BROOKS' STUDENT CHINA DOCUMENTARY EXHIBITION GRAND OPENING:
A WILL TO RISE

Santa Barbara, Calif. – (March 21, 2007) – On Saturday, April 14, 2007, Brooks Institute will present the grand opening of A Will to Rise the student China Documentary trip exhibition with a multi-media presentation at the Lobero Theatre and a documentary photographic exhibit at the Cota Street Campus and Gallery, both in Santa Barbara.

Each year, the Visual Journalism program of Brooks Institute offers an international documentary trip for interested visual journalism, professional photography, and film students. The class, which is staged in a different international location each year, is limited to those applicants who demonstrate solid understanding of photographic story-telling, the ability to work independently, and who reflect sensitivity to their roles as ambassadors. In November and December 2006, the 16 selected students and instructor spent five weeks in the in the People’s Republic of China traveling through the province of Sichuan and the neighboring municipality Chongqing to chronicle its people, life and culture. Upon their return, the students created projects to showcase their experiences from this documented trip, including a multi-media presentation, a print exhibition, web site, book, and a DVD.

The students were inspired by the differences in the culture of China. Joe Gosen, the documentary VJ instructor who accompanies the students on their trip, explained, "During the six months of research and planning for this trip, the students established an interest in how China was managing to balance tradition with the rapid changes taking place in the country. I am pleased and impressed with how they captured this aspect of the country and its people."

Students also went inland to visit the small villages of this beautiful country. DeeDee DeGelia, a third year photography student, described her experience in Litang. "Everywhere I traveled in China I experienced an abundance of kindness and hospitality. I was overwhelmed by the warmth and sincerity particularly since the Chinese have been for so long a complete mystery to me. I was challenged in so many ways in the unfamiliar environment, raw nature and rugged conditions of Litang. As our plane pulled away from the city, I wondered if the spirit and tradition of the small villages will remain intact as the country continues to undergo such rapid modernization."

China was an eye-opening experience with profound effects on the students. For Visual Journalism student Sarah Curtiss, the experience of five weeks in a remote village was especially meaningful. The villagers in Wayao made her feel like one of their own. "They dressed me in Tibetan clothes, treated me like a daughter," said Curtiss. "I really became integrated into their lives. They were so concerned about whether I was warm enough and had enough food. I could not walk 30 minutes without being invited into a house for tea and rice. My experience in Wayao was the most life-changing, soul-inspiring time in my life. After I graduate, I hope to work on long-term documentary projects—particularly those focused on women’s and children’s rights around the world."

As with many students who participate in these documentary trips, Curtiss hopes to return to return to China one day. "These were the most generous, kind-hearted people I’ve ever met," said Curtiss. "I still think about them all the time," she said. "There was a true community spirit there. I have been honored and blessed to be a part of it."

To coincide with the Santa Barbara Downtown Organization’s First Thursday initiative, there will be a sneak preview of the gallery exhibit on Thursday, April 5, 2007. The grand opening of the multimedia presentation will take place on April 14th at 7pm at the Lobero Theatre, immediately followed by an artists’ reception displaying the students’ documentary prints at the Cota Street Campus and Gallery, located at 27 E. Cota Street in Santa Barbara. A second screening and documentary opening will be held at Brooks Institute’s Ventura Campus, 5301 Ventura Avenue on April 21.

The China Documentary Program web site will launch on April 14 and will showcase the work of the students on this trip. It can be viewed at: http://documentary.brooks.edu/china. You may also visit this web site to view the work of previous international documentary classes, which have included trips to: West Africa, India, Mexico, Cuba, Czech Republic, Australia and Argentina.

The public is invited to visit the gallery on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and on weekends from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, call the Brooks Institute Cota St. Campus and Gallery at (805) 690-4913.

About Brooks Institute
Brooks Institute celebrates more than 60 years of educating students in the visual and media arts. With campuses in Santa Barbara and Ventura, California, the school offers Bachelor’s degrees in fields including Professional Photography, Visual Journalism, Film and Video Production and Graphic Design and a Master of Science degree in Photography. Brooks’ graduates are visible nationally and internationally, working for distinguished organizations including National Geographic, Smithsonian, Los Angeles Times and other national media outlets, including Hallmark Publishing, Cousteau Society, HBO, Kodak and other industry leaders in the visual media arts fields.

For more information about Brooks Institute and the school’s programs, visit www.brooks.edu, or call 805-966-3888.