starting 9/9

2010-09-06T13:53:00.000-07:00

First series of investigations/works
Internal sourcing / Modernism

Goal: Explore modernist methods to source ideas and/or materials in a new way.

COURSE GOALS

2010-08-01T06:57:00.000-07:00

What does being an artist mean?
What constitutes a body of work for your specific investigation and what does it mean to complete an open-ended inquiry versus a "realized project" ?
What are important concepts and dialogues in our present culture?
Where are you in relationship to these dialogues? What motivates you?
What interrupts your working process?
What makes you stuck and blocked when problem solving?
What are methods to problem solve when you get stuck?

This first-semester capstone course will help you synthesize your experiences in undergraduate school and prepare you to bridge the gap between your studies here and graduate studies or professional employment. In order to accomplish this synthesis, you need to be ready to work, to question, to make new connections and be committed to your process. It also helps to be honest, direct and motivated. This class is unlike any other in your experience at tcnj, in its purpose and process.... It will test your maturity and creative independence in a new way. This course instigates ongoing group discussion relating your creative endeavors to those of fellow students and to society as a whole. You will be expected to work on self-defined projects and present them on-going throughout the semester. Weekly readings will be assigned from resources including materials from books, periodicals, and gallery exhibits introducing you to a wide range of historical, theoretical and philosophical approaches to contemporary art. Artists' writing is also examined and you will be encouraged to articulate your ideas in an appropriate written form. You should plan on visiting as many galleries and museums as possible during the course of the semester. These discussions incited by readings and viewings will have an assigned presentation as a distinctive outcome. Additionally, images from your gallery/museum or related research will regularly be required and posted online on this class website. Concurrent with this, the class will incorporate field trips, guest speakers, visiting artists, visiting alumni, and organizations that support artists.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Develop a mature body of work by pursuing established concepts or new directions.These works will culminate in a full faculty critique at the end of the semester.

Prepare for and participate in scheduled critiques. Be able and willing to describe process and intent.

Read all assignments and prepare for discussion in order to be in a dialogue with contemporary artmaking practices. Different readings may be assigned to you individually, according to your particular needs and interests.

View at least four exhibitions during the semester in NJ, NY or PA. These exhibitions will be a component of your ongoing class discussion, please document the exhibitions that you visit and request a press release from the show.

Establish an informed historical vision of the developments that have established the Contemporary Art network from education to its diverse cultural and monetary markets.

Keep a seminar blog that will contain drafts of artist statements, studio notes, reflections on process and other personal insights.

Feed your vision of post-undergraduate aspirations.