PARSONS FESTIVAL 2013

Parsons The New School for Design will present its third annual Parsons Festival, which will take place May 5 through 24, 2013, and feature exhibitions, symposia, panel discussions, critiques and special projects that celebrate the next generation of art and design in a range of disciplines.

“The festival is an exciting opportunity for the public to come face to face with the breadth and depth of work of the next generation in art and design,” said Parsons Executive Dean Joel Towers. “This annual event enables us to provide a look at the creative process across a range of media, and present cross-disciplinary, collaborative work that speaks to the high level of innovation, critical thinking, and social engagement at Parsons.”

This year, Parsons Festival is an official event of the first NYCxDESIGN, the inaugural citywide event celebrating New York City’s diverse design scene.

The following are a selection of events featured in the Parsons Festival, including exhibitions of graduating student work. For more information, including a full schedule of events, please visit www.newschool.edu/parsonsfestival.

Parsons MFA Design and Technology Exhibition
Wednesday, May 8–Friday, May 24, 10 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Opening reception: Wednesday, May 8, 7:00–10:00 p.m.
Parsons The New School For Design, 6 East 16th Street, 6th floor, New York
Symposium: Friday, May 17-Saturday, May 18, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Wollman Hall, The New School, 65 West 11th Street, 5th floor, New York
The MFA Design and Technology thesis exhibition features installations and performances, objects and apps, games and video, and interactive experiences that explore the dynamic role of technology in our lives. Works invoke the playful, the informative, the critical, and the subversive to investigate emerging issues and spark discussion. For more information, visit http://mfadt.parsons.edu.

Parsons’ School of Art, Media, and Technology Annual 2013
Thursday, May 9–Friday, May 24, 12:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Opening reception: Thursday, May 9, 5:00–8:00 p.m.
Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Gallery, Sheila C. Johnson Design Center,
Parsons The New School for Design, 2 West 13th Street, New York
Parsons’ School of Art, Media and Technology Annual 2013 presents the best graduating work in the school’s undergraduate programs in Communication Design, Design and Technology, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Illustration, and Photography. Discover a new generation of artists and designers through this multimedia exhibition, curated by New York based artist and curator Amanda Parmer, which showcases the depth and breadth of the School of Art, Media, and Technology at Parsons

Parsons MFA Transdisciplinary Design Symposium
Friday, May 10, 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Auditorium, Sheila C. Johnson Design Center
Parsons The New School for Design, 66 Fifth Avenue, New York
Graduate students in the MFA Transdisciplinary Design program and outside experts in the field explore aspects of this relatively new discipline, which uses design thinking to address major social, economic and cultural issues, from urbanization to the economy and the environment. Also on view is a selection of thesis projects by graduating students in the program, which last year included Softwalks, winner of a Fast Company Design and Innovation Award.

gadgITERATION
Saturday, May 11, 12:30–3:00 p.m.
Parsons The New School For Design, 6 East 16th Street, 12th floor
Free admission. Registration is required: www.eventbrite.com/event/5768568945
Turn trash to treasure! Experiment with interactive design! Children ages 11–13 and their families are invited to this fun, multigenerational workshop. Come tinker with electronics using a simple, safe device called The Noisemaker—no previous experience with engineering or computer programming necessary. We will explore the way electricity works and make delightful contraptions that beep, buzz, and light up. Please bring discarded electronic devices, plastic toys, and boxes that open and close, as well as recyclables such as egg cartons. (Materials will also be provided.)

Parsons BFA Communication Design/Design and Technology Screenings and Book/Web Launch
Tuesday, May 21, 9:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (Screenings); 5:00-9:00 p.m. (Book/Web Launch)
Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Gallery, Sheila C. Johnson Design Center
Parsons The New School for Design, 2 West 13th Street, New York
Parsons presents narrative shorts and documentary, animation, kinetic type, sound, performance, and experimental videos by graduating students in its BFA Communication Design and BFA Design and Technology programs. A related book and website launch follows.