AIFF 2017 POSTER CONTEST RECEPTION
CELEBRATING A SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH Mass College of Art & Design
At a reception held on April 28th at the Old Schwamb Mill Museum, Arlington International Film Festival (AIFF) organizers celebrated the seventh annual Poster Contest Competition. Not just a film festival…the reception was a celebration of many art forms from an exhibition of the poster illustrations, live music, poetry and story-telling, bringing together the art students with their professor, the contest judges, artists and appreciators of the arts. The chosen poster was unveiled, the winner, Joshua Chace was announced and awarded a cash prize of $500 by the festival’s sponsor, Watertown Savings Bank. The reception was the launch of this year’s international film festival, scheduled to be held October 26-29 at the Capitol Theatre.
With the founding of AIFF in 2010, the first project to spin-off connecting film with the arts was the Poster Contest. This year the offer to participate in the Competition went out exclusively to Robert Maloney’s Experimental Illustration class at Mass College of Art and Design. It has been a successful partnership where junior and senior level students have had the opportunity to create a beautiful portfolio piece that could help them in launching their careers.
Professor Robert Maloney was the guest speaker at the reception. A Massachusetts native, Robert has a Masters of Fine Arts from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. His recent work focuses on the connections between the temporary materials of our man-made, urban structures and how these fragile forms relate to the erosion of memory. His work has been featured in Creative Quarterly Magazine, Cloth Paper Scissors Magazine, The Pulse of Mixed Media, Art Revolution and Art scope Magazine. Maloney’s work is held in the collection of Wellington Management, Liberty Mutual and private collections with his exhibitions, commissions and publications being numerous.
MEET the WINNNER
Joshua Chace is a senior at Mass College of Art and Design. His artist statement for his submission is: “The imagery of the film reel and flags over a colorful painted surface lets the viewer know about the art and creativity that happens at this international film show”. Joshua said he is better at computer art than drawing, and leaned on his Photoshop skills to create the final product. Surprised to be named the winner, he thinks producing another poster would be fun.
MEET the STUDENTS and READ THEIR REMARKS
BAILEY BURGESS: “I wanted to try to convey both the subject of the festival (film) while simultaneously nodding to the international element and keeping it graphic and simple.”
TYLER BETTENCOURT: “I decided to create an image that related to the festival but also had my own personal spin on it. I centered my image around the façade of the Capitol Theatre itself and then added a UFO-like ship above in the shape of a film reel, bringing a fun and unique approach to the scene.”
KIEL EVINS: “My approach was to depict the Capitol Theatre in Arlington as if it was a set of a production. Using a laser cutter, I created a miniature model that I later photographed to make this small world come to life.”
KARA MACKIE: “I wanted to depict the global nature of the festival very literally, and the marquee was a fun way to incorporate both type and cinema.”
ERIN McCARTHY: “I really wanted to illustrate the diversity that this event holds so close to their hearts. Showing a diverse garden of flowers from around the world flourishing together with creativity and passion!”
MICHELLE NUTTER: “With this poster, I wanted to highlight the celebratory nature of the Arlington International Film Festival. Bringing all different cultures and countries together through film.”
V. OLIVEIRA: “Using video components as experimental material, I collaged a “backstage scene” while utilizing the element of surprise by channeling unexpected art making.”
ERIC SORENSEN: “This piece was meant to explore the concept of intercontinental connection by personifying an amalgam of different landscapes from all over the world. I used cut book board to build up a multi-layered surface and give the work a three-dimensional quality.”
JACK TURNBULL: “This poster borrows heavily from the Newspaper Illustrations of Nell Brinkley, who focused on female protagonists in various settings. To put an emphasis on the International element of the festival, I depicted my figures in a variety of races and genders. it is an homage to movie romance; sensual, passionate, elegant.”
