School of Visual Arts MFA Football Rules!

Photo illustration by Suellen Parker for The New York Times

10 a.m. on a Saturday morning usually finds me stumbling to the front door with coffee in hand to pick up the Saturday edition of the New York Times. The ritual is that by now I have already read the headlines online, so the actual paper is more about looking at the photos in the New York Times Magazine.

This morning I was pleased to see Suellen Parker's work on the cover and a photo by Matthew Pillsbury displayed on the inside. Now, I'm not a big school spirit person—I never went to any of the SVA's football games or pep rallies—but I immediately welled up with something approximating pride. I thought to myself, Suellen and Matthew are from the same MFA year. At the SVA. How perfectly awesome is that? Our little school tucked away in the tiny hamlet of New Amsterdam continues to turn out the big time talent.

Hey Yalies! Where ya at?

© Robbie Cooper

Also in this week's NYT Magazine is a great portraiture series, Alter Ego, by Robbie Cooper that juxtaposes photos of gamers with their avatars. Robbie's take on the subject of online/offline duality reminded me a little of Stephen Miller's Internet & Identity series, only taken to the next level.

UPDATE: Interesting video piece of Suellen Parker discussing her process.