For our 15th reunion, I was the lucky alumna who was offered a shot at designing the class gift: a gigantic, several-serving-size ceramic mug. The requirements were that it needed to include our class year info on it as well as a picture of “Rock Fan” – a piece of public art by David Hammons that was installed in front of the Neo-Classical Chapin Hall for our freshman year.

It caused all kinds of uproar and controversy within the community (as all good art should, I suppose) and took a turn into infamy when a mystery collaborator (likely from the outraged college community) spray painted it purple (college colors). Apparently Hammons liked the contribution.

Anyway. Here’s my illustration.

And here’s my mug.

I kinda love how it turned out. And I also kinda love that even though Rock Fan has long since been disassembled, it’s still stirring in the wind, fifteen years later. Art is the bomb.