Hol Opts by Harald Gravelsins Gen X’ers face employ- ment at McJobs rather than in careers. Do they face education at McSchools? Holger Hermann has all the toys of the wired universe: the Macintosh computer, the scanner, the digitizing software. And of course a modem and internet connection. Electronic Communication Design students would recognize Holger’s toys as part of the basic ECD kit. And Holger was an ECD student at Emily Carr - until the dread became too much for him to take. Holger is now a devotee of the Photography Department, having switched his major at the end of the summer. He speaks reluctantly of his reasons for the switch, not wanting to give offence to his former ECD colleagues. But he is more satisfied now. He relates this sense of satisfaction to finding artistic expression in the pro- duction of images that begin with his own creative choices. “I’m a lot happier being the person taking the picture, not doing something with someone else’s pictures as in digital imaging.” Holger’s choice to use camera and darkroom technology ties into and mc Fixin’ Up The Carr ...continued from page 8 few years ago, Film/Video was threatened by closure, and last year, Animation students almost had to forego their final projects because all the equipment was breaking down. All of these problems were due to lack of funding. The Student Services and Dean’s office renovations succeeded in joining together offices and personnel in a way that is bound to serve students better: both areas are now more open and visible to the public. Deans’ Secretary Sue Geddes admits, “it'll take some getting used to, but it’s good to have all the deans in one area.” And so, it seems, that with this summer's renovations, Brad has left behind his mark at Emily Carr: the renovations are sort of okay, and they kind of recede into the background. “@ oer ut his larger perspective on the information and image culture that is driven by computers and the internet. He sees the inter- net being transformed from an arena for the free exchange of ideas and experiences into a huge marketing tool for corpo- rate commercial interests. The internet is increasingly about flogging product, and not about critical discourse. And Holger chooses not to be part of it. At least not in terms of getting an education. Part of Holger’s refusal to go along with the galloping commercial- ism of the internet was reflected in his decision to opt out of the ECD program. Before transferring to the Photography Department, he found himself clarifying his ideas about a fine art education. “I am an artist and | want to continue in my life as a fine artist. Education is for the sake of learning, for becoming a critical thinker in my field. “ In Holger’s experience, the differ- ence between fine art and design was a distinction often keenly drawn in the delivery of Emily Carr’s design curriculum. This difference was expressed through an emphasis on approaches that were considered worthwhile because of their explicit marketability and an indifference or aversion to creativity as an end in Luck With one unexpected phone call, Holger lucked out on an enlarger and a set of studio lights for no money. Holger’s lucky tale took place in July, when he was telephoned by a fast-talking, deal-making liquidator who had Holger’s number from a directory of photographers. “| have some photographic, darkroom ‘things’ that | picked up at Love's Auction,” he related to Holger. The liquidator was asking $100 a piece for three colour enlargers. Holger gave his initial acceptance, and set out for the auctioneer’s warehouse to inspect the goods. What he found surprised him: three ProLab D5XL enlarger chassis and dichroic 4x5 head assemblies. Each needed a lens, which might cost $600 - 800 new. But otherwise, the machines seemed to be in quite good condition. “| didn’t actually have to buy any parts for them,” Holger recounted. “I just had to do some tweaking and adjusting to bring the enlargers back into calibration. Some retraction springs had popped off their mounts, which | fixed with a bit of epoxy. A couple of bulbs and wires had to be replaced. All of this was really minor stuff.” What worried Holger was that the labels on the machines suggested that they had been in use at Emily Carr. And the price was such a steal that Holger thought he should find out whether they had been stolen. Emily Carr’s Facilities Department assured him that the enlargers had been sent to Love’s Auctions follow- ing prescribed rules and procedures, so he was not dealing with hot prop- erty. Holger was able to quickly sell two of the enlargers, and kept one for his own use. He was paid $1,200 Photograph by Shawn Nygren itself. Crossing over to “the other side”, i.e., taking a fine arts course, received scant encouragement. Developing his artistic expression is Holger’s strategy for coping with an increasingly wired world and wired education. “I think people all need to stay in touch with nature, with the earth, with the outside world, and not isolate themselves in these little pods that are intercon- nected through electronic wire. | find that dangerous, ominous.” Despite getting off the ECD employment fast track, Holger remains optimistic about his prospects for a real job that uses his fine arts education. “A job will find your or you will find yourself one if you are really true to yourself.” And he does not intend this job to be either that of a McArtist or a McDesigner. Out and $1,000 for flipping the machines. And in another quick deal, scored some used studio lighting with his $2,000 windfall. Photography Coordinator Bill Cupit confirms that Holger’s three enlargers were “de-assessed” recently and therefore subject to disposal with the approval of Brad Campbell, acting president until July 31st. Four years ago, the Photography Department was recapitalized with Saunders LPL enlargers. The 20+ year-old ProLab enlargers were kept as backup equipment since the purchase of the LPL machines, and last year were finally deemed too costly to maintain in a situation of constant use in a communal dark- room set up. “They would be great for a single owner, who could get used to their operation and repair idiosyncrasies,” Bill commented. Asked about the use of Love's Auction to dispose of the enlargers, Facilities Department Manager Glen Black noted the Institute’s policy of posting notices advertising deassessed equipment at auctions so that “everybody here gets an equal chance. The reason we send these items to auction is so no one here gets preferential treatment.” People learning of Holger’s wind- fall acquisition have expressed disap- pointment at not knowing that the machines were coming up for sale. Glen noted that disposing of the enlargers in the summer months and without notification to potential buyers among Emily Carr students, staff and faculty was an oversight on the part of the Facilities: Department. However, the disposal of the machines at auction conforms to provincial regulations. Glen is receptive to ensuring that people at Emily Carr get a crack at picking up future equipment dispos- als if appropriate policy changes are made and the resources provided to implement these policies. “We need better communication.” Holger reports being very happy with all his newly acquired darkroom and studio hardware. “@s October 1996 / Planet of the Arts 11 OH GOD!! IT’S AN ICKY AD! Letter to the Student Newspaper at the Ontario College of Art (and Design): So you used to be called O.C.A. and now you're O.C.A.D. I was curious to know why your school was giving up on an acronym with such strong public recognition as “OCA” [Oh-see- eh]. This acronym has been paired in public consciousness for decades with your illustrious institutional neighbour “AGO” [Eh-gee-oh]. Did putting the “D” in your acronym to please any unhappy people in your Design Department really take priority over public and marketing recog- nition of your school as a whole? Your new acronym sort of rhymes with the acronym for our school, E.C.I.A.D., which stands for the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. You also seem to have inherited our former presi- dent (Hello there, Alan!) and our blueprints for classrooms over a parkade. The coincidences seem to be too strong to ignore the possibility of a conspiracy. What we have discovered in seeing our Administration attempt to raise the public profile of our school is that pronounc- ing the acronym “ECIAD” is too close to saying the phrase “icky ad”; it therefore lacks any clear association with notions of either art or (good) design. Who in their right mind wants to offer support to a place that describes itself as an “icky ad.” Do you see any problem with having an acronym for your school which sounds like “Oh God”. I wonder if Ontarians will be reluctant to say “OCAD” for fear of being perceived to take the Lord’s name in vain? Is the blaspheming faction at OCAD really in the driver's seat in the recent make-over of your school’s image? Or is your long established identity being erased by faceless bureaucrats? If so, what kind of decline in public support do you expect? Long live art! Harald Gravelsins, PoA Co-Facilitator Exchange Views A STRANGER IN THEIR MIDST Letter to the Emily Carr Student Newspaper: There is a stranger in our midst doing strange things at our venerable Ontario College of Art (and some- times Design). And rumour has it that you people at Emily Carr have the scoop on this fellow. If so, can you pass along any comments on how long we can expect him to stay here and what the limits are to his ambitions. He goes by the name Alan Barkley. And he seems to have grand delusions of being the fixer par excel- lence of art schools. Arbitrariness, disdain for existing successes, and personal monument building seem to make up his notion of what it means to fix an art school. Some examples. Alan decided that a perfectly good student art gallery wasn’t living up to its full potential. His solution? Put a multiple-cup coffee franchise into the space. No matter that there was already a strip of cafes and restaurants directly across the street from OCAD. Now instead of student art on display we have a litter of cheap plastic tables and chairs to look at. To Alan, this seems to be the incarnation of beauty. Another example. Letting our magnificent 100+ year-old Stewart Building crumble despite widespread interest in maintaining it. Perhaps Alan wants the opportunity to play the architect with the site after a period of ‘deconstructivism.’ And then there is the disappear- ance of our school’s auditorium. It was retrofitted into classroom space — in the summer months of course when no one was around to question Alan’s pians. As far as cultivating a base of support, Alan is no fool. He seems to lavish attention on our first year stu- - dents. The only explanation that makes sense is that he believes first year students have not been corrupt- ed by memories of the Pre-Alan Era. Hence Alan’s expropriation of class- room space for first year courses. After four years, given the natural turnover of students, all OCAD stu- dents will be loyal to the new leader. And no one will think that an art school president should consult widely, listen carefully, and make himself available to people to express their concerns. And then will we all be strangers to each other? Sincerely, DC Hillier OCADSU Publications Director Holger Opts by Harald Gravelsins Gen X’ers fce employ ment at Mobs athe than in Caley esters! McSchook? Hoge Hermann hata he toys ithe wed nlvre: re Macca Computer the sanne, the ding ‘stare And of cous erode toe ier eorracton tectonic Cormniation Design students woul ecogie Holgers toysas puto the base ECD ht And Holger was an ECD student at Ely Corel ate een tc for into tke eee oremeceeeentee thtography Department having Switched mara the end of the Sener sper of hs teams forthe sth, ot wartng to is fence to his former ECD coleague, nels more sisted now, He totes ts San station to finding atte expreion inthe po- dhcton of ages tat beg wth is nm cratve colon. Tit Fpl’ Blog he person king the eae hot dong someting {omneone e's pets a gta eee Folge’ choice to use cavera snd datroom tecnclogy sto and Fixin’ Up The Carr few years ago, Film/Video was threatened by closure, and ast year, “Animation students almost had to forego thee inal projects because ll the equipment was breaking down, All ofthese problems were due to Tack of funding ‘The Student Services and Dean's office renovations succeeded in joining together ofices and Petsonne! ina way that is Bound to ferve students beter: both areas are Row more open and visible to the publi. Deans Secretay Sue Geddes dei, “itl take some geting used to, but t's good to have all the deans ‘And so, it seems, that with this summers renovations, Bfad ha et tochind his mark at Emily Car: the renovations are sor of okay, and they kindof recede into the background. 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INCE Her nae Co ee ce eae | ede Coe noe Sing decease ee | nate Meee ee oe cee pi er epee am pec ie Bee ee espe cutie en A eerie ot Saditashem aseseror a ‘machines were coming up for sale. | PoA Co-Faciltator areal tabaci papas exe ‘What worried Holger was that the Buyers among Emily Carr students, Sincerely, Carr And the price was such a steal However, the disposal of the thot Holger thought he should find machines a auction conforms to ‘out whether they had been stolen, _rovincil regulations. emily Carrs Facies Department _ Glen receptive to ensuring that AG (@ assured him thatthe enlargers had people at Emily Carr get a crack at been sent to Love's Auctions follow. Picking up future equipment disp. (a) ing prescribed rules and procedures, 8 appropriate policy changes are So he was not dealing with hot prop- made and the resources provided to ony. implement these policies. "We need Holger was able to quichy se better communication.” two ofthe enlarges, and kept one Holger reports being very happy me fortis ounase ewes pou siezoo with a Ns newly acquired darkzoomn = land studio hardware