By Brevard College Senior Shannon Summitt, ‘19
For Takahiro (aka Taka) Suzuki, the Assistant Professor of Photography and Digital Media at Brevard College, art is a result of research.
During his time in college, Taka pursued degrees in Engineering, Acting, and Psychology. His true passion was discovered after he took a cinematography course on a whim. Next thing Taka knew, he was graduating with a Masters of Fine Arts in Film, Video, Animation, and New Genres at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. That’s one mouthful of a degree, but for Taka it’s much simpler than that.
“Art is merely the output of your research, which can be anything,” Taka explained. “You can be called an artist, but your research could be all about physics or biology.”
At Brevard College, Taka helps students discover avenues for their own interests through art because, regardless of their major, Taka thinks everyone can benefit from some aspect of art. He likes seeing the camaraderie in and out of the classroom like when he has lunch with other faculty members, and attends sporting events to cheer on student-athletes in his class.
Guided by this love for education, cooperation, and film, Taka co-founded aCinema. The monthly experimental film screening series gives artists and filmmakers a chance to showcase their creations to the public.
“These films will make you watch and think about it at the same time. It’s kind of like an academic mode of filmmaking,” he said.
Taka encourages students to pursue their passions, no matter how numerous or how different those passions might seem. It’s thanks to professors like Takahiro Suzuki, who make it their goal to offer guidance and experience to students, ensuring their time at Brevard College is filled with experiential opportunities and moments of monumental growth.