Cross-Discipline:Focus on Architecture/ Graphic Design/ Interaction Design/ Industrial Design/ Illustration/ Photography/ Film/ Drawing, Painting/ Sculpture                Cross-Culture: California College of the Arts, San Francisco and Accademia di Belle Arti Palermo, Sicily, Italy

Diversity Studies Studios introduce students to the interrelations between race/ethnicity, art making and design practices. These courses complement the Diversity Studies Seminars with their hands-on approach in which themes of ethnic identity are incorporated into studio and community practices. This interdisciplinary course will explore the geopolitics and culture of “Hybrid-ism” and establish an international discourse between the students from California College of the Arts and Accademia di Belle Arti Palermo, Sicily. Throughout the semester there will be online interaction (blog) between students from CCA & Palermo Academy. This conversation is based on an exchange of ideas from student work, based on a similar topic, in progress.The diverse cultural landscape within San Francisco continues to evolve, each new wave of immigration over generations both transform and are transformed through existing world communities creating hybrids of cultural identity or “Hybrid-ism”. This course will research and explore through design and visual art, the social, political, economic and cultural impacts of “Hybrid-ism” within our local immigrant and underrepresented communities. This course exchange with ‘Accademia di Belle Arti Palermo’ is an exploration and comparison of two different cultures and  Continents dealing with local geopolitic, division and concern with an inflow global mass forced migration. There will be a particular concentration on refugee/immigrant unaccompanied children/youths or DACA. Through visits to activist organizations, performance art cooperatives, and an online exchange with art and design students from the Accademia di Belle Arti di Palermo, Sicily the student will gain insight into contemporary global Crisis of migrant and Refugee community struggles with acceptance, identity and consequently assimilation. The students will produce hands-on-approach works through a discipline of their choice (art, design, architecture), that reflect an understanding of the dilemma facing new immigrant/refugee children and youth as well as their influences on local and global culture and politic. This course will conclude with a possible International Exhibition and a book/catalog.

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