Dissolving...Eroding

I just returned from a meeting at Moore. It's been decided that we will no longer be addressing "Fine Arts" in the traditional 2-d/3-d fashion. We will now be having an all encompassing "Fine Arts" major. Back when I was in under-grad, there were majors like, Printmaking, Painting, Sculpture, Ceramics...which then turned into 2-d/3-d a few years back. There has been a decline in specialized majors, not to mention some budget confusion. I'm confused by the turn of events...but looking forward to a change in the way information is absorbed. An idea for a Freshman elective is also on the block, The content is Symbol x Shelter = House x Home. The objective is to expose freshman to different materials and processes, outside of the basics core. For lack of a better term, a "fun" class. Those who will be teaching will have to have a backround dealing with a variety of materials to accomodate what the students may wish to create. (We used to have a broad theme like "Book," that students had opportunity to translate into materials common to different departments, like Ceramics, Metals, Illustration, Fashion Design, etc. Students were placed in a Fine Arts Class for 6 weeks, then switched w/ a Professional Arts class at mid-point. A final crit of 2 projects of both diciplines was had at the end. Metals and Fibers...Ceramics and Illustration...Printmaking and Fashion Design were some of the teams paired to try on. The goal was to cross diciplines and examine how broad themes could be contemplated in different mediums. The quality of the work varied...students were afraid to make choices, but at the same time were disappointed they were placed in the class and didn't get to choose it.) The goal is still the same, but not to be used as a major recruting tool, as it was in the past...because majors have now been dissolved! I am intrigued by the idea, but have concerns it may be too nebulous for the freshman to really sink their teeth into in a three hour class. It also sounds like an enormous amount of prep...that will probably fall to adjuncts! I also worry that a jack of all trades mentality is permeating the atmosphere and wonder where it will lead. Any thoughts??? Please let me know. Terri

All Access

I was reading a review of a show by Pae White at 1301PE Gallery in the LA Times and thought of several people in this class. Critic David Pagel describes White's work as "mobiles, sculptures and wallpaper [that] bring back a good deal of cheesy goofiness that has been purged from midcentury Modernist design" and generally praises her humorous take on high design through ceramics, glass and prints. (some yummy images unrelated to her current exhibt can be seen here.)

I got to thinking about how - as Paul pointed out in his proposal - we've reached a point of category-collapse where the category of "artist" is uselessly broad. I've thought that other disciplinary boundaries have been eroding for some time, like curator and critic, but I think the one most under siege may be the category of "design", especially in its modern incarnation.
in the name of democratizing design, now everyone (okay, pointedly not everyone, but the middle class) can got ot Target and get "good design" on the cheap. Magazines have sprung up to help us recognize (and eventually, one would assume, buy) good design. Design has become another of the things reasonably educated people are supposed to care about, along with that list of books we were supposed to read in college but most of us never did.

And as I thought further, I found myslef thinking of the magazine ReadyMade, in which a certain homely modernist aesthetic is promoted on a do-it-yourself level, as if Martha and Mies were collabortors, or at least engaged in some careful market segmentation. Sure enough, in the August/September issue, the MacGyver Milk Crate Challenge was won by Philadelphia's own Basekamp, the artists' collective fronted by Scott Rignby, Leigh Stevens and Jen Goettner. It may be true that everyone wants to be an artist, but the artists, it would seem, increasingly want to be designers.

I'm not sure what all this means, but I put it out to you - especially those who are thinking about decoration, installation, kitsch, and the indentity of the artist.

This week in Phily!

Hello Friends, If anyone is nearby and available...This Sunday, 9/25, Rain Harris will talk about her recent installation at Nexus Gallery...next to the Clay Studio at 4pm. Filmmaker David Lynch is lecturing at UPENN's Harrison Auditorium, this coming Wed., 9/28 at 7pm. Both events are free and open to the public. Best, Terri

Seeing Is Forgetting

Hey all,
Included in my readings on Robert Irwin for my paper is "Seeing Is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees: A Life of Contemporary Artist Robert Irwin" By Lawrence Weschler. If you know Irwin's work and have ever wanted to do some reading on him this is a great book.

If you have too much reading to do already and want to watch a video I have also found an informative lecture he had given at Rice University in 2000. He is quite a good teacher in his lecture; he simplifies the "big stuff" without dumbing it down for the audience. It’s a 77 minute long RealPlayer file and it’s not for the dialups and still may take a couple tries - Enjoy.

The Video Link:http://switchboard.real.com/player/email.html?PV=6.0.12&&title=On%20the%20Nature%20of%20Abstraction&link=http%3A%2F%2Frealaudio.rice.edu%2FPresLect%2FIrwin%2FIrwin.ram

Submitting Papers

I have a favor to ask - when you submit a paper electronically, please name the file this way so I can keep things straight:

LastNamePaper#Date.doc

So, if I emailed my first paper today, the file would be named

BrownPaper1092205.doc

thanks. That will make it a lot easier to get things sorted out.
Hope all are well,
gb

Junk Posts

I'm glad to see you contacting one another through the blog for research advice and help. Meanwhile, we seem to have contracted a bad case of random marketing, as solicitations for ads from deperate losers clog our comments.
In the spirit of the internet a giant clearinghouse for information, I had wanted to the blog to be open for comments from anyone. But this crap gets in the way so, unless I hear a cogent reason why I shouldn't do this, I'm going to close off the comments so only members can post remarks.
We'll still be able to comment to one another, but there will be no opportunity for random readers to post responses. Comments about this idea are are welcome below, so long as they don't advertise cheap mortgages or Viagra.

These are images from Cherry Crush! The image published with the post was a previous work! 

Bewitched , Bothered and Bewildered... Hi all, I just returned from the Rain Harris installation at Nexus Gallery in Philadelphia. I'm keenly interested in her work as a ceramic artist and for her use of an entire space. I hate to use the word "installation," but have to for now. I'm still digesting. It seems Harris has gone from the Baroque interests to Austin Powers meets the Victorian. I appreciate the the change in work habbit, trying on a new hat and a bold move confronting the space. I was disappointed with the way the walls were painted! It was not slick. In previous exhibitions, I noted many many similarities between ceramic, Super-Giant, Adrian Saxe. There was never a loose end. Harris's wall works were painstakingly executed. There was no coloring outside of the lines. This exhibition appeared more like some college kids, decorating their dorm in a shocking fashion, and Rain fixing her ceramic modules to the wall after. I wonder...I really do see the potential for the work and imagine at the same time, difficulty pulling it together. I had a big disappointment this weekend. I was invited to participate in a show in early june. The opening on 9/16 was cancelled, due to an electrical problem.It has been re-scheduled for 9/30. Great! I have to do anither mailing! I was also under enormous time constraints w/ grad-school expectations and teaching responsibilities. Did Rain have a similar stumbling block? I feel like I want to re-do the whole show at this point. I question how Rain feels. She is giving a gallery talk at NEXUS, 137 N. 2nd St., on Sept. 25th at 4pm. I'll be there! Terri  

Little Red

So I am about to be finished with the book "Little Red Riding Hood Uncloaked", and I have to say that this was an amazing book. It not only gives you a rich history of the tale of Little Red Riding Hood but it also ties her into the social, political, and cultural history of the world. It really shows how fairy tales shape and reflect our view of the world. I think this was an excellent suggestion to read, given my obsession with fairy tales and the fantastical. Catherine Orenstein (the author) mentions Bruno Bettelheim's, "The Uses of Enchantment" quite a bit in this book so I plan to read that next. If anyone else is interested in the topic of fairy tales, I strongly recommend "Little Red Riding Hood Uncloaked". It will blow you away!

Works in Progress

Here’s a short list of what each member of the class will be researching this fall (I’ve copied short passages from each proposal to ensure accuracy). Please keep your eyes open for relevant articles or exhibits and share information with your peers.

Keith Gruber: I will be examining how artists have been portrayed in fiction, as well as the narratives surrounding these artists’ works.
Ann Kelly: Plans to a) Explore Postmodernist philosophy as a movement in art, b) [Examine] How signs and codes are used in Postmodernism, and c) [Research] how ‘implosion’ is used in PostModernism.
Tim Murphy: I will be comparing Robert Irwin’s paintings (dot paintings and disc pieces) and Richard Pousette-Dart’s “Presence” paintings to compare the artists’ intent and the physical characteristics that create the energy or presence in their work.
Maleese Schick: This semester I would like to focuses on the combination of installation and performance and how they are influenced through rituals like religion and daily activity.
Deb Yarrington: My goals for the independent writing project are to investigate the uses of mythology, fairy tales, caricature and the grotesque as seen in literature and art over the past decade. I plan to research and compare the history of mythology and fairy tales and how these two similar yet different themes have been used to portray characters found in visual art.
Paul DeMarco: My topic is “Decadence” and its relation to two concepts that I have yet to formally articulate: The Homogenization of Popular Culture and The Dissolution of Category from outside of the art world.
Chris Houston: I would like to investigate the differences between traditional art practices used by contemporary artists and those based on abstraction or a conceptual approach. Chris will compare the discussion of these subjects in various art publications, including Art in America, ArtForum, Critical Inquiry, and others.
Vanessa Juriga: I will be focusing on three specific areas of interest: the Braille language, word art, and optical art.
Aubrey Navarro: I plan to study the narrative conventions used in painting and narrative ideas that are talked about outside the realm of contemporary art.
Mike Reenock: I plan on expanding my understanding of “The Artist’s Studio.” The ‘uniqueness’ of past established artists’ studios makes me curious about the historical background of the artist’s studio. I have chosen to begin here, with examination and insight into the question, what is the Artist’s Studio?
Terri Saulin: My interests lie in study of life at a cellular level, the decorative and color. I am intrigued by things that can be repulsive or deadly, yet beautiful. I plan to research the path of many contemporary artists who have created works of great complexity after decades of minimal practice in the art world.

I’ve intentionally been very concise in selecting project descriptions to encourage curiosity in your peers’ work. If something sparks your imagination, use the blog to comment or offer ideas, or contact your classmates directly with suggestions.
Obviously, this gives me a lot of reading to do and I look forward to hearing what you all come up with.

Reminder - How to use this blog

This is a space for posting comments for the whole section to think about, please don't use it to ask individual questions about your writing plan (if the question applies to more than one student, I'll make a post of it). Think of it this way - if I'm the only one who could possibly know the answer to the question, direct it to me by email.
Also, some things are getting buried in comments to postings instead of getting to me, so it's important that you e-mail me with questions or start new threads when you've got something to say.
Finally, I expect to see regular postings about what you're readings and what your're seeing in exhibits to fulfill the requirement that you complete three hours a week of work toward this class. That's where the blog can be a helpful brainstorming tool, when you use it to put out ideas that are new and need testing. You might get valuable feedback or someone might be able to use your research on his or her topic.
Hope all are well, talk to you soon,
gerard

did u get my plan?

Hey Gerard, just wondering if you were able to open up the attachments I sent you with my writing plan. I have been having issues sending these plans. I'm not sure whats up. Just let me know! -DEB

Target Dates

None of the proposals I've seen so far have shown much specificity as to how you want to address the papers you plan to write this semester. As a reminder, I'm posting the schedule Tom and Pat passed out.

September 3 - Study plans are due. I will comment on these within 24-48 hours and get them back to you. Some revisions may be needed.
September 16 - Research progress report due
September 30 - First Paper due
October 21 - Research progress report due
November 4 - Second paper due
November 18 - Topic and outline/draft of final paper due
December 2 - Third paper due; presentations of final papers will take place at Winter Crit.

Remember, you're at liberty to pass in a greater number of shorter papers, but I need to know what I should expect from you and when I should expect it. A good place to tell me is in the "Goals" section of your proposal, where you might include a sentence such as "I plan to write x papers on y areas of my research. I will send these writings in on z timetable."