Jordan Sternberg, 17-year-old Idyllwild Arts senior, believes the arts are creative expression, they inform and

Purfict publisher and Idyllwild Arts Inter Arts senior Jordan Sternberg.  Photo by Marshall Smith
Purfict publisher and Idyllwild Arts Inter Arts senior Jordan Sternberg. Photo by Marshall Smith

enrich us and that they should not be banned or filtered by official censors. And he plans to do something about that.

 

The South Brunswick, N.J., native is currently in the process of funding and staffing an arts and fashion magazine, Purfict, as his senior project at Idyllwild Arts. He intends the magazine as an open platform for Idyllwild Arts student artists, faculty and others to publish their work. “I attend a school where many of my classmates are from countries where artists are censored,” he said. “Here [at Idyllwild Arts Academy] they [student artists] are happy to be uncensored, and to celebrate self-expression and artistic freedom.”

Jordan appears a young renaissance man, interested in everything and how it all fits together. “I like to research random things,” said Jordan explaining how his interest in fashion came about, and how one aspect of the profession led him to another, with the result being an overarching interest in the subject. “I’ve always been interested in clothes and design. I’m also really big on technology. Sometimes I’ll research the major tech companies on a regular basis, and I’ll Google the same five companies.”

All this expansive interest and energy is coming together to launch Purfict.

Jordan said he comes from a family of entrepreneurs and that he’s pursued entrepreneurial projects since he was 13.

In addition to accepting submissions from Idyllwild Arts student and faculty, he also plans to seek content from other U.S and international artists. “Submission will be open to everyone,” he said. The magazine represents, according to Jordan, a collaboration of students from 12 countries and five artistic disciplines.

When asked about potential liability for totally unrestricted content, he answered, “At some point there will have to an editorial line drawn … But I want this magazine to accept and publish articles and pieces that other magazines can’t or won’t [for censorship reasons].”

Jordan budgeted the minimum print run of 1,000 copies of Purfict at $12,000, as detailed on the online funding site www.indiegogo.com. He raised about $5,600 on the site and is seeking the balance through grants from the Arts Enterprise Laboratory. AEL is a new program that provides student grants for emerging young artists. “With a grant I can also consider continuing the magazine in digital form,” he said.

Jordan started at Idyllwild Arts in the Moving Pictures Department but switched this year to the new major, Inter Arts, because of a broader range of interests he wanted to pursue. Some of the broader range of courses he is taking this year — critical thought, publishing, computer arts, page layout and more that will assist him with Purfict. As to the future, he said New York would play in heavily because of its arts and fashion scene.

For now, it’s about finishing his final year at Idyllwild Arts and Purfict. Until the website is up and running, submissions can be sent to [email protected].