2018 MFA Digital Media & Design Exhibition
Opening Reception
Thurs, May 3, 5:00 - 8:00 pm
Exhibit Dates
May 4 - May 14, 2018
Mon - Fri, 10 am - 4 pm, and prior to most performances
Jorgensen Gallery
Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts
2132 Hillside Road
On the UConn campus in storrs, CT
ABOUT THE EXHIBIT
This exhibition features thesis work by the Digital Media & Design Department's MFA class of 2018 in a variety of digital media, including filmmaking, interactive music, gaming and web design.
This exhibit is free of charge and open to the public.
About the DMD MFA Program: The Master of Fine Arts in Digital Media & Design is a customized, two year graduate program where students work closely with dedicated faculty in the development of their own independent creative practice. UConn's Digital Media & Design Department operates at the intersection of art, technology, industry, and science. The program offers students the opportunity to intensely pursue advanced education and research in their specific area of expertise or in an interdisciplinary capacity drawing from more than one area within the digital media space. As part of the School of Fine Arts, DMD faculty and students collaborate with the departments of Music, Dramatic Arts, and Art & Art History and also have the opportunity to engage in collaborative projects with creative research and industry partners. Learn more at https://dmd.uconn.edu
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PARTICIPATING ARTISTS
PATRICK BELANGER
Statement: Virtual Reality can feel very isolating. Putting on a headset can shut out the rest of the world. The intention of Nova Swarm is to break that isolation and create a local VR experience fun for multiple people by allowing players outside of VR to play with the person in VR. Nova Swarm is an experiment in asymmetrical gameplay and creates a party game with a medium for which party games aren’t typically made.
Bio: Patrick Belanger is a game designer and programmer dedicated to creating games that are engaging, quirky, thoughtful, and inclusive. After earning a BS in Computer Science at UConn, he continued on to get a MFA in Digital Media & Design with a focus on Game Design. When not creating games, he can often be found singing and creating music.
RYAN FREELAND
Statement: Novana is a modern fairytale for the millennial generation: a story meant to simplify and explain the coming-of-age in one’s career rather than in-life. My goal was to convey the universal phenomenon of choosing between one’s dream and one’s reality and the fear that can sometimes force that decision.
Bio: Ryan Freeland is a recent MFA and BFA graduate of UConn’s Digital Media & Design program and has a background in animation, film, writing, and good improv comedy. Whatever the medium, above all else, Ryan is a storyteller. When not huddled over a laptop destroying his eyesight and posture, Ryan can be found performing with his comedy team The Elder Statesmen, training for a road race, or teaching.
NEDA GHADERI
Statement: The Heart is an interactive animated website that shows all the functions of the heart as an animation that happens by clicking/scrolling of the users. It provides a great way to learn, and have fun at the same time, about our heart. It will especially help students to understand STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) concepts.
Bio: Prior to earning a MFA in Digital Media & Design, Neda Ghaderi earned a BA in Painting from Isfahan Bozorgmehr higher Education Institute in Iran. She has a strong background in illustration, graphic design, motion graphics, and 3D modeling. In addition to her explorations in visual design, she is working on a series of storyteller websites arond her passion for biology and health issues.
RYAN GLISTA
Statement: Opening Night and Let’s Be Friends represent a model of independent filmmaking in which the editor serves as composer. I composed the original score for each film in tandem with the pre-production and production process, and designed an editing workflow in which music cutting and cues are completed during the picture edit.
Bio: Ryan Glista is a filmmaker, composer, and digital media producer. He earned a BA in Individualized Program (Film) and an MFA in Digital Media & Design from UConn. Ryan has worked as video producer in partnership with many local arts and music programs. He is also the founder and president of the UConn Film Club, teaching cinema production and leading teams of undergraduate students in producing short films.
KEVIN RICHETELLI
Statement: Cityscape is an interactive experience using MIDI instruments and animation. It is designed for the individual music artist that plays live or wants to improvise a song that is already programmed in their DAW system and wants to add animations to enhance their performance.
Bio: Kevin Richetelli is a UConn graduate with both a MFA and BFA in Digital Media & Design. He has a strong background in motion graphics, music production and interactive experiences. He creates visual effects that excite others by expanding their minds into a world they may not have considered. Being a lifelong learner, he strives to grow, create, and design work collaboratively. He works every day to be the best he can be.
