BRAINSTORMIN'

1. What should our site be?
I'm thinking a garage. Emphasized sound would be cool, plus it's dark enough for the lights.

2. How will it be performed?
Yikes! I visualize everything being super abstract and fluid movements. I wish we could incorporate glow paint.

3. Theme?
RAGE.

4. What are we performing?
??

Open house brainstorm - Erica

1. What should our site be?
Obviously we will have to be in one of the rooms with a ceiling in order to lower the lights enough for a long-exposure picture. I think we should have as plain or monochromatic a background as possible for our performance so that the lights we use stand out more vividly. Will we use multiple colors of lights? I think that would have a cool effect.
2. How will it be performed?
I think we could give each person a certain shape to try to make while playing (spirals, circles, zig-zags etc) but not really choreograph anyone's movements. I think we shouldn't stand in one place when we perform, but trade places and overlap so that we have a cohesive light painting instead of several small groupings of shapes.
3. Theme?
My suggestion is that it could be a focus on movement, and we could emphasize each individual's motions for the audience and then maybe highlight the combination of several people's motions working together? I don't know...
4. What are we performing?
I think we need to compile our respective instruments and tools and things that we're going to/want to use in our performance and work from there. Once we know what we have, it'll be easier to decide what to play.
5. I know there were five things but I can't remember what the last one was. Sorry.

This is the scene from the film "Hour of the Wolf" that I mentioned in class earlier. Enjoy your weekend.

Seth M - Response 6

It would seem that Krauss was a bit ahead of her time when thinking through the digital age as "narcissism." It's an idea that is clearly visible in her essay and also in Richard's "Boomerang" as well, but I think it might be even easier to identify today. Not just in that instance when we first hear our own voices played back to us or see our faces move independently on a screen, but in our digital lives also. With all of the technologies that exist today, most people are primarily concerned with their various selves; digital representations across all mediums have become just as important as maintaining our physical selves to some. They might not work quite like a prison, but they definitely surround us and sometimes may even have an unfortunately effect on reality/our tangible lives. More than anything, it's kind of interesting to see how in depth Krauss goes in to this, I don't think too many of us would have ever thought twice about centering, prisons, or narcissism next time we start up our webcams.

Graham Response 6

I liked the boomerang video, it was interesting to see how she reacted since everyone has experienced that on cell phones before. Holt describes a prison, from which there is no escape, a present time which is completely severed from a sense of its own past. I feel the prison analogy is a little extreme, but it's definitely weird to hear your voice play back to you. I was a bit annoyed during the video because I found myself wanting her to speak at a normal speed instead of so painfully slow. What I got from it though was she was doing it because she felt the weight of the "collapsed presence". I agree with Erica when she said it would be really interesting to see that conducted with technology today, instead of in 1976.

Erica- response 6

I understand when Rosalind Krauss writes about a separation of self caused by reflective video or sound. I was particularly struck by Boomerang because I have experienced the same effect with cell phone echo and I know what it is like to be very distracted by the sound of your own voice. I understand using a video monitor as a mirror to track my movements because I have done it while using skype or google talk. Krauss writes that video’s medium is the psychological effect it has on the viewer reflecting on (or participating in) these dissociations from text, history, and one’s surroundings. Doesn’t that mean that the majority of people using web cameras and cell phones for communication have unknowingly been a part of this psychological media just by experiencing the reflective nature of this technology? This article was written in 1976; I wonder what the author would think if she was writing about this concept in the present time. The use of video, especially in recording oneself, is so widespread today that I think it partially ceases to be as spectacular or profound as she makes it sound.

Readings + Video

Here is a link to Rosalind Krauss' Video: The Aesthetics of Narcissism : LINK

Also, here is a video she references in the essay that we didn't watch in class -- Richard Serra's Boomerang (1974)

Make sure to watch this one -- it's too good to miss.

ALSO -- Here is a link to your fourth assignment, THE INTERMEDIA MOMENT II

RESPONSE 5

It is so great to think our world is constantly evolving and progressing. It is nice to know that art will not be left behind, and will constantly change. It is even GREATER to know that people aren't so close minded as time progresses, to wrap their mind around the consideration of different forms of art. People will always be drawing, painting, and sculpting...but it's the new forms of art that are taking the spotlight. It may take a little time for people to adapt to new art, but it will happen. They have no choice. After all, art is all around us.

Graham Response 5

Technology is ever changing our world today, and that includes art. This article about the progression of video art we really interesting, and I like learning about the development of art in general. I never knew that video has always been claimed as a recognized element in sculpture. One thing I found interesting that I'd like to see is "Monsters of Grace" which combines live stage action with 3-D. I just really liked how the article talked about the artists discovering film art and loving/needing the spontaneity of it.

Michael Rush

I've always enjoyed learning about turning points in art; I think this is because by now pretty much everything has been done, just like Hennessey Youngman (lol) said in his youtube video about Bruce Nauman. The ability to surprise someone or show something that hasn't been done before is getting less likely as time goes on, and although there seems to be so much material left to magically create, in actuality most everything has taken influence from someone else's work.

Although, looking at the distinct difference and progression of technology not only just with businesses and schooling but how it's affected art and how artists make art is really interesting. Coming from Portapak's in the 1960's alllll the way to what we're using in class, the handy cam, it's certainly quite a feat; and that's not even including the software used to manipulate such images. I also completely agree that in little time people will move away from being so shocked about video art/installation and move onto something else to label as progressive, shocking, and new.

Seth M - Response 5

A lot of the works that were mentioned in this article really gathered my interest and I'd be extremely interested in seeing them in action (particularly F@ust Version 3.0). Though the whole article laid out examples of the progress of intermedia, I really enjoyed the way Rush talked about the progression of art (video art, intermedia, etc.) as a movement that's not only influenced by artists but also culture, politics, and technology as well. That sounds kind of obvious but I'm mainly referring to the avant-garde, and how it seems to be something that desperately tries to stay afloat and always one step ahead of traditional art. We determine intermedia by a blending of mediums and art forms, but I feel that Rush defines avant-garde by the advancement and evolution of intermedia. It seems clear when he ends with, "In the future some artists will still paint; others will continue to sculpt with metal and wood; and others will likely make videos and create live performances. The avant-garde, however, will undoubtedly have moved elsewhere." It's just interesting to hear from a time when art and television technologies worked together to create something new, but now the avant-garde and intermedia are present in everything from video games to modern robotics; it would seem that Rush was right.

Erica- Response 5

Its refreshing to read something so straightforward after a couple weeks of readings that we had to pick through and analyze to understand.

I agree that video can play a large part in creating a production or display; it does add an interactive element. I think it's interesting that Rush describes 3D video as the most interactive technology a work can use. I know this was written in the late '90s but I still find it funny that there was specific mention for "digitized control boards". Technology has come pretty far in the last 12 years. It's strange to read an article in which the technology of television is mentioned like a big deal. TV is so common now that it feels weird for the technology to be mentioned without discussing in depth the content of a show or movie.

Sean Logan Response 5

Technology has moved so fast in our world today that it has helped to creat new and very differnt forms of art. The things that are being done today with video editing and effects were only made possible to the advances and the accesability to new equipment. Nam June Paik brought one of the first Sony portable cameras to New York and started a whole new way or art. This inspired many artist and allowed them not only to creat art but also make it a performance as well. This allowed for the american public to see more that what was just in movies and on the news. Also the advances in technology allowed artist to creat eleaborate performances at one time by having different lighting and visual effects during the performances. Yet the new technology has not left other art forms behind, but has also allowed them to evolove and cope with the changes.

Readings + The best series of photographs I've ever seen

Here is you reading for next week. Responses due 10 am Oct 18th. -- Link

Also -- this may be the best series of photographs I've ever seen. Notice h

ow in the very moment of terror, everyone who is with someone else is either grasping for / holding onto whoever is around them. Really beautiful stuff. Too bad it's viral advertising for some haunted house in Canada. Oh well. -- Link to flickr set

Miracle Fish

Here is that short film I mentioned in class today. Just a warning, its a little creepy (*ahem* Erica) But it's very well shot and just pretty great in general.




Miracle Fish

Seth M - Response 4

I don't think Debord's point is to set-up any clear, obviously, or concise definition of what spectacle is, but more or less what "the society of the spectacle" truly is. Through out the chapters, he switches from culture to religion and even from capitalism to time itself. All the while, Debord is continuously pointing out the intangibility of our society. Everything we've come to except as our world and it's definitions is just an image, perhaps once founded in physical space but is now only a mere representation of itself. These placeholders lack the authenticity of the original and only work to amuse our individual desires for the spectacle. I do believe that Debord is correct when he talks about our need to fill this void when he says, "human fulfillment was no longer equated with what one was, but with what one possessed." I doubt I've grasped nearly all that, honestly. However, my favorite part of this work, is actually near the end of chapter five when he talks about the power of the bourgeoisie and the way he refers to them as living outside of "historical time." He brings to light the flimsiness of time when he mentions Year One of the Republic as a measurement with "absolute origin." It was just interesting to me that Debord seems to almost worship this idea of restarting time from a solid point, almost as if it gives him some sort of reassurance. "The Society of the Spectacle" is filled to the brim with hundreds of thesis about various subjects, half of which I couldn't hope to properly understand without some serious research time. But I have enjoyed reading what I could get out of it.

Jamere- Response 4

Okay, that was difficult and I re-read at least every other part. So, the article is supposedly explaining what the "spectacle" is. What I felt like was every time I started to understand, it would redirect its point of view and then I'd be lost in the next sentence. I feel like this whole article is a spectacle in itself. What we take from the article is still exactly what the article is explaining. Just the fact of the way society views life and how we allow ourselves to follow different images and religions, etc. In my mind a spectacle is this outrageous action, and I feel like that's what the idea is. Our minds creating everything that exists and doesn't exist. We've created the spectacle in any and every situation. Even what I just said seems confusing to myself. The spectacle to me is existence in every aspect. It all just seems bigger than what my mind and maybe others can entirely grasp? I'm not sure. Just what I could get out of this. I feel like I could talk in circles about it. Too confusing.

graham response 4

So when I got to the end of this article I was really confused, and re-reading it didn't help much. Apparently the article is trying to explain what a spectacle is, but to be honest I don't understand the explanation at all. I felt like I was reading another language. I'm trying to contribute but can't come up with anything

erica - response 4

So this is trying to define for the reader what a spectacle is… but I feel like any sort of explicit explanation would be a lot easier to understand than all of this metaphor. I found myself having to read this in bits and then do something else and come back; I could barely read a whole page at once. Each section of this requires its own puzzling and digestion; the more I read, the more confused I felt. I was especially stumped by the discussion of time and the flow of time. This reads as if time were a physical thing, to be stored and spent. I assume that is more metaphor. How can one have a “surplus” of time? If cyclic time is to be avoided (I think, from what I understood of chapter 5), then how is pseudo-cyclical time something desirable? Isn’t all time consumable?

Third Assignment

Here is a link to your third assignment -- "Getting from A to B"

Response 4

Goodness...what IS a spectacle anyway? As I read this article the word "spectacle" showed up countless times in nearly every other sentence. This was distracting. This quote stood out to the me in the beginning. "The spectacle is not a collection of images; it is a social relation between people that is mediated by images. " This means the spectacle is not an object nor the meaning of an object, it is what an object makes of itself. How people react to something. "...goals are nothing, development is everything." This agrees with the previous statement. The spectacle is the development of the goal, what it takes to reach the absolute. What it takes to reach the finished product. Since it isn't a physical object/idea, it can't be the goal. --Very complex. It's like everything comes to be, because of things that yet aren't, but things don't just appear they must first go through an undefined and unofficial "process" TO be which isn't a thing. Haha. Brain hurts. Bed time.

Week 5 Response 4

The spectical, what is the spectical? After reading, the spectical is everything that is made and that isn't. One of the lines says, "Individual reality is allowed to appear only if it is not actually real." This made me think that everything that exists can exist, but only if it is not alone. Later in the article, it talks about how we are slowly destroying all of out countries natrual country side and that the idea of the small city is disappearing as well, urbanism. As we grow, there is really nothing that we can do to stop it. It also says, "Culture grew out of a history that dissolved the previous way of life." This is evidence of the ever evolving ways of life and says that we will always continue to grow.

Readings et al for Week 5

Here is a link to this week and next weeks readings: Guy Debord -- The Society of the Spectacle

And just to make sure that everyone downloads the .pdf, here is a handy graphic:



<-- Click on this to embiggen the image.










Also, here are the videos of today's mini-happenings. Great job, everyone.

(Non)Readings for Week 4

The good news is that there are no readings this week. The bad news is that you have more tutorials to watch on your own.

You will work through the sections...

6.) Basic Audio Mixing
12.) Creating Titles
14.) Importing
15.) Exporting

The Media Art Lab monitored hours are posted on the door. This is roughly two hours of tutorial, so make sure to plan ahead accordingly! Come into the lab and work through these three sections in order to familiarize yourself with audio, filters and titles. There won't be a pop-quiz or anything, but this is all stuff that you need to know that we will not be going over in class.

For Thursday, we'll use half the class for more tutorial videos and the second half for a work day. We'll be doing individual check-ins for our second project. I want you to bring in a short proposal (1 - 2 paragraph) outlining your idea for the project as well as how you imagine it to be executed within the parameters of our Intermedia Moment project. This proposal doesn't have to be finalized or fully fleshed out -- We'll talk about your idea and try to get you to a good place with it.

Additionally - We're going to shuffle some of our syllabi dates around due to tech issues impeding our learning experience... The second project, The Intermedia Moment, will be due Sept. 27th instead of the 20th.

Again: The Intermedia Moment Project will be due September 27th. One week after posted on the syllabus.

I will update this change on the syllabus asap.

Thanks, all. Here is a video to help you through these boring tutorials. Click

Graham Response 3

This is one of my favorite articles so far, I like how the author describes conceptual art it makes alot of sense to me. the last line "Conceptual art is only good when the idea is good" is really cool I think because alot of times a piece will be really simple, but its the meaning behind it that's important. I wish the author touched a little more on how art can be both perceptual and conceptual. Creating with tuition as well as pleasing to the eye.

Sol LeWitt

The last line of the first paragraph really expresses my way of thinking quite well, "..I am grateful for the opportunity to strike out for myself". I'm very much the kind of person that would rather do things for myself than let someone else do it, especially when it comes to my art. I don't know whether this is because I'm unconsciously OCD about my work, or that I'm a control-freak. However, I do know that this way of working makes me proud of the things I create and pushes me to learn as much about my processes and techniques as possible.

Conceptual art has always kind of been a mode of art that does not come as easily to me as what Sol LeWitt calls 'perceptual art'. I love the process I go through when working with certain materials, and when I get a texture or hue or shape I love, it seems to make my work more enjoyable for others.

LeWitt's idea that if the 3d size is too large the idea could be lost in translation to the the viewer isn't fully true. Although, it can be true if the material being worked with is not understood fully by the maker, or the artist is unsure or indecisive and tries to counteracts those insecurities with size. Also, I believe that in my art, if given the opportunity to work large scale, I almost always take it. There's something mesmerizing about large scale work that really draws my attention, even if it is a pain in the ass to work on and complete.

I esp. like the bit at the end where LeWitt explains that these are just his ideas he came upon through his work and that they can change at any time by way of what he experiences. Change is good :)

jamere- response 3

I love this article because a lot of my work is conceptual, at least it begins that way. I always have ideas then my art begins and whatever i end up with, intended or not is what i like. I like the unknown factor of what it is i went through making it, and what i get out of the end product as well as the viewer. There were some things I learned as well from this article. For instance the facts how the relation between architecture and the 3-dementional functions. How once it's accessible and utilized, it's slowly seen, less likely as art and more so serves a purpose. I liked that observation. This article is great in the way it describes conceptual art. I agree with a lot of what Lewiit says about it.

Response 3

This article was very interesting. It really made me think about the differences between CONceptual art and PERceptual art. It makes me think about what I do in my own work. I believe almost all of my graphic design pieces are perceptual. I design what people will like to see, to draw in a viewer and LIKE what they see. Straight forward, simplistic art. My drawings though, I feel like are a lot more abstract or based off ideology. I start with an idea and it spreads, usually to evoke a feeling. Either way, can't art begin conceptual then become perceptual? Or is that the whole point of conceptual is it's strictly an idea and once it is made, the viewer creates their own opinion/if they like it? The line is a little blurry, but very interesting to ponder! :)

Derek-Response 3

The first thing I found interesting abou this article was the fact of conceptual art how everything is planned out before the piece is ever made. I feel like we do this with our own artwork more than we might realize. Another thing about conceptual art that interests me is the fact that it isn't necessarily logical. I like the fact of the art concept being hidden and lulling the viewer into a different idea. It relates to a lot of my artwork in the past especially through graphic design. It shows a lot of meaning through a simple idea. One thing in the article I didn't really believe in was the fact of size of pieces. When they say a large piece generally loses it's central idea, I didn't think the same. I feel like the size of the piece clearly depends on the artist and how he/she wants to portray their piece. Otherwise for the most part the article seemed fairly interesting as a whole and the different views of Lewitt.

Seth M - Response 3

This article was an excellent way to explain the intricacies behind conceptual art and the necessity of intention in every move and decision the artist makes. As LeWitt says towards the end of the reading, the article merely expresses his thoughts at that specific time as a conceptual artists and they definitely can not be said to apply to everyone. However, I did find that most of what he said to be very true and, if applied towards the genre as a whole, has me giving a lot more respect to conceptual artists. The way he describes the importance of size, position, gallery space, viewer height, etc. makes you really think about what it really means to create a gallery piece. We experienced a bit of this first hand in our critique last week, but coming from a professional, experienced, artist it's a bit inspiring to see how big of a part the gallery space plays in their roles as creators. I didn't quite agree with his stance on architecture, I don't think he meant to demean it as an art form, but it definitely came off that way. I believe the conceptual art plays a huge part in modern architecture, design, and the continuous striving to do something different that often pushes architects to create brilliant buildings. But as I said, I don't believe it was his intention to dismiss that; however, he aimed to point out the trial and errors of non-functional art in a gallery space. LeWitt's talk of different mediums, media, and tools adds up brilliantly at the end with, "Conceptual art is only good when the idea is good." It's humorous, though there is definitely some kind of truth to this.

Response 3

One thing that I like about this article is how it says, "In terms of idea the artist is free to even surprise himself." I feel that this happens alot to me because when I am working on something, the process of creating something and the end result can be totally different than what I was trying to do. Also, when other people see it, they say,"I really like how you did this," and it sometimes is totally different from the way that I had seen it. Another part of the article says," What the work of art looks like isn't to important, no matter waht form it may finally have it must begin with an idea." I can really relate to this because I have an idea sometime and when I start to create that idea, new ideas keep adding to it until I finally come up with something totally different that the original idea. I believe that conceptual art is something that we do alot of without even realizing that we are doing it.

Erica- Response 3

I appreciated this reading the most, I think, because of how humorous it was. The author is making fun of art critics while explaining conceptual art to the reader. This article made me understand that conceptual art is more about the thought process behind a piece than it is about the look of the piece itself; I gather this is something the author doesn't think art critics fully understand. This makes conceptual art all the more interesting to me because I think it would be very difficult to get a viewer to follow the same train of thought you had while making a piece. I think it would be near impossible to convey an idea without having some form of explicitly leading the viewer through a portion of the process. Like in the portion of "cornered" we watched where the artist talks to you as if your thoughts were clearly audiable to her and leads you around the idea of her installation. I think this is all extremely clever. The trick is, it seems, to make a viewer contemplate a piece in a certain way without them being fully aware that you are guiding them in that direction. The author here talks about regulating space and making fewer capricious decisions in the making of a piece in order to retain control; when I initially read that part I thought that the product would be boring, but now I realize there is more purpose to that simplification than I had originally noticed.

Graham- Response 2

These four articles were a little confusing to me at first, and I had to read them over again to grasp the concept. Its a little hard for me to understand fully because I feel like Dada covers such a broad spectrum of things that it could almost be broken down into different subcategories. It seems to me like Dada is about pushing boundaries and crossing mediums, but also about always changing and being devoted to what you do. Its closely related to the reoccurring question, "what is art/dadism?"

Second Assignment: Intermedia Moment

Your second assignment is up on ICON.

Link: Here

Readings -- Week 3

Sorry all for the delay. Here are your readings for week three.

Sol LeWitt

Due Tuesday morning -- 10 am.

-- Christopher

Erica- Response 2

I'm finding Dada somewhat difficult to understand completely. I understand from the readings that it is nihilist in philosophy and spontaneous and completely based on the personal experience of the viewer. At the same time though, I'm not sure there could be a manifesto for something spontaneous and chaotic. One of the things that is shared between these four excerpts is that they all claim Dada to be a rejection of structure. The first few sentences of the last excerpt make sense to me:

"Dada wanted to destroy men's pretences at reason and rediscover the natural, unreasonable order of things. Dada wanted to replace the logical nonsense of men today by illogical meaninglessness."

But then I have to ask myself, how am I supposed to even try to understand something "meaningless"? It seems like the more I try to figure out Dada, the more confused i become.

Also am I remembering correctly that Dada is supposed to be a rejection of language as well? If so, why do all of these authors write so eloquently?

Response 2

One thing that the article "En Enent Dada" said that made me understand what DADA was about was, "He is not the same man today as tomorrow, the day after tomorrow he will perhaps be 'nothing at all.' and then he may become everyting." This helps me understand sort of what Dada is about because it is basically saying that Dada is what ever you want it to be and you can become anything through it without being told that you can't do something. Also I am still confused about it because I feel that there isn't a clear definition that fully explains every aspect of it.

Sean Logan

4 Takes on Dada

From these four excerpts I'm starting to gain an appreciation for all that is Dada. It's chaos, and not chaos at the same time, it's about being devoted and yet atheist towards conforming ideals. In a generalization, Dada is nothing and everything, although not necessarily at the same time, as Richard Huelsenbeck claimed, "He is not the same man today as tomorrow, the day after tomorrow he will perhaps be 'nothing at all' and then he may become everything". I think this is wonderful, whether it's dealing with art or life in general, it is not reasonable to expect people to be what they say they are all of the time. People need room to fluctuate their behaviors, their personalities. I'm not saying everyone needs to have multiple personalities because that can lend implications of transparency and dishonesty, however, the ability to empathize and understand different personalities and situations is pivotal in being an artist. I also especially enjoy Huelsenbeck's line about how the Dadaist is 'entirely devoted to the movement of life'. It's such a free sounding ideal, it doesn't seem constraining, but only focused on the betterment of one's life and art.

I also really enjoyed the excerpts from Tristan Tzara's Manifesto. By reading it aloud I really was able to get a better understanding of what he was saying. It was enjoyable how his words were so honest, exciting, and so poetic.

DADA

Reading these articles was really confusing to the point where I found myself re reading sentences and paragraphs over a few times. Eventually I think I grasped what Dada is and isn't in my mind. I like that it represents the nothing. Whatever may be nothing to you, or someone else. The simplistic, nature, anything could be dada in my mind. Dada is still a bit confusing to me, but none the less something I feel like I know. It's tricky.

J.E.

Seth M - Dada

In these four articles, I began to find it easier to understand the deeper thought process behind the Dada movement and perhaps even began to respect it a little more. An awful lot of it still seemed rather pretentious in its own right, though I do understand that Dada artists like Picabia and Arp were something like The Sex Pistols of their time or maybe even something that could have evolved from the rebellion of impressionists long before. Picabia's "Hiss, shout, kick my teeth in, so what? I shall still tell you that you are half-wits. In three months my friends and I will be selling you our pictures for a few francs." definitely aligns itself with the punk rock comparison in the music industry. Still, the one quote throughout all of these readings that really shed a lot of light on not only what Dada was but who Dada artists thought there were, was in the very first reading. Huelsenbeck wrote, "The Dadaist is an atheist by instinct. He is no longer a metaphysician in the sense of finding 'thou shalt'; for him the cigarette-butt and the umbrella are as exalted and as timeless as the 'thing in itself.'" that's something that I could really feel when looking at Dada art. I don't think "pretentious" is exactly the word I'm looking for, Dada seemed to be more like a sort of self-awareness. Present in all of these excerpts is a focus on who the Dada artist is and how they are living outside of society, almost like a set of rules or a way of life. It's definitely present in their work as well and it is elaborated further in Arp's comments on "meaninglessness." I think it's interesting that they were so quick to dismiss the illogical, especially given Schwitters' work; however, perhaps that was more to give the nonsense meaning by calling it meaningless.

FIRST ASSIGNMENT! The Ready-Made

Assignment No.1 THE READY-MADE

Link to PDF

Also posted on ICON.

Due: Tues. September 6th, 2011

Readings - Week 2

Here are the readings for week 2:

Four Takes on DADA

Please make sure to 'label' your posts as Response2 (sorry for the confusion).

Response 1

Though the question of who exactly decides the final, lasting impression of a work of art or artist is very interesting, I was more drawn to the quote by T.S. Eliot.

"The more perfect the artist, the more completely separate in him will be the man who suffers and the mind which creates; the more perfectly will the mind digest and transmute the passions which are its material."

This idea of separate minds touches on what I was somewhat suggesting last class, (I have different ways of thinking with each mode of art I pursue, 2d vs. 3d for ex) however, I realize his idea is more specific.

I still find myself struggling with separating my initial emotions and fears of the final critique even before the idea has formulated in my mind. However as I have become more comfortable in my aesthetic and the mediums I work in, the distinct fear of whether or not the end result is 'acceptable' or 'art-worthy' has begun to fade. I think the reasoning for the lessening of my fear of acceptance from others, (especially pertaining to my sculptures) is directly connected to what Duchamp talks about, the creative act.

He says, "In the creative act, the artist goes from intention to realization through a chain of totally subjective reactions. His struggle toward the realization is a series of efforts, pains, satisfaction, refusals, decisions, which also cannot and must not be fully self-conscious, at least on the esthetic plane."

I think once an artist really experiences their own creative act, (where the planning, or process, or end result even has happened mostly naturalistically and successfully) it can be a very enlightening and rewarding experience. Although I am still learning new techniques and perfecting older ones, I feel as though I start to create more for myself and how it will make others react as opposed to focusing on how much the viewers like it or deem it art-worthy.

Response 1

Reading these two articles were both eye opening. I felt more inspired by Duchamp's The Creative Act article, because I feel like a victim about trying to please the viewer before myself. I feel like being a graphic design major, this is a challenge I have already faced and realized I will face for each design. Even in the classroom, for the past year I have found myself leaning towards creating pieces that I know my professor will really like vs. what I really WANT to create. I worry more so about my grade rather than my creative needs. All graphic designers will face this with clients, though. - Dick Higgins' article on Intermedia was great as well. It is nice to see that people are appreciating diversity amongst the arts and materials used. The article made me want to become amazing in various mediums rather than just miraculous in one.

--Brittney

Response 1

I immediately found myself interested in the Duchamp article and how he proposed that the viewer or "audience" defines a work of art as much as its creator. It's not the first time I had heard of this concept, however, the way he described it as a process that an artist must come to terms with is very interesting. We really do have to take into consideration how all of the effort, time, and struggles we put into a piece of art can entirely shape our views of it. So in a sense, it sometimes must be left up to a third-party to view it not only in it's own context but also as a part of a larger art community. There is a good transition into the Higgins piece there, with his notions of intermedia and the categorization of art. Higgins takes the common question of "how do we categorize art?" and delivers a fleshed out answer. It's simple to take the side of saying, "art just is" and sometimes that's a sort of self-satisfactory answer; however, Higgins way of looking into not only various mediums, but literal forms of media as well, helped me grasp a better understanding of the openness and expansion of intermedia. Overall, I feel as if both of these articles have definitely opened up my mind for what we'll be exploring further into the course.

Respons 1

Coming into this class I didn't know what intermedia was and these articles helped me somwhat understand it. Yet still I really don't fully understand exactly what it means just as I don't understand the meaning of some art that is considered intermedia. In the Higgins article he says,"art seems to belong unnecessarily rigidly to one or another form." This is what I feel most people think and whenever they look at art and if it doesn't fall into a certain section then they don't consider it art.

Sean Logan

Response 1

I found these two articles interesting because they helped me define the term "intermedia" more concretely for myself. Having found the presentation from the first day of class somewhat intimidating, I thought that intermedia was a conglomeration of all that was strange in the art world. This is no longer so. The excerpt from Higgins surprised me when it suggested that intermedia is the eventual evolution of all forms of art. It makes sense to me that given enough time creation in any one category would lead to interdisciplinary artwork. I suppose what Higgins provided that I was missing before was that this is a natural progression. The Creative Act made me reflect on the role of the spectator in any given work. I think one of the things I have the most trouble understanding is performance art; thinking more about the spectator's part in that made it easier for me to include it in my idea of intermedia.

Erica S.

Response 1

I really enjoyed both articles. They opened my eyes to things i haven't quite noticed yet. I'm fairly new to

expressing my artistic side and views because I still have so much to learn and experience. These articles made

me realize a stand point i do have. I completely agree that the spectator has so much control over the artists work.

Whether we intentionally mean to do so or not. Whether the piece is for our own personal fulfillment or for our

audiences, we together must contribute to accomplish our work. All of this also falls under the "What is art?" question.

I hate that question. Art is what it is to you because you determine so. Its your reaction to your work, others works, and

peoples reaction altogether. I feel like its a silent appreciation for what you may or may not have gotten for the work(s).

Your general reaction to it all, is your choice, audience or spectator.

Jamere E.

Safety Procedures

Howdy all,

The Intermedia Safety Procedures are now on ICON, if you're interested.

-- Christopher

Week 1 Readings

Marcel Duchamp -- The Creative Act

Dick Higgens -- Intermedia

Responses to these two readings will be due on Tuesday Aug 30 by 10am. Remember to tag your responses as "Response1," or else you will not receive credit for your work.

Happy reading, everyone!

Intermedia 1 Section 002 Syllabus

Course: Intermedia 1 – Fall 2011; 01J:090:002

Time / Place: 10:30 am – 12:20 pm TTH; 1719 Studio Arts

Instructor: Christopher Pickett; christopher-pickett@uiowa.edu, capicket@gmail.com

Office Location / Hours: 1648 Studio Arts; Office hours will be held on Mondays from 9:30 am – 12:30 pm, or by appointment.

Course Supervisor: Rachel Williams; rachel-williams@uiowa.edu

Course Blog: http://intermedia1-fall2011-002.blogspot.com/

Intermedia Website: http://research-intermedia.art.uiowa.edu

Course Description:

This course is a beginning level course that satisfies the 3-D requirement for a B.F.A. degree. Slide lectures, presentations, and reading assignments provide a historical context to investigations into the media unique to the development of intermedia art forms—performance art, site-specific works, installations, artists’ books, and video art. Grades are based on attendance and participation, discussions of readings,completion of assignments, and synthesis of final projects.

Course Structure:

Class time will be used for discussion of relevant artists and critical issues, learning technical skills in videography, sound and other multimedia forms, as well as student critiques. Students will be responsible for four individual projects accompanied by smaller exercises, homework, a research-based presentation and readings throughout the course of the semester. These projects will be explorations into the concepts and methods that we will discuss in historical and critical context, and will be completed (for the most part) outside of class time, accompanied by in-class progress presentations and individual discussion with the instructor.

We will have a loose structure of every Tuesday being theory/history/concept overview and discussion day and every Thursday being technical demo / experimentation day. This is not a rigid schedule, however, and is subject (and likely) to change as the semester goes on in order to meet our needs for the class.

Texts:

All texts will be provided in PDF format by the instructor, unless otherwise noted. You will not have to purchase any books or workbooks. All readings will be posted to the class blog the day that they are assigned and tagged as “TEXT”

Grades:

Attendance and Participation: 40%

Projects: 50%

Final Portfolio: 10%

Attendance:

Attendance is required. Students may be absent for any reason or no reason twice during the semester. Any absences beyond the second will result in a grade reduction, excepting extreme and documented circumstances to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. An unexplained habit of late arrival or early departure will also result in a grade reduction.

Expectations of Students:

All students are primarily expected to (1) engage and participate in class and (2) become technically proficient in the mediums explored in class – specifically videography, sound design and installation. This means participation in critiques and class discussions of readings/topics by asking questions, posing problems and bringing relevant opinions and information to the table as well as being committed to learning and exploring the programs, mediums and ideas put forth. I encourage everyone to be curious, experimental, thoughtful and critical. The more that you, as a student, engage in the class, the more fulfilling and interesting it will be for you as well as your classmates.

You will be assigned four out-of-class projects and one research-based presentation, several in-class exercises and projects and several readings (one per week) throughout the semester. There will be a class blog where you will be expected to write brief responses (2 to 3 paragraphs – or more, if you want) to your reading assignments and which will also act as a resource to you. Responses are due by 10am the morning of the day they are due, which is specified on the schedule below. I expect that all assignments be completed on time. Additionally, you will be required to document your work and turn in a final portfolio at the end of the semester

If you find that you are utterly disinterested in a project and can make a strong case for pursuing another avenue of expression for your ideas, then please communicate with me and we'll try to figure out the best way to help you as a developing artist. While I believe that the mastery of these techniques and a familiarity with the history and concepts of what we're calling “Intermedia” are very important in the here-and-now for developing artists and cultural producers, this course is not rigid or inflexible. We can work together in order to make sure that you get the most out of your experience in the class.

If you are having problems, with completing assignments or with the class in general, then please be communicative with me about your concerns and we can remedy the situation together.

Expectation of the Instructor:

I’m here as a resource for you. I will do my best to introduce interesting and challenging ideas and concepts to the class, as well as to instruct you in the technical skills that are necessary for you to be able to complete your projects (in and out of this course) and communicate your ideas.

Inevitably I will not be able to anticipate the needs or concerns of everyone, so please communicate with me. This could be the difference between a good experience in class and a bad one. I am pretty much on the computer for a good chunk of the day, every day, or around Studio Arts, so never hesitate to email me or stop by my office (though my scheduled office time would be best to do so...).

CLASS SCHEDULE

Week 1

Tuesday, Aug 23

Introductions, Syllabus, Area Tour

Presentation: What is Intermedia?

Reading assignment: Duchamp – The Creative Act & Dick Higgins - Intermedia

Thursday, Aug 25

Presentation: Basics of Videography – Photography Primer

In-class group project: Aperture and shutter speed experiments

Week 2

Tuesday, Aug 30

Responses to Aug 23 readings due on class blog (tag as Response1)

Presentation: Dada & Conceptual Art

In-class project: Mechanical Art

Reading assignment: Four Takes on Dada

FIRST PROJECT Assigned: The Readymade (Due Sept 6)

Thursday, Sept 1

Presentation: Video – Camera and tape basics

In-class group project – In-camera editing

Week 3

Tuesday, Sept 6

Responses to Aug 30 reading due on blog (tag as Response2)

First Critique: The Readymade Project

Reading assignment: Sol LeWitt – Selections from Paragraphs on Conceptual Art

Thursday, Sept 8

Presentation: Meeting Lynda and Firing up Final Cut

Today, we will be going over the basics of Final Cut Pro using lynda.com as a reference. We will work through as much of the lynda.com basic tutorial as possible in our allotted class time.

SECOND PROJECT Assigned: The Intermedia Moment – Due Sept 20

Week 4

Tuesday, Sept 13

Responses to Sept 6 readings due on blog (tag as Response3)

Presentation: Intro to Fluxus

Discussion of Dada, Conceptual Art readings & Fluxus

Reading assignment: Vautier – Text on the Fluxus and Higgins – Forty Years of Fluxus

Thursday, Sept 15

Presentation: Non-Linear Editing

Work Day & Individual Check-Ins

Week 5

Tuesday, Sept 20

Critiques – The Intermedia Moment I (½ the class)

Thrusday, Sept 22

Critiques – The Intermedia Moment I (½ the class)

Week 6

Tuesday, Sept 27

Responses to Sept 13 readings due on blog (tag as Response4)

Presentation: Situationism

Discussion of Fluxus readings, Situationism

Reading Assignment: Guy Debord – The Society of the Spectacle

THIRD PROJECT ASSIGNED: Getting from A to B

Thursday, Sept 29

Presentation: Color Correction & Effects

In-class group project – Coloring your world

Week 7

Tuesday, Oct 4

Presentation: Emerging Media: Video

In-Class Group Project: The Wandering Gaze

Reading Assignment: Guy Debord – The Society of the Spectacle & Michael Rush – Media Madness

Thursday, Oct 6

In-Class Work Day & Individual Check-Ins for A to B

Week 8

Tuesday, Oct 11

Critiques – Getting from A to B (½ the class)

Thursday, Oct 13

Critiques – Getting from A to B (½ the class)

Week 9

Tuesday, Oct 18

Responses to Sept. 27 & Oct 4 Readings due on blog (tag as Response5)

Presentation: Performance Art & Performance-based Video

Discussions of Society of the Spectacle and Media Madness

Reading Assignment: Rosalind Krauss – The Aesthetics of Narcissism & Selections from Kaprow – Performance Art

FOURTH PROJECT Assigned: The Intermedia Moment II – Due Nov 1

FIFTH PROJECT Assigned: The Artist-Researcher ~ Researching Artists – Due Nov 29

Thursday, Oct 20

Presentation: Introduction to Sound

In-Class Group Project: Banal Soundtracks

Individual Check-Ins: Proposals for The Intermedia Moment II due

Week 10

Tuesday, Oct 25

Responses to Oct 18 readings due on blog (Tag as Response6)

Presentation: Performance and Media Politics

Discussion of Krauss, Performance & Media

Reading Assignment: Ant Farm - Can Man Control Technology's Domination of Nature? & Sarah Kanouse – Cooing Over the Golden Phallus

Thursday, Oct 27

In-Class Work day

Individual Check-ins – The Intermedia Moment II

Week 11

Tuesday, Nov 1

Critiques: The Intermedia Moment II (½ the class)

Thursday, Nov 3

Critiques: The Intermedia Moment II (½ the class)

Week 12

Tuesday, Nov 8

Responses to Oct 28 readings due on blog (tag as Response7)

Presentation: Space & Place Pt1 – Land Art & Public Art

Discussion of Oct 28 readings

Reading Assignment: Peter Boag – Thinking Like Mount Rushmore

Thursday, Nov 10

In-class group exercise: Land-art proposals & Discussion

Week 13

Tuesday, Nov 15

Presentation: Space & Place Pt2 – Site-specific Installation & Performance

Discussion of Boag & previous presentations ~ Culture, Space and Place

Reading Assignment: Brian Holmes -- Imaginary Maps, Global Solidarities, Roberta Smith – Venice Biennale: An Installation Art Contest (NY Times Article)

Thursday, Nov 17

In-Class Exercise & Discussion: Everyday Maps

Week 14

Tuesday, Nov 22

NO CLASS – Thanksgiving Break

Reading Assignment TBA

Thursday, Nov 24

NO CLASS – Thanksgiving Break

Reading Assignment TBA

Week 15

Tuesday, Nov 29

Responses to Nov 15 & Thanksgiving Break readings due (tag as Response8)

PRESENTATIONS: AR ~ RA (½ the class)

Thursday, Dec 1

PRESENTATIONS: AR ~ RA (½ the class)

Reading Assignment: Extracts from Nicolas Borriaud's Relational Esthetics, Allan Kaprow – Blurring Art and Life

Week 16

Tuesday, Dec 6

Responses for Dec 1 Readings due on blog (tag as Response9)

Presentation: Relational Art & Social Practice

Discussion of Dec 1 Readings, Relational Aesthetics

Late Project Presentations

Thursday, Dec 8

Final Portfolios due by 10am

Final Portfolio Review & Discussions

Late Project Presentations / Critiques

FALL 2011

School of Art and Art History Syllabus Information - STUDIO

The University of Iowa

Course policies are governed by the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Electronic Communication 


University policy specifies that students are responsible for all official correspondences sent to their University of Iowa e-mail address (@uiowa.edu).

Faculty and students should use this account for correspondences.

Homework Expectation

For each semester hour of credit that an Art and Art History course carries, students should expect to spend approximately two hours per week

outside of class preparing for class sessions. That is, in a three-credit-hour course, instructors design course assignments on the assumption that

students will spend six hours per week in out-of-class preparation.

Your Responsibilities

Your responsibilities to this class -- and to your education as a whole -- include attendance and participation. This syllabus details specific

expectations the instructor may have about attendance and participation. You have a responsibility to help create a classroom environment where all

may learn. At the most basic level, this means you will respect the other members of the class and the instructor and treat them with the courtesy you

hope to receive in return.

Student Classroom Behavior

The ability to learn is lessened when students engage in inappropriate classroom behavior, distracting others; such behaviors are a violation of the

Code of Student Life. When disruptive activity occurs, a University instructor has the authority to determine classroom seating patterns and to request

that a student exit the classroom, laboratory, or other area used for instruction immediately for the remainder of the period. One-day suspensions

are reported to appropriate departmental, collegiate, and Student Services personnel (Office of the Vice President for Student Services and Dean of

Students).

Academic Fraud

Plagiarism and any other activities when students present work that is not their own are academic fraud. Academic fraud is a serious matter and

is reported to the departmental DEO and to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and Curriculum. Instructors and DEOs decide on

appropriate consequences at the departmental level while the Associate Dean enforces additional consequences at the collegiate level. See the

CLAS Academic Fraud section of the Student Academic Handbook. www.clas.uiowa.edu/students/handbook/x/#2

Making a Suggestion or a Complaint


Students with a suggestion or complaint should first visit the instructor, then the course supervisor, and then the departmental DEO. Complaints must

be made within six months of the incident. See the CLAS Student Academic Handbook.

Accommodations for Disabilities

A student seeking academic accommodations should first register with Student Disability Services and then meet privately with the course instructor

to make particular arrangements. For more information see Student Disability Services at www.uiowa.edu/~sds/

Understanding Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment subverts the mission of the University and threatens the well-being of students, faculty, and staff. All members of the UI

community have a responsibility to uphold this mission and to contribute to a safe environment that enhances learning. Incidents of sexual

harassment should be reported immediately. See the UI Comprehensive Guide on Sexual Harassment for assistance, definitions, and the full

University policy at http://www.uiowa.edu/~eod/policies/sexual-harassment-guide/index.html.

Reacting Safely to Severe Weather

In severe weather, class members should seek appropriate shelter immediately, leaving the classroom if necessary. The class will continue if

possible when the event is over. For more information on Hawk Alert and the siren warning system, visit the Public Safety web site.

Resources for Students

§

§

§

§

Writing Center 110 English-Philosophy Building, 335-0188, www.uiowa.edu/~writingc

Speaking Center 12 English-Philosophy Building, 335-0205, www.uiowa.edu/~rhetoric/centers/speaking

Mathematics Tutorial Laboratory 314 MacLean Hall, 335-0810, www.uiowa.edu/mathlabTutor

Referral Service Campus Information Center, Iowa Memorial Union, 335-3055, www.imu.uiowa.edu/cic/tutor_referral_service

CLAS Final Examination Policies

Final exams may be offered only during finals week. No exams of any kind are allowed during the last week of classes. Students should not ask their

instructor to reschedule a final exam since the College does not permit rescheduling of a final exam once the semester has begun. Questions should

be addressed to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and Curriculum.

Missed exam policy

University policy requires that students be permitted to make up examinations missed because of illness, mandatory religious obligations,

certain University activities, or unavoidable circumstances. Excused absence forms are required and are available at the Registrar web site:

www.registrar.uiowa.edu/forms/absence.pdf

University Examination Policy Final Examinations

An undergraduate student who has two final examinations scheduled for the same period or more than three examinations scheduled for the same

day may file a request for a change of schedule before the published deadline at the Registrar's Service Center, 17 Calvin Hall, 8-4:30 M-F, (384-

4300).

Plus-Minus Grading

All the department's instructors can append plus or minus grades to the letter grades they assign for the course. If the instructor does not specifically

indicate in the syllabus that he or she will not assign plusses or minuses, students should assume that this form of grading will be used.

Woodshop Use and Fees

The School of Art and Art History Woodshop Is a common use facility for any student enrolled in a studio art class. The woodshop has a $25 per

student per semester buy-back fee. All students who use the woodshop must pay this fee, which goes towards the replacement of consumables as

well as equipment repairs, replacements and other shop related expenses. Students can opt to pay a one-time use fee of $5 to work for one day

only. However if they come back in for further use they must pay the $25 lab fee at that time. This will mean that in total they will be charged $30.

The students will be U-Billed by the lab coordinator before they begin working. Students must also complete safety training and fill out a woodshop

safety release form every semester to work in the shop. To do this they must see the Woodshop Lab Specialist, Adam Krueger. Woodshop open

hours and schedules are posted on the door of the woodshop.

Students enrolled in classes that require the use of woodshop as part of their class instruction will be U-billed at the time of use.

Studio Model Policy and Guidelines

Drawing from the live nude model will be part of some drawing courses and may include models of any gender identity. Instructors and students

should demonstrate consideration for the model and behave professionally and with respect. This will include an instructor discussing the purpose of

particular poses with the model, and the right of the model to choose to accept or reject a given assignment. It is not appropriate to touch the model

or ask that models touch one another in a pose. All sheets used in any modeling session are to be put in the laundry box located in 1820 SA. Only

the faculty member and the students enrolled in the class are allowed in the studio classroom when the model is posing. The doors to classrooms

using studio models should be kept closed, and signs posted on the door for privacy.