fields of design that have had significant
impacts through their innovative and
entrepreneurial approaches to design
practice, business, theory, use of materials,
and education.
The speakers presenting at ACAD as part
of Stirring Design 3: Women Innovators in
Design are leaders in the use of design as a
tool for transformation within our busi-
nesses, our communities and our daily lives.
ACAD is thrilled to welcome Jane Brown of
the firm MetaDesign, Meredith Davis of NC
State University, design anthropologist Dr.
Dori Tunstall of the University of Swinburne
in Australia, Shelley Evenson of Microsoft,
Sandy Chilewich of Chilewich Sultan LLP
and Marianne McKenna of KPMB Archi-
tects. All of these women are changing the
way design is considered in our world
today, and we are fortunate to be able to
host them at our College. All Stirring
Culture 3: Women Innovators in Design
speakers will also serve as Visiting Artists
at ACAD, interacting with students and
faculty.
November 25: JaNe browN – 5:30 pm
JaNuary 20: SaNdy chilewich – 5:30 pm
February 11: Shelley evaNSoN – 5:30 pm
march 17: meredith daviS – 6:00 pm
april 8: dori tuNStall – 5:30 pm
may 18: mariaNNe mcKeNNa - 5:30 pm
ACAD’s highly successful Stirring Culture
speaker series was initiated by the Institute
for the Creative Process at ACAD (ICP@
ACAD) in 2005. This 2009-2010 series of
public lectures will build upon the success
CATALYSTFall 2009 / Issue No. 2Alberta College of Art + Design
2554623
publication Notes
Catalyst is published by the Alberta
College of Art + Design. Articles may
be reprinted in whole or in part with
written permission. Please contact
AnneMarie Dorland at communica-
[email protected] for more information.
Contact1407 – 14th Avenue N.W.
Calgary, Alberta T2N 4R3
403.284.7600
www.acad.ca
Profile: ACAD Studentmelinda topilkomelinda topilko
shares her
experience as an
ACAD student, and an emerg-
ing artist.
page 11
On the world stage at the Cheonju Inter-national Craft Biennial. ACAD faculty
showcase their work at the
Cheongju International Craft
Biennial, demonstrating excel-
lence in fine craft.page 3
ACAD gains exciting NASAD accreditation.Exciting news
about our newly
announced
Substantial Equivalency Status
recently granted by NASAD.
page 2
Profile: ACAD AlumniClaudina MorgadoClaudina
Morgado
shares the story of her
international career in the
arts, and her ACAD story.
page 10
Contents
of the 2004/2005 Stirring Culture series
which brought Bruce Mau, Charles Landry,
Will Alsop and others to Calgary, and the
2007/2008 series, featuring Jean-Daniel
Lafond, Peter Sellars, Louise Blouin
MacBain and Richard Florida.
ACAD’s Stirring Culture 3: Women
Innovators in Design will be held at the
Calgary Public Library’s Central Library
Theatre and will run as six lectures between
October 2009 and April 2010. This series is
sponsored by the generous support of the
ACAD President’s Circle.
ACAD is committed to the cultivation of
dialogue, research and to our role as a
catalyst cultural institution. We look
forward to presenting the Stirring Culture 3:
Women Innovators in Design series in 2009
and 2010, and to igniting valuable dialogue
about the commitments we must make as a
community to foster the transformative
power of design thinking and to nurture the
creative design process. Join us throughout
the 2009-2010 season we look forward to
seeing you there!
For more information Stirring Culture
please visit acad.ca/stirringculture. ■
his year, ACAD
is celebrating
the continuing
evolution of this
important series
with Stirring
Culture 3: Women
Innovators in
Design, a unique series of public lectures by
prominent women designers with interna-
tionally successful practices in the various
TCuLTurAL
LeADerShIp
Photography
John Gaucher
acad is very excited
to announce plans for
the much-anticipated
upcoming season of
the 2009-10 Stirring
culture lecture series.
acad’s Stirring
culture is a free,
public event, and
has brought some of
the most important
voices in art, design,
culture, and innova-
tion to calgary.
ThIS YeAr, ACAD IS CeLebrATINg
The CoNTINuINg evoLuTIoN oF
ThIS ImporTANT SerIeS wITh
Stirring Culture 3: Women
innovatorS in DeSign
welcoming excellence in design to ACADACAD ANNouNCeS pLANS For The ThIrD SeASoN oF STIrrINg CuLTure.
1
Due to the generosity of our donors, ACAD
has also received $1,294,239 from the
Alberta Government as a part of the Access
to the Future Fund. These dollars are
allocated as matching dollars, which means
that ACAD initiatives have raised that same
amount through the support of our
community.
The Access to the Future funding will allow
ACAD to increase support of academic
equipment, scholarships and bursaries,
visiting artists and scholars, our ACAD
intranet development, the renewal of our
faculty laptop initiative, our technology
infrastructure, staff development and
graduate program development.
We hope to see many other positive
developments in the near future as we move
quickly into an exciting new academic year.
Please visit our website regularly for
updates and news about our initiatives. ■
lance carlson,
President + CEO
he Alberta
College of
Art + Design is
pleased to an-
nounce that it has
been granted Na-
tional Association
of Schools of Art
and Design (NASAD) Substantial Equiva-
lency Status designation. ACAD is one of
two institutions outside the US to apply for
Substantial Equivalency Status, and the first
institution of higher education in Canada
to receive this distinction. By earning this
designation, ACAD is recognized by NASAD
as having met rigorous qualifications and
standards related to educational quality
and institutional integrity. For our students,
ACAD's NASAD Substantial Equivalency
Status will mean that our Bachelor of Fine
Arts and Bachelor of Design degrees, and
their individual class components, will be
recognized as equivalent in post second-
ary institutions throughout North America.
This important designation will ensure that
ACAD artists and designers will be able to
pursue graduate degrees internationally, and
will become a crucial factor in our own
imminent graduate program offering.
to join us in these evenings of stimulating
thought and discussion; our first event will
be on October 26, 2009 as we welcome
Heather Fraser of the Rotman School of
Business at the University of Toronto. More
information about this exciting program is
available on our website, please be sure to
check regularly for updates and announce-
ments throughout the year.
We are committed to helping contribute to
the dialogue in Calgary about arts and
culture and what it means, this is an ongoing
discussion in our lives and this ACAD
Stirring Culture series will be an important
contribution to that conversation. Through
Stirring Culture, ACAD is helping do more
than simply imagine new things: we are
working to make them concrete realities.
I am also very pleased to report that over
the summer months, ACAD was granted a
“Substantial Equivalency” designation from
the National Association of Schools of Art +
Design (NASAD) in the United States. ACAD
is one of only two institutions outside the US
to have been granted this important
designation, and the first Canadian institu-
tion to gain this important recognition. We
have been working hard for years to achieve
this designation, and we are very excited to
be able to offer NASAD equivalency for our
students and alumni. This recognition is a
major milestone in the history of our
institution, and acquiring this status will be
of enormous benefit to the school. Substan-
reetings from ACAD. As we move into
the beginning of our 2009-2010
academic year, we find that life on campus
is busier than ever.
I am especially enthusiastic about a new
season of programming beginning in
October, the third in our highly regarded
Stirring Culture presentation series. This
next season’s programming, titled Stirring
Culture 3: Women Innovators in Design will
be an exciting series of six lectures by some
of the most innovative and influential names
in design today. The women coming to
Calgary to join us as keynote speakers are
international talents, with unique perspec-
tives on the use of design as a tool for
transformation within our businesses, our
communities, and our daily lives. I invite you
G
Message from the President
CATALYST / Page 2
LeADerShIp
Photography
dwayne Norman
tial equivalency from NASAD means that
ACAD degrees will be recognized as
equivalent in post secondary institutions
throughout North America, opening doors
for our artists and designers to pursue
graduate work and research internationally.
Congratulations to all who worked so
collaboratively towards meeting this goal;
your dedication and hard work have made a
significant difference in the futures
of our graduates.
With regard to our college facilities,
there have been a number of
exciting developments regarding
funding for the work we are doing at
ACAD. The Government of Canada
has announced, with the Province of
Alberta, that ACAD will receive a combined
total of $1.7 million dollars in funding for
infrastructure improvements to the heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning systems in
our current College facility. Thanks to this
funding from both the Federal and Provin-
cial Governments, we are able to make the
infrastructure improvements that are so
important to our current College facility.
This work will help us create the best centre
for cultural development and studio based
post secondary education possible, and will
improve the spaces in which we work, teach
and learn at ACAD.
In addition to this major announcement,
ACAD continues to receive funding for the
important work we are doing through the
generosity of several agencies and funding
bodies. Among them this year is the Alberta
Foundation for the Arts (AFA), which has
granted ACAD a total of $60,000. These
funds will be applied to the Marion Nicoll
Gallery, the ArtaWEARness event, and the
ACAD’s Illingworth Kerr Gallery.
The National Association of Schools of Art
+ Design is an association of nearly 300
post-secondary level schools of art + design
throughout North America. In 1944, NASAD
was created "to improve educational practic-
es and maintain high professional standards
in art and design education", and it serves
as both an accrediting body, and a consult-
ing organization. It is the national accredit-
ing agency in the United States for art and
design education and art and design-related
disciplines.
In order to gain Substantial Equivalency,
ACAD engaged in an exhaustive multi-
year peer review study, which included a
self-study of all academic practices at the
College, as well as a site visit by NASAD
representatives. The granting of Substantial
Equivalency Status to our College indicates
NASAD's recognition of the quality of art and
design education ACAD offers to students,
and the importance of our role as a critical
centre for creativity within our community.
As ACAD Provost and Vice President for
Research and Academic Affairs,
Denise Mullen, shared; "Receiving this rec-
T
"...ThIS reCogNITIoN pLACeS
ACAD IN The CompANY oF
The moST INNovATIve AND
ForwArD ThINkINg INSTI-
TuTIoNS oF hIgher eDu-
CATIoN IN NorTh AmerICA
AND The FIeLD oF ArT AND
DeSIgN."ognition places ACAD in the company of the
most innovative and forward thinking institu-
tions of higher education in North America in
the field of art and design. Our current and
prospective students can be assured that the
education that they receive at ACAD will po-
sition them to be active contributors to their
chosen fields whatever career paths they
might choose in the future". ■
ACAD gains exciting NASAD membership
Through STIrrINg CuLTure,
ACAD IS heLpINg Do more ThAN
SImpLY ImAgINe New ThINgS: we
Are workINg To mAke Them
CoNCreTe reALITIeS.
Issue No. 2 / Page 3
on the world stage at the Cheongju International Craft biennial
Fall is a busy time for many
members of our ACAD faculty
as they prepare for the Cheongju
International Craft Biennial, a
showcase of international work in
craft. Celebrating its sixth anniver-
sary in 2009, the Cheongju Interna-
tional Craft Biennial is the largest
fine craft-based biennial in the world. Over 1000 artists
from more than 40 countries participate each year, with
over half a million visitors in attendance during the month-
long event. With a focus on high-quality functional and
sculptural craft, the Biennial attracts attention from
collectors, curators, academics, craftspeople and, of course,
the public. It is a terrific opportunity to showcase the talent
of Canadian craftspeople to the world. The theme for this
year's event is "Outside the Box" showcasing works that
re-establish connections between art, design, technology
and the environment. This year's guest pavilion features
Canada,and various cultural and indigenous artifacts and
crafts selected by the Canadian Crafts Federation will be on
display. Other events, such as the International Craft
Competition, International Craft Fair, symposiums and
educational programs, are being held on the sidelines of the
Biennial. Canada's provincial Craft Councils have coordi-
nated several projects including the National
Exhibition, Unity & Diversity, a retail oriented
"Canadian Boutique", and a cultural tour to
Korea for the Biennial, with artist demos and
more exciting projects to come.
More than 158 artists from 25 countries are
participating in the biennial, which runs from
Sept. 23 to Nov. 1 at the Cheongju Arts
Center and various locations around the
city. The Canadian national exhibition at the
Biennial has 207 pieces, with thirty-three of
these coming from Alberta, 29 from ACC
members and more that half from ACAD
faculty, technical staff and alumni. ■
S
ACAD FACuLTY bArbrA TIpToN, ShoNA rAe, greg pAYCe,
kATrINA ChAYTor, SArAbeTh CArNAT, JoAN IrvIN AND
TYLer roCk wILL be repreSeNTINg CANADA AT ThIS
INTerNATIoNAL eveNT
LeADerShIp
Written in part by
Jenna Stanton, AFA
ACAD gains exciting NASAD membership
1 Display space at the Cheongju
International Craft Biennial.
2 Greg payce, "Adam". 2008.
Porcelain, 23 inches. Photo by the artist.
his
year,
ACAD will
receive a
combined
total of $1.7
million dol-
lars in fund-
ing for infrastructure improvements
to the heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning (HVAC) systems in our
current College facility.
ACAD was awarded $850,000 from
the Government of Canada and
matching funds of $850,000 from
the Alberta Government totaling $1.7
million towards our infrastructure
needs to continue to support the
ability of the college to deliver ad-
vanced knowledge and skills training
in areas of design and new media.
This investment is part of the federal
government's two-year, $2-billion
plan to repair and expand research
and educational facilities at Canadian
colleges and universities. The pro-
gram is helping to provide economic
stimulus and promote employment
by creating jobs for engineers, archi-
tects, tradespeople and technicians.
It is also helping to generate the ad-
vanced technological infrastructure
needed to keep Canada's colleges
and universities at the forefront of
scientific advancement.
"At a time of economic uncertainty,
our government is making a strong
intervention to stimulate economic
activity through the Knowledge In-
frastructure Program," said Minister
Prentice. "This initiative to renew
Canada's college infrastructure will
provide a significant short-term
economic stimulus and put many
people to work in Calgary."
The Alberta College of Art + Design
would especially like to thank the
Honourable Jim Prentice, Minis-
ter of Environment and Minister
Responsible for Southern Alberta
for his support at the federal level,
and our own provincial Minister of
Advanced Education and Technol-
ogy Doug Horner. "Thanks to this
funding from both the Federal and
Provincial Governments, we are able
to make the infrastructure improve-
ments that are so important to
our current College facility", stated
Lance Carlson, President + CEO of
the Alberta College of Art + Design,
"This work will help us create the
best centre for cultural development
and studio based post secondary
education possible, and will improve
the spaces in which we work, teach
and learn here at ACAD." ■
ACAD to receive $1.7 million in infrastructure improvement funding
Welcome to our new-ly appointed members of the ACAD Board Of Governors.
CAD is delighted to welcome Ms. Cynthia
Moore, Mr. Darren Delichte, Ms. Roxanne
McCaig and Ms. Sue Anne Valentine to the ACAD
Board of Governors. All four of our newest board
members have been long-time supporters of
ACAD, and of Calgary’s creative communities.
“We look forward to a productive and exciting
year, and we welcome our new board members as they assist and guide us
in our important work” stated Lance Carlson.
All of the recently appointed board members bring a history of experience
working with arts and cultural organizations, as well as an important busi-
ness perspective to their new roles. Ms. Cynthia P. Moore, and Ms. Roxanne
McCaig's appointment to the board was effective as of July 17, 2009. Ms.
Sue Anne Valentine and Mr. Darren Delichte's appointment was effective as
of August 30, 2009. ■
LeADerShIp
A
CommuNITY
T
1
2
3
3 Minster Jim Prentice announces $1.7
in infrastructure funding for ACAD.
CATALYST / Page 4
e’ve recently made some
changes on campus to im-
prove how students are accessing
important student services, and
how they are experiencing life at
ACAD. Our newly revised ACAD
Student Experience department
includes Student Experience + Ad-
missions (located on the main mall), the Student Resource
Centre (located on the second floor), and the Student Life
Office (located on the second floor, beside the library).
With a focus on providing student services in an efficient
and effective manner, we’ve concentrated our energies
on providing individual, customized services to all of our
students, from their first day on campus to their first day of
their career.
Our new Student Experience + Admissions offices provide
centralized essential services that impact all students from
the day they apply to become an ACAD student, to their
first day as one of our prestigious alumni. This area central-
izes admissions, registration, student advising and career
services. Within this area, students are given the tools they
need to make informed decisions as they navigate their aca-
demic journey, and choose their career direction. Students
at ACAD will come here to access their student records, find
out about transcripts, academic regulations and convoca-
tion, learn more about applying to ACAD, and use resources
for registration, career planning and financial aid.
The ACAD Student Resource Centre (also known as the
SRC) is the first source for counseling and learning assis-
tance support services, allowing students to access support
programs that are individually tailored to address specific
needs and issues, with the goal of directly contributing to
each student’s success both academically and personally.
Students will be able to access counseling, learning as-
sistance, tutoring, study skills counseling, and international
student services.
Our newest area for student services is the ACAD Student
Life Office (SLO). Here, students will engage in co-curricular
experiences, and will be encouraged and recognized for
their outstanding community contributions. The SLO is the
home of the ACAD Student Success Series, which includes
sessions on enhancing their career, and their academic
and personal lives. Students will also be able to access the
peer-helper program, scholarship and awards information,
mobility + exchange resources, and special events such as
new student orientation, and Chalk Walk.
Drop by to any of our Student Experience areas to learn
more about how we are working to support our ACAD stu-
dent community, or visit us online at
acad.ca/current_students. ■
LIFe oN
CAmpuS
Photography
dwayne Norman
W
expanding Services For our Students
he Solar
Decathlon is
a high-profile, inter-
national competition
in which 20 selected
teams of university
and college students
from around the
globe compete to design, build and operate
the most attractive, practical and energy-ef-
ficient solar-powered home. ACAD students
Gerry Straathof and Jen Somerville will
represent ACAD at the 2009 Solar Abode
competition on the Main Mall
in Washington DC.
The Alberta Solar Decathlon team is
comprised of Calgary’s four leading post-
secondary schools including ACAD. The
team works closely with industry, govern-
ment and other partners in the broader com-
munity. This team is the first-ever all western
Canadian team to compete in the Solar
Decathlon, in 2009, and they are focusing
on leveraging their success, knowledge and
insights from the Solar Decathlon to become
champions for advancing solar technologies
and innovative housing solutions in Alberta
and beyond.
Be sure to watch as the house is set up on
the Mall in Washington DC by visiting the
SolAbode website at www.solabode.ca ■
ACAD students tackle sustainable design on the way to Washington
Join the ACAD commuter
challenge! This is a week-
long event to increase awareness
of environmentally sustainable
ways to commute to campus and
also showcase the many ways that
ACAD invests in our community.
Inspired by the National Commuter
Challenge Event that takes place across Canada in early
June, this event encourages students to walk, car-pool, bike
or take transit instead of driving alone to work.
Participants can sign up for the Commuter Challenge online
and “register” their daily commute. Prizes will be awarded
throughout the week based on lottery, and for the most
impressive length of commute. Prizes include an IPod, book-
store credits, and much much more!
We've been taking steps towards a greener campus through-
out the past year. ACAD now provides all students with a
Upass so that they can use transit for free, and we now have
a secure, well lit, bike storage area outside of the cafeteria. In
order to help students who do not drive to campus, ACAD
has also arranged for an elevator to be accessible from the
LRT platform for those students needing to transport mate-
rials. We have also recently installed a CarPool board in the
Main Mall for students, staff and faculty. ■
Going Green at ACAD
4 Construction at
the Team Alberta
Solar Abode.
Photo: solabode.
com.
5 Making progress
on framing.
Photo: solabode.
com.
6 ACAD's SRC Offices
7 ACAD students gather outside
the Art Hole, our campus coffee
shop, which is run by the ACAD
Students Association.
LIFe oN
CAmpuS
Photography:
Team Alberta
T
5
4
LIFe oN
CAmpuS
J
6
7
Issue No. 2 / Page 5
This Fall at the Ikgthis fall the iKG launches a series of exhibitions, events and talks that explore the issues associated with the idea of the North and related ideas of the west. owing primar-ily to issues of climate change, sovereignty and the alberta oil sands, the North and canadian west suddenly seem so much more familiar and tangible to the average citizen living south of the arctic circle. the North is no longer a distant unreality. the west is an economic powerhouse.
f this shift in
the mind set
of millions of peo-
ple continues, how
are ‘we’ collectively
viewing the North
and the West? In an
attempt to unravel
the imaginary tropes these regions, the Il-
lingworth Kerr Gallery proposes to critically
reflect on the impact of change. Themes
include interior and exterior psychological
space, race and class, the industrialization
of farms and the food chain, natural and
artificial light, the landscape re-envisioned
and related socio-economic issues.
The first two exhibitions feature media in-
stallations by Glenn Ligon and John Gerrard.
Ligon addresses issues of race, class and
a unique orientation to the West with two
projects. The first, entitled Death of Tom,
was co-produced by the IKG with the sup-
port of ACAD students including Ian Ward,
Sarah Malik and Mikhel Proulx.
In 1903, Edwin S. Porter directed a fourteen-
minute silent film version of Uncle Tom's
Cabin for Thomas Edison's film studio.
Harriet Beecher Stowe's five-hundred-page
novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin was one of the
bestselling books of the mid-nineteenth
century, spawning dozens of “Tom Shows”
– travelling stage adaptations and musicals
with white actors in blackface – that were
seen by millions. Viewers of the period
would have had a broad familiarity with the
book and understood the plight of slaves
escaping along routes to the North and the
truncated film adaptation.
In his video installation Death of Tom, New
York-based artist Glenn Ligon focuses on
the last scene of the Porter-Edison film,
which depicts the death of Tom, the slave
whose tragic story drives the narrative.
Shooting on black-and-white 16mm film,
Ligon sought to recreate the look of the
Porter-Edison production. However, after
the film was developed, he discovered it
was a grey blur interrupted with out of
focus text and abstract figures in motion.
Intrigued by this virtual disappearance of
the image – the subject of his own artistic
production in other media over the last de-
cade and a half – Ligon decided to use the
“ruined” film. Projected on a single screen,
the resulting DVD focuses on the mechanics
of the (re)making of the original production
and the failure of representation.
gLeNN LIgoN:
DeATh oF Tom AND uNTITLeD (mINNeSoTA mASSACre)
JohN gerrArD:
grow FINISh uNIT AND oIL STICk work
oCTober 9 – DeCember 12, 2009
opeNINg reCepTIoN
5:00 – 7:00 pm | oCTober 9, 2009
JASoN morAN IN CoNCerT
6:30 pm, STANForD perroTT LeCTure hALL
oCTober 8, 2009
ArTISTS TALk: gLeNN LIgoN AND JohN gerrArD
7:30 pm | STANForD perroTT LeCTure hALL
hoSTeD bY ArT AND DeSIgN Now
Renowned jazz pianist Jason Moran com-
posed the original score for Death of Tom
based on the vaudeville song “Nobody”. Mo-
ran will perform his composition live in the
Stanford Perrott Lecture Hall on the opening
night of the exhibition.
Ligon’s latest piece, Untitled (Minnesota
Massacre), addresses a set of 42 painted
reportage panels from the late 19th century,
depicting scenes from the infamous 1862
uprising by the Sioux nation. In their original
form – a long, panoramic canvas mounted
on rollers – was used as a ‘moving picture
entertainment’ to stir up both sympathy and
animosity after the massacre and displace-
ment of white settlers by ‘hostile’ Sioux.
In Gallery 2, Irish artist John Gerrard
presents two media works. The first, Grow
Finish Unit (near Elkhart, Kansas) 2008, is
a detailed virtual representation of a pig
production facility that could easily exist in
Canada’s prairie provinces. Its appearance
documents a functional agricultural reality
that reduces the relationship between farm-
er and farmed to a purely technical, almost
contactless process. A viewer-controlled
camera permits oversight by the work's
audience. Circling the scene at their com-
mand, it unflinchingly surveys a vast lake of
excrement sparkling in the sun while squat,
computer-controlled silos relentlessly pump
nitrogen-derived corn feed. The ‘Finish’ of
the title is represented by a 6-8 month orbit
of exchange in the work – a fleet of trucks
arrive at some designed but unscripted
point to silently remove and replace the
occupants while simultaneously depositing
new piglets into the grow cycle.
The second work in the show, Oil Stick
Work (Angelo Martinez/Richfield, Kansas),
features a time-based virtual representa-
tion of a Mexican worker drawing on an oil
tank until it is virtually obliterated against a
prairie landscape. ■
ILLINgworTh
kerr
gALLerY
Story by
Wane Baerwaldt
I
11 Glenn ligon. Death of Tom
Still image from 16mm film transferred to
digital video. 2008
12 John Gerrard. Oil Stick Work (Angelo
Martinez/Richfield, Kansas)
3D real-time projection. 2008.
11
12
CATALYST / Page 6
CAD faculty
Adam Tindale,
and Alan Dunning
have recently been
granted funding by
the Alberta Asso-
ciation of Colleges
and Technical Insti-
tutes (AACTI) for their innovative research
work titled CIRO (Complex Input, Rational
Output).
CIRO is initiated by the Center for Innova-
tion in Art + Technology and, according to
Adam Tindale in a report to AACTI funders,
“is a proposed technology-based research
and development project that will prototype
he ACAD
Ceramics Pro-
gram will host the
annual 1000 Miles
Apart conference
October 1st, 2nd and
3rd. This conference
was first organized
in 1989 by faculty and students from the
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg and Red
Deer College, Alberta. The distance between
the institutions was the origin of the name
1000 Miles Apart. Participating institutions
later included the University of Regina and
Alberta College of Art + Design. Each year
the conference is organized collectively
and rotates to a new host institution for
that year. It provides an excellent opportu-
nity for students and faculty to meet and
network, and creates a valuable forum to
develop and strengthen the ceramics com-
munity in Western Canada. Members of the
public, along with University of Regina, Red
Deer College, and University of Manitoba,
students and faculty from nearby Ceram-
ics Programs are also invited to attend the
conference events.
The conference presents a series of exhibi-
tions, artists’ demonstrations, and presenta-
tions to facilitate exchange and dialogue.
This year the guest artists will include Sam
software and multi-touch screen hardware
for performance, visualization, exhibition
and professional use. CIRO will explore ways
to capture multiple data inputs (either hu-
man or computer) and complex datasets to
analyze and interpret them, and to output
them as useful, intuitive visualizations and/
or audio interpretations. The final outcomes
will be relevant for musical performance,
medical visualization, and a host of human/
computer interactions”. CIRO will build
upon the research work by both Alan Dun-
ning and Adam Tindale, and will focus on a
series of deliverable results to “spur further
inquiry and artistic expression”.
CIRO will provide a common platform for
and build upon the research by both Alan
Dunning and Adam Tindale.
AACTI has also provided $20,000 to ACAD
for faculty mentored student innovation
projects, intended to encourage students,
under the guidance of faculty members, to
meaningfully address a practical problem
of interest to an entity or end users outside
of the member institution. The work funded
should highlight meaningful engagements
by our students under the direction of
faculty. ■
Work by Adam Tindale, Alan Dunning and
Kurtis Lesick has also been recognized and
funded by the Marion Fund for Innovation,
and the ACAD Faculty Professional Affairs
Committee.
ACAD Faculty research recognized by AACTI
AreSeArCh
INNovATIoN
Photography
dwayne Norman
Links
Adam Tindalewww.adamtindale.com/research.html
Previous research by Alan Dunningwww.acad.ab.ca/completed_research_
projects.html
ACAD Faculty Research www.acad.ab.ca/ research_institutes.html
9 ACAD Media Arts + Digital
Technology classes at work.
Chung, Andy Brayman, Emily Schroeder
and keynote speaker Robin Lambert.
Robin Lambert completed his BFA at the
Alberta College of Art + Design and an MFA
from the University of Regina, receiving nu-
merous awards along the way, including the
Social Sciences and Humanities Research
Council Award for Graduate Students. Lam-
bert's practice bridges ceramic theory, in-
stallation, performance and social practice.
Emily Schroeder is the Ceramics Visiting
Artist/Instructor at ACAD. Emily received a
BFA in Studio Arts, Ceramics in 2000 from
the University of Minnesota and completed
her MFA in 2006 at the University of Colo-
rado, Boulder, CO. Human presence and the
mark of the hand are important elements
of Emily’s work, which steps back to a time
where work isn't about production, but the
touch of a fingertip.
Sam Chung is an Assistant Professor of Ce-
ramics at Arizona State University, Tempe.
Chung received a Bachelor of Arts Degree
with a concentration in Ceramics from St.
Olaf College, Minnesota in 1992. He com-
pleted Special Post-Baccalaureate Studies
in Ceramics at the University of Minnesota,
followed by an M.F.A. in 1997 at Arizona
State University. His hand built ceramic
1000 Miles Apart ACAD hoSTS Three DAY CoNFereNCe
ThIS oCTober
TreSeArCh
INNovATIoN
Story
Katrina Chaytor
vessels grapple with the balance between
form and function, as Chung is interested in
a pot’s unique ability to serve a multitude of
roles and functions.
Andy Brayman holds a BA in Sociology and
a BFA in Ceramics from the University of
Kansas and an MFA in ceramics from Alfred
University. His work is a combination of
traditional craft, industrial processes, and
contemporary art strategies. His pots dem-
onstrate an object’s potential to be both
beautiful and cerebral.
The annual Students/Faculty exhibition,
the highlight of the conference, will be held
in ACAD’s Gallery 371. A show and silent
auction of miniature works will be featured
in the Marion Nicholl Gallery on campus and
the Main Mall at ACAD will highlight alumni
work in the The Faculty Collects II exhibition.
Additional events throughout the confer-
ence will include program presentations
by students and faculty from the visiting
institutions and several social activities.
1000 Miles Apart promises to be an infor-
mative and inspiring conference and the
students and faculty at ACAD look forward
to welcoming our colleagues and friends to
Calgary. ■
9
10 robin lambert. Service: Dinner for
Strangers (potluck in progress at Bilton
Contemporary Art, Red Deer), 2009.
10
Issue No. 2 / Page 7
+ Christina Arthur-Dick (Director, Special Projects + Artist
Programs)
+ Brenda Baber (Student Operations-Business Manager)
+ Jennifer Bassett (moved from temporary to permanent
Student Resource Coordinator)
+John Calvelli (Permanent faculty Design Theory + History –
Liberal Studies)
+ Heather Cummings (Director, Student Experience)
+ Miruna Dragan (Permanent faculty – Drawing)
+ Chris Frey (moved from sessional to permanent faculty –
English –Liberal Studies)
+ Patti Knott (Administrative Assistant – Student Experience
+ Admissions)
+ Denise Mullen (Provost + Vice-President Research + Aca-
demic Affairs)
+ Jesse Sherburne (permanent faculty –First Year Studies-
Design)
+ Jordan Tate (permanent faculty – Photography)
+ Justin Waddell (moved from sessional to permanent fac-
ulty – Photography)
+ Linda Wyatt (Director, Financial Operations)
+ Emily Schroeder (Visiting Artist Ceramics)
+ Shane Smith (Executive Director of College Advancement)
ACAD welcomes Emily
Schroeder as the Ceramics
Visiting Artist/Instructor for
the 2009/10
academic year. This position
has been an integral part of
the Ceramics program for
over 20 years and it is the
first position to be funded
under the new ACAD Raw-
linson Visiting Faculty Pro-
gram. This has been made
possible by the generous
donation of the Jill Rawlin-
son Fund to ACAD.
Emily received a BFA in
Studio Arts, Ceramics in
2000 from the University of
Minnesota and completed
her MFA in 2006 at the Uni-
versity of Colorado, Boulder,
CO. As Emily describes,
ACAD Welcomes Ceramics Visiting Artist Instructor
“Throughout the history of
my work I have also been
interested in the notion
of loss of self. I want my
objects to operate as props
helping to create a loss of
self through the use of my
vessels between people.”
Emily will present her prac-
tice in a demo and lecture
format this fall as a part of
the annual 1000 Miles Apart
Conference, hosted by
ACAD Ceramics. In addition,
the Ceramic Visiting Artist/
Instructor has an exhibi-
tion towards the end of the
winter semester.
Welcome to new faculty, staff and administration members
profiling:ACAD Faculty
ordaN, what
doeS your
curreNt perSoNal
practice looK liKe?
My work is cur-
rently in a state of
massive flux, both
in methodology
and aesthetics. Fortunately, the concep-
tual basis of my work, and my long-term
meta-photographic interests, has provided
some semblance of continuity. I am
intrigued by the conceptual weight that
images carry with them as objects rather
than representations.
Currently, I'm working on adjusting to
Calgary, settling back in to an academic
schedule, and maintaining an active studio
practice.
what are you teachiNG here
at acad thiS Fall?
This is my first year as a
faculty member at ACAD,
and I'll be teaching Intro to
Photography, Design
Fundamentals and Special-
ization in Photography this term.
what brouGht you to acad aS a New Faculty
member?
The culture of the school as a whole was a
draw for me, as was the ability to make my
mark on a dynamic and engaging photog-
raphy program.
JFACuLTY
proFILe
Photography
Jordan tate
you've built a career aS both a practiciNG artiSt, aNd
academic. what would you Say iS the moSt importaNt
elemeNt oF what you briNG From both worldS to your
StudeNtS?
I want to bring the full knowledge of possibility and
interdisciplinary thought to ACAD. I want my students to
have the freedom to approach a problem, assignment,
idea, question, etc. from any direction they choose
regardless of the structure of the course. When one
focuses on how to think and how to learn rather than the
acquisition of knowledge or skill, it allows them to adapt,
engage, and learn in a flexible, repeatable way.
what iS your academic bacKGrouNd? did you atteNd aN art
School liKe acad, or eveN acad itSelF?
I have a Bachelor of Philosophy in
Interdisciplinary Studies, a MFA in
Photography, and was a Fulbright
Fellow. My undergraduate work was
in a dynamic, challenging program
that encouraged learning new
methods of thinking over the
acquisition of knowledge, which has
been infinitely valuable throughout
the course of my career.
what would you tell a proSpective
StudeNt coNSideriNG acad?
Nurture your desire to dynamically
engage in your own education, and
keep an open mind. If you lack this
desire, get it, fast. ■
11 Jordan tate. Photography
12 Jordan tate. Photography
13 Jordan tate. Photography
I wANT To brINg The FuLL
kNowLeDge oF poSSIbILITY AND
INTerDISCIpLINArY ThoughT To
ACAD.
This May, ACAD students
donated more than $3,000
of new and gently used
art supplies to Arts Can,
an organization that sup-
ports artists who are new
to Canada, here in Calgary.
Students cleaned out their
lockers of new and gently
used materials, and brought
them down to the bookstore
for donation, and through
their generosity, new Cana-
dians will be able to further
their practice as artists. This
initiative is supported by the
ACAD Diversity Advisory
Committee, and the Book
store team, and was initiated
by Bonnie Murdoch, Director
of Extended Studies here
at ACAD. Arts Can: The
Resource for Artists new to
Canada, is being developed
by the City of Calgary in
partnership with the Depart-
ment of Canadian Heritage
in order to provide artists
who are new to Canada with
the skills and resources they
need in order to effectively
continue their work here in
Canada.
ACAD Students support immigrant and refugee artists
12
11
13
ACAD in ActionACCompLIShmeNTS + ACCoLADeS For our STuDeNTS, ALumNI, STAFF AND FACuLTY
CATALYST / Page 8
ACAD Fibre alumni wins Royal Canadian
Academy of Arts Nienkamper Scholarship
Samantha Reed, a 2009 ACAD Fibre gradu-
ate, has been awarded the Royal Canadian
Academy of Arts Nienkamper Scholarship,
in recognition of artistic excellence during
her undergraduate studies at ACAD and in
support of advanced study. Ms. Reed has
been accepted into the Master’s of Design -
Textiles as Fashion Program at the Glasgow
School of Art in Glasgow Scotland. She will
be beginning her studies in Sept. 2009. This
award, valued at $5000 is made possible by
the generous financial support of furniture
magnate Klaus Nienkamper to provide
significant further educational opportunities
or to give assistance towards their devel-
opment as professional practitioners for
students graduating from an undergradu-
ate program at a Canadian post-secondary
institution.
ACAD Alumni Win Lieutenant Governor
Awards
Two of our ACAD alumni, Robin Arsenault
and Chad Van Gaalen, are recipients of
the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts
Foundation's Emerging Artists Awards. Each
winner receives a cheque for $10,000, with
no stipulations as to how they can spend it.
The awards come as a result of the Alberta
Arts Foundation's desire to create awards
that support developing artists, in addition
to the distinguished artists awards they initi-
ated in 2005.
Solo Exhibition:
Mackenzie Frere – Recollect
June 24 – June 27, 2009
Mackenzie’s work "Recollect" will be fea-
tured in "Lieux de Mémoire" an exhibition
curated by Denis Longchamps that was
part of the Biennial international du Lin in
Deschambault-Grondines, Québec, June 24
to September 27, 2009.
ACAD Fibre Head published Internation-
ally.
Head of the ACAD Fibre department, Laura
Vickerson, is featured in Art Textiles of the
World, a volume published in England, and
focusing on Canadian artists.
ACAD students featured in Alberta Craft
Council Show
Three of ACAD’s 4th year Jewellery + Metal,
and Glass students were featured in the
Alberta Craft Council Show, which ran from
April 25 to June 6, 2009. Michelle Sparks,
Melanie Long and Jen Somerville were all
selected to participate in this prestigious
exhibit.
Andy Yang named as Alberta winner of
the 2009 BMO Financial Group’s 1st Art!
Invitational Student Art Competition.
Congratulations to Andy Yang, a 4th year
MADT student, who has been selected as
the Alberta winner of the BMO Financial
Group’s 1st Art! Invitational Student Art
Competition. Andy’s piece "Thrill Seeking"
will be a part of a cross-Canada traveling
exhibition, as well as appearing in the Fall
issue of Canadian Art magazine.
National Gallery of Canada acquires piece
created at ACAD’s IKG
The National Gallery of Canada has recently
acquired the 13ft-long drawing produced in
the IKG by Shuvinai Ashoona (Cape Dorset)
and John Noestheden (Regina), marking
the first art collaboration by an Inuit and
non-Inuit artist ever. Do you rember this
event? Visit acad.ab.ca/wh_2008_02_ikg_
sa_jn.html to read about the artists, and how
this piece was created.
Group Exhibition:
BIG NEWS at Influx Jewellery Gallery
July 2 – August 15, 2009
Featuring ACAD alumni Kim Johansen, Me-
lissa Pedersen, Andrea Blais, Gillian Hillerud,
Danielle Crampsie and Alisha Boyd. Influx
Jewellery Gallery, 2nd Level, Art Central,
Calgary
Solo Exhibition:
Alex Moon — Uni-Farm: Boardroom
Forefathers
June 30th - July 31st, 2009
Opening reception and performance July
3rd, 6:30 - 8:30 PM with a repeat perfor-
mance on July 17th, 2009.
Alberta Printmakers Society, Calgary
ACAD Staff member wins award at West-
ern Canadian Regional Model Contest.
Congratulations to Bill Miles, Manager of
Systems and Data (C+TS) for his recent
award at the Western Canadian Regional
Model Contest. Bill took home the award
for Best Animation or Sci-Fi Subject for
his work “the Music Recital”. The Western
Canadian Regional Model Contest is one
of the premier modeling events in Western
Canada, with over 600 models entered into
93 categories.
Solo Exhibition:
Mark Mullen — Fictitious Device
Until October 10, 2009
The Paul Kuhn Gallery is pleased to present
an exhibition of new works by ACAD Fac-
ulty member, Mark Mullin. This is Mr. Mullin's
third exhibition at the gallery comprised of
both paintings and drawings. The exhibition
continues through October 10, 2009.
ACAD Faculty starts online gallery.
Mariko Paterson and business partner Cath-
erine Hein have started up an online gallery
called “Box Social”. Mariko states: “Based in
Calgary, with eyes on the world, we on the
organizing end, are either practicing artists
and/or long time fans of finely designed and
crafted objects of the eclectic persuasion.
While our love for the unusual knows no real
boundaries, we are particularly proud of the
contributions recently made to the art and
design world by Canada, Wonderland to
the North”. Visit www.boxsocial.ca for more
information.
ACAD Faculty to be featured in Cultural
Olympiad
Greg Payce’s work will also be included
as part of the 2010 Crafts Exhibition that
will tour for two years, beginning with the
Cultural Olympiad taking place during 2010
Olympic Games, and running from Janu-
ary 13th to April 17th, 2010 at the Museum
of Vancouver, BC. Greg’s lenticular photo-
graphs and video work will also be included
in the main exhibition of the Cheonju Bien-
nial entitled "Dissolving Views".
ACAD Faculty member Chris Willard
reaches best seller list.
Congratulations to Chris Willard, who’s novel
Sundre has topped the Kensignton Best-
seller list.
Assistant Dean of undergraduate studies
takes visiting artist position in Rome.
This summer, Laurel Johannesson (Assistant
Dean) was invited to be a Visiting Artist +
Scholar at the American Academy in Rome
for June and July. The American Academy
in Rome is one of the leading American
overseas centers for independent studies
and advanced research in the fine arts and
Issue No. 2 / Page 9
humanities. It is a place where extraordinary
moments have brought creative talents
together in unexpected ways. Each year,
artists and scholars are chosen by juries of
experts in archaeology, architecture, classi-
cal studies, design arts, historic preservation
and conservation, history of art, landscape
architecture, literature, modern Italian stud-
ies, musical composition, post-classical
humanities studies, and visual arts.
Calgary artist, writer and ACAD faculty
returns from deployment with
Canadian troops in the Middle East.
ACAD Faculty Dick Averns has returned
from participation as only one of five artists
appointed nationwide by National Defence
Canada to participate in the 2008-2009
Canadian Forces Artists Program (CFAP).
Mr. Averns was involved with working with
peacekeepers overseeing the Israeli Egyp-
tian Peace Treaty, and was positioned in
the desert border region of northern Sinai,
near Gaza, at the Multinational Force and
Observers North Camp. New work based on
this experience will be shown at a solo show
at the Military Museums in the fall of 2010.
Dick is also currently exhibiting in a solo
show at the Vernon Public Art Gallery. He is
currently working on a work of non-fiction,
and a photo essay engaging with Canada’s
role in peacekeeping and truce monitoring
in the Middle East.
Congratulations to melinda topilko, win-
ner of the Canada Millenium Excellence
Award
Third year Photo major melinda topilko
has won the Canada Millennium Excellence
Award, worth $12,500. The millennium
excellence awards seek to recognize the
leaders of today and tomorrow and em-
phasize the importance of supporting their
contributions to our country's future. Millen-
nium excellence awards are not prizes for
benchmarks achieved - they are investments
in the development of exceptional individu-
als who will have long, productive careers
and whose accomplishments will benefit
Canada as a whole. Our congratulations go
to Melinda, who is currently on a mobility +
exchange semester in Memphis, Tennessee.
ACAD Drawing Faculty Member receives
top honors at the International Biennial
Contemporaine
ACAD artist and faculty member Derek
Michael Besant has been awarded the Grand
Prix of the 6th International Biennial Con-
temporaine presented by Montreal Editor
and Chief of Vie Des Arts, Monsieur Bernard
Levy, in Québec during the Cultural Capital
City in Canada 2009 event and 375th An-
niversary of the city of Trois-Rivières. The
international exhibition was held at four
museum venues in Trois-Rivières, ran until
September 2009, and was expected to draw
10,000 people. 300 works by 52 artists
from 23 countries were selected for inclu-
sion in the biennial. Besant’s series is titled
FALLING and is part of Besant’s ongoing
research into underlying human themes pro-
duced through advanced industrial hybrid
technologies of image and sound.
Besant will have additional opportunities to
explore his themes publicly with an invita-
tion from the Danish Arts Council to install
26 large-scale images in October for the
International Kultursametbejdet Art Installa-
tion Project across seven cities in Denmark
from August through October 2009, and
will preview “a collaborative image and
sound project” with Texas-based music
composer, Paul Connolly titled: NAVIGATOR
as part of the Creativity & Cognition exhibi-
tion at The Berkeley Art Museum, University
of California, USA in November 2009.
Jewellery + Metals Alumni wins City of
Calgary World Skills competition
David Bynoe, ACAD Alumni, Jewellery +
Metals (2006) is the City of Calgary fea-
tured artist at World Skills 2009, and will
be showing his practice at the Stampede
grounds over the course of the four day
competition (September 2nd-4th). David
will be setting a tent up as his studio, and
will be creating a kinetic sculpture commis-
sioned by the City of Calgary. The sculp-
ture will be a set of wooden wings, which
will collapse and open up to triple in size
through a series of levers. This project will
give the public an opportunity to witness
and experience the creation of an artwork,
and David will be doing a series of live
demos in carving, splitting, steam bending,
and other traditional carpentry skills. The
emphasis is to demonstrate the application
of craft skills in artistic practice; skills he
acquired at ACAD.
Glass artist creates award for Rexall Ed-
monton Indy
Congratulations to ACAD Glass techni-
cian Mark Gibeau on his work creating the
trophies for winners of the Rexall Edmon-
ton Indy. Mark’s work was presented to the
winners of the car race, held on July 24 -26,
2009.
ACAD Alumni appointed City of Calgary
Superintendent
Rachael Seupersad, Alumni of ACAD’s
ceramics department, has recently been
appointed as Superintendent of Public Art
for the City of Calgary. Rachael has been
acting in this role since November 2008 and
has proven herself to be an invaluable asset
in overseeing, promoting and programming
the Public Art Collection held in trust for the
citizens of Calgary.
Photography faculty member featured in
Vague Paper
Jordan Tate, new faculty member in our
Photography department, has recently been
featured in the Summer 2009 of Vague
Paper, a satirical fashion magazine based in
London England. Works from his “Frame-
work” series are featured in Issue #6 (Smile
Love, It Might Never Happen).
Congratulations to Lynda Wyatt.
Congratulations to Lynda Wyatt, Director of
Financial Operations. Lynda has successfully
completed the final examinations required
to seek the designation of Certified Manage-
ment Accountant.
ACAD Faculty nominated for short film
awards
Kevin D.A. Kurytnik, faculty in ACAD’s VCD
department, has recently been nominated
for his short film, Intergalactic Who’s Who.
This film has been nominated for the Cal-
gary International Film Festival “Best of Al-
berta” Award, and the Ottawa International
Animation Festival Canadian Showcase.
n Sunday, July 24 2009, a review of Annie Pootoogook's
work at the George Gustav Heye Centre, National Museum
of the American Indian at the Smithsonian Institute ran in
the New York Times. This show was originally curated by Nancy
Campbell for ACAD's Illingworth Kerr Gallery. Read more about
the wonderful reception this IKG production is receiving interna-
tionally at nytimes.com/2009/07/24/arts/design/24annie.html. ■
IKG exhibition reviewed by the New York Times
14 Artist Annie Pootoogook at the
Illingworth Kerr Gallery
15 A crowd gathers at the Annie Poot-
oogook artist talk, hosted by the IKG.
CuLTurAL
LeADerShIp
Photography
courtesy of the iKG
O
14
15
alberta colleGe o F a rt + deS i G N
through acad’s extended Studies you can study visual art, media arts, and design through a full year schedule of challenging and creative courses, workshops and special events designed to meet your creative learning goals.
extended Studies
each semester, extended studies offers: + adult credit courses + adult credit-free courses + adult evening + weekend personal interest courses+ youth weekend courses
For more information, contact: [email protected] 403.284.7640
profiling: ACAD Student
eliNda, what
are you cur-
reNtly worKiNG oN?
Using whatever
media will best
express my con-
ceptual intent, I
consider myself an
interdisciplinary artist and work in both two
and three dimensional media, as well as
with sound and video. My practice is a con-
sidered one - I think about every element
in my work, and how it may influence the
viewer. I always begin with research - this
has led to my recent exploration of femi-
nism on a theoretical and academic level. I
am interested especially in the relationship
between feminism and visual culture.
I am currently participating in a Mobility
semester at the Memphis College of Art in
Tennessee. The opportunity to live, work
and study in a place not my own - both in-
tellectual and physically is exciting and will
have a significant impact on my practice.
As a founding member of Contextural: a
fibre arts cooperative, I have been able to
participate in the planning and coordinat-
ing of two successful summer residencies
and exhibitions. Winning the Millennium
Scholarship was an honor and it was satis-
fying to have my efforts recognized in such
a substantial way.
what brouGht you to acad aS a FirSt year
StudeNt?
When deciding on an art school, I knew I
wanted a Bachelor’s degree from an arts
dedicated institution. The facilities at ACAD
are great, and the instructors have active
and relevant practices. The range of course
offerings was also a big plus.
STuDeNT
proFILe
Artwork
melinda topilko
m
I still have almost two years left in my
undergraduate degree (class of 2011). When
I get back from my mobility + exchange
semester, I will be getting involved in more
committee work, preparing and presenting
programming for the FBC, and hopefully
having a show at the MNG with work from
my semester away.
you’ve beeN very iNvolved aS a StudeNt aNd
aS aN artiSt duriNG your time oN campuS.
what StaNdS out For you about your experi-
eNce aS aN acad StudeNt So Far?
The classes I have taken have included spe-
cific and relevant information about how
to prepare professional documents, both
written and visual. The SRC seminars about
mobility, funding opportunities,
life management skill have also
been invaluable. The opportunity
to participate in committee work,
juries, hiring panels, academic
council, has given me insight in
to many aspects of professional
practice.
aNy advice For StudeNtS coNSid-
eriNG a bdeS or bFa deGree at
acad Next year?
Be ready to work, and work hard. ACAD
has much to offer, but you need to take
responsibility for your own education.
It’s ok to not have everything figured out
before your first (even second) year is over.
You need to make sure you are doing what
inspires you.
aNd what would you tell their pareNtS,
comiNG From your perSpective aS a StudeNt
Now?
It is a rigorous and demanding program,
and one that requires full engagement on
the part of the student. Art school is not
about finding a job, but developing a prac-
tice that supports you not only financially,
but intellectually and creatively. Careers in
the arts might not be as obvious, but they
are there and they are unlike any other.
what do you thiNK you will taKe away From
your time aS a StudeNt here?
I would not the be the person I am today,
and the artist I am becoming without the
instruction and guidance of not only the
instructors at ACAD, but also the non-ac-
ademic staff. I hope that through my prac-
tice, I will make work that has an impact,
that is important and leaves a mark. ■
LeArNINg From INSTruCTorS
ThAT Are NoT oNLY CommITTeD
eDuCATorS, buT ArTISTS wITh
ACTIve CAreerS hAS ShowN me
ThAT IT IS poSSIbLe To hAve A
LIFe ToTALLY FoCuSSeD oN The
ArTS.
CATALYST / Page 10
16 melinda topilko. "Untitled (black &
white & red all over)", Photograph, 8 x
10 inches, 2009
17 melinda topilko. "Untitled (family
portrait)", Photograph, 8x10 inches,
2009.
18 melinda topilko. "Untitled (lisa
leaves)", Photograph, 8x10 inches,
2009.
current student
melinda topilko on her
experiences at acad,
and beyond.
SupporT ACAD
Yes, I wish to support ACAD.
Please find enclosed my donation for:
Please direct my donation to:
Scholarships and Bursaries
Institute for the Creative Process
Area of greatest need
Please contact me about:
Sponsorship opportunities
Special events at ACAD
Please keep my donation anonymous
Thank you for supporting ACAD!
Name
Address
City
Province / State Postal Code
Country
Email address
Phone
Please accept my donation by:
Cheque (payable to Alberta College of Art + Design)
Visa Mastercard
Card Number Expiry Date
Signature
Name on Card
Please forward this form with payment to:
Alberta College of Art + Design
c/o Shane Smith, Director of Advancement and Alumni
1407 – 14 Avenue N.W. Calgary, Alberta T2N 4R3
Or contact ACAD at 403. 284.7690Charitable BN # 10669-2981-RR0001. A charitable tax receipt will be mailed to
you. Unless a request has been made otherwise, ACAD will recognize your donation
through donor recognition listings.
✁
17
16
18
Calling all ACAD Alumni.
laudiNa,
could you
deScribe your
curreNt practice?
I am a multi-disci-
plinary artist and
my work continues
to address issues
related to society, culture, health, and
nature. Text and image have become major
components to my craft, as is the relation
to observed space for installations, just as
sound and movement are to performances.
These days, I am training in dance again
and returning to performance. I am working
on a new body of work examining the
relationship between mental health and
social misconceptions, and as an indepen-
dent curator — looking for opportunities to
get involved in the community.
you are aN acad alumNi (2003), aNd your
worK haS taKeN you literally arouNd the
world. how did that JourNey beGiN?
The first major accomplishment since my
time at ACAD was completing my Masters
degree in Cultural Management in Madrid.
profiling: ACAD Alumni
ALumNI
proFILe
Photography
claudina morgado
C
The program is very competitive and
recognized internationally for its broad
focus on all aspects of managing the arts
and culture. Due to the nature of my
program, I was able to intern with the
Cervantes Institute, the Spanish Govern-
ment's language and cultural institution
that represents all the Spanish-speaking
countries of the world.
I successfully helped launch a new Cer-
vantes Institute in Tokyo, the first in Japan
where I programmed exhibitions, confer-
ences, symposiums, congresses, artist
workshops, book launches, concerts, dance
performances, film festivals and much
more. I was able to put my design skills to
work creating marketing materials and
publications of the events I coordinated,
including bilingual catalogues. My work
there culminated in organizing a week of
artistic activities for the official inaugura-
tion of the Centre with the presence of His
Majesty, the King of Spain.
As a representative of Cervantes, I was
fortunate to participate on projects under
the Press, Public and Cultural Affairs
section of the Delegation of the European
Commission to Japan, allowing me to see
first hand how arts and culture can be used
as communication and business methods,
and as a means to establish and strengthen
international relations. It allowed me to
network with the artistic community in not
only Asia, but Europe and Hispanic
America as well; it also provided the
opportunity to work with embassies,
universities, and organizations such as the
United Nations High Commission for
Refugees.
As an artist, I have been able to show both
my visual and performance work abroad,
gaining respect and recognition from my
peers.
what brouGht you to acad aS aN uNder-
Graduate StudeNt?
I chose to attend ACAD to gain technical
skill and pursue an education in the visual
arts. ACAD taught me to be disciplined and
organized, and to be able to defend my
position under criticism and scrutiny. I
strongly believe that my creative and
technical skills were greatly enhanced by
my experience at ACAD, and the ongoing
support provided by faculty members has
been priceless.
you have had a FaSciNatiNG career iN the
artS to date. what leSSoNS did you taKe
with you From your time at acad?
The professionalism and time commitment
that was expected from us as students at
ACAD continues to impact my daily work
and any project I execute. This led to the
successful execution of countless events in
Japan, boosting audience awareness and
interest in the arts in a foreign market, and
creating pilot programs for other centres.
aNd what would you tell the
FamilieS or pareNtS oF
iNcomiNG StudeNtS aS they
prepare to atteNd acad?
Attending an art institution for
post-secondary education can
be even more fulfilling than
“traditional” careers, particu-
larly with the increased
interaction with the instruc-
tors. It promotes critical thinking and a
strong work ethic. ■
TrY everYThINg AND ANYThINg,
You woN'T uNDerSTAND FuLLY
uNTIL You Do. AND IF You geT A
ChANCe To Do AN exChANge, IT
wILL gIve You A greATer per-
SpeCTIve oN Your work AND LIFe
IN geNerAL.
19 claudina morgado. Corberó Exhibition
Detail of hanging sculpture. 2008
20 claudina morgado. "Stacked Bowls Both
Views". 2008
21 claudina morgado. Quino Exhibition
View from gallery entrance. 2008.
Links
Cervantes Institutewww.cervantes.to
United Nationswww.unhcr.org/
ACAD Alumni Informationwww.acad.ca/alumni
21
Are you a graduate of the
Alberta College of Art + Design?
we want to hear from you!
contact us at [email protected] and sign up for our alumni e-newsletter,
or follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com, search alberta college
of art + design (acad), official alumni page) to share your news and
learn about what’s happening at acad.
www.acad.ca/alumNi
Issue No. 2 / Page 11
claudina morgado,
acad alumni, artist
and cultural worker
on her international
career.
19
20
21
Issue No. 1 / Page 11
September 1, 2009
New Students' Orientation
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
ACAD | Main Mall
September 4, 2009Deborah Margo and Eric CameronVisiting Artist Lecture
2:30 PM | Stanford Perrott
Lecture Theatre | Brought to
ACAD by ACADSA
September 9, 2009Edson Campos
Visiting Artist Lecture
Stanford Perrott Lecture
Theatre | 8:00 PM
September 12, 2009
Chalkwalk 2009
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
17th Avenue | Calgary
Help beautify the avenue!
Chalkwalk is a juried compe-
tition for students that takes
place on 17th Ave SW. There
are fabulous cash prizes to
be won, lots of fun to be
had, and a great wrap up
(including a free burger +
drink) at the Ship + Anchor
pub.
September 18-20, 2009
Alberta Arts Days at ACAD
Join ACAD's IKG, for a
special reception on Sep-
tember 18th, 2009 (5:00
- 7:00 PM) as we celebrate
Alberta Arts Days, and open
a special series of public
conversations. Join in the
conversation, meet our fea-
tured artists, and catch the
last days of the Sled Island
Summer IKG exhibition.
September 18, 2009Anna von Gwinner Visiting Artist Public Lecture
2:30 PM Room 371
Closing Reception, Sled Island Exhibition, featuring the exhibiting artists.
5:00 - 7:00 PM What a mess! Florian Koehl, Neil Minuk and Anna Von Gwinner in conversation.
7:00 PM (Generously spon-
sored by ArtCity).
September 19, 2009 Numa Dallaire
Visiting Artist Public Lecture
1:00 PM | IKG
September 19, 2009Jeanie Riddle
Visiting Artist Public Lecture
1:30 PM | IKG
September 25, 2009Saaraliisa Ylitalo Visiting Artist Lecture
"Offerings: Fibre Works in
Paper"
Room 520 | 10:30 AM
September 26, 2009International Student Field Trip to the Columbia Ice Fields
October 1 – 3, 2009
1000 Miles Apart Conference
Hosted by the ACAD Ce-
ramics Program.
October 4 – 6, 2009Paul and Dante MarioniGlass artists
Visiting Artist Public Lecture
7:00 PM, October 5th, 2009
October 6, 2009
ACADSA Clothing Swap
12:00 - 2:00 PM, Main Mall
October 7, 2009
Edson Campo
Visiting Artist Lecture
Stanford Perrott Lecture
Theatre, 8:00 PM
Hosted by the professional
practices for artists class.
October 8, 2009Dorie MillersonVisiting Artist Public Lecture
Fibre Department
October 8, 2009Glen Ligon and John Gerrard
Visiting Artist Public Lecture
7:30 PM | Stanford Perrott
Lecture Theatre
Hosted by Art + Design
Now.
October 9 - December 12,
2009Glenn Ligon: Death of Tom and Untitled (Minnesota Massacre)
John Gerrard: Grow Finish Unit and Oil Stick Work
IKG Exhibition
October 9, 2009
Opening ReceptionGlenn Ligon: Death of Tom and Untitled (Minnesota Mas-sacre)John Gerrard: Grow Finish
Unit and Oil Stick Work
5:00 - 7:00 PM
Jason Moran In Concert
6:30 PM | Stanford Perrott
Lecture Hall
October 13 – 17, 2009 James Nakagawa
Visiting Artist
Photography Department
October 19, 2009CUD and the Bee Kingdom
Visiting Artist Public Lecture
7:00 PM | Stanford Perrott
Lecture Theatre
October 19-21st, 2009John Dury and Robbie Millar
Visiting Artists
Glass Department
October 21, 2009
ACADSA Movie Night
Main Mall
October 22, 2009
GEM Event
Jewellery + Metals program
what's on at ACADprogrAmINg, NewS + eveNTS For The FALL SeASoN To Come.
October 31, 2009ACADSA Hallowe'en Howl
November 9, 2009
ACADSA Art Swap
Main Mall
November 9, 2009Tierney GearonVisiting Artist Lecture
November 20, 2009
ACADSA Pulp Fiction Party
Main Mall
November 25, 2009
Stirring Culture 3: Women
Innovators in Design
presents Jan Brown.
Calgary Public Library
John Dutton Theatre
616 Macleod Trail SE
Public lecture 5:30 PM
November 25, 2009
ACADSA Movie Night
Main Mall
November 26- 29, 2009
Fall ACAD Show and Sale
Main Mall
December 1, 2009
ACADSA Ornament Auction
Main Mall
be Sure To vISIT
ACAD.CA To FIND ouT
more AbouT eveNTS
hAppeNINg AT ACAD
ThIS Term, AND To
LeArN more AbouT
The eveNTS LISTeD
here.
Find out what's happening at ACAD, keep in touch with our latest news and events, and learn more about our gallery exhibitions and special events. visit acad.ca/happening to learn more.
what's happening at ACAD?
22
22 ACAD students at work in the
Jewellery + Metals program, hosts
of the GEM event this fall.
FiNd uS oN FacebooK by SearchiNG "alberta colleGe oF art + deSiGN"
SiGN up For our rSS Feed to catch the lateSt iN NewS aNd eveNtS at acad.ca
Follow uS oN twitter at "acadoNliNe"
January 5 – April 20, 2010Jane BruceVisiting Artist
Glass Department
January 14 - March 13,
2010Attila Richard Lukacs“Polaroids: Studies for Paintings”Thierry Marceau
IKG Exhibition
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