Unfortunately, most people are not familiar with one of the major programs in the UA’s School of Art. That program is visual communication, and it brings together creativity and commercialization.
Visual communication, commonly known as viscom, is a category in the school of fine arts and students must present a portfolio to get into the program. Viscom is about commercialized art, such as the Coca-Cola logo.
When somebody needs something sold, visual communicators or graphic designers make something to help the product sell.
“”In visual communications, we use art to convey ideas. It’s based on problem solving for the visual world. If somebody wants a logo design or annual report or poster communicating an event or business, that’s what our students are trained to do,”” said Jackson Boelts, a school of art professor. Boelts helped organize the event with Val Lehnerd, a student in the program.
There are around 125 students in the department and those students entered between 300 and 500 pieces. From those, only about 100 were chosen for the exhibit.
The judges picked the best work by the students, and the work is hanging in the Lionel Rombach Gallery until May 20.
“”This is a chance for the students to get some recognition for all of their hard work and something they can list in their portfolio and or resume for future employment,”” Lehnerd said.
Judges for the show are all accomplished in the graphic design community. They include Kit Hinrichs, a graphic designer at Pentagram in San Francisco, illustrator Natalie Ascencios, and Dan McElhattan, an illustrator and designer in Las Vegas and a UA alumnus.
“”The combination of lecture and exhibition, along with the outside judges, makes our visual communication program strong,”” Boelts said.
Visual communication is more than just fusing the commercial world and art world together.
Although not all the work entered will be chosen, the exhibition will be a glimpse of what life will be like after graduation for a graphic designer.
“”We try to make it like what the real world will be like. Not everything will get in and be exhibited,”” Boelts said.
The Lionel Rombach Gallery is located between the Museum of Art and the Center for Creative Photography. The Gallery is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 12 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
