Arnold Iger

Arnold Iger has shaped his creative life for over 25 years, exploring and synthesizing visual media including printmaking, film, video, maskmaking, puppetry and design. As an accomplished visual artist, his mastery of a range of visual media contributes depth to each. His recent visual images combine his interest in architectural history with experiments in printmaking techniques. The resulting monotypes are a synthesis of contemporary design sensibilities with past visual traditions.

After years of study and travel, including two years at San Francisco’s Academy of Art, three years in filmmaking and painting at the prestigious San Francisco Art Institute, and a term at Japan’s Oomato Foundation studying traditional Japanese art forms. Iger launched his career as a fine artist and has established a reputation as a painter, printmaker and in mixed-media works. His work is represented by galleries in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York.

In 1982, Arnold Iger joined forces with associate Paul Kwan on a documentary film project exploring a Vietnamese shamanistic dance/trance cult called Len Dong. Their collaboration resulted in the formation of Persona Grata Productions, their work originated as a live performance integrating film, video, masks, puppets and slide projection. This and other projects had earned them a reputation as gifted visual artists.

Their most recent work ANATOMY OF A SPRINGROLL which was awarded funding by Independent Television Service (ITVS) and broadcasted over national PBS affiliates as well as screenings at the New York Museum of Modern Art,

Education

• 1980 -Present: San Francisco State University. Industrial design, animation.
• 1980: Oomoto Foundation, Kameeoka, Japan. Traditional Japanese arts
• 1973-1976 San Francisco Art Institute. Film and performance

Awards/Residency

• 1997 Media Art Grant/Video Production, National Endowment for the Arts.
• 1997* San Francisco Exploritorium Museum, The Memory Project.
• 1996 San Francisco Arts Commission.
• 1995 American Film Institute, Independent Film & Videomaker Grant.
• 1994-1995 National Endowment for the Arts, Media Art.
• 1994-1995 Media Art Grant, National Asian American Telecommunication
• Association (NAATA) with funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
• 1994 Gold Award, Corporation for Public Broadcasting and best Documentary from the Atlanta Film & Video Festival.
• 1993 Special Jury Award from the National Educational Film/Video Festival in the category of Multicultural Education.
• 1993 National Endowment for the Arts, traveling fellowship to China
• 1992* Artist in Residence, San Francisco Exploratorium.
• 1988 Artist in Residence, Kala Art Institute, Berkeley, California.