Otis College of Art and Design is pleased to announce its schedule of events for the inaugural O-Launch ’22, a weekend of programs showcasing the future of art and design that will culminate in the commencement of the Class of 2022. The celebration will kick off on Friday, May 13 with an Industry Preview at 4:00 p.m. connecting graduating Otis College students with creative employers in Los Angeles. An opening reception that evening at 6:00 p.m. will welcome alumnx, friends of Otis College, and VIPs to preview the work of graduates.
On Saturday, May 14 from noon to 9:00 p.m., the College will welcome all students, families, and the public to its Annual Exhibition. This campus-wide event will display the work of graduating students across the College’s diverse areas of study, including its BFA programs in Communication Arts, Environmental Design, Fine Arts, Fashion Design, Product Design, and Toy Design and Digital Media, which are both also celebrating 25th anniversaries. Graduating MFA students in Fine Arts will display their work in a group show at the campus’s Bolsky Gallery, while MFA graduates in Graphic Design will share their work in Kathleen Holser Ahmanson Hall. Otis’s fashion design program will stage its industry-acclaimed annual fashion show on the campus Commons, showcasing the work of students mentored by leading industry talents. All programs will be presented in person for the first time since 2019.
“Los Angeles is a thriving hub of creativity, and Otis College is at its heart. After two years of remote exhibitions, we look forward to a full weekend of in-person events and invite everyone to come celebrate a new generation of artists and designers,” says President Charles Hirschhorn.
O-Launch ’22 will culminate in Otis College’s Commencement ceremony, to be held at the Westin LAX Hotel at noon on Sunday, May 15 and also live-streamed. During the event, the College will award honorary degrees to supermodel and businesswoman Miranda Kerr, Snap Inc. CEO Evan Spiegel, and Queer Eye host and design expert Bobby Berk.
“In Los Angeles, art, design, technology, and business are intersecting in innovative and exciting ways. We’re grateful for the opportunity to celebrate the Otis College class of 2022,” say Spiegel and Kerr, who will deliver an address as part of the ceremony, in addition to remarks by Berk.
This will be a homecoming for Spiegel, who studied at Otis College as a high school student prior to enrolling at Stanford University and co-founding Snap Inc. in 2011. Kerr, who rose to fame as a supermodel, has expanded her career by launching successful new ventures such as KORA, her organic line of skincare products. Berk has transformed lives and living spaces not only as part of Queer Eye’s “Fab Five,” but also with his eponymous multi-faceted brand, which includes the comprehensive lifestyle destination BobbyBerk.com.
More information on O-Launch ’22 can be found at otis.edu/olaunch.