CalArts Collaborates

Students at CalArts collaborated with WRI to create a series of innovative informational projects


The class CalArts Collaborates: Design for Non-Profit Partners teamed students and faculty from CalArts’ Graphic Design Program, Program in Film and Video, and Character and Experimental Animation Programs.


Student Presentations


“Recipe for Action” by Yoo Jung Hong and Makena Janssen

Yoo Jung Hong (Film/Video BFA 22) and Makena Janssen (Art MFA 22) reframe the ocean as a tasty solution to the climate crisis in "Recipe for Action." The pair explore an upheaval of the food system by adopting a more sea-based diet, as depicted in a colorful narrative animation created with 3D puppets and sets made of masking tape. "Recipe for Action" can also be found on Instagram (@recipeforaction), which features a feed of hand-drawn infographics from sources emphasizing sustainability.


“IndigGarb” by Lorelei Acuña and Avery Jagre

To counter the gargantuan waste generated by the fashion and textile industries, Lorelei Acuña (Film/Video BFA 22) and Avery Jagre (Art BFA 20) have crafted a plan to mobilize the art and design community through "IndiGarb." The project, which involves a fashion line of upcycled garments, reflects a growing movement to abandon fast fashion in favor of more socially conscious alternatives.


“Meow Chow” by Aaron Holmes and Naveen Hattis

In "Meow Chow," Naveen Hattis (Art MFA 21) and Aaron Holmes (Film/Video MFA 21) seek to expose pet food's connection to illegal fishing and associated human rights violations. The pair harnessed the power of social media, meme culture, and culture jamming to spread awareness of this significant yet little-known issue.


“The Drop Project” by Hannah Saidiner, Eleonora Stella Oei, and Jessica Peng

Everyday activism is at the heart of "The Drop Project," a collaborative project by Hannah Saidiner (Film/Video BFA 21), Jessica Peng (Art BFA 20), and Eleonora Stella Oei (Film/Video BFA 21). Through a gamified habit-changing mobile app and an animated minute-long PSA, the trio seek to empower youths wanting to make a positive change.


Watch the Video of the Webinar

Webinar: Arts and Activism for a Sustainable Ocean Economy

Presented by World Resources Institute (WRI) and California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)

The ocean is the life source of our planet and vital for healthy human societies and a thriving world economy. Over-fishing, marine pollution, and climate change threaten to undermine the environmental health and economic vitality of the ocean unless we take urgent action. To address these issues, students at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) collaborated with World Resources Institute (WRI) to create a series of innovative informational projects.

During the 2019-20 academic year, the class CalArts Collaborates: Design for Non-Profit Partners teamed students and faculty from CalArts’ Graphic Design Program, Program in Film and Video, and Character and Experimental Animation Programs.

With the goal of engaging a young global audience, students developed materials informed by Blue Papers commissioned by the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, for which WRI serves as the Secretariat. Results ranged from upcycled apparel and a habit-changing app to a multimedia campaign exposing illegal fishing practices and an Instagram-based approach to promote sustainable seafood.


Speakers

  • Abigail Severance, Dean, School of Film/Video, CalArts
  • Andrew Steer, President & CEO, WRI
  • Kristian Teleki, Director, Sustainable Ocean Initiative, WRI
  • Maureen Furniss, Program Director, Experimental Animation, CalArts
  • Ravi Rajan, President, CalArts
  • Tim Disney, Chair, CalArts Board of Trustees; Member, WRI’s Global Leadership Council
  • Tracie Costantino, Provost, CalArts
  • Yasmin Khan Gibson, Program Director, Graphic Design Program, CalArts

 


About WRI

World Resources Institute is a global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity and human well-being.

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CalArts Collaborates

Learn More about CalArts Collaborates: Design for Nonprofit Partners in The Pool, CalArts’ alumni magazine.

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