Michael Mohan: Filmmaker

On October 28, 2010 LA Filmmaker Michael Mohan visited the Visual Design Inquiry Group. He showed his work, and gave a lecture, and there was an informal Q + A afterward. Here are some highlights from the visit.

Michael talks about the music videos he's directed for Minus the Bear, Fitz and the Tantrums, and Hot Hot Heat.

Informal Q + A discussion with students. Michael talks about his experiences working with well-known stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Robert Downey Junior, and Kanye West.

Advice to students on working with clients:

1. Earn people's trust.
2. Embrace limitations.

3. Being naive can be your biggest asset.

4. You never know.

5. No bad ideas, only bad listeners.

6. Prepare as much as you can, knowing you'll never be 100% prepared.

Stephanie Grey: Design for the Senses

On Oct. 21st Stephanie Grey gave a lecture and workshop called “Design for the Senses.” The workshop presented unique ways for the students to engage with the design process via the five senses: sight, sound, touch, taste and smell.

Stephanie invites the students to interact with her thesis document, a tactile experience as the book is built from varied materials.

Stephanie’s workshop involved blindfolding the students, and giving them each an object to decipher through one or two of the five senses.

deCordova Museum

Two Big Black Hearts, 1985,
bronze, by artist Jim Dine

The deCordova Museum, located in Lincoln, Massachusetts, is absolutely enchanting. It is the largest sculpture museum in New England, featuring an outdoor sculpture park with many site-specific works. The park contains mostly modern and contemporary works of art. Some of the pieces are meant to be interacted with, and use a variety of mediums—from stacks of newspapers to recycled metal products. Viewers are invited to come within close proximity of the works, creating a personal experience. All the sculptures prohibit walking, standing, or climbing, but you are able to touch them with your hands. The outdoor sculpture field occupies 35 acres of scenic land. A walk around the park is truly surreal. The deCordova provides an incredibly genius artistic presentation of its outdoor collection.

VDIG poses amongst OZYMANDIAS, 2009,  
wood, paint, steel, by artist Douglas Kornfeld

Inside the museum there was an exhibit titled “Rubbers” by artist Martha Friedman. The work is all rubber and focuses on tongues and organic objects. Another exhibit is Leonardo Drew’s “Existed.” This exhibit concentrates on creation, decay, and regeneration. The medium consists primarily of rusted objects. I now know I can always visit the deCordova for inspiration.

Students interact with The Musical Fence, 1980, by artist Paul Matisse

Posing with Male Baseball #1, 2009, bronze
and chrome, by artist Yoram Wolberger