Industry, News, , , ,
buzzell at giant robot

Illustration Alum William Buzzell presents his first solo show in New York –“Class Action,”–opening this weekend at Giant Robot New York. Here’s the official press release:

Working almost entirely with found wood or metal and common latex house paint, Buzzell’s pieces are characterized by a surface of intricate brushwork and often feature three-dimensional elements. William Buzzell dips into the mundane, the practical world and a deep well of popular culture, often using maps, logos, charts, text, and familiar cartoon characters or TV icons to fill every inch of his paintings. A native of Providence, RI, much of Buzzell’s early work was installed on the streets of his hometown and New York under the alias Rotgut.

William’s work was also recently featured in the Illustration Department’s show “Expatriates,” curated by Jordin Isip. Congratulations, William and our thanks to the fine folks at Giant Robot for the information.

William Buzzell’s Class Action
Giant Robot New York
February 16 – March 12, 2008
Reception: Saturday, 6:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
437 East 9th Street
New York, New York 10009
(212) 674-GRNY

Quick Hit: Internships Opportunities at The Jim Henson Company

Illustration Industry, Internships, News,

henson

Internships at The Jim Henson Company

This exciting email just came into the Illustration Inbox:

We are looking for enthusiastic individuals who are willing to
dedicate themselves to enhancing our company environment. We seek
students who are organized, mature, and have a great sense of humor. You
must have a positive attitude, desire to learn, and willingness to be
flexible. This is a fun, relaxed place to work with a lot of creative
energy and a good mix of hard work. You will see how our company
functions from behind the scenes, and play a large role in contributing
to our goals.

Please do not feel that you need to be a puppeteer, a puppet maker, or
an arts and crafts buff to be considered for an internship. In fact, our
internships are primarily in an office atmosphere located in our Los
Angeles or New York offices. However, we welcome applicants with a
special interest in the Company and its projects.

Students must provide proof of college credit for the internship, and
assume responsibility for transportation, living arrangements, etc.

Please note:
* We do NOT teach puppeteering, puppet making, mold making, sculpting,
animatronic construction or foam latex construction.

Feel free to be creative with your application (although this is not
necessary), but please maintain professionalism.

Frequently Asked Internship Questions

POSITIONS OFFERED:

There are additional opportunities here in NY.

BUSINESS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS INTERNSHIP – LA LOCATION ONLY
ARCHIVES DEPARTMENT INTERNSHIP – NEW YORK LOCATION ONLY
CREATIVE AFFAIRS INTERNSHIP – LA LOCATION ONLY
DESIGN DEPARTMENT INTERNSHIP – LA LOCATION ONLY
MEDIA LIBRARY INTERNSHIP – LA LOCATION ONLY
PUBLIC RELATIONS & MARKETING INTERNSHIP – LA LOCATION ONLY
CREATURE SHOP (JR PROGRAMMER INTERNSHIP) – LA LOCATION ONLY
CREATURE SHOP (JR SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR) – LA LOCATION ONLY
CREATURE SHOP (CG MODELER) – LA LOCATION ONLY

Illustration Faculty Nathan Bond in “Body of Work” Exhibition

Exhibitions, Illustration Faculty, Illustration Industry, News, , ,
body-of-work.jpg

Illustration Adjunct Faculty Nathan Bond has work included in Manifest Gallery‘s show entitled “Body of Work” which is on view through February 22nd.

The human form has been a central subject of artwork since well before it was called ‘art’. From Lascaux to Willendorf, to Matthew Barney and Jenny Saville, artists have found ways to provide forms of self-reflection to society.

Body of Work invited artists to submit works in any medium or genre that investigate or incorporate the human form in some way. A range of types of entries were strongly encouraged. Manifest received over 450 entries representing this spectrum, from purely academic examples of anatomical figure drawing, to conceptual and less-obvious interpretations.

Over 130 artists from 34 states and 9 countries submitted entries to this exhibit. The final selection includes 17 works by 12 artists from eight states and the United Kingdom. Works of painting, sculpture, collage, drawing, and printmaking promise to make Body of Work an exceptional exhibit marking the first exhibit of Manifest’s fourth year in operation.

For more information about the show, visit the Manifest Gallery website.  Congratulations on your inclusion, Nathan!

Body of Work
Manifest Gallery
2727Woodburn Avenue
East Walnut Hills
Cincinnati, Ohio 45206

Illustration Alum & Faculty featured in Society of Illustrators Exhibition

Exhibitions, Illustration Alumni, Illustration Faculty, Illustration Industry, News, , , , , ,
nora for society of illustrators
Gold Medal Winner Nora Krug (Associate Professor, Illustration)

Congratulations go out to Nora Krug on being awarded the Gold Medal by the Society of Illustrators for her illustration work, which is included, along with works by Parsons faculty Steven Guarnaccia and George Bates (who is also an alum) in the Society’s Sequential Category.

 

august wilson by george
George Bates (Illustration Alum and Adjunct Faculty)

 

Here’s the official announcement from the Society:

January 30—February 16, 2008: Kicking off the 50th Anniversary of the ILLUSTRATORS ANNUAL is the Sequential Category of the Annual Exhibition. This juried competition features the best sequential illustrations of the year. This category includes any multi-image project for which a sequence of images is necessary to fully convey an idea or story. Examples include: comic books, art journalism, graphic novels, pre-production art and animation.

steven @ society

Steven Guarnaccia (Illustration Department Chair)


Society of Illustrators
128 East 63rd Street (between Park and Lexington Avenues)
New York, NY 10065
Tel: (212) 838-2560
Fax: (212) 838-2561
E-Mail: info@societyillustrators.org

Early Notice: Splat: A Graphic Novel Symposium, featuring R. Sikoryak

Events, Illustration Alumni, Illustration Faculty, Illustration Industry, News, , , , , ,

splat

Among a host of others, Illustration Adjunct Faculty and Alum Bob Sikoryak will be taking part in Splat: A Graphic Novel Symposium. Here’s the official scoop:

SPLAT! A Graphic Novel Symposium will take place on Saturday, March 15
at the New York Center for Independent Publishing (NYCIP) in
Manhattan, with keynote speaker Scott McCloud. The NYCIP is a
non-profit educational program (part of the General Society of
Mechanics and Tradesmen) dedicated to promoting and supporting
independent publishers across the United States.

Graphic novels are becoming increasingly popular, creating a
groundswell of excitement and interest. Addressing the graphic
novel’s considerable impact on the public consciousness, the SPLAT!
Symposium, organized by the NYCIP, will provide an intensive
educational forum for the publishing community, educators, librarians,
and people eager to find out more about the comics universe. It will
also supply prospective creators with a unique opportunity to learn
what it takes to be a graphic novelist.

The conference will feature a number of movers and shakers from the
graphic novel world, including: Scott McCloud (Zot! and Making
Comics); Jim Killen (Barnes and Noble); David Saylor (Scholastic),
Raina Telgemeier (The Baby-Sitters Club), Ted Rall (Attitude), CB
Cebulski (Marvel Comics); Bob Mecoy (Bob Mecoy Literary Agency); R.
Sikoryak (The Seduction of Mike); Nick Bertozzi (The Salon); and
Charles Brownstein (CBLDF).

SPLAT will consist of three different tracks of panels, seminars, and
workshops designed for the publishing industry, would-be creators, and
librarians to be followed by the SPLAT Gala Reception. The first track
will feature panels, including “Who Reads Graphic Novels?” and “How to
Get Published;” the second track will consist of hands-on workshops
such as “Storytelling” and “Where to Start with Art;” and the final
library-oriented track will include seminars on “Using Anime & Manga
to Light the Fire in Your Young Adult Collection” and “Defending Your
Graphic Novel Collections from Challenges and Censorship.”

The cost of the day-long Symposium will be $125; this will include
lunch and the Gala Reception with the keynote speaker, Scott McCloud.

Spread the word and catch this great event if you can. More information about registration can be found here and a complete breakdown of the panels can be found here. Don’t miss it!

SPLAT
NYCIP, The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen
20 West 44th Street, New York City. For more
212-764-7021
nycip@nycip.org.

Illustration Full-Time Faculty Ben Katchor’s New Opera!

Illustration Faculty, News, Performances, , , , , ,
slug bearers
TICKETS:
Purchase 30%+ discount seats online here:
https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/28151/prm/BB40SB
or, phone box office (212-353-0303) and mention the code BB40SB
Ticket discount valid for performances thru 3/2/08 only.
Phone and online orders are subject to regular service charges.
This offer not valid on previously purchased tickets, is subject to availability and may be revoked at any time.

Quick Hit: Illustration Faculty Guy Billout in show at UWEC

Exhibitions, Illustration Faculty, News, , , ,
billout planes
If you happen to be in the Eau Claire, Wisconsin area, make sure to drop by the Foster Gallery at the University of Wisconsion-Eau Claire to see “Meaning and Metaphor,” a show showcasing work by Illustration Adjunct Faculty Guy Billout. The official description reads:
A show demonstrating how four nationally renowned illustrators condense contemporary issues into single images. Featuring Anitz Kunz, Guy Billout, Jason Holley, Daniel Bejar.
This is a great opportunity to see the work of these illustrators in sharp focus.
Meaning and Metaphor
January 31st-February 21st
Foster Gallery
University of Wisconson-Eau Claire
Haas Fine Arts Center, 121 Water Street
Eau Claire, Wisconsion

Quick Hit: Illustration Alum in show at Cinders Gallery

Exhibitions, Illustration Alumni, Illustration Industry, News, , , ,

Illustration alum Keren Richter (whose wonderful work has been recently featured in the Illustration Department display cases as part of the Jordin Isip-curated show “Expatriates”) is part of a group show at Cinders Gallery in Brooklyn, called “Brevity’s Rainbow.”  Here’s an excerpt from the curator’s note:

Nothing against Christo and Jean Claude, but art isn’t meant to be big grand flourishes of orange gates. And really, I love Olafur, and huge waterfalls under the great bridges of New York are really cool, but art is supposed to be an intimate affair.

Which is why I asked some of my favorite artists and some of my best friends to interpret the idea of the Lilliputian and the temporal, the specks of dust that make up the world, the fleeting moments of pleasure and pain. I wanted the artists to bend over their workbenches and canvases and get inside of their tiny artworks. I wanted to freeze a moment so you could all lean in, get our faces right up next to the artwork, as close as you can possibly get, and see a tiny beautiful thing.

I wanted to make a galaxy of tiny art, a prismatic assemblage of little moments: this is Brevity’s Rainbow.

If you’re in the New York area, make sure you check it out. Congrats to Keren on her work!

Brevity’s Rainbow
A Group Show of Tiny Works
February 8th – February 17th 2008
Opening Reception Friday Feb. 8th 2008
Curated by Maxwell Williams

Illustrator Jesse Joshua Watson visits Pat Cummings’ class

Events, General Info, Illustration Dept. Events, Illustration Industry, News, , , ,

jesse joshua watson

Artist and Illustrator Jesse Joshua Watson will be visiting Pat Cummings’ Children’s Book Illustration class on Monday, February 4th, 2008. Jesse’s recent book, Chess Rumble, was an ALA Notable book for 2008. Don’t miss this exciting chance to hear Jesse speak about his artistic and professional experiences!

Jesse James Watson
February 4th, 2008
12:00 p.m.
2 W. 13th, Room 1202