The Ramez G. Chagoury Faculty of Architecture Art and Design (FAAD) at Notre Dame University-Louaize (NDU) held on May 17, 2018, the opening ceremony of its annual End of Year Exhibition 2018 titled, “In Process” The exhibition puts on display senior students’ projects in the disciplines of Architecture, Interior Design, Graphic Design, Multimedia, Fashion Design, Photography, and Musicology.
The end-of-year exhibition showcases the innovative and inspiring projects of both the students and the dedicated team effort that brought it to extraordinarily life through a culmination of dedication, planning, and even more planning!
This annual exhibition is a celebration of student creativity and also an opportunity for the RC-FAAD to delight in the outstanding caliber of its graduate students and the diversity and genius of projects exhibited.
In Process addressed graduating students as thinkers, agents of change, and creative producers in our society. Students also held a moving tribute to Dr. Nicolas Gabriel, assistant professor, FAAD, who passed away tragically last month.
FAAD lecturer Charbel Tannous quoted American philosopher John Dewey who once said, “Education is a process of living and not a preparation for future living.”
Tannous explained this year’s theme. “It stems from the essence of life’s design. Students experience this process daily and increasingly discover as time progresses its impact on their work and outcomes. It, however, appears that In Process is a state where one is constantly in a state of experiencing. This experience can be translated into our preparation for the important steps in our lives or simply in our daily lives, as we work toward a certain goal,” he said.
He also thanked Byblos Bank, represented by Elie Abi Nakhle who distributed valuable prizes to students that won the “Interschool Photo Competition,” as well as Farra Design Center, represented by Ronald Farra.
For his part, FAAD Dean Jean-Pierre El Asmar said, “All these projects are not final neither are they end results. For, we believe, that achievements are part of an ongoing learning ‘Process.’ This was apropos that the organizing committee themed this year’s exhibition ‘In Process.’ Learning does not mean initial success; rather it is an enduring experience that generates new outcomes.”
He added, “As I address you graduates today, I would like you to think from this perspective: Life is something that you experience, not something that you complete …When you focus on the journey and not the destination, then your art becomes more like a treasured artifact of the creative process.”
NDU President Fr. Pierre Najm said, “We should all be in an ever-evolving process of education and improvement. We should always strive to find beauty and God, the creator, whose greatest creative act was creating you.”
FAAD students from each department then delivered short speeches in which they thanked NDU for everything they had learned and also thanked the University for providing them with the opportunity to become part of the community and for bringing minds together in pursuit of a greater vision.
Following the opening ceremony, attendees attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the FAAD building, which officially launched the exhibition. Musicology students performed some inspiring songs while Fashion Design students exhibited the various outfits they had designed for their respective projects through an impressive fashion show. Architecture, Interior Design, Graphic Design, and Photography majors also displayed their unique and inspiring projects.