Summer break 2018

Amanda Lanthorne and Grant Knapp joined disciplines to research, document and catalog visual iconography from some of Southern California's most unique UFO religions & spiritual groups. This collaborative project sought to identify the motivating spirit that drew these groups to Southern California and capture the wildly imaginative creativity they fostered. The collaboration culminated in a screening, the production of the Southern California UFO Field Guide, and an installation of found slide film and recordings from Art Bell’s Coast to Coast.

Amanda Lanthorne is the university archivist at San Diego State University where she works to preserve, organize, and provide access to archival collections related to university history as well as local and regional history. She is particularly interested in documenting underrepresented groups in an effort to foster inclusivity and promote empathy and critical thinking. Her research interests include social history, identity politics, and memory of political violence. Amanda has a BA in History from SDSU, an MA in Middle Eastern Studies from Columbia University, and an MLIS from San Jose State University.

Grant Knapp is a creative director & graphic designer who creates visual identities & communication systems for clients as diverse as one-person start-ups to Fortune 500 corporations and everything in-between. His work is rooted in the belief that design is both text and subtext, and can have profound impact on the culture at large. He is interested in the visual branding of subcultures, vernacular design and the intersection of the fine and applied arts. Grant has a BA in Design|Media Arts from UCLA and an MS in Communications Design from the Pratt Institute.