Beloved animation professor David Ehrlich, an 18-year veteran of the film and media department, announced earlier this year that he plans to leave Dartmouth at the end of the Fall term in order to pursue a teaching opportunity at an art and design college on Gulangyu, a tropical island off the coast of South China.
"I love Dartmouth and its students, and am ambivalent about leaving, but after 18 years, it's time to move on," Ehrlich said in an interview with The Dartmouth this week.
Ehrlich is a world-renowned animator credited with making the first animal sculptural hologram, which he titled "Oedipus at Colomus," in 1978. Through a decades-long career in animation, Ehrlich has produced around one short film per year. In 1987, his piece "Academy Leader Variations" was awarded Best Short Film at the Cannes Film Festival.
His 2008 project "Line Dancing" has been screened at film festivals worldwide and was awarded a prize for Excellence in Experimental Technique at the International Animated Film Association-East Animation Festival.
Ehrlich first taught animation courses at the Gulangyu College in fall 2008.
"I felt that this was a fantastic island. It is environmentally pure: there are no cars and no factories, just four or five electric golf carts to take bureaucrats around if they come," Ehrlich said.
The college is affiliated with Fuzhou University, which is located three hours away from Gulangyu.
"Because of the isolation, I did not have to deal with bureaucrats or party members," Ehrlich said.
The students at Gulangyu College are uniquely focused, he said.
"The students do beautiful work. They work all night and weekends," Ehrlich said. "It is a tropical island bereft of any other entertainment. There is no Winter Carnival or Homecoming and they love working. They are all very grateful to be going to school. Unlike when I taught at Beijing Film Academy, which is also to my displeasure in a city."
Film major Zach Mason '10 praised Ehrlich's charisma and scope of knowledge.
"He wants everyone to find something different in art," Mason said.
In appreciation of Ehrilch's contributions to Dartmouth and the animation world, the Fall term Loew Thursday Film Series is dedicated to the art of animation.
The series screens celebrated animated classics every Thursday at 7 p.m., and each show is presented in person by Ehrlich.
