Things and Beyond

This course will explore the possibilities for creative production inspired by a range of inquiries, including readings, discussions, critiques, looking at the work of contemporary artists, and observing the work of students in the class as their work unfolds. We will be reading a range of texts, as well as making museum and/or gallery visit(s). In doing so, we will consider different ways of thinking about art, which will lead us to consider different ways of thinking about ourselves, what we encounter, and what we produce as a result of an encounter. We will explore concepts as ways of discovering different subjectivities and situations in which art can become. We will take a global perspective in looking at contemporary art. The course will experiment with how texts, images, discussions, and activity can alter one’s inner landscape, enabling different kinds of (art) work to emerge. This is predominantly a studio course that will incorporate a range of activities in conjunction with studio work. We will encounter a range of materials such as cardboard, wood, metal, plaster, and digital media, with technical support provided in the handling of these media. Experience in the visual, performative, industrial, and/or digital arts is helpful. For the interview, students are encouraged to bring images of work done in any of the previously mentioned practices.     Permission of the instructor is required.