From the President Dear CalArtians, My sincere thanks to you and the entire community for the warm welcome that has been extended to me and my family. Lucy and I, along with our two sons, Leander and Livius, have been overwhelmed by the affection shown to us. It is a great honor being asked to lead such an amazing institution, and I am humbled by the invitation, your warm welcome, and the important work ahead of us. That CalArts is a special place is clearly visible to all who attend or teach here. It’s even more recognizable when you examine the life-long friendships and creative partnerships that we form with one another. (This issue of The Pool has wonderful examples of this, including a courageous gift that literally saved a life.) I’ve been privileged to talk with many CalArtians since coming, and each conversation contains compelling stories and insights into what makes this place so special. Not surprisingly, almost every conversation includes a tribute to a CalArts teacher who changed their life, and without exception, every alum talks about the amazing studentto-student bond that forms here. The immense passion that CalArtians have for their alma mater is expressed through this bond: We are a community that cares deeply for one another. CalArts also faces challenges, including those affecting all colleges, such as the rising cost of attendance, and those unique to us, like the normal wear-and-tear of our almost 50-year-old-building in Valencia. We must stay agile, engaged, and outward facing if we are to continue to provide the powerful CalArts experience that has transformed so many of us. This issue of The Pool contains my inaugural speech, which ends with an initial list of ideas that we will discuss moving forward. Education in this country, especially arts education, is under significant scrutiny. Yet, with today’s divisive political climate, the role of the arts and the Citizen Artist has never been more important. History has demonstrated time and time again that artists create the powerful ideas that move society. CalArts’ first provost, Herbert Blau, addressed this on day one, saying, “CalArts is one of those institutions that is determined in some peculiar way to put the whole cracked world together again.” We are the ones—CalArtians all—that must continue to do this work. I’m motivated by all the potential that lies ahead and look forward to working with you on converting that potential into a long and exciting future.
THE POOL ISSUE 2 — Winter/Spring 2018 Published semi-annually by the Office of Marketing & Communications at CalArts. PRESIDENT
Ravi S. Rajan VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT
Sally Bickerton EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Stuart I. Frolick ART DIRECTION AND DESIGN
Yay Brigade: Nicole Jaffe and Roman Jaster (Art BFA ’07) with Kat Catmur (Art MFA ’14) PRODUCTION
Debbie Stears EDITORIAL ASSISTANCE
N.E. Jaster PHOTOGRAPHY
Rafael Hernandez (Art BFA ’11) Dan Watson Courtney Coles ILLUSTRATIONS
Kat Catmur (Art MFA ’14) CONTRIBUTORS
Hugh Hart, Rageshwar Kaur Goldberg, Aiza Keesey, Michael Rogers, Judith Brennan, Elizabeth Liang (Film/Video MFA ’18), Kirsten Quinn, Christine Ziemba, Vanessa Roveto, Ani Tatintsyan (MFA ’15), Ellen Evaristo, and Daniel Rodriguez (Theatre BFA ’19) PRINTING
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Ravi S. Rajan, President 4
CalArts Alumni Magazine