Brooks Institute to Showcase New Photography Exhibition:
Year of Rebellion, The 1970 Isla Vista Riots
Award-Winning Photographs by Joe Melchione Capture the Essence of California Youth Culture during an Unprecedented Time of Dissatisfaction and Protest

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – (June 17, 2008) – Brooks Institute is proud to showcase a new photography exhibit that juxtaposes historical images with social commentary by award-winning photographer Joe Melchione from July 15 – September 12, 2008. The public is invited to an artist's reception on Thursday, August 7, 2008 from 5-8pm at Brooks' Cota Street Gallery located at 27 East Cota Street in Santa Barbara.

Year of Rebellion, The 1970 Isla Vista Riots features photographs taken in Santa Barbara and Isla Vista during an unprecedented time of social unrest and outcry. The images record history through the lens of political activism, letting the viewer experience first-hand the raw emotion, idealism, passion and even empathy that characterized an explosive point in Southern California's history. Using a photojournalistic style to capture the essence of the California youth culture's dissatisfaction and protest, Year of Rebellion, The 1970 Isla Vista Riots is timeless in its relevance to our society today.

The exhibit's haunting black & white images portray the extraordinary level of political radicalism and immersion in the counterculture Isla Vista experienced during three University of California, Santa Barbara student-led riots in 1970. Melchione's photographs expose the group dynamics of forces arrayed against each other. His iconic photographs of young National Guardsmen pointing both rifles and peace signs, and students flashing looks of empowerment, sum up that turbulent era.

"The images capture what I witnessed and experienced as the momentum for change spread to an otherwise apolitical and apathetic student body," commented Melchione. "I have tried to present them objectively, but I must admit that being involved in these events was more important than recording them. Nearly 35 years later, I am proud to say I was there as both a chronicler of -- and a participant in – history being made."

Behind the Exhibit
During 1970, three full-scale riots took place in Isla Vista led by University of California, Santa Barbara students. The riots were initially sparked by the outrage that students felt about tenure being denied a popular, but unconventional, professor. This emotion soon ignited against the backdrop of a growing recognition of the absurdity of the Vietnam War and the nation's slow pace in providing equal rights to all citizens. During the riots, the unrest reached such extremes that the National Guard was called out and occupied the town. During the course of the rebellion, one student was killed by sheriffs' gunfire and the local Bank of America branch was burned to the ground.

About the Artist: Joe Melchione
Joe Melchione's award-winning photographs provide his viewers with the opportunity to witness a moment that they did not experience through direct, un-manipulated images. As his images reveal, his subject matter is broad, ranging from photojournalism to landscape photography. In all his work, he brings the viewer into the photograph to share the moment. Melchione is able to convey what he cannot say in words by portraying a narrative or a complex emotion within a single photograph. Reluctant to join the digital "revolution," Melchione remains committed to film, believing that the image should be created at the time the photograph is taken and not in the lab.

Melchione received his first camera in 1969 and has been an active photographer ever since. Other than a semester of study at The Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, Melchione is self-taught. A long-time resident of Santa Monica, CA, much of his focus is on the dynamic scenery and varied lifestyles of California. To see more photography by Joe Melchione, visit www.joemelchionephotography.com

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 of Arts degrees in fields including Professional Photography, Visual Journalism, Film and Video Production and Graphic Design, and a Master of Fine Arts 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. Brooks Institute is a member of the Career Education Corporation (NASDAQ:CECO) network of universities, colleges and schools. For more information about Brooks Institute and the school's programs, visit www.brooks.edu, or call 805-966-3888.