Skip to content

The Daily Hub

A roundup of ideas and projects from around the Institute

  • Tomokazu Matsuyama, MFA Communications Design ’04, is profiled by Puck writer Marion Maneker, who visits Matsuyama’s studio in Greenpoint. “Matsu presented me with an articulate rationale for his syncretic work: Japanese anime-inspired figures inhabiting a world of riotous patterned wallpaper and clothing was an expression of his own sense of being a minority within a very different majority culture. His work is about representation, but within it, he imagines a sophisticated multicultural world where there are no set hierarchies.”

  • Pin-Up interviews Mark Grattan, BID ’06, in a wide-ranging conversation that explores his love of woodworking, his upcoming Layered collection for HBF Textiles, and his resistance to trends. “I’m not on trend. I’ve always stayed clear of a trend. Stacking and repetition give me comfort. In my eyes, it’s a beautiful thing to repeat a shape. The new collection has a lot of repeating shapes, like marquetry, which I’m working on a lot at the moment.”

  • For the Brooklyn Rail, Assistant Dean in the School of Art Marcus Civin reviewed a new monograph on artist and musician Lonnie Holley. “The highlight is his assemblages of cast-off objects installed in his backyard or other outdoor spaces—often stacks of rusty or busted-up furniture, tools, and wood,” writes Civin. “Collectively, these sculptures represent a kind of archaeology, history unearthed from the junkyard, combinations that appear as improvisational as the artist’s singing.”

  • Professor of Writing James Hannaham’s Didn’t Nobody Give a Shit What Happened to Carlotta was included on Michelle Tea’s top ten list of favorite gay books for Literary Hub. “Is this perhaps the best book in the world?,” writes Tea. “This is a funny book about a serious subject—my fave—and it features one of the very best characters I’ve ever loved, Carlotta, and I happen to give a very serious shit what happened to her, from the electric first page til the last.”

  • Chair of Fine Arts Jane South spoke with The New York Times about the state of New York City. She noted that applications to Pratt’s Fine Arts program are up, indicating that artists still see the city as a place of hope. “[Artists] generate opportunities for themselves, for others. There’s a tremendous amount of that going on.”

  • Associate Professor in the School of Information Nancy Smith is presenting at the Data | Art Symposium at Harvard. Her presentation, “Environmental Data & Fiber Arts: Experiments in Stitching, Quilting, and Sculpture,” explores her recent work in data physicalization and slow technology.

More Pratt Institute News

A split image features two individuals. On the left, a woman with short hair is smiling softly, wearing a black blazer against a dark background. On the right, a man with a closely cropped hairstyle looks directly at the camera, wearing a dramatic red fabric draped over his shoulder, set against a light background.

Legends 2025 to Honor Jeremy Scott and Mavis Wiggins

The creative icons will be celebrated at the annual benefit for student scholarships that support artists, designers, architects, and creative thinkers of all backgrounds.
A panoramic view of a lush landscape featuring a river winding through greenery. On the left, a rocky hill is covered with trees. In the foreground, a sandy area with beach umbrellas and chairs borders the river. To the right, several small houses and agricultural fields are visible against the backdrop of distant mountains under a blue sky.

Finding Inspiration Along the Mondego River

From Pratt Institute News

Pratt students and faculty displayed creative works at the inaugural À Deriva Festival, a culmination of a yearlong collaboration with peers from the University of Coimbra in Portugal.
A crowd of people pose for a photo on the Brooklyn Bridge in the early morning.

Welcome to Pratt!

From Pratt Institute News

Pratt orientation week helped students ease into the rhythms of campus life and the city beyond with fun activities, group trips, and informational sessions.