GRAPHIC ARTS COUNCIL | LACMA ^
As Communications Chair of the Graphic Arts Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Stagg was a key player in the concept, design and promotion of many new successful GAC initiatives including: the Into The Pixel Video Game Art Awards, the Modern Broadsides project, Art Leadership awards to Ed Harris for Pollock, Salma Hayek for Frida, and numerous workshops, exhibition previews and special events.
During his tenure, the GAC was rebranded, tripled its membership, built a vital new network of board and advisory board members, raised over $100,000 for new acquisitions by Rembrandt, Jasper Johns, Donald Judd and others, pioneered after-hours museum events and strengthened the GAC's mission to support artists working in the print medium via the Commissioned Prints Program. Historically, these included works by Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Alberto Giacometti, Rufino Tamayo, Jim Dine, William Wiley, Ed Ruscha, and David Hockney.
The Graphic Arts Council, founded in 1965, supports LACMA's Prints and Drawings Department and encourages appreciation of original works of art on paper, providing members with opportunities for social events, education and exploration of the arts. — GAC Charter
During his tenure as Communications Chair of the Graphic Arts Council , Stagg designed and directed the production of
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GAC | IDENTITY ^
Stagg initiated a GAC rebranding with a new logo by renowned designer John Van Hammersveld
Corporate Identity by Jesse Stagg
GAC | INTO THE PIXEL AWARDS ^
Working with the GAC board and Prints & Drawings Curator Kevin Salatino, Stagg helped conceive and execute Into the Pixel, the first Video Game Art awards, in partnership with the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, E3 Expo and Spike TV.
LACMA was the first prominent institution to recognize Video Games as a major art form.
INTO THE PIXEL AWARDS | E3 EXPO ^
The annual Into the Pixel Awards held at E3 Expo have become a pivotal platform recognizing excellence in the multi-billion dollar video gaming industry.
INTO THE PIXEL | E3 WEBSITE ^
The official E3 Insider website for the Into the Pixel awards
GAC | MODERN BROADSIDES ^
The Modern Broadsides initiative pays tribute to the tradition of the broadside – historically the first printed works on paper to enjoy mass distribution and popularity in the 16th Century, considered as the precursor to the newspaper. Modern Broadsides were published as a series, each composed by a different artist or creative team, and printed inexpensively for free or mass distribution.
The Devil Has Been Downsized, written by Julie Logan, illustrated linocuts by Artemio Rodriguez, designed by Justin Carroll.
Smoke Wagon, written and illustrated by Gary Panter.
KENNY SCHARF | ACTION PAINTING ^
Stagg convinced artist Kenny Scharf to create an action painting in invisible spectrum UV fluorescent pigments in real time during the Graphic Arts Council sponsored Los Angeles Printfair.
Produced during the invasion of Iraq, the anti-war mural became a lightning rod for comment.
DESTINO | US PREMIERE ^
Destino was an unlikely and highly esoteric collaboration between surrealist painter Salvador Dali and Walt Disney. Begun in 1945, it was unfinished for 58 years until Roy Disney teamed with producer Baker Bloodworth and French animator Dominique Monféry to complete it.
Under Stagg's tenure as Communications Chair, The Graphic Arts Council partnered with the Walt Disney Company for the American premiere of this haunting masterpiece by one of the 20th Century's greatest artists.
GAC | COMMISSIONED PRINT EDITIONS ^
The Graphic Arts Council commissions prominent artists to create works of art in limited editions for fundraising purposes.
Since 1965 commissioned prints have included works by Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Alberto Giacometti, Rufino Tamayo, Jim Dine, William Wiley, Ed Ruscha, David Hockney. During Stagg's tenure new works were commissioned by artists Shepard Fairey, Raymond Pettibon, Salomon Huerta, Camille Rose Garcia and Kenny Scharf.
The proceeds were an important GAC revenue source for the acquisitions program of the Department of Prints and Drawings.
SHEPARD FAIREY | COMMISSIONED PRINT ^
The Beloved Premiere, We Are Blinded By Your Majesty was Shepard Fairey's first collaboration with a major arts institution.
Three color serigraph – Dimensions: 32 x 25 ½ inch (81.28 x 64.77 cm)
ART LEADERSHIP AWARD | SALMA HAYEK ^
As Communications Chair, Stagg worked with council colleagues to bestow an art leadership award on Salma Hayek for her bold portrayal of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo in the movie Frida, and hosted a screening and Q&A with the actress in the LACMA Bing Theater.
The key art for the film's one-sheet was created by artist and GAC member Richard Duardo.
RAYMOND PETTIBON | COMMISSIONED PRINT ^
The Beautiful and the Damned was Pettibon's first work with the LACMA Graphic Arts Council.
Pettibon came to prominence in the early 1980s creating posters and album art in the Southern California punk rock scene.
Copper plate etching – Dimensions: 15 x 22 inches (38.1 x 55.88 cm)
SALOMON HUERTA | COMMISSIONED PRINT ^
Untitled (Back of Head on Orange Field) is one of a series of “portraits” of anonymous subjects from the back rather than the front.
In these rear-view “anti-portraits” Huerta rejects facial features in order to question the nature of portraiture.
Six-color lithograph in shades of tangerine & brick red – Dimensions: 17 ¼ x 16 ¾ inches - Numbered edition of 75
GAC | EVENTS ^
Stagg's event production experience was valuable to the GAC and helped pioneer late night events at LACMA, setting the bar for other SoCal institutions, including the annual Los Angeles Printfair sponsored by Absolut.
GAC | REBRAND & MERCH ^
Stagg initiated a successful rebrand of GAC and raised sponsorship from American Apparel for clothing merchandise.
GRAPHIC ARTS COUNCIL | BOARD
Chair – Doug Blake
Co Chair – Frank Helller
Robert Berman
Karen Constine
Richard Duardo
Herman Engel
Ruth Engel
Bettina Korek
Ana Markosyan
Raymond Roker
Robert Ross
Stephen Nemeth
Jesse Stagg
William Turner
Stephen Verona
Marilyn Reingold
Coordinator – Piper Wynn Severance
| ADVISORY BOARD
Chair – Pilar Tompkins
France Aline
Pam Berg
Clare Baren
Justin Carroll
Raj China
Armando Duron
Rod Dyer
Brad Elterman
Jim Heimann
Mary Pat Jordan
Patrick Lakey
Marta Leff
Julie Logan
Cheech Marin
Sara Mijares
John O’Brien
Christine Ochoa
Kim O’Niell
Lauren Paskal
Artemio Rodriguez
Alexis Scott
Billy Shire
Paul Van Ostrand
Kelly Wheeler
GRAPHIC ARTS COUNCIL | GALLERY
Images highlighting various Graphic Arts Council member and public events at the LA County Museum of Art