UIAA honored for 'The Nazi Drawings' premiere event

UI Alumni News Release

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The University of Iowa Alumni Association (UIAA) recently received a Seal of Excellence award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) for an alumni event, the Los Angeles premiere of "The Nazi Drawings," a documentary based on the work of Mauricio Lasansky.

The CASE recognition program honors outstanding work of member colleges, universities, and independent schools. CASE received more than 3,700 entries for its nationwide annual awards program for alumni relations, communications, and development.

"The Nazi Drawings," an award winning documentary by filmmaker and 1990 University of Iowa graduate Lane Wyrick, explores the history and passion behind artist Mauricio Lasansky's series of drawings depicting the horrors of the Nazi atrocities. Lasansky, 87, founded the UI School of Art and Art History's Printmaking Department in 1945, and headed this world-renowned department until his retirement in 1985.

This event was part of an ongoing series, "Iowa Stories," produced by the Iowa Club of Los Angeles that features distinguished University of Iowa alumni and faculty in special events for alumni and friends of the university, as well as Los Angeles-area residents. The series has previously featured Simon Estes, Charles Ray, Paul Conrad and Antonio Damasio. Most recently it featured a celebration of the Iowa Writers' Workshop showcasing Jane Smiley, T.C. Boyle, David St. John and Marvin Bell, which will be aired on KSUI/WSUI this fall.

"'Iowa Stories' is our way of bringing the UI to alumni and friends in the Los Angeles area. We showcase and celebrate some of the jewels of our alma mater. This award is a wonderful honor for our special series and university and encourages us to keep doing what we do," said Ted Habte-Gabr (BS '89) who curates the series.

Held at the Directors Guild Theatre, the Los Angeles premiere of "The Nazi Drawings " was presented in association with the Los Angeles Printmaking Society and the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. The event began with a reception, followed by the screening and conversation about the film with two UI alumni artists — Charles Ray and Roxanne Sexauer — and Joseph Gatto, the dean of the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. The discussion was moderated by Dolo Brooking, a professor at California State University.

More than 500 people attended the premiere, including UI alumni and Los Angeles area residents of all ages. The panelists brought Los Angeles area high school and college students to the event, exposing them to UI arts and printmaking programs.

At the conclusion of the event, the students in the audience were asked to submit an essay about the event with the best two (college and high school categories) to be awarded $500 scholarships each. Sixty-five essays were submitted for review by the editorial team at the Iowa Alumni Magazine.

For additional information, contact: Susan Griffith, (319) 335-3294, susan-griffith@uiowa.edu