FPA 161
Introductory Studio in Visual Art ll
Monday + Wednesday 9:30-12:20
Judy Radul email: jaradul@sfu.ca Office hours: by appointment
Scroll Down or Click here for Course Description and Grading
Class Schedule
Subject to change; students will be notified of any changes.
WEEK l
Mon. Jan.7: Course introduction, student introductions.
How to Analyze a Room: find exercise and notes here
Stephen Collis, “Show of Hands: Art and Revolution in Public Space” assigned for next class.
Thurs. Jan. 9:
Present Assignment 1: do or make something to transform, or “analyze” the room, (of course your analysis may change our perception of the room, in which case we would consider it “transformative”.) Use any material you want, but I suggest you keep it simple. Durational works 2 minutes or under. Feel free to work collaboratively. Collaborative teams can “pool” their duration ie, 2 people, can make a 4 minute work. Static works should be installed and ready for viewing at the start of class. Have fun.
Try to pre read Stephen Collis “Show of Hands…, we will read it through in class, so please bring a printed copy or a digital copy you can access and make notes on in class.
Notes to Stephen Collis ” A Show of Hands” on The Commons
other readings on “the commons” in an issue of Open! magazine: http://www.onlineopen.org/tag/commonism
Is our class room a “common” space, a public space, or a private space? What changes/re organizations bring out one or the other of these attributes more?
WEEK 2
Tues. Jan.14: Assignment “common” images and materials
In class work with common materials, “commoning” space and objects.
Discuss: Miwon Kwon Public Art and Urban Identities (a Post with some images here)
Thurs. Jan.16: Public Art Tour of Vancouver Public Art with writer and critic Michael Turner
WEEK 3
Tues. Jan. 21: Drawings or sculptures of “commoned” objects presented at beginning of class, Assignment discussed here
Optional: In class gesture drawing, weight/modeled drawing, cross contour drawing.
Walking in class room, using whole space
Thurs. Jan. 23:
Space Walk (eyes closed) in groups of three around Woodward’s. One guides, one takes notation, one walks. Note sound, temperature, perceived dimension, perceived surfaces, moving from space to space, turning corners, transitions. Take the notes from your note taker. Invent a system to notate these perceptions.
Space Notation (eyes open) choose three areas of the school, one which is public and well frequented, one which is a out of the way space, or a space not serving its original function, the third is a space you find interesting and attractive (aesthetically, architecturally or for other reasons). Go to each and sketch, make notes, observe, the use of the space, the flows of traffic, any semiotic markers, signs etc, un-used areas, shapes, how the space determines its use (or not), length of time people spend there, quality of time and attention. Be also sensitive to the perceptual qualities noted in your eyes closed space walk. Make sketches of each space and also invent a system to notate these other qualities. (Due next class) Further Notes here
Artists Assigned for Artist Reports
WEEK 4
Tues. Jan. 28: Discuss Terry Eagleton “The uses of Theory” (postponed)
Space Notation Part 2: from your notations make a model of the space out of paper. It does not have to be realistic but can reflect some of the observations you made (they may cause distortions in the model in relation to the referent space).
Thurs. Jan. 30:
Discuss Terry Eagleton “The uses of Theory”
-Make a model of a shape which can interact with one aspect of your room, a corner, a ledge, a doorway, a specific feature, etc. It should be at an appropriate scale. (Requires going to measure your space).
-Draw this shape in terms of an interior framework. You are going to create an interior framework out of wood, and stretch fabric over it, to correspond to the shape. Think about the angles and how they would come together and how they would be supported. It can be an erratic shape but something that you can conceivably build.
WEEK 5
Tues. Feb. 4: Woodshop joinery
-keep working as above making a framework shape for your object, think about it in terms of the planes that can be produced when the object is covered with fabric, or you may want to leave some of the framework exposed. Work with drawings and models to figure your shape out. The shape should not be representational and should have a relationship (a formal, physical one most likely) to features (architecture, objects, views, traffic flows) in your chosen site.
Here is an image by Monika Sosnowska
Thurs. Feb. 6: Woodshop joinery
Assign: Miles, Malcolm,ebrary, Inc. (2012). Herbert marcuse: An aesthetics of liberation. London: Pluto Press.
http://site.ebrary.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca/lib/sfu/docDetail.action?docID=10520618
Chapter 5 “Society as a Work of Art”
WEEK 6
Reading Break
WEEK 7
Tues. Feb. 18: Work on “frame work” project, Visit to Audain Gallery
Thurs. Feb. 20: Campus project discussion/brainstorming/neighbourhood walk with Am Johal from Community Engagement .
WEEK 8
Tues. Feb. 25: Presentations on Artists
Michelle Gougani, Andi Icaza, Alex Fong, Cherry Song, Clara Liu, Danitza Garate Cubillos, Emily Marston
Feon Yeung, Hector Bustillos, Hillary Hodgskiss
Thurs. Feb. 27: Presentations on Artists
Jilann Lechner, Nicholas Yu, Jaromir Zelazny, Kayla Elderton, Natasha Lukic, Betty Ma, Teodora Muresan, Cindy Liu, Catherine Zhu
WEEK 9
Tues. Mar. 4: Presentation of “Frame work” (wood frame/fabric) projects in their site specific locations, take photos (or better yet already have photos taken) come back to class and discuss.
Thurs. Mar. 6: Quiz based on Artist Reports Study Guide
-Intro to perspective.
Here is a nice site about perspective history and logics : http://www.citrinitas.com/cs450/lecturesvisual_perspective.htm
WEEK 10
Tues. Mar. 11: Perspective Continued
Campus project proposal and material list due.
Draw your project in plan, elevation, and perspective views:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architectural_drawing
Thurs. Mar. 13: In class meetings with Professor, review of projects so far (as presented in sketch book) and discussion of campus projects, drawing of campus projects in plan, elevation and perspective views due.
Work on paper (or other material) model of the project
WEEK 11
Tues. Mar. 18: Work on “campus” project: Present Projects to a representative from Operations
Thurs. Mar. 20: Work on “campus” project: those who missed last class email plans to Operations. Those who need approval for the atrium email plans to Judy.
Map of Projects for public information must be complete.
WEEK 12
Tues. Mar. 25: Work on “campus” project, put up posters around SCA Woodwards.
Thurs. Mar. 27: Install Projects
WEEK 13
Tues. April 1: Critique
Thurs. April 3: Critique
WEEK 14
Tues. April 8: Dismantling and studio clean up
Artist Presentation
Students are required to prepare a ten-minute visual presentation on a contemporary artist assigned by the instructor.
The presentations should focus on a few of the artist’s major works (3 or 4) and include the artist’s relation to their context in contemporary art (art movements, concepts, practices, for instance if the person makes video installation you will want to say something about when/how that art form arose, or if they work on issues of race and representation, you would reference some of the ideas/authors which inform that discourses. You may also want to consider the artist’s relation to popular culture and other artists.)
The presentation will include a one-page handout for the class including an image or thumbnail sketch of the artist’s work, short summary of ideas, and a biography of not more than three lines (when born, where, and any other relevant info.)
Include bibliographic information (where you got your info) at the bottom of the sheet.
You should prepare a spoken and digital (power point/prezi/ keynote) presentation including visual information (photos/diagrams) .
If there is a site specific or “public” aspect to the artist’s work consider that and make it part of your presentation.
Come up with one quiz question (needs to have a definable correct answer) for the class in relation to your artist (email it to Judy first) make sure it is relevant. Perhaps the name and date of an art work, or some other relevant fact.
ARTISTS
Francis Alÿs/
Gordon Matta Clark/ Cherry Song
Jimmie Durham / Michelle Gougani
Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster/Kayla Elderton
David Hammons/ Alex Fong
Lygia Clark/ Betty Ma
Dan Perjovschi
Walid Raad
Michael Rakowitz/Jaromir Zelazny
Martha Rosler
Andreas Siekmann/ Emily Marston
Dan Graham
Sol Lewitt/ Cindy Liu
Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller /Dani Cubillos
Sam Durant
Joanna Rajkowska
Jill Magid/ Andi Icaza
Hito Steyerl
Aeronaut Mik
Pierre Huyghe
Francis Stark/Hillary Hodgskiss
Geoffrey Farmer/ Hector Bustillos
Brian Jungen
Goshka Macuga/ Clara Liu
Keren Cytter
Anri Sala
Tino Sehgal/Natasha Lukic
Dexter Sinister/Teodora Muresan
Simon Fujiwara/Nicholas Yu
Yang Fudong/Feon Yeung
Mark Leckey
Christo and Jeanne-Claude /Catherine Zhu
Liam Gillick/Jilann Lechner
Liz Magor
Course Description
This course is designed for students who have completed FPA 160. The ideas, techniques, attitudes, and media associated with contemporary art are addressed and explored in this course.
Students in FPA 161 will work on assigned projects and will be encouraged to experiment freely within the parameters of the assignments. Reports on contemporary artists, gallery visits, reading assignments, and visiting artist lectures will be assigned.
This course addresses a broad range of questions concerning context and composition in relation to visual art projects. Discussion and practice will enable students to expand their approach to solving formal and conceptual challenges. Students will develop their knowledge of the histories, scope and directions within contemporary art and are expected to increasingly acquire a vocabulary with which to articulate these issues in oral and written form. Students are expected to increase their facility with traditional and non-traditional artistic media. A committed and self-challenging approach is expected and encouraged. Committed research and successful understanding of the artists and issues that form the context of contemporary art today is essential for success in the class.
Grading
Students are encouraged to be curious about the materials and concepts they choose to work with. “Finished Art Works” will not guarantee a good grade. Grading is based on:
-a demonstration of your understanding of the project or assignment requirements which always relate to the contemporary art context we are discussing in class
-creative and imaginative responses to each project or assignment
-timely completion of each project or assignment
-relative growth throughout the course
-participation in group discussions
-studio practice and consideration of the classroom environment
-attendance (arriving on time, there is no positive grade for attendance but missed classes are reflected in your mark)
Projects
Sketchbook (documents all projects and working) 10%
Perspective drawings 10%
Space Frame (photo of object and object) 20%
In class assignments/drawings exercises 10%
Campus project 25%
Presentation:on artist 15%
Participation, Studio Practice, 20%
Course Requirements
1. Students are expected to be punctual, attend every class and actively participate in production and discussion during scheduled class times; materials collection, research, etc., are to be done outside of class.
2. Students are expected to spend time on the course outside of class.
3. Complete your projects to meet deadlines. Projects must be installed prior to the beginning of class.
4. When assigned readings are to be discussed it is the responsibility of the student to have thoroughly read the article and be prepared to contribute to the discussion.
5. Binder/notebook/sketchbook/virtual sketchbook:
You use this “book” (or whatever container works for you, and can easily be handed in to me and I can understand the way the contents are organized) to keep notes on the presentations and discussions as well as notes on your projects, research and all other visual and written note taking you do outside of class which relates to class work and ideas.
6 Daily Cleanup:
The last 10 minutes of class are for cleanup. All students will contribute to cleaning up the shop (sweeping the floor, benches and tools, putting equipment and materials away, etc.)
Final Cleanup:
No grade will be issued until all work is out of the studio and all tools returned; walls and floors patched, sanded and repainted; all fishline, string, wire, screws, nails, masking tape removed, shop cleaned up, etc.
8. Materials List:
The projects have been designed to use simple, inexpensive materials. Some materials will be supplied by the School. However, there are some supplies which you will need to accumulate for use in the construction of your projects. You will share storage with others in this course. If you wish to leave equipment and materials, it is advisable to have them marked or in a lockable tool box.
Required: utility knife (retractable snap-off blades) / scissors / notebook