Book Seminar Show (class of 2013)

Viktor Koen discusses his Book Seminar class.

1. You teach the Book Seminar class to first semester students. Can you talk a little about how the class is structured?

Sure, the class is mostly structured around fear and loathing. Fear of what may happen if one arrives to our critiques without an insane amount of work to hang and loathing towards me, before and after those critiques. It’s an intense pace we keep with multiple sketches and finishes in development at the same time but I found this breathless pursue of visualizing a story to work wonders on the quality of the images as well as conceptual breakthroughs that may not happen in slower speeds. The class also functions as a lesson in work ethic development and discipline, so important for the competitive illustration field we prepare our students for. The group and individual crits are highly animated with tons of student participation, when I remember to keep my mouth shut, and energy that never fails to surprise me. Their sophistication and talent make me feel inadequate to teach them at times and the only thing that keeps me standing is the belief that I may be the only one in the room to protect them from their worst enemy - themselves.

2. This year the students read the short story My Last Attempt to Explain to You What Happened with the Lion Tamer by Brendan Mathew. How do you go about picking a story ?

It’s a delicate process I have been perfecting for years. I go to the SVA library, pick up a couple of short stories books and take them on vacation to Greece in the summer. I read them within a couple of weeks and keep my eyes open for a story with the highest image making potential. I also look for a story were everyone could find something to grab onto in order to be inspired and produce a great body of work. Isn’t that difficult Viktor? Off course it is. But somehow the Grecian beach and sun mixed with some precious down time, create the perfect conditions for that rare clarity of mind one needs to accomplish such a daring deed.

3. You have been teaching this class since 2004. Have you noticed any changes in how the students approach a visual essay project such as this?

Yes, but I am mostly interested in the changes on the teaching side and how effective they have been in addressing issues we detect, the evolution of our industry but also pushing the quality of work produced even higher. These changes are effected on every step of our process, from the way we choose candidates for the program to the way we critique, showcase their work and prepare them to compete for whatever makes them happy. Other than that, every class is different (what a cliche! what’s next - children are our future?) but I always tell them “you have big shoes to fill”, they believe it and rise to the occasion. At the same time when the second year students are asking how the little ones are doing, I tell them to watch their back, and they do. It works every year.

4. There is going to be an exhibition of the work from this project. When is it scheduled ?

The show is scheduled from February 10 to March 3, 2012. Putting it together (a scientific process of its own) is lots of work, but Marshall let’s me design the invitation, so it’s a fair trade. The opening is on Valentine’s Day. Isn’t that curious Viktor? Off course it is. But since I am a hopeless romantic, I thought there would be no better group of people to spend and celebrate such an important day for the chocolate, greetings and flower industry, than my students.