July 02, 2024
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USF Joliet art professor receives grant to photograph China

By Denise M. Baran-Unland
For three weeks in October, Chester Alamo-Costello, professor of art and design at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, and Joshua Wilson, an adjunct art professor at USF, taught design classes to more than 100 students a day at in Zigong City, Sichuan Province, China. These classes were part of a partnership USF formed in 2020 with the Sichuan University of Science & Engineering’s College of Fine Arts.

For three weeks in October, Chester Alamo-Costello, professor of art and design at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, and Joshua Wilson, an adjunct art professor at USF, taught design classes to more than 100 students a day at in Zigong City, Sichuan Province, China. These classes were part of a partnership USF formed in 2020 with the Sichuan University of Science & Engineering’s College of Fine Arts. (Photo provided by Chester Alamo-Costello)

A professor of art and design at a Joliet university will photograph southwest China over the next year, thanks to a $6,000 grant.

Michael “Chester” Alamo-Costello, professor of art and design at the University of St. Francis, recently received the grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs to cover his travel and project costs, according to a news release from the University of St. Francis.

In October, Alamo-Costello and Joshua Wilson, an adjunct art professor at USF, spent three weeks teaching design classes to more than 100 students a day at in Zigong City, Sichuan Province, China.

[ Joliet USF art professors venture to China for teaching trip ]

These classes were part of a partnership USF formed in 2020 with the Sichuan University of Science & Engineering’s College of Fine Arts. Five USF professors have taught eight to 10 virtual classes a semester for the past four years, Alamo-Costello said in October.

“We initially taught one class and then we just kept growing,” Alamo-Costello previously said.

The USF and SUSE students have also collaborated virtually. USF students made art on Sichuan and SUSE students made art on Chicago, which they presented in a virtual symposium attended by students and faculty from both institutions, Alamo-Costello previously said.

He said in the release that his plan is to photograph faculty, students and staff at SUSE while working with SUSE individuals “on writings on their teaching philosophies and practices.”

He also recently worked with USF faculty in a similar format.

“Initially, I intended to create a USF portrait book,” Alamo-Costello said in the release. “Now, my focus has shifted to contrast the photographs and writings from the two institutions to illustrate their differences and similarities. I’ve discussed putting this into book form with SUSE/USF personnel in the future. There are feelings that this approach will offer a deeper understanding of education approaches in the 21st century.”

For a glimpse of Alamo-Costello’s work as part of this project, visit alamo-costello.com.

For more information about the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, visit chicagoculturalgrants.org.