Study Abroad > Japan | Design, Illustration and the pursuit of Wabi-Sabi

Japan | Design, Illustration and the pursuit of Wabi-Sabi

Culture + Tradition + Design + Illustration + Business = Summer 2014

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COURSE DESCRIPTION

Explore design and illustration through the artful culture of Japan. Students activate their senses in media-rich Tokyo, navigate Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto, walk along the beaches of Teshima and Naoshima the Inland Sea of Japan, and discover Japan’s temples, castles and gardens.

Design and illustration students consider Wabi-Sabi and concepts behind the idea of transient imperfection. Through participatory workshops, study tours, studio visits and lectures–students find the characteristics of this aesthetic in Japan’s cultural layers–through the economy of form, simplicity, roughness and asymmetry. Through these pursuits, students will develop a visual system and narrative informed by site-specific observations, mappings, collections, bike rides, studio tours, and workshop interpretations.

While in Japan, students will explore World Heritage sites and experience Japan–by foot, bike and train. Local designers, artisans, galleries and museums will provide many opportunities including traditional art-making demonstrations, a manga artist workshop, and tours led by Japanese designers.

To apply – Class Registration

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What the program includes

  • Tuition for two courses
  • International health and evacuation insurance
  • Housing in shared facilities
  • Japan Rail Pass
  • Entrance to museums, cultural sites, etc.
  • Farewell reception
  • Art Exhibition in Denver, Colorado

Planned Cultural Activities and Excursions

TOKYO (8 NIGHTS)

Tokyo is Japan’s capital and one of the world’s most populous metropolis with a population of 13 million. Comprising 23 special wards, 26 cities, 5 towns, and 8 villages, Tokyo is the center of various activities in Japan including politics, economy, and culture. It offers a seemingly unlimited choice of shopping, entertainment, dining, excellent museums, historic temples, and gardens.

NAOSHIMA (4 NIGHTS)

Naoshima is an island known for its many contemporary art museums, architecture, and sculptures. Much of Naoshima’s art was installed by the Benesse Corporation, which oversees art museums, installations and sculptures both on Naoshima and on neighboring islands. The island has a Mediterranean atmosphere, sandy beaches and sunny weather, which can be explored easily by bike or on foot.

TESHIMA (DAY TRIP)

This peaceful island with a slow-paced atmosphere and rural landscape joins the nearby islands of Naoshima and Inujima to become an exciting destination for contemporary art in recent years. Teshima is the region’s second largest island, and in the middle stands a forested mountain with a circular road connecting its three small fishing villages.

KYOTO (5 NIGHTS)

Kyoto served as Japan’s capital and the emperor’s residence from 794 until 1868. It is now the country’s seventh largest city with a population of 1.4 million. Over the centuries, Kyoto was destroyed by many wars and fires, but countless temples, shrines and other historically priceless structures survive in the city today.

Scholarships are available through CAM and Global Studies see below for deadlines and application!

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COURSE DETAILS

  • Basic Information:
    • Length: 17 days in Japan and 4 in Denver, Colorado
    • Dates:
      • May TBD – Class meets in Denver
      • June 4 – June 21 -Japan – NOTE: Students must arrive at Narita Airport, Tokyo, Japan on the June 4th.
      • June 21 – Students will depart from Osaka –

        airport code – KIX

      • July 6 – 8 -Class will meet in Denver

  • Credits: 6 (financial aid is available)
  • FINE 4050/5050 and 4450/ 5450
  • Cost of program: $5500 (includes ground transportation and ferries in Japan as well as farewell dinner)
  • Trip does not include Air fare, meals and personal expenses

COURSE REGISTRATION DETAILS

Hello students!

I am sure that you are excited about your upcoming Digital Design program to Japan! Now that you have been accepted to this program, the next step is to begin providing International Studies Abroad (ISA) with some information and materials needed in order to make arrangements for the program.  ISA is the organization that will be arranging the logistics and on-site support for you while you are in Japan.  Should you have any questions about the below process, Jean Ooi (jooi@studiesabroad.com) will be your primary contact from ISA.  She will also be following up with you throughout the process to ensure the forms in the ISA portal are submitted accurately and on time, and will also provide final information before you depart.

There is a lot of information in this email so please be sure to read through to the bottom.

Please follow the flight instructions in the ISA portal before purchasing your flights as it will provide detailed information on the times you should be arriving to be able to arrive within a “pick up” window.

There are two steps to this process:

Step #1 – Register with ISA here (https://secure.studiesabroad.com/apply/ISACustomPrograms/index.php) to get started. Registering takes 5 minutes, and should be completed by Friday, February 27.

  • Have your passport nearby, as you will be asked to enter your passport number and expiration date. If you do not have a passport yet, you should apply for one immediately. You can complete the ISA Registration without it and provide us the number and expiration date once you receive it.
  • After completing the registration in Step #1, you will receive two email confirmations from ISA. The second email you receive from ISA contains a username and password to access the ISAStudent Portal (See Step #2).
  • It may take up to 1 full business day for ISA to process your registration; if you have completed the registration but did not receive the confirmation emails from ISA within one business day, please first check your spam folder, then contact me so I can send you the information you will need to continue.

Step #2 – Log in to the ISA Student Portal here (https://secure.studiesabroad.com/studentportal/) to submit all required forms due by Friday, April 17.

  •  The ISA Student Portal is the online site where you can view, manage and submit ISA’s required forms for your programs. This detailed information is needed for ISA to make arrangements for your program.
  • You need a username and password to access your Student Portal. As described above, you will receive a temporary username and password via email upon completion of the initial registration; these log-in credentials are good for only 5 days, after which you will need to contact me for a new password. If you received the portal log-in email more than 5 days ago and are unable to access the portal, please contact me.
  • Please make an appointment with your student health services on campus or your primary physician; ISA needs verification that you have been medically cleared to study abroad. You can download the health clearance form from the Student Portal to take to your medical professional, have it signed, and re-upload the signed form into the portal.

Additional information:

You will need to be in Tokyo(airport code: NRT) by June 4th to begin class on the 5th.  There will be accommodation for you the evening of the 4th in Tokyo. This means that you will want to depart the U.S. on June 3rd  at the latest to arrive by the 4th.  You will then be free to depart on June 21st from Osaka (Airport Code: ITM)  as the course will be completed by then.  You are welcome to stay as long as you’d like beyond the course dates, but you will be responsible for your accommodation .Here are some good sites for international flights.  Check flight prices at different times over different days because you may see significant changes in price in either direction depending on the day/time you’re looking.

STA Travel is offering a Book Now Pay Later deal where you place a $300 non-refundable deposit down for the flight and pay the rest when your financial aid comes in. Call STA Travel directly at 800-535-7172 for more details and to see if this makes sense for you.

there will be information on registration and payment sometime in late March/early April.

If you are planning on using financial aid for this course but haven’t visited the financial aid office, please do so as soon as possible. 

** If you are not a U.S. citizen you may need to obtain a visa in advance in order to travel to Turkey.  Do your research well in advance and let me know if there’s any way I can assist.  If you are considered an international student at CU Denver please see your International Student advisor in the Lawrence Street Center to see what you will need to do since you will be leaving the country.

** There will be one or two pre-departure orientations in April or May.  Dates will be provided to you shortly.

Scholarships are available through CAM and Global Studies see below for deadlines and application!

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Deadlines

  • February 15, 2015 – Application for CAM scholarship – Students must provide the following: unofficial transcript, creative statement, digital portfolio, personal statement and resume. To apply: CU Denver Study Abroad Scholarships
  • March 1, 2015 – Final Deadline to Register for the class – CAM Application process includes a brief interview, personal statement, and unofficial transcripts)+$250 deposit towards cost of program – To apply: Class Registration
  • March 1, 2015 Application for Study Abroad scholarship is due To apply: Financial Aid
  • March 7, 2015 – The notification of scholarships is delivered
  • March 14, 2015 – Deposit and application due
  • April 17, 2015 – Required forms are due

Important Links

Required Forms

Due by March 1, 2015

  • Application form

Due by April 17, 2015

  • ISA Code of Conduct
  • Medical History Form
  • Health Clearance Form (to be signed by a doctor, physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner)
  • Passport Copy (scanned and uploaded)
  • Travel Responsibility and Release Form
  • Visa Information and Responsibility form
  • How to Book Your Flight Form
  • Flight Itinerary (scanned and uploaded)
  • U.S. Embassy S.T.E.P. Registration Instructions form
  • Digital Photo (uploaded as a JPEG)
  • Housing Contract
  • Housing Questionnaire

Please Note:

If students do not complete all forms and applicable payments by the deadlines, ISA will begin communications with University of Colorado Denver and the student about any applicable penalties, including withdrawal from the program. After the deadline has passed and the students’ forms and payments have been submitted, students will have access to their interactive, Online Orientation within the ISA Student Portal. Prior to program departure, a final packet of information will be uploaded to the students’ portals, including their housing assignments (if applicable) airport arrival instructions, and finalized program itinerary.

PASSPORT AND ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

  • All international travel requires a valid passport. Students must scan and submit a copy of their passport
  • Photo page
  • Signature page
  • This is required to be submitted with the final roster of participants.

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Questions? Faculty Information

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