THA 195 A4 SPECIAL TOPICS:
IN YOUR FACE: STAGING THE SELF THROUGH THEATRICAL INSTALLATION
Spring 2016
Professor: Cameron Anderson
Time: Friday 9- 11:50
Classroom: Merrick Theater and design classroom Spingold 104
Cameron’s office: Spingold 86-5, Office Hours: Tuesday 10 -12 and by appointment
Email:
Course Description and Objective
Over thecourseof the semester students will create a living self-portrait. Through an exploration of site-specific theater and performance art and design, students will explore themselves and their values. We will ask ourselves how our experiences, past and present, can become fodder for social transformation and empowerment.What are the differences between how we seeourselves and how others see us?How can our narratives be transformed into mythology and metaphor? Assignments and exercises throughout the semester will focus on the nuance and interplay of written and visual elements, so that students’ self-portraits emerge as truly interdisciplinary installation pieces. The visual components of projects will not follow text but will emerge linked organically to performance. Some projects will begin with a writing exercise that explores the self (letters, emails, blogs, journals, poetry, memoirs, and autobiographies). These texts will then be translated into visual expressions (video, photo, and painting).Other projects will begin with the visual idea (family heirloom, object) and a text will be written in response.What story can emerge from a family heirloom?How can an heirloom be transformed into art? Finally, how can visual expression and text be combined to tell a powerful story of transformation? Thecoursewill culminate with the creation of a living self-portrait that will combine performance and design. No experience in performance, theater, or design expected. Of interest to students of all disciplines, of particular interest to theater-makers, filmmakers, and fine artists.
Ongoing projects
Visual Projects
· Each week students will complete a visual project that will be critiqued and used in class for further exploration.
· Throughout the semester students will be working on their final projects, which will be a large-scale living self-portrait that combines performance and design.
Notebook
· Find a notebook that will be your self-portrait file for the class. Choose one you love.
· Each morning write down one dream from the night before, and make a sketch of an image from your dream.
· Each day take a self-portrait, keep a digital copy, print and glue inside your notebook with the corresponding day’s dream.
Readings and Responses
· All readings will be found as PDFs on LATTE.
· For each reading assignment, post a paragraph response in the designated folder on LATTE
Artist Presentations
· Each of you will make a 30-minute presentation on an artist you will choose from a list I will provide. It should include biographical information, what art movements he/she is a part of, images and videos of work, why this artist is considered important. Must be made in a presentation style program like power point.
Texts
All texts will be found online or as PDF’s on LATTE.
Required Supplies
Throughout the semester students will be required to purchase supplies for their visual projects. Please always contact me if there is something you want but can’t afford or find.
Attendance
If you are unable to meet every class session, please consider taking this class another semester. This course will build upon itself each class – and missing one will be difficult for your creative process.
Note that there are no excused absences in this course with the exception of a documented personal or medical emergency. Any absence that cannot be documented as being caused by a medical or personal emergency will result in a lower final course grade; each absence has the potential to lower the final course grade by one “notch” (from A- to B+).
Because your alert attendance and participatory spirit are essential, you will need to put away all electronics, including laptops and smartphones, for the duration of the class.
Late policy:
Repeated lateness will have a negative effect on your grade.
Commitment and Participation
I expect that you will come to class prepared with completed projects and reading assignments. In addition to projects and class participation/attendance, you will be evaluated in your dedication to taking risks and thinking outside of the box, as well as your consistency in offering creative ideas and solutions in class, and your collaboration. I ask that you listen to each other, ask questions, cultivate curiosity, and grow. We will be creating a safe and secure space for experimentation.
Assessment
Grades will be based on the following formula:
30% attendance, collaboration and participation
60% class projects and presentations
10% growth
Written and Creative Work:
All written work must be typewritten, double-spaced, unless otherwise indicated. Late work will be accepted at the discretion of the professor. If accepted, it will be penalized by a grade that is at least a full letter lower for each day it is late (e.g., an A paper will receive a grade of B).
All late work must be put into my box as a hard copy. Please do not email me your work.
No incompletes will be given for the course.
Guidelines
If you are a student who needs academic accommodations because of a documented disability,please contact me and present your letter of accommodation as soon as possible.
We will be working in found spaces – students are responsible for securing permission to use any space on or off campus.
Academic Integrity
Please visit the Brandeis website for policies on academic integrity:
http://www.brandeis.edu/svpse/academicintegrity/
Four-Credit Course (with three hours of class-time per week)
Success in this 4 credit hour course is based on the expectation that students will spend a minimum of 9 hours of study time per week in preparation for class (readings, papers, discussion sections, preparation for exams, etc.).
Provisional Course Schedule: subject to change
Jan 15
· In class: Syllabus, photo exercise, photo painting
· Assignment: Meal Project and Recipes, bring family heirloom, hand write letter.
· Read on LATTE: Chapter 1 of “Performance: Live Art Since the 60’s,” by Roselee Goldberg, The “Intro” by Laurie Anderson, “ Art Which Can’t be Art,” by Alan Kaprow, and “Spiritual Nourishment.”
Jan 22
· In class: Meal together, Recipe Exercise, heirloom exercise, start Marina Abramović video
· Assignment: Meal Mash Up, Begin Self Portrait Project
· Read on LATTE and online: “Installation Art: A Critical History,” by Claire Bishop, pgs 6-47, “16 Elevating Resolutions…” here: https://www.brainpickings.org
Jan 29
· In class: Present Mash Up of Meal, turning points, letters, match exercise, Pina Bausch video.
· Assignment: Photo Self Portraits (How you see yourself, how others see you, how you wish others would see you)
· Read: “Female Spectatorship and the Masquerade: Cindy Sherman's Untitled Film Stills”: http://www.tandfonline.com.resources.library.brandeis.edu/doi/full/10.1080/03087290903361399
· Look at the film stills here and read this article – there are links to many of them here
· Carefully look at Cindy Sherman’s work, be sure to scroll down and to the right and look at all of it here
· NY times on Carrie May Weems
· Carrie May Weems Reading on LATTE
Feb 5
· In class: Present Self Portraits, turning points exercise
· Assignment: Object Transformation Project
· Read: watch this entire 90min YouTube video about Dave McKenzie
· Check out this website: Radical Presence: Black Performance Art
Feb 12 CLASS CANCELLED
· In class: Present Portraits, Island Exercise
· Assignment: Object Transformation Project, family tree, gendered objects and photos.
· Read: Look at all the work on this site
· Watch this YouTube Video on Christian Boltanski: here
· Read this article about him here
Feb 19 – no class winter break
Feb 27
In class: Present Object Transformation Projects
· First student artist presentation
· Assignment: Turning Point Assignment
· Read: http://www.nyartsmagazine.com/?p=2475,
· Look at this website and watch all the videos: Guerrilla Girls
March 4
· In class: Turning Point Assignment
· Second student artist presentation
· Assignment: Gender/Ethnicity photos and research for disguise
· Read: TBD
March 11
· In class: Finish Turning Point Assignment, Present Gender/Ethnicity photos and research for disguise
· Third student artist presentation
· Assignment: Disguise Project
· Read: Sleep No More
March 18
· In class: Present Disguise Projects, tour the building
· Fourth student artist presentation
· Assignment: Create a promenade performance incorporating your disguise
· Read: TBD
March 25 – Easter break
April 1
· In class: Perform Disguise Promenade Projects
· Fifth student artist presentation
· Assignment: Self Portrait Project from your notebook
· Read:
April 8
· In class: Self Portrait Project from your notebook
· Sixth student artist presentation
· Assignment: Draft of your final projects and TBD
· Read:
April 15
· In class: Present Drafts of Final Projects, work on projects.
· Seventh student artist presentation
· Assignment: TBD
April 21 (THURSDAY) – CLASS IN SESSION Friday Schedule Day
· In class: Present Drafts of Final Projects, work on projects.
· Eighth student artist presentation
April 22 – no class Passover break
April 29 – no class Passover break
May 5 9:15 – 12:15 Final Exam
· Present final projects.
List of Artists to Research
· Each student to choose one by the second day of class.
Felix Gonzalez –Torres
Marina Abramovic
Senga Nengudi
Cai Guo-Qiang
Olafur Eliasson
Anish kapoor
Satch Hoyt
Wolfgang Laib
Ann Hamilton
Yayoi Kusama
Sarah Sze
Tim Hawkinson
Christian Boltanski
Robert Smithson
Ilya Kabakov
Christian Jankowski
Kara Walker