Big Avatar on Campus!

Collage of Black and White polaroid sx-70 pictures of Neeva Torok, Fanny Vermont, Art Oluja, Feels Empty, and Veyot — Neeva, Fanny, Art, Feels & Veyot – the first 5 recipients of the Medici University “Big Avatar on Campus” award.

Just over a month ago I launched the Big Avatar on Campus (BAOC) Award. Think of it as a cross between the big campus footprint of the old “Big Man on Campus” (BMOC) and the wingspan of British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC).

Unlike the Medici University Honor Roll which is a GPA-like tally of so many points earned, or an Academy Award or Nobel Prize which is a vote by a large panel, I wanted the BAOC award to be much more personal. Our campus community is about many things, but I hope foremost among them are the connections we make with each other. The chances to collaborate. To explore new ideas. To meet new people both as artists, and as human beings.

I selected the first amazing recipient, Neeva Torok, myself. I gave her a trophy which was a .5 meter on a side, plywood cube. Since then, each Friday, the current BAOC Award holder has selected the new recipient, modded the trophy in some way, and passed it on. Here are the 1st 5 recipients with links to their posts on MU/Talk when they pass the trophy on to the next person:

BAOC Award Recipients

All MU/Talk posts about the BAOC Award

Neeva Torok

Presenting the BAOC Award to Neeva Torok

black and white portrait of Fanny Vermont — Fanny Vermont

Presenting the BAOC Award to Fanny Vermont

black and white extreme-closeup of Art Oluja — Art Oluja

Presenting the BAOC Award to Art Oluja

black and white full-length portrait of Feels Empty — Feels Empty

Presenting the BAOC Award to Feels Empty

Presenting the BAOC Award to Veyot

The Trophy

Neeva Torok sitting on the 1st BAOC Trophy, a plywood cube, in Fanny Vermont's studio — Neeva Torok sitting on the 1st BAOC Trophy, a plywood cube, in Fanny Vermont’s studio

photo of 3 trophies — First 3 states of the Trophy: 1. a plywood cube, 2. Neeva’s mod to a light in honor of Fanny’s lighting class, 3. Fanny’s mod of it. Photo by Fanny Vermont.

Art Oluja & Feels Empty with the BAOC Trophy — Trophy 4: Art presenting her mod of the BAOC Trophy to Feels. Photo by Art Oluja.

Veyot and Feels Empty standing next to the BAOC Trophy — Trophy 5: Feels presenting the latest version of the BAOC Trophy to Veyot

Congratulations & Share the Love!

Congratulations to Neeva, Fanny, Art, Feels & Veyot. But honestly, even more, congratulations to us for being so lucky as to have Neeva, Fanny, Art, Feels & Veyot be such big participants in our little world. Who will Veyot give the BAOC Award to next week? And who will they give it to the week after that? Only time will tell.

There are so many more great candidates on our campus. What an exciting time to be an avatar!

Isabella Medici

I'm passionate about healthy, cruelty free, sustainable living. I don't support patriarchal culture, the military industrial complex, or the slaughtering of animals. I do support educational experiences and careers that don't involve hours, requirements, or offices, but that instead are based on achievements.

One comment

Aww this post is so touching! Its been so enriching to get to know everyone at MU, and that personal sense of connecting has been one of the most powerful elements of this project! Plus its so sweet to see so many kind words flowing through the comments 🙂