Michael Agzarian
Course Coordinator, Senior Lecturer
Graphic Design
(02) 6933 4033
(02) 6933 2887
magzarian@csu.edu.au
Bio
Career Summary
In 1982, after several years as a puppeteer travelling throughout Australia, I started my own design and advertising agency. Today, Advision has an office in Wagga Wagga, with representatives in Sydney.
With over 20 years of industry experience I was appointed, in 1997, as Senior Lecturer and Course Coordinator for Graphic Design in the School of Visual and Performing Arts at Charles Sturt University. My transition to academic teaching has resulted in a perfect partnership between industry and education. On the one hand I bring with me the knowledge of industry requirements in regards to future employment and job placement, while on the other hand, my understanding of the current technology and program development enables me to work successfully with students and enhance their creative skills and improve their ability to solve problems effectively. As a result over 90% of our graduating students,are being offered good, well-paid positions when they complete the course.
As Course Coordinator for Graphic Design I involve myself with all aspects of the course, it’s program and it’s integration within double degree programs, and more recently it’s on-line delivery. These are exciting times – we are working with students – getting them ready for jobs that haven’t been invented yet.
Research Interests
As an artist I utilize my design skills to produce posters, websites, t-shirts and other memorabilia to demonstrate my anger at current issues that seem to always be placed in the too-hard basket. These include the illegal detention of refugees and asylum seekers and the on-going conflict in Palestine.
My interest in this area has led me to commence a PhD at UTS; Australian Protest Design (through the 1970s and 1980s). This paper will take a detailed look at protest design in Australia from 70’s through to 80’s. This includes posters, signs and other forms of communicating protest messages. In particular, look at the work of Ralph Sawyer created while he was working as a waterside worker (wharfie) and trade union representative for the Waterside Workers Federation in Sydney. The Earthworks Poster collective, which was established at the University of
Sydney in the early 70’s and the painters - B.U.G.A. U.P. (Billboard Utilizing Graffitists Against Unhealthy Promotions) who after "re-facing" billboards for several months first signed a billboard with BUGA UP in October 1978.
I will seek to show that posters created by designers such as Sawyer and BUGA UP were often hastily produced in response to current issues. They present a range of spontaneous, at times quite radical, responses to contemporary issues and were deliberately designed, with their bold graphic images and strong slogans, to rally mass public sentiment and to counter social inertia to these issues. They highlight a commitment to, personal involvement in, and support for the environment, peace and women's movements. They are poignant reminders of alternative public reactions to socio-political events occurring in Australia and globally during the 1970’s and 80’s.
I will produce a body of work, which also reflects and documents my involvement in protest poster design.
Teaching
I teach a range of subjects across all years, from introductory computer design programs through to advertising, illustration and a final year research and portfolio subject. I also supervise Honours and post-graduate students.
I also coordinate and assist in the running of an annual creative arts conference called “SYMPOSIA”. The event is a two-day conference, which invites artists, designers, photographers, academics and other creatives from all over Australia to come to Wagga and share their experience and knowledge with the students. I started SYMPOSIA in 2004