From the SVA Archives
The School of Visual Arts Archives serves as the final repository for the historical records of the College; collections include posters, announcements, departmental and student publications, and other printed ephemera and artifacts, dating back to its founding in 1947. The Archives primary purpose is to document the history of the School of Visual Arts and to provide source material for members of the SVA community, as well as scholars, authors and other interested persons who might want to evaluate the impact of the College's activities on the history of American artistic, social and cultural development. Starting with this issue, an item of interest from the Archives will appear on the end page of Visual Arts Journal. To learn more about the SVA Archives visit svaarchives.org. |
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1956
As the face of the visual arts changed, founder and chairman Silas H. Rhodes saw that the school must change as well or run the risk of becoming a prisoner of vocationalism. It had become clear that a single-purpose trade school for advertising, cartooning and illustration would not meet the needs of professional artists-in-training. Intent on keeping the curriculum relevant, he redirected and expanded the school's mission, hiring faculty and staff to bring a more contemporary professionalism to the school and heighten intellectual activity.
To reflect his new realization that there is more to art than technique and that learning to become an artist is not the same as learning a trade, Rhodes changed the name of the school from Cartoonists & Illustrators School to the School of Visual Arts. Faculty member and designer George Tscherny was asked to create a school symbol, letterhead and poster.
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