Last weekend was very busy with our annual portfolio review. This is when 2nd, 3rd & 4th year students all showcase their work from the past year. This includes both production work and theoretical class work. It's the one time of year here when all that backstage magic is revealed! Senior Saawan Tiwari took over the SMTD instragram and you can see all the fun at load-in and at the opening reception. Chris Boyes, in the SMTD communications office, just sent me a bunch of photos, below.
The exhibit opened a week ago and it is up for another week. It is quite gratifying as a teacher to see all the growth and creativity. It also makes me wonder how the concept of "portfolio" will morph over the years to come. Gone are the huge leather acetate filled portfolio binders. Right now, UM is conducting a costume faculty search as my colleague, Jessica Hahn, is retiring. I cannot help but compare this process to my own in 2002 when I mailed in ten color copies of renderings and lugged that huge portfolio on an airplane. This time, we reviewed all the applicants' work on websites. Regardless of the format though, whether for a faculty search, incoming applicant to the program, or a young designer interviewing with a director or producer, no one is ever interviewing the work; they are interviewing the people behind the work. I do miss touching the swatches though! So, hopefully this annual showcase will still be around for years to come.
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