Acclaimed graphic designer, filmmaker and social activist Chaz Maviyane-Davies will speak at SUNY Fredonia on Thursday, April 7 at 8:30 p.m. in 209 McEwen Hall. This event is part of the Visiting Artist Program and is sponsored by the Carnahan-Jackson Fund for the Humanities of the Fredonia College Foundation and the Department of Visual Arts and New Media. Admission is free and open to the public.

Described by Design Magazine as "the guerilla of graphic design," Mr. Maviyane-Davies is an award-winning artist from the African nation of Zimbabwe who has spent two decades addressing such controversial topics as consumerism, health, nutrition, social responsibility, the environment and human rights. Mr. Maviyane-Davies ran the renowned Maviyane-Project design studio in the Zimbabwean capital of Harare until the confrontational nature of his work compelled to him to temporarily leave his homeland because of the adverse political climate. He currently teaches design at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston.
 
"His visit will perhaps lead each of us to question what we do and what we believe," said Jan Conradi, graphic design professor at SUNY Fredonia. "How many designers would consider creating work that could literally put our lives in danger? I don’t generally think of graphic design as being a life-threatening profession but just to spend some time with Chaz makes me understand anew the power of visual messages in our world."
 
Mr. Maviyane-Davies earned his master's degree in graphic design with distinction from the Central School of Art and Design in London and later received an Advanced Diploma in postgraduate filmmaking from the Central St. Martins School of Art and Design. Since 1980, his designs have been represented in the largest international graphic, invitational and poster exhibitions. He has served as a judge at several design competitions, and the work of Mr. Maviyane-Davies can be found in the permanent collections of art galleries around the globe.
 
Professionally, Mr. Maviyane-Davies has accumulated a number of unique experiences. He has spent time in Japan and Malaysia studying three-dimensional design and working on various projects for the International Organization of Consumers Unions and JUST World Trust. He has also served stints with Fulcrum Design Consultants, Newell and Sorrell Design Ltd. and the Department of Graphic Design of BBC Television.
 
In 2003, he was recognized by the Boston (Mass.) Museum of Fine Arts with an award for his commitment to the struggle to transform society and create a just future. That same year he was Honor Laureate at the 13th Colorado International Invitational Poster Exhibition and was invited to give the prestigious Dwiggins Lecture, an event sponsored by the Society of Printers and the Boston Public Library. Last year he became the inaugural recipient of the Anthon Beeke International Design Award in Amsterdam.
 
Mr. Maviyane-Davies is also a success outside of the design world. He was writer, director and producer of the award-winning 1991 film "After the Wax – A Personal View of Nationality and Identity."
 
"I have always found his work to be compelling and visually powerful," said Ms. Conradi. "Chaz is not afraid to use images that are disturbing and dramatic; they burn a hole in your consciousness. After seeing Chaz’s work, it is hard to ignore the issue he is addressing – I find myself thinking about the subject long after I've seen one of his posters. He is thoughtful, never using an image for pure shock value but always tying it to a meaningful message."
 
For more information on events and programs at SUNY Fredonia, visit the university online at www.fredonia.edu.