Giosuè Prochilo's unorthodox path from NCAT to The Fringe Festival's 'The Häxan Curse'

Giosuè Prochilo

Former NCAT Folio Preparation student Giosuè Prochilo has taken a rather unorthodox path in his search for a holistic kind of creativity, spread across many areas of the creative arts. Arriving at NCAT Folio Preparation (Then NDS) with a strong passion for visual art and design, he initially focused on a graphic design pathway. As he recalls, “NCAT Folio Preparation was to that point, the best year of schooling in my life. For the first time I was surrounded by similar creative people; in a specialized program, with teachers who really helped draw the best out of me and set a solid foundation for building everything creative that’s come since. I only have the best memories and real gratitude for having been able to study there.”

From NCAT he entered Monash University’s Visual Communication (now Communication Design) program in 2000, eventually completing an Honours Degree. He excelled in the academic setting, with a few final year awards and taking positions of leadership amongst his peers. Alongside his focus as a graphic designer sat equally passionate dedication to writing, language and music, and he applied much of his free time growing and crafting skills also in those areas.

Upon completing Honours at Monash, Giosuè worked for over 6 years as a graphic designer for several successful studios including Storm (now Truly Deeply), Interbrand and Didonato, finding a specific appetite for crafting complete brand identities from small business to multinational companies including Kirin Japan, Spring Valley, Schweppes and Pricewaterhouse Coopers. However, to him what was “the inevitable creative compromise which comes with a dollar tag”, led him away from a design industry he never really felt part of.

After spending some time in Europe and retracing his ancestral trail back Italy, he chanced upon a change in career soon after his return to Melbourne. On a whim he reconnected with old lecturers at Monash and after expressing an interest he’d had since being a student there, found himself as a sessional teacher at Monash College, which soon evolved into an opportunity to lecture and tutor at Monash University. He has gone full circle, beginning as a student and now teaching in various subjects in the Monash Faculty of Art, Design & Architecture where he currently works part-time. For Giosuè, the university setting, filled with eager young talent, full of ideas was a return to the endless creative possibilities he’d felt as a student himself, and a release from the deadlines, budgets and long hours that is the design studio reality.

Alongside his sessional teaching, he began his own version of a design business, with the oddly named Metafork, where he works at building brands from an unconventional perspective. Embracing his love of ideas, communication, visual design, moving images, sound and music, Giosuè has created a holistic approach to brand identity where he works through multiple senses to engage an audience and deliver deep messages in the brands he builds and transforms. His recent work with Metafork has slowly but surely begun to grow with more and more clients joining his new approach to creating “more human brands which are not built to exploit and manipulate, but rather emotionally connect with and offer something highly valuable to anyone they come in contact with, irrespective of whether any money changes hands”.  He also tries to work closely with other musicians and artists, designing, animating and illustrating whenever he can. He came to a realisation where he saw his creative purpose as multidimensional in expression, but essentially unified as that of a storyteller.

His most recent creative venture may just be his ‘magnum opus’ to this stage of his life. Also on a whim (he appears to do much in this way), he decided to test his capabilities as a director, writer, video artist and musician by creating an experimental multisensory show The Häxan Curse for the 2012 Melbourne Fringe Festival. 

The Häxan Curse is his take on a concept initially explored by the 19^th century composer and philosophic director Richard Wagner, dubbed the (German) ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’ or ‘total artwork’, whereby the artist is responsible for a fusion of many artforms into a singular expression and presentation. The Häxan Curse is the theatrical presentation of a reworked silent Swedish/Danish 1922 film Häxan: Witchcraft through the Ages that he has radically transformed. Writing a new black comedy storyline with an absurdist edge and sharp social commentary, here he tackles some big issues including gender inequality, mass consumerism, ageing and kebab ethics. Yes that’s right, the ethics of kebabs. He has also written and will co-perform a new experimental electro rock musical score with the theatrical screening of the new, almost unrecognisable recut of the film. Premiering at Revolt Artspace Melbourne for a run of shows from Thursday October 4^th, The Häxan Curse also features a haunting introduction by friend and also former NCAT student Frank Rettore, in character with a monologue to raise hair on even the baldest head.

As for the future and where it may lead him, Giosuè is filled with enthusiasm. “It’s all completely open, which is exciting. Whatever happens from hereon in, I’m certain my personal path as an artist will never be compromised, regardless of however crooked or narrow that path may become.”

The Häxan Curse premieries this week at Revolt Melbourne, 12 Elizabeth Street, Kensington. 

For more info check out: http://thehaexancurse.com

A preview to the show can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHhXzkZzXxUMetafork:

Metafork: Brand identity for the New: http://metafork.com.au

* All images reproduced with kind permission. © Giosuè Prochilo 2012

NCATvideo - NCAT'S NEW YOUTUBE CHANNEL!

Northern College of the Arts & Technology has just launched a new youtube channel. In this introductory video we articulate what we are about. Hope you enjoy! For more NCAT clips go to NCATvideo

NCAT COMMUNITY OPEN DAY

Sorry folks but here is a spot of blatant advertising... IT'S FOR A GOOD CAUSE though!

Curious about what has been happening at NCAT lately? We thought it was time to unveil some of our  wonderful facilities, show off our unique programs and have some fun too! If you have a spare hour or 3 this Saturday, come down and say hi. We are available to answer questions and will have displays of our student work up. Also you can get involved in drawing (or posing for) portraits or do a bit of doodling on the illustration wall. Make sure you get yourself in the draw for an ipad to!

There are loads of other activities on and programs to view. Musicians are going to be blown away by an awesome exhibition of handmade guitars from Melbourne's premier guitar luthiers, including some of our own. You may not be aware that we run a Certificate IV course in Instrument making - (the only course of it's kind). Students make electric & hollow bodied guitars and ukuleles. There will also be percussion workshops, live bands and loads of giveaways.

If you are not that arty, there are masses of things technological... electric cars, CNC machines, glider making & flying, model helicopters, fix-it groups, bike ed and more! Thank you so much to our amazingly generous sponsors for helping make this event awesome!

Monash Scholarship in the bag for Yasmin Yusuf Les!

We are proud to announce (a bit belatedly), that Monash University Art, Design & Architecture has awarded a full $4000.00 Visual Communication scholarship to ex NCAT student Yasmin Yusuf Les! Yasmin is an incredibly focussed and dedicated artist/designer, whose toughest challenge with us last year was deciding which career path to choose. A deeply conceptual thinker, Yasmin's work encompasses both Fine art and Design which was why she chose Monash's Design program, renowned for encouraging fine art hand skills alongside design aesthetics.

The Monash scholarship was set up last year for students from NCAT Folio Preparation applying to the Bachelor Of Design (Visual Communication) at Monash's Caulfield campus. This year the scholarship will be broadened to include applicants in Interior Architecture and  Fine Art Bachelor courses. Monash's Gene Bawden explains:


"Monash has a long and successful relationship with NCAT, based on a mutual regard for creative enquiry, conceptual strength and the value of good design. They produce adventurous creative thinkers whose abilities we gratefully inherit. The union of NCAT and Monash has resulted in a group of industry-ready professionals, working in studios across Melbourne and internationally. A number have also gone on to postgraduate study, completing Honours and Masters degrees, and some have established their own studios.

Monash has recently established an Art Design & Architecture scholarship program with NCAT; only one of two in existence for this type of program in the faculty. Our decision to establish this award speaks volumes of our regard for NCAT; its exceedingly talented staff; and its creative, independent and enquiring body of students".

- Gene Bawden, Deputy Head, Design (Communication Design)

Monash University, Faculty of Art Design & Architecture

Yasmin @ NCAT 2011

Excerpts from an interview with Yasmin 2012

When did you first realise you were interested in design?

Well, I've always had an interest in Design and Art when I was just a little one. So, I guess I would have to say it was the second I could pick up a pencil.

Why did you choose to study design at NCAT?

I remember hearing about NCAT while I was in high school and thought it was a good pathway to choose. It was well renowned for helping individuals find their creative pathways.

Who was your greatest influence at NCAT?

Bah! I really do not want an angry mob at my front door today. Haha. Honestly, they were all great influences but, there are my top three: Ian, Trace and Bei. Ian always kept me on track, made sure I never strayed too far and gave me extra assignments just to keep me preoccupied. There was never a boring moment with him. That and he has an ever-so-lovely beard. Trace is just bloody amazing at drawing. Having her drawing next to me made me die a little every time. But having such a talented mentor just forced me to try so much harder. I have to say that it's thanks to Trace I can actually draw large-scale pieces now. Bei has to be one of the most harshest critics out of the bunch. I don't think there was ever a Monday where I didn't want to face plant my desk. Though, it's through her copious amounts of constructive criticism that I payed closer attention to the finer details of design and deeply contemplated the development of my final prototypes. 

What were the classes like?

The classes were always great. Everyone was open-minded and relaxed. Sure, everyone had their off days but you always felt better at the end of the day just from being there. Well, if I didn't feel better, I'd usually hunt down Sue and tackle hug her. Haha.

What art & design areas did you study?

I focused on Illustration, Graphic Design and Fine Art. It was awesome to have such diversity and explore varying fields. 

What do you remember most about your time at NCAT?

All the good moments. NCAT was just a great experience in general. Not only did they help me creatively but I met some amazing people there.

How did your portfolio look on graduation?

It was pretty? Haha. But really, I thought it looked really good. I had a range of work from 3-D to Artist Books to hand generated imagery to digital prints. The University that I had an interview with thought it was great. We actually ran slightly overtime because they wanted to look at everything. It was a nice feeling.

How did your portfolio help you in further education / training?

Well, it got me into my first preference, Monash University - Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication)… not to mention the scholarship!

How do you plan to use your scholarship money?

It is going to fund my art & design materials which can be quite expensive. It will make a huge difference for me, helping with travel expenses (Il I've in Melbourne's north) and day to day living expenses.

Visions for the future?

Hopefully in the near future, I will get an internship at a design firm. I'm currently in the process of putting a small portfolio together.

You can find Yasmin's portfolio on her gorgeous blog: www.yasminyles.blogspot.com

All images © Copyright Yasmin Yusuf Les 2012

Minela Krupic, ex NCAT student, wins Heartlands Refugee Fine Art Prize

Congratulations to ex NCAT Folio Preparation student Minela Krupic, who has just won the Heartlands Refugee Fine Art Prize for 2012 with an extraordinary artwork KOLEKCIJA (Below). Her artwork is made up of a series of images which highlight the Bosnian refugee's 1997 escape from her war-torn homeland. Minela who after doing the NCAT Folio Preparation course in 2002, went on to study Fine Art painting at RMIT and then Fine Art Printmaking at VCA , is now a regularly exhibiting fine artist. 

Following on from an acclaimed second year, Multicultural Arts Victoria and AMES have again collaborated on the Heartlands Refugee Fine Art Prize 2012. The Prize celebrates the contribution of refugee artists who have arrived in Australia since 1970. This unique Art Prize showcases the creative talent and social contribution of visual artists from a refugee background.

Minela has won $5000 for First Prize (including a solo exhibition and short-term Artist in Residence!). Her winning work was exhibited along with the other short-listed works from 6 - 16 June at fortyfivedownstairs (Flinders Lane, Melbourne), and from 5 - 28 July at Walker Street Gallery in Dandenong.   

Entries in the competition were to reflect and express the theme: "Heartlands; the aspirations, hopes and dreams that refugees bring with them to Australia". Distinguished members of the Australian arts sector formed the panel of judges, who included Jane Clark, Research Curator at the Museum of Old and New Art, Tasmania, Elena Taylor, Curator of Australian Art at the National Gallery of Victoria, Jill Morgan, Executive Officer at Multicultural Arts Victoria, and Damian Smith, curator and arts writer and Director of Words For Art, Melbourne.

“We’re very excited to have such vibrant and well‐respected experts involved with the prize to help recognise the skills, talents and creativity that refugees bring to Victoria, and the social and cultural contributions they provide to our community,” 

- Adam Baxter - Communications and Stakeholder Relations Manager at AMES 

Heartlands is part of the Multicultural Arts Victoria’s Emerge Festival from 1 June – 31 July, across Victoria. Emerge will showcase the contribution emerging and refugee communities are having on contemporary arts and culture www.multiculturalarts.com.au AMES and Multicultural Arts Victoria acknowledge the Sidney Myer Fund for their generous contribution to the Heartlands Refugee Fine Art Prize 2012. Their contribution will ensure that refugee artists will be given opportunities to contribute to the social, economic and cultural fabric of Victoria. The Sidney Myer Fund’s mission is to build a fair, just, creative, sustainable and caring society through initiatives that promote positive changes in Australia.
See the other shortlisted works at Multicultural Arts Victoria facebook page. Thanks for information from Multi Cultural Arts Victoria website press release.

CAMEO - NCAT VISUAL ARTS NORTHERN EXPOSURE EXHIBITION

The NCAT Visual Arts students and staff having been busy putting together a fabulous exhibition of NCAT student work as part of Northcote's Northern Exposure Festival.


Full time & part time NCAT Visual Arts students from years 11 and 12 worked along side our NCAT Folio Preparation students in the group show. The theme "Cameo" encouraged students to represent themselves visually in a snapshot of their artistic style.


The exhibition is on at the Northcote Town Hall's Rooftop Gallery, an intimate space in a great location. The gallery has some of the best northern views of Melbournes City skyline. (See photos).





NCAT Visual Arts staff Kylie O'Malley, Nicole Anderson & Sonia Baroudi (Right) guided the 11-12 Visual Arts students, who are currently completing Certificate II & III respectively in Visual Arts & Contemporary Craft. Their students exhibited a broad range of work. Highlights included extraordinary pin hole camera images and steampunk fashion outfits made from cardboard. NCAT Visual Arts facebook page is well worth a like.

NCAT Folio Preparation staff member, Sue Durham (Right) led our Certificate IV in Visual Arts & Contemporary Craft students, who presented two separate projects - A Fergus Binns inspired painting and a small 9x5 triptich. NCAT Folio Preparation's Facebook page has more images.

The professional standard of the work exhibited is a credit to the Northern College of the Arts & Technology visual arts staff, who are responsible for the fabulous reputation the college has in the wider visual arts field. Congratulations!


Special Thanks to the talented Crystal Vicario of Queen V Cakes, whose 'Cameo cake' (Left) was amazing!  When not making and decorating cakes, Crystal is a member of NCAT's administration team!


The opening night was a great success and our thanks go out to our generous sponsors without whom this event would not be possible:
Whirlwind Print, City of Darebin, Northcote Town Hall, Zart Art & Sarah Hankinson Illustration.
We Thank you!


The exhibition will continue until July 1 2012
SEE A FULL RANGE OF IMAGES OF THE EXHIBITION BELOW! All images ©NCAT 

THE NCAT REBRAND

The NCAT rebrand is taking shape after 6 months of behind the scenes work by many dedicated people from both within the school and from our wider community. This is an exciting time for NCAT. It is a fresh start and marks the beginning of a new era for our College. 

The rebrand has been executed by Seesaw Design, whose director, Anita Ryley (McArthur) is an ex NCAT Folio Preparation student.

The brand, style of the typography and simplicity of the logo showcase a new direction for NCAT. The college allows students to reach their career destination, harness their potential while promoting an alternative teaching model.

The brand architecture has been streamlined to now only offer three elements. The college at group level is represented by a one colour logo-mark and logo-type. There are two sub groups or streams in which all courses offered by the college can sit within. All technology based courses will sit under the Technology stream, all arts courses will sit under the Arts stream. 


The Gotham Rounded font family has been chosen to complement the brand and provide a clean, modern and legible font option.This font family is also large in its varied weight and styling options. Its rounded letter forms reinforce the approachable and friendly brand that is NCAT.

"Inspired by signs on buildings, Gotham Rounded celebrates the workmanlike “draftsman’s alphabet” at a monumental scale. Similarly unadorned, but at a more intimate size, is the lettering of engineering: the marks on precision instruments, blueprints, stencils and templates. Drawn, stamped, engraved and routed, these forms are sensitively captured by the Gotham Rounded family". - Font Foundry Hoefler & Frere-Jones.

NCAT's BRAND NEW WEBSITE

we are proud to announce a new website for Northern College of the Arts & Technology. It has been a long time coming and has been an exhausting process, but it has all been worth it to see what we stand for as a specialist arts & technology senior secondary, embodied in the site.

Thanks goes out to Anita Ryley (Ex Folio Preparation student) and her colleagues at See Saw Design who have managed our rebrand, Beth Gray from See Strategic who helped us articulate what we are about, Bryce Gilholme who is our web designer and all the NCAT staff who contributed ideas, copy, images and time to the process.

We love Beth's copy which really sums up what NCAT is all about:

"As a College, we recognise multiple types of intelligence. We reward practical problem solving, creativity, lateral thinking, building, fixing, designing and innovating. Every student benefits from a curriculum designed to encourage individuality and creativity. Our hands-on learning approach develops confidence, teamwork and co-operation skills for students who wish to pursue further study, apprenticeships or employment".

View the NCAT website here

Fight your way through!

We have posted this last year, but I think we should post it every year, because it is just so good! 
We only wish someone had told us this when we started out as a creatives... it is about the best advice you could ever be given. Ira Glass is an American public radio personality, and host and producer of the radio and television show This American Life. We repost this with thanks and appreciation to Ira Glass.

AgIDEAS Art and Design Forum

Porus Chaudhary's cover image for the agideas book

"DREAM - BELIEVE - DARE - DO"

Walt Disney

Our students attended the annual AGideas Futures Art & Design conference this week. AGIdeas Futures "assists in the transition from secondary into the tertiary education sector and explores pathways to a career in a broad range of design disciplines including design for film and television, graphic design, industrial and product design, animation, illustration, photography, architecture, interactive media and advertising". The students were inspired by the likes of:

• Marion Bantjes, Canadian Graphic Designer
• Porus Chaurdhary, Indian Photographer
• Jeffrey Copolov, Australian Interior Architect
• Shaun Tan, Australian Children's book Illustrator
• Joachaim Sauter, German Designer/Educator
• Dominic Di Giorgio, Australian Computer animator
• Ross Didier, Australian Furniture/product designer
• Paul Austin, United Kingdom Branding
• Kerrie Stanley, Australian Milliner
• Ree Treweek South African  Illustrator/Animator

Australia's brilliant Chris Doyle

The conference was held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre and was a sell out. Our students were thrilled to receive a 120 page hardback book featuring all the guest speakers. They left inspired and with a greater understanding of the depth of he creative industries. Images courtesy of agideas.

Having fun with our NCAT rebrand

Ex NCAT Folio Preparation students Elizabeth Brain, Sam Charlton & Yasmin Yusuf Les played around  with their Portfolios in a simple piece of stop motion for the rebrand of the 

NORTHERN COLLEGE OF THE ARTS & TECHNOLOGY

The College is being Rebranded by the amazing team at Seesaw Design, headed up by Anita Riley (McArthur) who made her own start in Design with us way back in 1999!

THE CREATIVITY GAP

The Creativity Gap – What Research Is Telling Us About Creating Now

This frightening research article explores how people feel about their own creativity. The quote " As for our educational institutions, they need to foster the growth of the entire child, with more opportunities to participate in arts programs and foster “out of the box” creative thinking" is exactly what we are about at ncat.

"Are people living up to their creative potential? In a word, no.

This week, Adobe released global research in a State of Create report to uncover how people feel about their own creativity as well as its role in the economy, society, the workplace and our educational institutions. The findings were enlightening. 

A few highlights from the data:

• 8 in 10 feel that unlocking creativity is critical to economic growth
• Only 1 in 4 believe they are living up to their own creative potential
• 75% said they are under growing pressure to be productive rather than creative at work
• More than half feel creativity is being stifled by the education system – and that feeling rises to 70% in the US
• Only about half of Americans would describe themselves as creative (global average is even lower at 39%)

We call this separation between the importance and the day-to-day reality of creativity the “creativity gap.”  That gap is pretty sobering.

So, what can we do to close the creativity gap?  First, we need to make time for creativity as well as provide the necessary technology tools and training. Productivity and creativity should not be mutually exclusive – we all need to find ways to create at work, rather than considering it a weekend hobby or luxury for those with more time.  As for our educational institutions, they need to foster the growth of the entire child, with more opportunities to participate in arts programs and foster “out of the box” creative thinking.  Most importantly, we all need to think of creativity more broadly – it’s not just the domain of professional designers or artists.  It’s a critical capability in a successful society and one that is in all of us".

Reposted with thanks: ORIGINALLY POSTED BY ANN LEWNES, SVP GLOBAL MARKETING ON APRIL 25, 2012 10:56 AM IN CREATIVES, EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVES, OTHER COOL STUFF

LIFE DRAWING AT NCAT FOLIO PREPARATION WITH TRACY PATERSON

Life Drawing is an integral part of our portfolio building course. Students use a wide variety of media and techniques in their weekly Life Drawing classes. Life Drawing is a core subject in the program. The students are tutored by Tracy Paterson, a hugely experienced Life drawing practitioner and passionate tutor. NCAT Folio Preparation is a long time supporter of  Melbourne's Life Models Society and their highly professional models.

In this session, the students are learning the finer art of drawing foreshortened poses. The students first measure the model's height versus width and then draw in blind contour, where they draw the model without looking at their drawing (Except to replace their pen). This technique rapidly increases observation skills whilst also loosening up the student's drawing style. Students are able to read foreshortening without really thinking about it. Tracy calls it drawing with your eyes. Drawing the figure from life is a time honoured tradition in Art & Design education.

*All Images Copyright NCAT. Click image to enlarge.

Read on for more images

WHERE GOOD IDEAS COME FROM by Steven Johnson

One of our most innovative, popular thinkers takes on - in exhilarating style - one of our key questions: Where do good ideas come from?

"With Where Good Ideas Come From, Steven Johnson pairs the insight of his bestselling Everything Bad Is Good for You and the dazzling erudition of The Ghost Map and The Invention of Air to address an urgent and universal question: What sparks the flash of brilliance? How does groundbreaking innovation happen? Answering in his infectious, culturally omnivorous style, using his fluency in fields from neurobiology to popular culture, Johnson provides the complete, exciting, and encouraging story of how we generate the ideas that push our careers, our lives, our society, and our culture forward.

Beginning with Charles Darwin's first encounter with the teeming ecosystem of the coral reef and drawing connections to the intellectual hyperproductivity of modern megacities and to the instant success of YouTube, Johnson shows us that the question we need to ask is, What kind of environment fosters the development of good ideas? His answers are never less than revelatory, convincing, and inspiring as Johnson identifies the seven key principles to the genesis of such ideas, and traces them across time and disciplines.

Most exhilarating is Johnson's conclusion that with today's tools and environment, radical innovation is extraordinarily accessible to those who know how to cultivate it. Where Good Ideas Come From is essential reading for anyone who wants to know how to come up with tomorrow's great ideas".  

Copy courtesy of  RiverheadBooks 

Changing Education Paradigms

This amazing animate was adapted from a talk given at the RSA by Sir Ken Robinson, world-renowned education and creativity expert and recipient of the RSA's Benjamin Franklin award. It sums up beautifully what we at NCAT Folio Preparation think about education!
For more information on Sir Ken's work visit: http://www.sirkenrobinson.com