WEB EXCLUSIVE

Students gathered in Syufy Theatre at the end of the school day to hear author Chris Riley speak about his book “After the Mass-Age.” After the presentation, senior Harris Rutherford and sophomore Audrey Pinard led a discussion with Riley.

“Riley is connected to our school through the Conversational Leadership training,” librarian Alyson Barrett said. “The faculty began the school year with a presentation by poet David Whyte who introduced our community to Conversational Leadership and to Chris Riley who furthered that training.”

Riley started StudioRiley in 2011, an organization that examines the relationship between business and culture. Riley’s book which focuses on similar themes also includes photos from his travels around the world with StudioRiley photojournalists.

“We wanted to have someone who could speak to us about what is happening in the world today,” Pinard said. “As a designer and author who leads many influential ad campaigns, we thought that he would be the perfect person to inspire a generation of students and artists.”

Riley’s main points in his presentation included the world’s relationship with mass technology consumption, social media, and what it means to be a creative professional in a technology-centered world. At the end of the presentation, Riley discussed the major influence of the United States and European countries on the rest of the world when developing countries make up the majority of the world’s population.

“Riley offers a unique perspective on artists, designers, poets, musicians, filmmakers, photographers and others,” Barrett said. “Creative leaders help foster a space that enables meaningful collaboration, facilitates authentic dialogue to solve problems, and allows people to share multiple perspectives.”