You’ve probably noticed a project popping up on the OpenLab this semester, Celebrating the Life and Work of Gordon Parks: A COMD Student Group Art Show. This project works within the college-wide Gen Ed Theme, CONNECTED. In an effort to keep City Tech connected, COMD invites all of us to a celebration of the life and work of the photographer, author, filmmaker, designer, and activist, Gordon Parks.
The curated show, led by Grace Gallery Director Professor Sara Gómez Woolley, launched officially on April 15, with some impressive artwork in a variety of media from students in the Communication Design (COMD) department. All of the work connects Gordon Parks’s powerful artwork and words to the powerful weapons–to use Gordon Parks’s term–that COMD students have used to express themselves and their vision.
The show will remain up throughout the semester and beyond, so there’s plenty of time to explore all of the great student contributions.
This week, there are two exciting Celebrating the Life and Work of Gordon Parks events:
- Faculty Face Off: 4/29/21
- Panel Discussion & Honors Reveal: 4/29/21
Thursday, April 29th, 12:30-2PM (Club Hours) – Faculty Face-Off
The Faculty Face Off will be a live event during club hours. It is part of a series spearheaded by Professors Josh Kapusinski and David Prusko. In the past, it was a live on campus event meant to build student engagement and departmental morale. Faculty were pitted against each other in a live design challenge in front of a screaming crowd of students. REALLY FUN! Now it’s online, and will be a great way to keep students and faculty connected and build excitement about the show.
Professors go up against each other in a creative timed design challenge themed around the philosophies and work of Gordon Parks. Students choose the best work! Come root for your favorite professor! The details will not be revealed until the challenge date. DRAMA!
Watch the live stream from the COMD YouTube channel:
To participate in the chat or heckling, login to your Gmail account.
Thursday, April 29th, 5:30-7PM – Gordon Parks Panel Discussion
Hosted by Professor George Larkins: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks
Watch the live stream from the COMD YouTube channel:
A Choice of Weapons, a panel discussion on the life, work, and impact of Gordon Parks. This is the culminating event of the COMD department-wide celebration of the life and work of this visionary creator.
Moderated by COMD Professor George Larkins, with Featured Panelists:
- Dr. Marcyliena Morgan, Executive Director of the Hiphop Archive & Research Institute at Harvard University’s Hutchins Center for African & African American Research
- Dr. Dionne M. Bennett, Assistant Professor, African American Studies Department, New York City College of Technology
- Michal Raz Russo, Project Director, Gordon Parks Foundation
All voices welcome! The event organizers invite you to contribute to this panel discussion – login to your Gmail account to ask a question, share a comment, etc. For more info contact Professor George Larkins glarkins@citytech.cuny.edu.
The evening will begin by revealing the Best in Show from the exhibition of student work inspired by Gordon Parks in the Grace Gallery Online
This event is hosted by:
- The Communication Design Department, City Tech
- And CO sponsored by:
- The General Education Theme Committee, City Tech
- The Hiphop Archive & Research Institute at Harvard University’s Hutchins Center for African & African American Research
- African American Studies Department, City Tech
