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ART AND THE ANTHROPOCENE: MATERIAL-BASED ACTIVISM

  • logistics
    • about this course
    • policies
    • syllabus
  • projects
  • schedule
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schedule

WEEK 1

Wednesday, September 4

Introduction to course

  • projects
  • assignments (scaffolding for projects)
  • blog initial posts/peer responses
  • discussion – prepare 
  • portfolios – document, document, document

Influences: 

  • Slide show: Influences and Early Adapters Kazimil Malevich, Marcel Duchamp, Jean Tinguely, Josef Beuys, Fluxus, etc
  • Tutorial: Ideas, Arrangements, Effects
  • Workshop: Curating experiences
  •  

WEEK 2

Wednesday, September 11

Land Art and Environmental Art

Robert Smithson, Agnes Denes, Ana Mendieta, Maya Lin, Bruce Davies, Andy Goldsworthy, Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada, Hiroyuki Nishimura, Ruth Wallen, Marina DeBris

  • Share and Discussion: Curating experiences, material meaning, installation, and pushing boundaries
  • Slide show: Land Art and the environment
  • Material Exploration: Construction, Materials and techniques (paper, cardboard) – make an object out of one piece of cardboard on-site in the 4th floor covered corridor. You may cut and tear and manipulate the card in any manner but not use glue

WEEK 3

Wednesday, September 18

Material History and Transformation

Kara Walker, David Hammons, Doris Salcedo, Guiseppi Licardi, Henrique Oliviera, Ben Butler, Christophe Douce

Cardboard
Ann Webber, Yuken Teruya, Chris Gilmour, Alfredo and Isabel Aquilizan, Warren King

    • Discussion: Land Art
    • Slide show: Material History and Transformation
    • Tutorial and Activity: Object and Material as storytellers 
    • Slide Show: Cardboard
  • Introduction to Project 1
  • Material Exploration: assemblages from gathered and upcycled materials (collaborative making with objects)

Museum Outing (Required)

WEEK 4

Wednesday, September 25

Activated Art

Allan Kaprow, Roelof Louw, Josef Beuys, Ann Hamilton, Cornelia Parker, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Roman Ondak, NéleAzevedo, Tisna Sanjaya, Cai GuoQiang, Cassandra Liuzzo, Yoko Ono 

  • Discussion: Project 3
  • Slide show: Activated Art
  • Material Exploration: “Make it Yourself” clay and paper (cardboard, wood pulp/sawdust)
  • Student Gallery tour
  • Project 2 Details

National Day Holiday: Fall Break


WEEK 5

Wednesday, October 9

RESEARCH Presentations

Textiles and Plants 

Anni Albers, Faithe Ringgold, AlghieroBoetti, Ni Faifeng, Derick Melander, ChiaruShiota, Maria Nepomuceno, Haegue Yang, Orly Genger, Tamara Orjola, Diana Scherer

Zheng Bo, Henrik Hakansson, Natalie Jeremjienko, Rashid Johnson, Rebecca Louise Lan, Isabella Stewart Gardener (Museum)

  • Presentations
  • Discussion: Art in the Eco/Social Sphere – Activated Art
  • Slide show: Textiles and Plants
  • Material Exploration: Textiles
  • Tutorial: Artist Statements
Visit to the ICA exhibition after class

WEEK 6

Wednesday, October 16

RESEARCH Presentations

Food and Biomaterials

Food: Alison Knowles, Alan Kaprow, RirkritTiravanija, Mary Mattingly, Dana Sherwood, Darren Bader, 

BioMaterials: Sheila Gowda, Suzanne Anker, Alanna Lynch, Anna Dumitiu, Candace Lin, Oron Catts, Roger Hiorns, Bettina Werner, 

Human-NonHuman Collaborations: Tomás Saraceno (spider web), Liang Shaoji (silk worms)

  • Presentations
  • Discussion: Textiles and Plants 
  • Slide show: Food and Biomaterials
  • Studio time

WEEK 7

Wednesday, October 23

Project 1 Critique

WEEK 8

Wednesday, October 30

RESEARCH Presentations

Eco Materiality:

Discussion: Material Activism and Democratization of Production
Material Exploration: DIY Cooking Materials
Workshop: Bioplastics: Starch, Gelatin and Algaes

WEEK 9

Wednesday, November 6

RESEARCH Presentations

Eco Materiality

Introduction to Project 2
Discussion: Material Driven Design and Sympoiesis
Material Exploration: Growing materials
Workshop: Mycelium, Bacterial Cellulose, and Crystals

WEEK 10

Wednesday, November 13

RESEARCH Presentations

Eco Materiality
Material Exploration: Biocomposites and Bioceramics
Discussion: Circular Art and Healthy Economies
Workshop: Bio ceramic from waste

Saturday, November 16: Mandatory Field Trip to Jinze Arts Centre and ECNU School of Design (If you are not able to attend, we will assign you an alternative assignment)

WEEK 11

Wednesday, November 20

RESEARCH Presentations

material experiments exhibition (East B2 gallery)
Eco Materiality
Material Processes: Digital Crafting for Material Design
Discussion: Ethical design and responsible use of technology
Workshop: Digital crafting

WEEK 12

Wednesday, November 27

RESEARCH Presentations

Eco Materiality
Material Processes: Biotextiles, Natural Dyes and Glues
Discussion: Designing with Nature: Biomimicry in Design
Workshop: Bio Yarn

WEEK 13

Wednesday, December 4

Eco Materiality
Project Production and Final Review
Discussion: Implications and Applications
Tutorial: Portfolios

WEEK 14

Wednesday, December 11

Project 2 Critique & End of Semester Exhibition
IMA SHOW – Friday, December 13

 

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