Fall 2026 priority deadline for transfer and graduate studies is January 5.

Fall 2026 priority deadline for transfer and graduate studies is January 5.

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Fall 2026 priority deadline for transfer and graduate studies is January 5.

Program

Our vision

Curriculum →

Mission →

Community

Who we celebrate

Faculty →

Chair →

Staff →

Students →

Work

We strive for

Recent Work →

Ventures →

News →

FAQs →

Apply Now →

Search

a small shaped electric guitar painted in white and beige next to a Durex condom

When Is a Guitar Not a Guitar?

When Is a Guitar Not a Guitar?

Date

By Nigel Sielegar

The question "when a guitar not a guitar?" is not on most people's lips. But it was on the minds of the MFAD first year students in Kevin O'Callaghan's 3d Product Reality class.
Kevin gave each student a guitar, and asked to choose a charity and a musician associated with that charity. Students were to use the guitar as a base, and create a symbol which will represent the charity. The goal was to keep the piece "guitar looking" and as functional as possible yet create a visual symbol to become the representation for the charity. The results are now in. . .

a small green electric guitar with small flowers on it



small electric guitar with musk on it



a man in a room with guitars



an electric guitar covered in mud with a small bird on it



sculpture with grass, an organic shape with rounded structures and a part of an electric guitar



a pink electric guitar with the body in the shape of a woman's mannequin bust



red electric guitar with the shape of a butterfly's wing



red electric guitar with the shape of a butterfly's wing



an electric guitar with the shape of a food tray with a spoon tail



small electric guitar made of wood



small electric guitar made of a shovel



a small electric guitar with a wooden frame and a black portion colored with chalk



small electric guitar made of transparent material



small electric guitar in the shape of a fish with the middle body as a skeleton



a painting of a guitar on a dark wood



an electric guitar glued on a surfboard in blue and black



electric guitar in the shape of a decorative umbrella

Newsletter

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310 East 22nd St - 5th Floor

New York, NY 10010

310 East 22nd St - 5th Floor

New York, NY 10010

310 East 22nd St - 5th Floor

New York, NY 10010

(212) 592-2600

mfadesign@sva.edu

(212) 592-2600

mfadesign@sva.edu

(212) 592-2600

mfadesign@sva.edu