Pratt Institute

Pratt Institute

Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design, Industrial Design, Fashion Design, Jewelry Design, Illustration, Interior Design, Digital Arts, Creative Writing, Library and Information Science, and other areas. Pratt is named one of the best design schools in the world by Bloomberg Businessweek and a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD), a consortium of 36 leading private art schools in the United States.

Pratt Institute Rankings

• GRAPHIC DESIGN SCHOOL RANKING
• TOP 100 FINE ARTS COLLEGE RANKING IN 2010

Schools and Colleges of Pratt Institute

• Architecture
• Art & Design
• School of Information & Library Science
• Liberal Arts & Sciences

Pratt Institute Tuition and Fees

2011-2012 Tuition and Fees

Undergraduate Tuition

• 1-11 Undergraduate Credits: $1,210.00 per credit
• 12-18 Undergraduate Credits: $37,500.00 annually
• 19+ Undergraduate Credits: $37,500.00 plus $1,210.00 per credit in excess of 18 credits

Graduate Tuition

• Graduate Credits: No flat rate: $1,338.00 per credit
• Graduate School of Library and Information Science: No flat rate: $1,075.00 per credit

2011-2012 Fees

Fees vary according to program.

Academic Facilities Fees
Undergraduate and Graduate Students

• Full-time  (Fall and Spring) $340.00 Per semester
• Part-time (Fall and Spring) $185.00 Per semester
• Summer Term All Students $185.00 Per semester

Technology Fee
Undergraduate and Graduate Students

• Full-time (Fall and Spring)   $265.00 Per semester
• Part-time (Fall and Spring)  $135.00 Per semester
• Summer Term All Students $135.00 Per semester

Student Health Services Fee (Mandatory Fee that is not the same as Student Health Insurance)
Undergraduate and Graduate Students

• Full-time (Fall and Spring)  $165.00 Per semester
• Part-time (Fall and Spring)  $85.00 Per semester

Student Activities Fee
Undergraduate Students

• Full-time (Fall and Spring)  $135.00 Per semester
• Part-time (Fall and Spring) $80.00 Per semester

Graduate Students

• Full-Time (Fall and Spring)  $100.00 Per semester
• Part-Time (Fall and Spring) $80.00 Per Semester
• International Students (Full and Part-Time)    $60.00 Per semester  ( Fall and Spring)

Health Insurance Fee 2011-2012
$859.00 Per SEMESTER

Shop Saftey Course

• $100.00 Flat fee in addition to all other charges.

Architecture Shop Fees

• $60.00 Annually

Digital Arts Fees

• All 100/200/300 Level Courses $40.00 per course
• All 400/500 Level Courses $50.00 per course
• All 600 level Courses $60.00 per course

Pratt Institute News

• Industrial Design Students Collaborate with Herman Miller on Furniture that Promotes Well-Being
  Undergraduate and graduate industrial design students from Pratt Institute, who participated in an intensive, year-long collaboration with Herman Miller to design furniture that promotes physical and mental well-being, will present an exhibition of work as part of the 24th annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) from May 19-22, 2012, at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center at 655 West 34th Street in Manhattan. Pratt was one of six international design schools selected to exhibit at this year's show by GLM, the producer and manager of the ICFF. This is the fourth consecutive year that Pratt was selected to exhibit. Pratt's booth number is 1267. �The Pratt and Herman Miller collaboration, themed "Body and Mind," kicked off in September 2011, when students from Mark Goetz (B.I.D. '86) and Tim Richartz's (B.I.D. '86) graduate and undergraduate furniture design studios were presented with the challenge to create designs that balance body and mind in ways that potentially increase health benefits and elevate mood and productivity while providing a greater degree of personal satisfaction from the user experience. The theme was conceived by Pratt ICFF lead faculty advisor Goetz and design directors at Herman Miller. The nine most successful projects by 11 Pratt students will be on display at the fair as selected by a team of esteemed designers from Pratt and Herman Miller. � "The premise of 'Body and Mind' encourages our students to go beyond conventional thinking and consider how their original ideas can have a real benefit to individuals physically, intellectually, and emotionally,"� stated Goetz."Working with Herman Miller, a leader in innovation, inspired our students to think bigger and to consider more of what is needed to improve the physical and mental well-being of individuals and their environment throughout the world," he added. � � Designs include: � ������� A chair design that links posture, physiology, and self-confidence by Scott Jones (M.I.D. '13) � ������� A stool design that fosters proper bone alignment and a stronger connection between the body and mind by Kelly Proscio (B.I.D. '12) � ������� A sculptural lighting project with motion sensors that allow the user to alter its form by William Bausback (B.I.D. '12) and Angela Lin (B.I.D. '12) � ������� A rocking lounge chair that functions as a cradle for adults that calms and refreshes their minds by Youju Rhee (B.I.D. '12) � ������� A rocking chair that helps to increase concentration by Melodi Bozkurt (B.I.D. '12) and Erin Turkoglu (B.I.D. '12) � ������� Furniture designs for seniors that are functionally and psychologically supportive by Andrea Brown (M.I.D '13) � ������� A modular shelving design that addresses the organizational needs of users to create a less stressful environment by Heidy Garay (M.I.D. '12) � ������� A modular project that encourages active engagement with one's cherished memories by Pete KL (M.I.D. '12) � ������� A chair design that promotes wellness by prompting the user to sit in the cross-legged position by Fahmida Lam (M.I.D. '13) � � During the fall semester, students developed their designs with the guidance of Gary Smith, director of design facilitation, Herman Miller, who traveled to Pratt's Brooklyn campus from Herman Miller headquarters in Holland, Michigan, to participate in mid-term and end-of-term reviews. At the conclusion of the term, the six students whose work showed the most potential for growth and development were selected to continue their projects with the assistance of Herman Miller. Three projects that were considered fully developed by Goetz, Richartz, and Smith, and completed on the undergraduate level, were selected for inclusion in Pratt's ICFF booth. � The six students, five graduate and one undergraduate, whose designs required additional exploration, were invited to visit Herman Miller headquarters in Holland, Michigan, in March 2012 for additional design input. While in Michigan, the students were provided a rare behind-the-scenes look at Herman Miller, that featured a tour of the facilities, including the company's research and development offices and factories. They learned about manufacturing, environmental, and healthcare considerations of the products, and saw such legendary designs as the Aeron� Chair, and Eames and Herman Miller Modern Classic products in production. The students also had the distinct opportunity of presenting to a panel of approximately 10 Herman Miller experts in the areas of engineering, health care, design development, ergonomics, manufacture, and material and color. The students presented their ideas for "Body and Mind," and returned to Brooklyn with expert input on how to capitalize on their ideas and finalize their designs.� � � This spring, Herman Miller assisted with some of the most technically-challenging projects to ensure that the designs were executed perfectly to fit the student's vision. They also sponsored the professional execution of the student designs to help them realize their vision without compromise. The result, to be displayed for the first time at ICFF, are the culmination of a year's worth of growth and insights into innovative designs that consider both the mind and body.� � � Each year GLM mounts the design schools' exhibitions, inviting the world's leading design academies and the brightest of the next generation to submit student work for juried review. In addition to Pratt, five colleges will participate including Art Center College of Design, Cranbrook Academy of Art, University of Lapland, University of Tokyo, and Virginia Tech.�� � � -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Pratt Institute's Department of Industrial Design: � Pratt Institute, an educational leader in art, design, and architecture, offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in industrial design. Pratt's industrial designers seek to be innovative and impactful in creating beautiful forms and products that express their vision as reflected by the people and culture of the times. Pratt's undergraduate and graduate industrial design programs are among the highest ranked in the country according to 2012 rankings by DesignIntelligence. The Industrial Design department is chaired by Steve Diskin and is part of Pratt Institute's School of Art and Design, which is led by Dean Concetta M. Stewart. � --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About ICFF: � ICFF is North America's singular showcase for contemporary design. More than 500 exhibitors will display contemporary furniture, seating, carpet and flooring, lighting, outdoor furniture, materials, wall coverings, accessories, textiles, and kitchen and bath for residential and commercial interiors, with over 25,000 visitors expected from around the world. � The fair is open to the trade Saturday, May 19, and Saturday, May 20 from 10 AM to 5 PM and Monday, May 21 from 9 AM to 6 PM and is open to the trade and general public on Tuesday, May 22, from 10 AM to 4 PM. For ticket information, please visit http://www.icff.com Pleas.e consult the ICFF guide upon arrival at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center for booth locations. � ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other displays at ICFF featuring work by Pratt students and recent alumni include: � � Model Citizen NYC's THE COLLECTIVE Booth #806 Model Citizens NYC introduces THE COLLECTIVE, a curated representation that connects independent and emerging designers with premier retailers to bring exclusive, limited editions, or new collections to the market seasonally. THE COLLECTIVE includes Pratt industrial design alumni David Kim and Mike Seto of Click Boom Pow.� � � Far Found Booth #801, IDSA Far Found is a collection of contemporary residential furniture imbued with the richness of far-off lands and cultures. Each line in the collection embraces and reflects the attitude, materials, and means of the place where it is made. The first line, the Viva Collection, was made entirely in Colombia's capital. Far Found is the latest project by a multi-cultural group of Pratt industrial design alumni that includes Stevenson Aung, Jason Hu, Mike Jozewicz, Sushir Kadidal, and Alvaro Uribe.�� � � � Additional Pratt alumni whose work will be shown at ICFF include Harry Allen, designer of such iconic objects as the Banana Bowl and Pig Bank, who plans to show new lighting and chair designs, and Charles Pollock, who designed the iconic Pollock Executive Chair and who will unveil his first new chair design in nearly 30 years at the Bernhardt Design booth. Also unveiling new work will be Cayce Becket and Gregory Horgan, partners in the Brooklyn-based design and furniture company Horgan Becket, and Jinsheng Wang of Wang, Jinsheng's Studio. � Other exhibitions in conjunction with ICFF featuring work by Pratt affiliates include: � The American Design Club (AmDC) Presents "Raw + Unfiltered" Heller Gallery 420 West 14th Street Public Hours are May 19-25, 11 AM to 6 PM Opening Reception: Sunday, May 20 at 6 PM "Raw + Unfiltered" tapped a select group of designers to showcase new work that highlights a material or process in its most natural, unfiltered state. The event is organized by the American Design Club, which counts Pratt alumnus Kiel Mead as its co-founder. Participating alumni designers include Gregory Buntain and Ian Collings of Fort Standard, Evan Dublin, Sara Ebert, Melissa Gamwell, Brendan Keim, Li-Rong Liao, Cat Merrick, Jason Pfaeffle, Biodidactic Raw/Andie Olive, and Professor Tim Richartz. To RSVP for the opening party, please email rsvp@americandesignclub.com. � Model Citizens NYC 2012 SOHO Exhibition 52 Mercer Street Manhattan Public Hours are May 19-21 from 10 AM to 7 PM daily Opening Reception: Saturday, May 19 from 5 to 8 PM Model Citizens NYC's fourth-annual design event will feature an exhibition and pop-up shop of work in a variety of art and design disciplines by over 80 independent and emerging designers, including many current Pratt students and alumni. Participating Pratt-affiliated designers include Tiffany Burnette, Margaret Cabanis-Wicht, Nina D'Amario, Julia Green Catering, Lara Knutson, Elizabeth New, Jin Ah Roe, and Daniel Stillman of Goldsmith. The event is founded and curated by Mika Braakman with assistance from sustainability consultant Kristina Drury, both of whom are graduates of Pratt's graduate industrial design program. The show will also feature an interactive installation, titled "Cosmic Quilt," by Brooklyn-based firm The Principals. (Charles Constantine and Drew Seskunas of The Principals are also graduates of Pratt's graduate industrial design program.) The event is open to the trade and the public. For more information, please contact info@modelcitizensnyc.com. � Wanted Design Terminal Stores/The Tunnel 11th Avenue and 28th Street, Manhattan May 19-21, 10 AM to 7 PM Opening Reception: May 19 from 7 to 10 PM Wanted Design is a creative platform that brings together designers, architects, craftsmen, editors, manufacturers, curators, and communication specialists to discuss and share exciting, inspiring, and innovative design and build relationships that result in new collaborations and projects. Participating Pratt alumni include Laurie Beckerman, Todd Bracher, Edward Hale, Martin Konrad Gloeckle, and David Kim and Mike Seto of Click Boom Pow. Also included will be a Pratt project, titled "Pop-Up Factory," by Katharine Coburn, Heidy Garay, James Killinger,Wyman Mastin, and Sarah von der Luft (all of whom graduated with M.I.D. degrees in 2012). The project is a collaborative effort to educate consumers to become aware of design and manufacturing systems. For more information on Wanted Design, please visit http://2012.wanteddesignnyc.com � -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Photos clockwise from left: Scott Jones's Poise chair, Pete KL's Memoro design, Heidy Garay's Aerate shelving unit,� Kelly Proscio's Atlas stool, Fahmida Lam's Sati Chair, and Melodi Bokurt and Erin Turkoglu's Lilliput stool. Photos credit: Kevin Kunstadt. Not pictured: William Bausback and Angela Lin's Omoi lighting project, Andrea Brown's Boom suite of home furniture for senior citizens, and Youju Rhee's Side-Rocking Lounge Chair.MEDIA CONTACT: � � Amy Aronoff at 718-636-3554 or aarono29@pratt.edu

• Pratt One of 10 Colleges and Universities to Receive Prestigious National Leadership Award
  Pratt Institute, one of the world's most prestigious independent colleges of art and design, was one of 10 colleges and universities nationally to be recognized with a Climate Leadership Award by Second Nature and the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). Pratt was recognized for its leadership role in creating the Partnership for Academic Leadership in Sustainability (PALS), which has brought together 30 independent colleges of art and design and three state universities from across North America to integrate sustainability into academic programs. PALS was founded by Debera Johnson, executive director, Center for Sustainable Design Studies (CSDS), Pratt Institute.� � � The awards are presented to ACUPCC signatory colleges that demonstrate unparalleled campus innovation and climate leadership that helps transition society to a clean, just, and sustainable future. The winners of these awards were among 20 finalists chosen by Second Nature's board. The 10 recipients represent the diversity of institutions of higher education and are located throughout the United States. All winners will be recognized in an award ceremony with their peer institutions at the ACUPCC Climate Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. on June 21 and 22.���� � � "These institutions are leading the way for the academic community by demonstrating how sustainable practices can be put into place on campus that have a long-term impact on creating a sustainable society for the benefit of all," said Dr. Anthony D. Cortese, president of Second Nature. "They have all shown tremendous creativity and an unrelenting commitment to integrate sustainable practices into their campuses and society as a whole." � Second Nature is the lead supporting organization of the ACUPCC, an agreement between nearly 700 colleges and universities to promote sustainability through teaching and action. � Pratt is being recognized for the PALS initiative, a five-year commitment that began in 2010 and that brings together an active cohort of presidents, provosts, deans, and faculty members from colleges of art and design in a collaborative effort to link resources around critical environmental and social issues to ensure that graduates are prepared to meet the critical challenges facing the world. A goal of the partnership is to host inter-institutional studio classes that connect the schools' intellectual resources and expand the network of each student upon graduation.�� � � "Creating this partnership of 33 colleges and universities leverages our collective knowledge," said Johnson. "We're reducing our costs while increasing the academic value and developing new relationships between our faculty and students," she added. � In 2007, Pratt's President Thomas F. Schutte became one of the first signatories of the ACUPCC and that same year accepted Mayor Bloomberg's 30/10 Challenge to reduce greenhouse gases by 30 percent by 2017, which is the central goal of the Institute's climate action plan. This commitment resulted in the creation of the Center for Sustainable Design Studies and Research (CSDS), an educational resource for sustainable best practices. The CSDS also operates the Pratt Design Incubator for Sustainable Innovation, which currently supports 12 start-up businesses and a design extension program that helps local industries reduce their climate footprint. � Pratt's leadership and commitment to support sustainability was further underscored in January 2012 when it opened a new six-story, 120,000-square-foot green academic and administrative facility, named Myrtle Hall, to house the college's Department of Digital Arts as well as several administrative offices. The building serves as a physical manifestation of Pratt's commitment to sustainable design education. � Since 2010 Pratt has been cited as one of the country's most environmentally responsible colleges by The Princeton Review in its Guide to Green Colleges. The guide notes that Pratt's "reputation as a prestigious art school makes it an obvious choice for students interested in green design, and its urban campus provides a unique challenge for putting green design into practice."��� � � Please see below for the full list of 2012 Climate Leadership Award Winners. � Allegheny College, Pa. Arizona State University, Ariz. Austin Community College District, Texas Florida Gulf Coast University, Fla. � Haywood Community College, N.C.�� Luther College, Iowa Pratt Institute and PALS, N.Y. University of California System, Calif. University of Central Missouri, Miss. � University of South Florida, Fla. � � MEDIA CONTACTS: � � Pratt Institute � Amy Aronoff at 718-636-3554 or aarono29@pratt.edu � � ACUPCC: Andrew Graham at 646-385-0189 or agraham@thesalakgroup.com�

• Pratt Honors Ai Weiwei, Santiago Calatrava, Kathryn C. Chenault, and Phillippe de Montebello
  Pratt Institute honored 1,407 bachelor's and master's degree candidates during its 123rd Commencement at 2 PM on Wednesday, May 9, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The Institute also awarded honorary degrees to contemporary artist, curator, and social, political, and cultural critic Ai Weiwei, who accepted his honorary degree via a video presentation; architect, engineer, and artist Santiago Calatrava; patron of the arts and education Kathryn C. Chenault, Esq.; and Director Emeritus, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Fiske Kimball Professor, Institute of Fine Arts, NYU, Philippe de Montebello. Santiago Calatrava delivered this year's Commencement remarks. � � �Ai's doctor of fine arts degree was conferred in recognition of his numerous achievements as an artist and as an activist. Calatrava's doctor of fine arts degree was conferred in recognition of his achievements as an architect, artist, and engineer. Chenault's doctor of humane letters degree was conferred in recognition of her influential role in supporting the arts, educational scholarships, and in bringing greater public awareness to the welfare of young people. De Montebello's doctor of humane letters degree was conferred in recognition of his expertise in fine arts and achievements as the director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. � � For the third time in Pratt's Commencement history, graduates received diplomas on stage at Radio City Music Hall. Radio City is the largest indoor theater in the world; more than 300 million visitors have been entertained and thrilled by performances held in its interior, which received city landmark status more than 30 years ago.��� � In his commencement remarks, Calatrava urged graduates to "...remember how it was before the computer era. Today we live in the epoch of the computer. The computer has revolutionized every aspect of the way in which we live and work and will continue to do so in ways we can only guess. But we must keep in mind that the computer is only a tool, like the chisel, the brush, or the pencil." � In accepting his honorary degree, de Montebello remarked, "Happily, I can now dedicate myself to teaching, not about the container where I've spent the last 45 years, also quite happily, but about the contents, the works of art; this is most rewarding; indeed, it seems almost an indulgence. And lastly, quite satisfying also, is the experience of that basic difference between those two worlds, the museum and the academy, where in the latter--and here I express a truism--it is the student who provides the deepest reward: one of an individual, singular nature, as opposed to the museum's rather more amorphous gratification, as it is found in millions of visitors, literally, although to think one has provided them with both pleasure and instruction, is also deeply fulfilling." Biographies of the 2012 Pratt Institute Commencement Honorees One of China's most influential cultural figures, Ai Weiwei is a contemporary artist, curator, and social, political, and cultural critic, who was arrested in 2011 while attempting to travel to Hong Kong. After an international outcry, Ai was released but forbidden from leaving Beijing, where he remains today. Born in Beijing in 1957, Ai came to New York in 1981, where he created conceptual art by altering ready-made objects. He returned to Beijing in 1993 and began a series of projects that proved critical to the development of experimental art in China. Often employing his country's cultural artifacts by way of destruction and manipulation, his work represents and addresses China's traditions. In 1999, Ai moved to Caochangdi on the outskirts of Beijing, China, where he built and opened his studio FAKE Design. In addition to being known for his frank and witty artwork, Ai has also drawn attention for his political activism. His outspokenness has resulted in frequent run-ins with Chinese authorities. In 2009, after his "Citizens' Investigation" project, which researched and published information about students who died in the 2008 Sichuan province earthquake, Ai sustained a head injury during an altercation with police. Ai's work has been exhibited in Australia, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, and the United States, and has also been commissioned by the Tate Modern in London. He was a speaker at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in 2006 and a runner-up for TIME magazine's Person of the Year in 2011. His numerous awards and honors include The Wall Street Journal's Innovator of the Year Award and The Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation Award for Courage. Santiago Calatrava's name has been most closely associated with his celebrated designs of bridges and transportation centers built throughout the world. Highlights of his work include designs for The Milwaukee Art Museum in Wisconsin (2001), the Athens Olympic Sports Complex (2004), the Light Rail Train Bridge in Jerusalem (2007), the Quarto Ponte sul Canal Grande in Venice (2008), the Li�ge-Guillemins TGV Railway Station in Belgium (2009), the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge in Dallas (2012), and the Peace Bridge in Calgary (2012). He is currently working on a variety of design and construction projects throughout the world including The World Trade Center Transportation Hub in New York City; the Margaret McDermott Bridge in Dallas; Citt� dello Sport, Rectorate and Campus Master Plan for Roma II University in Tor Vergata, Italy; and Yuan Ze University in Taiwan. � � Kathryn C. Chenault, Esq. has devoted the past several years to supporting educational institutions, health care organizations, and the arts. A former practicing attorney, Chenault currently serves on the boards of the NYU School of Law, Tufts University, the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Hospital for Special Surgery, and the Municipal Arts Society. She has also had an active role in supporting the Harlem Children's Zone, the Abyssinian Development Corporation, and currently serves as a member of the International Council of The Museum of Modern Art. Her tireless commitment to the welfare of young people is often demonstrated through her support of numerous scholarship funds and her development of mentoring programs with diverse educational institutions. In 2008, Philippe de Montebello retired after 31 years as the longest-serving director in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's 140-year-long history. Under de Montebello's leadership, The Metropolitan Museum nearly doubled in size, vastly increasing its exhibition space.The Metropolitan also acquired significant collections and individual masterpieces, mounted acclaimed international loan exhibitions, developed wide-reaching educational programs, and reinstalled much of its permanent collections in new and refurbished galleries. In 2008, the curators of The Metropolitan Museum paid homage to de Montebello's tenure by mounting an unprecedented tribute exhibition of some 300 works of art that entered the collections under his leadership, titled "The Philippe de Montebello Years: Curators Celebrate Three Decades of Acquisitions." Following his retirement, de Montebello became the first scholar in residence at the Prado Museum in Madrid, and he launched a new academic career as the first Fiske Kimball Professor in the History and Culture of Museums at the Institute of Fine Arts of New York University; he is also a special advisor for NYU's Abu Dhabi campus. De Montebello is the television co-host with Paula Zahn of the WNET/PBS weekly culture series NYCArts. He also serves as special advisor to the Leon Levy Foundation. In 2008, he was elected to the board of trustees of the Mus�e d'Orsay in Paris and, in 2012, was elected honorary trustee of the Prado Museum in Madrid. In 2003, President G.W. Bush awarded de Montebello the National Medal of the Arts and in 2009, President of the United States Barack Obama awarded him the National Medal of the Humanities. De Montebello is the only the fourth person to have received both the U.S. National Medal of the Arts and the National Medal of the Humanities. He is Officier de la L�gion d'Honneur and Officier des Arts et des Lettres; Knight Commander, Pontifical Order of St. Gregory the Great; Orden de Isabella la Cat�lica, Encomienda de Num�ro; Japan's Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star; Commendatore, Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy; and Officier de l'Ordre de L�opold, Royaume de Belgique. In 1996, de Montebello was declared a Living Landmark by New York City's Landmarks Commission.�From left to right: Santiago Calatrava giving the 2012 Pratt Institute Commencement remarks; two students from Pratt Institute's Class of 2012 outside of Radio City Music Hall; Ai Weiwei accepting his doctor of fine arts honorary degree via a video presentation; Santiago Calatrava, Pratt President Thomas F. Schutte, Kathryn C. Chenault, Esq., and Philippe de Montebello. Photo credits: Ren� Perez������� � MEDIA CONTACT: Kate Unver at 718-230-6847 or kunver@pratt.edu

• Sold Out Runway Show Wows Audience with Stunning Collections by Graduating Fashion Design Students
  Pratt Institute's senior class of fashion designers wowed industry professionals and press attendees with their stunning looks for women and men at the Pratt Institute Fashion Show on Thursday, April 26, 2012 at Center548 in Manhattan. Calvin Klein, who was on hand to present the Pratt Institute Fashion Industry Lifetime Achievement Award to industry pioneer Fern Mallis told Women's Wear Daily that the student designers were "gifted" and that he was very impressed with their "inventive, cohesive, and beautifully made" designs. �One outstanding graduating senior in Pratt's fashion design program, Kelsey Carleen Parkhouse, was recognized with the inaugural "Liz Claiborne Award - Concept to Product," which is a $25,000 award funded by the Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg Foundation that will support the student's creative entrepreneurial activities and will help cover the costs of developing a collection to show during New York Fashion Week. Parkhouse's award-winning sportswear collection, which was inspired by American quilting and the Grand Canyon, expertly married the folksy and the sophisticated. Two graduating seniors, Meredith Lyon and Kate Wilkoff, were selected to compete in the annual Supima Design Competition, which will be held during New York Fashion Week. Lyon's sportswear collection was a cheeky, pop art take on anti-smoking propaganda that employed print and sheer fabrics, while Wilkoff's collection of eveningwear was soft, feminine, and flowing in dyed chiffons and satin. Funding for the 2012 Pratt Fashion Show was awarded in part through a competitive grant presented to Pratt Institute by the Importer Support Program of the Cotton Board and managed by Cotton Incorporated. The 2012 Pratt Fashion Show featured the best work by 17 graduating seniors from Pratt's Department of Fashion Design. The collections shown on the runway were pre-selected by a panel of industry experts and press and spanned several categories of fashion. One of the most prestigious colleges for art, design, and architecture in the world, Pratt Institute is home to the first fashion-design program in the United States. The department is chair be Jennifer Minniti, and is part of Pratt Institute School of Art and Design, which is led by Dean Concetta M. Stewart. Pratt Institute held a glamorous cocktail benefit in honor of Mallis at PH-D Rooftop Lounge at Dream Downtown in Manhattan immediately following the show. The cocktail benefit was hosted by Pratt President Thomas F. Schutte. The Pratt Institute fashion show and cocktail benefit have generated over $300,000 since 2011. Proceeds from ticket sales from both events benefit student scholarships and Pratt Institute's Department of Fashion Design.� � Fern Mallis, creator of New York Fashion Week, former executive director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), and former senior vice president of IMG Fashion, was honored with the Pratt Institute Fashion Industry Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented by Calvin Klein following a star-studded video salute to Mallis that featured designers Stan Herman, Betsey Johnson, Bibhu Mouapatra, Yeohlee Teng, Chris Benz, John Varvatos, Peter Som, Tracy Reese, Brandon Sun, Catherine Malandrino, Ralph Rucci, Norma Kamali, Phillip Bloch, Dennis Basso, Jeffrey Banks, and Issac Mizrahi; celebrity stylist Robert Verdi; Jane Hertzmark Hudis, president, Estee Lauder; Steven Kolb, CEO, CFDA; Alina Cho, anchor, CNN; Nicole Fischelis, vice president, fashion director, Macy's; and Terron Schaefer, vice president, Saks Fifth Avenue. Special guests included Ivan Bart, senior vice president, IMG; Hamish Bowles, international editor at large, Vogue; Stan Herman, former president, Council of Fashion Designers of America; Cathy Horyn, fashion critic, The New York Times; Steven Kolb, CEO, Council of Fashion Designers of America; Ralph Pucci, president, Ralph Pucci International; Jason Sheftell, award-winning New York Daily News real estate columnist and television host; Stephanie Wolkoff, fashion director, Lincoln Center; and designers Jeffrey Banks, Dennis Basso, Maggie Norris, Brandon Sun, Vivenne Tam, and Yeohlee Teng. Before bestowing the Pratt Institute Fashion Industry Lifetime Achievement Award on Mallis, Klein said: "Fern, as you know, has made an important contribution to the fashion industry, that few people could be capable of. You really have to be built for this kind of thing. A lesser person might have run from buildings screaming." He went on to praise Fern for her steadfastness and good humor in her work. Klein continued: "Fern Mallis is just an incredibly lovable force of nature with a huge heart, and we owe her so much." Mallis held back tears after accepting the award from Klein, saying "Thank you, Calvin. Being acknowledged here tonight, and receiving this special award, is really more than I can really absorb. But having you here to present it to me is an honor that means more to me than you will ever know." She thanked him for his friendship throughout the years, opening the doors to many of her career milestones. She joked of Calvin: "Tonight you are the cherry on the sundae, which I swear I will stop eating," and went on to thank her many friends and family, including her sister Stephanie, a Pratt alumna, for supporting her and for encouraging her future successes. She also advised the graduating fashion design students from Pratt of the following: "Remember my mantra. Be nice. At the end of the day people will choose to do business with the people that are nice. The ones they actually like." The show, including the award presentations, is available for viewing in its entirely via Pratt's YouTube site.� � Mallis is one of a long list of prestigious honorees celebrated by Pratt in recent years. Hamish Bowles, Vogue's European editor at large was honored last year following Catherine Malandrino in 2010, Ralph Rucci in 2009, Carmen Marc Valvo in 2008, Narciso Rodriguez in 2007, and Diane von Furstenberg in 2006. Cotton Incorporated, funded by U.S. growers of upland cotton and importers of cotton and cotton textile products, is the research and marketing company representing upland cotton. The Program is designed and operated to improve the demand for and profitability of cotton.� �Photos from Left: Fern Mallis accepting her Pratt Institute Fashion Industry Lifetime Achievement Award from Calvin Klein, Kelsy Carleen Parkhouse (left) and model, Kate Wilkoff (right) and model, and Meredith Lyon (right) and model. All photos Courtesy of Patrick McMullan Company except image on left Courtesy Joshua Wong. MEDIA CONTACT: Amy Aronoff at 718-636-3554 or aarono29@pratt.edu

• Longtime Director of Career and Development Offers Top Job Hunting Tips for Graduating Students
  With the close of the 2011-2012 school year, Judy Nylen, longtime director of Pratt Institute's Career and Professional Development Office, offers her top job hunting tips to graduating art, design, and architecture students, reflects on what's changed for job seekers, and how to find a job in New York City. Nylen, who will retire this year, has worked at Pratt for 40 years. Nylen's advice is especially relevant to New York City graduates given a recent report published by the Center for an Urban Future, which posited that New York City graduates twice as many students in design and architecture as any other U.S. city at 4,278, compared to the city with the second most graduates, Los Angeles, at 1,769, according to 2010 figures. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Judy Nylen's Top Job Hunting Tips The first two tips are easy when you are in New York City since few cities have such easy access to "industry neighborhoods" and participants in the creative economy. Network. Meet the people in your profession casually or with informational interviews. Research. Know the companies you want to work for, their projects, and their mission. Know Yourself. And be able to explain what makes you unique. Use your creativity to paint a picture of who you are and what makes you special. Speak in both words and images. Know Your Work. And become comfortable talking about what makes it special. Be able to refer to a website or blog or a really creative Twitter feed. Show off visually. Target. Focus all your application materials on the position or company at hand. Make sure you make it easy to find out how qualified you are for the position, both on your resume and in your cover letter, and do not send completely generic forms of either! Focus your work samples to match yourself visually to your target. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Judy Nylen on What's Changed for Job Seekers Over the Last 40 Years � Job Seekers Have Increased Responsibility. In many ways the process, with the advent of the computer and then the internet, has gotten a lot easier but has also shifted more responsibility to the job seeker. Before the internet of recent years, information about a target employer was much harder to research; now, there is no excuse to not know a great deal about who you are interviewing with and if you haven't done the research it will definitely count against you. Job Seekers Have it Easier. It's probably a little bit easier now because of the internet, LinkedIn, and all other social media, now in existence and still to come, which can make possible a level of self-promotion that was difficult and expensive in the past. Job Seekers Have Less Time to Make an Impact. In the same last 15 years, companies have increased their "productivity." That frequently means they are doing more work with less people. That coupled by impatient habits fostered by being a digital native means that students need to target and make it very obvious how they are a fit for a position rather than expecting today's harried employers to read between the lines. Visual folks have a distinct advantage because they can say a great deal with images. Today you are lucky if an employer reads your entire resume unless you summarize the contents at the top. Resumes get maybe a three-second glance initially. If they don't find what they are looking for in that space of time, you are in the 'maybe' or 'no' pile. Only a few years ago, that time was at least three minutes, not seconds. Again, the visual impact of design makes all materials more easily read and absorbed. Loyalty is Not Always Rewarded. Students and alumni should be collecting skills sets and move on when they have acquired all they can. When one stops learning on the job, it's time to move. The more a life-long creative learner you are, the more you can remain that expert or leader. Employers no longer really reward loyalty (note all the changes in benefits for example) so employees have to pay attention to their own careers and actively pursue appropriate advancement (this is different for everyone). I would still say, however, if you were lucky enough to have MY job for 40 years, you would never have stopped learning unless this wasn't part of your personal profile. My job has required the acquisition of new skill sets and information constantly for all that time -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Judy Nylen on Finding a Job in New York City It's also always been pretty easy to find a job in New York City, especially for creative people, but you have to network and talk to people. New York is so concentrated and neighborhood defined that it is fairly easy to discover a concentration of the kind of firms you want to work with and get in touch with them. Friendly, self-confident folks never have a hard time finding work. New York is one big opportunity, with the exception of certain fields. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Judy Nylen Judy Nylen brings over 30 years of reviewing design portfolios in the capacity of Director of Career and Professional Development, where she has had the opportunity to help launch and track the successful careers of hundreds of students and alumni in creative fields. She has taught a portfolio and professional practices course at Pratt Institute since 2005. Nylen holds two Masters degrees, an M.F.A. in painting and printmaking and an M.L.S. where she focused on the organization of career information. She is an exhibiting photographer and printmaker who has worked in the field of educational exhibition design. � MEDIA CONTACT: Amy Aronoff at 718-636-3554 or aarono29@pratt.edu

• Pratt Institute’s Commencement to be Held on May 9
  Pratt Institute will honor an expected 1,300 bachelor's and master's degree candidates during its 123rd Commencement at 2 PM on Wednesday, May 9 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The Institute also will award honorary degrees to contemporary artist, curator, and social, political, and cultural critic Ai Weiwei, who will accept his honorary degree via a video presentation which will be screened at the ceremony; architect, engineer, and artist Santiago Calatrava; patron of the arts and education Kathryn C. Chenault, Esq.; and Director Emeritus, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Fiske Kimball Professor, Institute of Fine Arts, NYU Philippe de Montebello. Santiago Calatrava will deliver this year's Commencement remarks.Ai's doctor of fine arts degree will be conferred in recognition of his numerous achievements as an artist and as an activist. Calatrava's doctor of architecture degree will be conferred in recognition of his achievements as an architect, artist, and engineer. Chenault's doctor of humane letters degree will be conferred in recognition of her influential role in supporting the arts, educational scholarships, and in bringing greater public awareness to the welfare of young people. De Montebello's doctor of humane letters degree will be conferred in recognition of his expertise in fine arts and achievements as the director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. � � For the third time in Pratt's Commencement history, graduates will receive diplomas on stage at Radio City Music Hall. Radio City is the largest indoor theater in the world; more than 300 million visitors have been entertained and thrilled by performances held in its interior, which received city landmark status more than 30 years ago. One of China's most influential cultural figures, Ai Weiwei is a contemporary artist, curator, and social, political, and cultural critic, who was arrested in 2011 while attempting to travel to Hong Kong. After an international outcry, Ai was released but forbidden from leaving Beijing, where he remains today. Born in Beijing in 1957, Ai came to New York in 1981, where he created conceptual art by altering ready-made objects. He returned to Beijing in 1993 and began a series of projects that proved critical to the development of experimental art in China. Often employing his country's cultural artifacts by way of destruction and manipulation, his work represents and addresses China's traditions. In 1999, Ai moved to Caochangdi on the outskirts of Beijing, China, where he built and opened his studio FAKE Design. In addition to being known for his frank and witty artwork, Ai has also drawn attention for his political activism. His outspokenness has resulted in frequent run-ins with Chinese authorities. In 2009, after his "Citizens' Investigation" project, which researched and published information about students who died in the 2008 Sichuan province earthquake, Ai sustained a head injury during an altercation with police. Ai's work has been exhibited in Australia, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, and the United States, and has also been commissioned by the Tate Modern in London. He was a speaker at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in 2006 and a runner-up for TIME magazine's Person of the Year in 2011. His numerous awards and honors include The Wall Street Journal's Innovator of the Year Award and The Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation Award for Courage. Santiago Calatrava's name has been most closely associated with his celebrated designs of bridges and transportation centers built throughout the world. Highlights of his work include designs for The Milwaukee Art Museum in Wisconsin (2001), the Athens Olympic Sports Complex (2004), the Light Rail Train Bridge in Jerusalem (2007) the Quarto Ponte sul Canal Grande in Venice (2008) the Li�ge-Guillemins TGV Railway Station in Belgium (2009); the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge in Dallas (2012) and the Peace Bridge in Calgary (2012). He is currently working on a variety of design and construction projects throughout the world including The World Trade Center Transportation Hub in New York City; the Margaret McDermott Bridge in Dallas; Citt� dello Sport, Rectorate and Campus Master Plan for Roma II University in Tor Vergata, Italy and Yuan Ze University in Taiwan. Kathryn C. Chenault has devoted the past several years to supporting educational institutions, health care organizations, and the arts. A former practicing attorney, Chenault currently serves on the boards of the NYU School of Law, Tufts University, the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Hospital for Special Surgery, and the Municipal Arts Society. She has also had an active role in supporting the Harlem Children's Zone, the Abyssinian Development Corporation, and currently serves as a member of the International Council of The Museum of Modern Art. Her tireless commitment to the welfare of young people is often demonstrated through her support of numerous scholarship funds and her development of mentoring programs with diverse educational institutions. In 2008, Philippe de Montebello retired after 31 years as the longest-serving director in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's 140-year-long history. Under de Montebello's leadership, The Metropolitan Museum nearly doubled in size, vastly increasing its exhibition space.The Metropolitan also acquired significant collections and individual masterpieces, mounted acclaimed international loan exhibitions, developed wide-reaching educational programs, and reinstalled much of its permanent collections in new and refurbished galleries. In 2008, the curators of the Metropolitan Museum paid homage to de Montebello's tenure by mounting an unprecedented tribute exhibition of some 300 works of art that entered the collections under his leadership, titled "The Philippe de Montebello Years: Curators Celebrate Three Decades of Acquisitions."Following his retirement, de Montebello became the first scholar in residence at the Prado Museum in Madrid, and he launched a new academic career as the first Fiske Kimball Professor in the History and Culture of Museums at the Institute of Fine Arts of New York University; he is also a special advisor for NYU's Abu Dhabi campus. De Montebello is the television co-host with Paula Zahn of the WNET/PBS weekly culture series NYCArts. He also serves as special advisor to the Leon Levy Foundation. In 2008, he was elected to the board of trustees of the Mus�e d'Orsay in Paris and in 2012, was elected honorary trustee of the Prado Museum in Madrid. In 2003, President G.W. Bush awarded de Montebello the National Medal of the Arts and in 2009, President of the United States Barack Obama awarded him the National Medal of the Humanities. De Montebello is the only the fourth person to have received both the U.S. National Medal of the Arts and the National Medal of the Humanities. He is Officier de la L�gion d'Honneur and Officier des Arts et des Lettres; Knight Commander, Pontifical Order of St. Gregory the Great; Orden de Isabella la Cat�lica, Encomienda de Num�ro; Japan's Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star; Commendatore, Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy; and Officier de l'Ordre de L�opold, Royaume de Belgique. In 1996, de Montebello was declared a Living Landmark by New York City's Landmarks Commission.����� � For more information on Pratt's Commencement, please visit pratt.edu/commencement.From left to right: Ai Weiwei, Santiago Calatrava; Kathryn C. Chenault, Esq.; Philippe de Montebello. Credits from left to right: Courtesy of Ai Weiwei; Michael Falco; courtesy of Kathryn C. Chenault, Esq.; courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.MEDIA CONTACT: Kate Unver at 718-230-6847 or kunver@pratt.edu

• Annual Pratt Show Featuring the Best New Design Work of Graduating Students to Open May 7
  Pratt Institute, currently celebrating its 125th anniversary year, will be showcasing a host of talent at Pratt Show 2012, an annual juried exhibition of exceptional design work by more than 300 graduating students. The showcase builds upon Pratt's legacy as an design innovator by offering members of the design industry, media, and public the opportunity to see what's next in design. Pratt Show 2012 will take place from May 7-10 at The Manhattan Center located at 311 West 34th Street. The show will be open on Monday, May 7 from 12 to 5 PM; Tuesday, May 8 from 9 AM to 9 PM; Wednesday, May 9 from 9 AM to 5 PM; and Thursday, May 10 from 9 AM to 12 PM. A reception for industry professionals and members of the press will be held on Monday, May 7 from 6 to 9 PM. Pratt Show 2012 is free and open to the public. Juried by Pratt faculty, Pratt Show 2012 at The Manhattan Center will feature the best work by students in various programs at Pratt including advertising, communications design, digital arts, graphic design, illustration, industrial design, interior design, jewelry design, and package design. Pratt Show 2012 is designed to give industry professionals and the public a chance to see the best work of students in Pratt's design programs, many of whom will go on to become leaders in these industries. Since 1887, Pratt Institute has been a leader in art and design, and each year the Institute's annual Pratt Show exhibitions provide members of the press and industry professionals with opportunities to discover the next generation of Pratt talent. � Pratt Institute's design programs are ranked among the best in the country according to U.S. News and World Report's "America's Best Graduate Schools" and DesignIntelligence's "America's Best Architecture and Design Schools." For more information on Pratt Institute's current rankings, please visit www.pratt.edu/facts. � The Manhattan Center is convenient to Penn Station and Madison Square Garden and is easily accessible by subway and car. The nearest subways are the A, C, E, 1, 2, and 3 trains at 34th Street stations. There are parking lots on 33rd and 34th streets near Eighth and Ninth avenues. � For those who cannot attend Pratt Show and want to see the outstanding work of graduating students and alumni, Pratt has set up a link to PrattTalent, www.pratt-talent.com, a searchable database of some of the best portfolios in the world. For more information on Pratt Show, call 718-636-3506 and press 2 for reception.���� � Members of the press should contact Social Media Officer Kate Unver at 718-230-6847 to attend the Pratt Show 2012 reception on May 7. Credentials will be required. � MEDIA CONTACT: Kate Unver at 718-230-6847 or kunver@pratt.edu

• Film and Video Bachelor’s Degree Candidates to Present Thesis Work on Monday, May 7
  Six bachelor's degree candidates from Pratt Institute's Department of Film and Video will present their thesis work on Monday, May 7, at 7 PM at BAM Rose Cinemas, 30 Lafayette Avenue, in Brooklyn. This free screening of individual short thesis films, titled "Senior Class Film Showcase," is open to members of the public who have made reservations. �Members of the public who are interested in making a seating reservation may contact Eric Trenkamp at filmvideo@pratt.edu. Members of the press who are interested in making a seating reservation may contact Amy Aronoff at aarono29@pratt.edu. The "Senior Class Film Showcase" will feature innovative work from the program and will offer the community a chance to see the ingenuity and creativity of emerging filmmakers from Pratt Institute in the beautiful surrounds of� The Brooklyn Academy of Music. It is the culmination of each student's cinematic interests, and is not restricted in content or style. The resulting films from this year's degree candidates are traditional narrative and experimental fiction films. Pratt's Department of Film and Video emphasizes an awareness of fine arts traditions as well as the professional disciplines of the contemporary media artist. Students in the bachelor of fine arts degree program acquire foundation skills while pursuing their own artistic visions in documentary, experimental, and narrative modes of production. The department is chaired by Leighton Pierce and is part of the Pratt Institute School of Art and Design, which is led by Dean Concetta M. Stewart.Images clockwise from left: Film stills from Polaroid Girl, Finding Sarah, Disconnect When, Linda LeThorn & the Musicbox, The Griot, and Head. Photos clockwise from left: Courtesy April Maxey, Anna Evetts Tebbutt, Bridget Moriarty, Meg Skaff, David Adeogun, and Ted Hesse. � MEDIA CONTACT: Amy Aronoff at 718-636-3554 or aarono29@pratt.edu � ON-SITE CONTACT: � Eric Trenkamp

• Pratt Institute Presents: End of Year Thesis Exhibitions and Events
  The extraordinary talent of hundreds of students graduating from Pratt Institute's programs will be on display at venues across the city in April and May. Below is a list of end-of-year shows and presentations by undergraduate and graduate students. All exhibitions, except for the 2012 Pratt Fashion Show + Cocktail Benefit and ICFF, are free and open to the public.� � � ART AND DESIGN EDUCATION���� � � Museum Education Presentations WHEN: Through Tuesday, April 17 Thesis Presentations II WHEN: Thursday, April 19-Monday, May 7 Student Teaching WHEN: Monday, April 30-Monday, May 7 WHERE: Nancy Ross Project Space, Main Building, 200 Willoughby Avenue, 2nd floor, Brooklyn Campus FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 718-636-3637 � COMMUNICATIONS DESIGN � � Graduate Communications Design M.F.A. Thesis Exhibition WHEN: Wednesday, April 13-Friday, May 11 � (Reception: Thursday, May 10, 6-8PM) WHERE: Graduate Communication Design Gallery, 144 West 14th Street, 7th floor, Manhattan Campus FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 212-647-7573 WEBSITE: x.prattgradcomd.com � Graduate Communications Design Thesis Reviews and Survey WHEN: Wednesday, May 2-Friday, May 4, Times TBD WHERE: 123 West 18th Street, Manhattan Campus FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 212-647-7573CREATIVE ARTS THERAPY � Creative Arts Therapy Student Exhibition WHEN: Monday, April 16-Wednesday, May 9, Time TBD WHERE: North Hall, 200 Willoughby Avenue, display case in front of Faculty Dining Room, Brooklyn Campus FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 718-636-3428 � Creative Arts Therapy Student Exhibition and Dance Performance WHEN: Saturday, May 12, 1-6 PM WHERE: Brooklyn Waterfront Artists' Coalition (BWAC), 499 Van Brunt Street, Brooklyn FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 718-636-3428 � DESIGN� (VARIOUS) � Pratt Show WHAT: An annual juried exhibition of exceptional design work by over 300 of Pratt's graduating students � WHEN: Monday, May 7-Wednesday, May 9 (Reception for industry professionals: Monday, May 7, 6-9 PM) WHERE: Manhattan Center, 311 West 34th Street, New York FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 718-636-3506 �FASHION 2012 Pratt Fashion Show + Cocktail Benefit Honoring Fern Mallis WHAT: The fashion show will feature the best work by graduating seniors from Pratt's Department of Fashion Design; Mallis will be presented with the Pratt Institute Fashion Industry Lifetime Achievement Award by designer Calvin Klein at the start of the show. WHEN: Thursday, April 26, 6 PM (Cocktail Benefit: Thursday, April 26, 7:30 PM) WHERE: Center 548, 548 West 22nd Street, Manhattan (Cocktail Benefit: PH-D at Dream Downtown, 355 West 16th Street, Manhattan) FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 718-399-4548 or visit www.pratt.edu/fashionshowFILM AND VIDEO � � Senior Film/Video Show WHEN: Monday, May 7, 7 PM WHERE: BAM Rose Cinemas, 30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Eric Trenkamp at etrenkam@pratt.edu or Dianne Bellino at dbellino@pratt.eduFINE ARTS������ � � Senior Painting and Drawing Exhibitions WHEN: Through Wednesday, May 9; Openings on Mondays, 6 PM 9 AM-5 PM, Mondays-Fridays WHERE: East Hall, 200 Willoughby Avenue, Room 140, Brooklyn Campus FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 718-636-3634�� � ������� � Senior Sculpture Exhibition WHEN: Section I, Monday, April 16-Thursday, April 26 (Reception: Monday, April 16, 5-8 PM); Section II, Monday, April 30-Friday, May 11 (Reception: Monday, April 30, 5-8 PM) WHERE: The Rubelle and Norman Schafler Gallery, Chemistry Building, 200 Willoughby Avenue, 1st floor, Brooklyn Campus FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 718-636-3634�������� � � M.F.A. Open Studios WHEN: Friday, April 20 WHERE: 200 Willoughby Avenue, Brooklyn Campus; Flushing Studios, 248 Flushing Avenue, Brooklyn FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 347-383-0878 WEBSITE: http://prattopenstudios.com/ � Graduate Fine Arts 2012 Exhibition WHAT: Master's degree candidates from Pratt Institute's Department of Fine Arts will exhibit work in all media WHEN: Friday, May 11-Saturday, May 26 (Reception: Friday, May 11, 5-7 PM) WHERE: Pratt Manhattan Gallery, 144 West 14th Street, 2nd floor, Manhattan Campus FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 718-636-3634�� � � INDUSTRIAL DESIGN�� � � Master of Industrial Design Thesis Presentations WHEN: Thursday, April 26-Friday, April 27, 3:30 PM (Exhibition: Thursday, April 26-Friday, April 27, 7 PM at The Candy Factory, 124 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn) WHERE: Juliana Curran Terian Design Center, Pratt Studios, 4th Floor, Room 43 FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 718-399-4225 WEBSITE: http://peopleandthings.org/ � Industrial Design (ID) View WHEN: Wednesday, May 2-Thursday, May 3, 9 AM-5 PM WHERE: Pratt Studios, 200 Willoughby Avenue, 4th floor, Brooklyn Campus; Steuben Hall, 379 Dekalb Avenue, 2nd floor, Brooklyn Campus FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 718-636-3631��� � � � International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) WHAT: Pratt, in collaboration with Herman Miller, will present an exhibition of furniture designs � WHEN: Saturday, May 19-Tuesday, May 22 WHERE: Jacob Javits Convention Center, 655 West 34th Street, New York WEBSITE: http://www.icff.com/ � PHOTOGRAPHY� � � Group Show for Graduating Senior Photo Students WHEN: Thursday, April 19-Sunday, May 6 (Reception: Thursday, April 19, 5-9 PM) WHERE: 111 Front Street, Room 210, Brooklyn FOR MORE INFORMATION: Email Anne Turyn at aturyn@pratt.edu� � SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES � � School of Liberal Arts and Sciences Distinguished Scholar Lecture WHAT: Juan Cole, Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History, University of Michigan, will give a lecture on the question "Whatever Happened to the Arab Spring?" WHEN: Monday, April 23, 6 PM WHERE: Alumni Reading Room, Pratt Library, 200 Willoughby Avenue, Brooklyn Campus FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 718-399-4427���� � � Writing Program/Humanities and Media Studies Senior Reading WHEN: Thursday, May 3, 4 PM WHERE: Rose Garden, 200 Willoughby Avenue, Brooklyn Campus Rain Location: Alumni Reading Room, Pratt Library FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 718-636-3570 MEDIA CONTACT: Amy Aronoff at 718-636-3554 or aarono29@pratt.edu �

• Pratt Manhattan Gallery to Present Exhibition of New Designs in Glass
  Pratt Manhattan Gallery will present "Bright Future: New Designs in Glass," an exhibition of sculpture, tableware, and lighting designs by American and international artists and firms that explore issues of sustainability, the manipulation of light, and the contrast of ancient and modern influences in contemporary glass from February 10 through May 5, 2012 at 144 West 14th Street, Second Floor. The signature qualities of glass--its flexibility, clarity, complex cultural history and ability to magnify and direct light--are all at play in the works exhibited.The exhibition, which is guest-curated by Sarah Archer, chief curator at the Philadelphia Art Alliance, will be celebrated with an opening reception on Thursday, February 9 from 6 to 8 PM. The exhibition and opening reception are free and open to the public. � � � � � � � � � "Bright Future" is timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the development of studio art glass in America. To celebrate this milestone� and recognize the many talented glass artists in this country, more than 160 glass demonstrations, lectures, and exhibitions will take place in museums, galleries, art centers, universities, organizations, festivals, and other venues across the United States throughout 2012.�"Recent innovations have made it possible for glass to look and behave in unexpected ways," said Archer. "Each object in 'Bright Future' was selected because it demonstrates either a recent development in glass technology or a new twist on a recognizable and ancient technique such as casting or glassblowing. The exhibition will inspire viewers to look twice at an ancient material whose second life is still unfolding," she added.� �Combining a traditional technique with a high-tech material, Werner Aislinger's Mesh Vases are created by blowing glass into a heat-resistant fiber mesh, leaving a distinctive pattern on the surface of the glass. New materials such as Litracon (concrete that is made transparent with the addition of glass), the touch-sensitive face of the iPhone, or the heat-sensitive and "switchable" glass that changes color or opacity when touched or turned on and off present designers and architects with intriguing solutions to design challenges and allow them to avoid the use of plastics or other unsustainable supplies.�Pratt Industrial Design alumnus Tom Patti (B.I.D. '67 and M.I.D. '69), Alison Berger, and Helen Lee harness the unique ability of glass to direct and amplify light, according to Archer. Their installations invite viewers to experience a real-time optical effect that cannot be replicated in a photograph. James Carpenter's plans for the proposed Moynihan Station in Manhattan demonstrate the use of glass as an architectural element capable of creating "light interactions" in interior public spaces.�Several of the designers featured in the exhibition mine glass's rich history and reinterpret the elaborate aesthetic of 17th- and 18th-century European glass. Liana Yaroslavsky's Maure de Venise coffee table encases a deep purple chandelier based on a fixture by Seguso inside a sleek, minimalist plexiglass shell. Similarly, Ingo Maurer's Luester light glows with 287 white LEDs arranged in the shape of a multi-tiered chandelier and sandwiched between two flat pieces of glass.�The full list of participating artists and firms includes:Lindsey Adelman Studio, New York, USA Werner Aisslinger and CIAV, Meisenthal, France� Omer Arbel for Bocci, Vancouver, Canada Alison Berger, Los Angeles, USA Amiram Biton, Israel James Carpenter Design Associates, New York, USA Marco Dess� for J. & L. Lobmeyr, Vienna, AustriaGlasPro, California, USA� Helen Lee, California, USA Aron Losonczi/Litracon, Hungary Ingo Maurer, Munich, Germany and New York, USA� Giovanni Moretti for Carlo Moretti srl, Murano, Venice, Italy� Moving Color, California, USA� Bruce Munro, United Kingdom� Tom Patti, Massachusetts, USA� Robert Stadler, Paris, FranceSWITCH Lighting, California, USAHulger and Samuel Wilkinson, London, United Kingdom� Liana Yaroslavsky, Paris, France Before becoming chief curator at the Philadelphia Art Alliance, Archer was director of Greenwich House Pottery and curatorial assistant at the Museum of Arts and Design. Her writing has appeared in the Journal of Modern Craft, American Craft, Artnet, Ceramics: Art and Perception, Hand/Eye, Modern Magazine, and The Huffington Post. She holds a bachelor of arts degree from Swarthmore College and a master of arts degree from the Bard Graduate Center.�Add Pratt Manhattan Gallery on Facebook and follow Pratt exhibitions on Twitter. �"Bright Future: New Designs in Glass"February 10--May 5, 2012Pratt Manhattan Gallery144 West 14th Street, Second FloorGallery Hours: Tuesday--Saturday 11 AM--6 PMImage captions clockwise from left: Branching Bubble Light by Lindsey Adelman Studio; Girtab by Giovanni Moretti for Carlo Moretti; Maure de Venise table by Liana Yaroslavsky; Litracon by Aron Losonczi; Mesh Vases by Werner Aisslinger & CIAV Meisenthal; Basket Chandelier by Marco Dessi for J. & L. Lobmeyr; Z Table by Tom Patti (B.I.D. '67 and M.I.D. '69); and Plumen 001 energy-saving bulb by Hulger and Samuel Wilkinson, photo by Andrew Penketh.�MEDIA CONTACT: Kate Unver at 718-230-6847 or kunver@pratt.edu