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“You’ve Got Everything” is one of the pieces that graduate art student Amir Fal

Most fine arts students dread completing the thesis that is required for graduation. But Amir Fallah, a graduate art student, saw it as an opportunity for him to further refine his unique approach to bridging the gap between fine art and graphic design.

“In the grad program at UCLA, you don’t have to write a long explanation or researched proposal about art. Everything is encompassed in the pieces and complemented by a proposed artistic statement,” Fallah said.

After three years of study in the painting department, Fallah will receive his master’s degree. Fallah’s work was displayed at UCLA for his MFA thesis project, which consisted of a written thesis and complementary art.

Fallah’s thesis project explored the possibility of combining graphic design and painting while pushing the boundaries of visual space.

“My notebook doodles evolve into paintings,” said Fallah. “My style of work is a mixture of abstraction: pattern making mixed with surrealism.”

While painting, Fallah draws inspiration from his strong graphic design background, including his studies in advertising design.

“Graphic design is, to me, a digital illustration,” Fallah said. “Painting is a slower process of image making.”

Fallah’s inspiration for work is past artists; he continually references art history. He also pulls from everyday pop culture and graphic design.

“I draw from everything around me, especially the social aspects of latent designs in society,” Fallah said.

To celebrate art, Fallah founded “Beautiful/Decay” magazine when he was 16 years old and has transformed this project from a nebulous objective to an internationally distributed publication.

He currently lives and works in Los Angeles, and will continue to keep this bright city as his muse: He plans to rent office space downtown for his magazine. Magazine work will serve as his primary duty and source of income while he develops exhibits on the side.

In late August, Fallah will be presenting a solo show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, centering around a mural conception. The installation will include a freshly composed wall painting that will be painted only days before the exhibit, as well as a series of previously painted canvases.

The UCLA graduate art program’s format enabled Fallah to explore many outlets for creation. The program allows the students to explore their artistic pursuits freely and passionately. The MFA program emphasizes exploration and experimentation for the developing artists.

Maximum time is allowed for independent studio work, enabling students to work intimately with faculty members. Each student is encouraged to spend time in the studio and work through many artistic genres.

“Teachers observe you work and the artist is basically left alone to discover,” Fallah said. “It is similar to after graduation. It has a real-world feel.”

This guided independence facilitates encouraging and meaningful interactions with professors.

Not only do instructors motivate remarkable breakthroughs, but they also open the doorways to showcase such innovation by introducing students to the right people in the gallery scene.

Because many professors are world-renowned artists, students have the opportunity to apprentice under faculty while they are exhibiting their shows.

“It is a transition from the academic world to the real art world – to the gallery scene,” Fallah said.

Fallah learns more about himself through each project he completes.

“Work leads to more work,” Fallah said. “The more you learn about yourself, the more you can grow.”