Poge Si THE MICHIGAN DAILY Saturday, May 14, 1977 Page Six THE MICHIGAN DAILY ,aturday, May 14, 1977 ti 1863 "Luncheon on the Grass" 1977 "Luncheon in the Lot" Art in the '70 s; earahhhgra fee. By PAUL SHAPIRO EAST LANSING, Michigan would not usually pop up in discussions of contemporary creativity, but it is there that a new art form is flourishing. On the campus of Michigan State University, the Art School's Design Center is currently wrapped up in zearahhgrafee, whose adherents claim its rightful place in the art world. A zearox (the creation of a zearahhhgrafer) is produced through an electrostatic photographic system utilizing dry powder, better known as a Xerox machine (whose correct technical term is a dry copier). According to zearahhhgrafee student Ira Socol, zea- rahhhgrafee is an actual art form that has existed since the fifties. Warhol experimented with it in the mid- sixties, and it has been used by artists with increasing frequency since then." Students in MSU's Design Center create on four machines, all manufactured by 3M Company (whose machines they have found best suited for their needs); the VQC Black and White Dry Copier (the VQC's ad- vantage over other copiers is in its ability to "hold" blacks without the "fade-out" visible with many old machines and all new plain paper (solenium-drum) copiers), the Termo-Fax Heat Transfer Copier, the Promat Dry Transfer Type Setter, and the -Color-in- Color Dry Copier (whose system, though slow and some- what complicated, offers the greatest level of control of any dry color copier, thus making it best for those wishing to "design" their own color). QOCOL, WHOSE work is currently on exhibit in local art galleries, has a unique approach to zearahhhgra- fee, differing with other professional artists. While most create collages and then zearox them, using the ma- chines' strange abilities to make their work "happen," Socol believes in creating on the machine, that is, pri- marily, a fantastic camera. "I like to photograph peo- ple and objects using the machines' unique features," says Socol, sighting the VQC's slide scanner (see "Roll- ing Pepper" series), or the machines' color-in-color separation system. "Even if - I go to the machine with a piece of flat art work, I want it changed using what- ever makes the machine different (ie. "progressive de- generation" when you copy a copy of a copy-see "Ron- ald Reagan Slides Right"). Through zearahhhgrafee you can get surrealistic effects not found in photog- raphy," he added. "First you play with it and then you learn to control it." Joe Kuszai, head of the Graphics and Design depart- ment at MSU, said that he has been offering zearahhh- grafee as a part of his graphics class since 1974. "We teach kids how to use the machine," he commented. "First they're usually just curious, but then they dis- cover what they can do with it. Xerox machines are a new tool, and will of course bring new 'ideas. That is the essence of incorporating them into our program." Several Design Center studnts will be receiving B.A.'s with an emphasis on zearahhhgrafee. In support of zearahhhgrafers, the 3M Company is currently giving out grants that bring artists to St. Paul, Minnesota to work with their wide variety of machines. Xerox also awards grants to artists for creative use of their products. Although zearahhhgrafers are often plagued by jokes and accusations concerning the validity of their work, their numbers are growing daily. According to MSU's Socol, "I think within the next ten years or so the problems with legitimacy will fade, and zearahhhgrafee will take its place in the art world next to still photog- raphy." Meanwhile Socol is keeping busy rolling Dr. Pepper bottles, and looking for buyers. 'Flying T.P.' Paul Sh i Piro is the edit ')r of the Sahi rday Magazine. 4 4 40- f l i y t e 'Ronald Reagan slides right' 'Rolline Pepper series'