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Course Outline - AVT 620 - 001: Theory, Criticism in the Visual Arts
Professor: Mark Cooley
Class hours: Spring '08 - W, 1:30 - 4:10
Office hours: M 1:30-4:30
Office - C209D
NOTICE: This course outline indicates a rough guide to where we are headed. However, additions, subtractions and reorganization of course content is likely. You will be informed of any changes during class meetings. In addition, you should revisit this page frequently. It will be updated throughout the semester.
W 1/23 - Syllabus / Course outline and strategy / two readings of One and Three Chairs, Joseph Kosuth, 1965
Part 1: Art as Idea - The next few weeks will be spent laying the ground work for understanding conceptual frameworks of contemporary art, while working toward a method of viewing arts function within political economies. We will challenge deeply entrenched assumptions that art is essentially autonomous, transcendent and universal (indeed, these are the conceptual building blocks of modern art) with the idea that the meaningfulness of art, in fact, the very definition of art, is contingent upon social forces outside of the art object. We will not assume that the meaningfulness of art is either fixed and timeless or relative and subjective. Rather, by way of readings and discussion, we will investigate art as necessarily tied to social convention, and in being so, loaded with cultural habits, values and beliefs. It is important to research exactly what these habits, values and beliefs are because they are not only the starting points from which we construct art, but the world as well.
Art as Idea: The museum
reading 1
"Museums: Managers of Consciousness", Hans Haacke, 1986
"Why are biotech companies suddenly sponsoring art about genes", Jackie Stevens, '00
art
The Wexner Castle, Chris Burden,1990
Various polling projects including MOMA Poll (1970) , Hans Haacke, 1969-73
Shapolsky et al. Manhattan Real Estate Holdings, a Real-time Social System. as of May 1, 1971, Hans Haacke, 1971
On Social Grease, Hans Haacke, 1975
Mobilization, Hans Haacke, 1975
MetroMobiltan, Hans Haacke, 1985
Paradise Now, Exhibition, Exit Art, 2000
W 1/30 - Due: Reading 1 response - discussion
Art as Idea: The museum & the studio
reading 2
"The Museum of Modern Art as Late Capitalist Ritual: An Iconographic Analysis",
Carol Duncan and Alan Wallach,
Museum Highlights: A Gallery Talk, Performance script, Andrea Fraser, 1989
May I Help You, Performance Script, Andrea Fraser, 1991
Recommended Reading - "The Function of the Studio," Daniel Buren, 1970
Grasping the World: The Idea of the Museum (Histories of Vision). Preziosi and Farago
art
Examples of late modernist painting and architecture
Various works by Daniel Buren
May I Help You, Andrea Fraser and Allen McCollum, 1991
Museum Highlights: A Gallery Talk, Andrea Fraser, 1989
Furtherfield Visitors Studio - http://www.furtherstudio.org/live
Various works by Guerrilla Girls
W 2/6 - Due: Reading 2 response - discussion
Art as Idea: The public
reading 3
"Cultural Pilgrimages and Metaphoric Journeys." Mapping the Terrain: New Genre Public Art, ed. Suzanne Lacy,1995
art
Performer, audience, mirror, Dan Graham, 1975
One Hand Shaking, Lowell Darling, 1978
Temple of Confessions, Guillermo Gomez-Pena, Roberto Sifuentes, 1996
If You Lived Here, Martha Rosler, 1989
Flow City, Mierle Laderman Ukeles, 1985 - present
Garage Sale, Martha Rosler, 1973 - present
Revival Field, Mel Chin, 1989 - present
Various projects by REPOhistory
W 2/13 - Due: Reading 3 response - discussion
Art as Idea: The public
reading 4
"Who's Monument Where?: Public Art in a Many-Cultured Society." Judith F. Baca, Mapping the Terrain: New Genre Public Art, ed. Suzanne Lacy,1995
art
Mt. Rushmore National Memorial
The Gateway Arch and The Museum of Westward Expansion - Stop Lewis and Clark re-enactments - on the doctrine of discovery - Montana’s Lewis and Clark Memorial -
Sculpture of Abraham Lincoln standing above crouched slave wearing manacles, Thomas Ball, made between 1875 and 1910 (Library of Congress).
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 1 | 2 | 3 | Maya Lin, 1982
The Great Wall of Los Angeles, Judy Baca & SPARC, 1976 -
The Year of the White Bear (Two Undiscovered Amerindians Visit Madrid), Guillermo Gomez-Pena and Coco Fusco, 1992
W 2/20 - Due: Reading 4 response - discussion
Art as Idea: The artist
reading 5
"The Death of the Author", Roland Barthes, Image, Music, Text, 1977
art
Fountain, Marcel Duchamp, 1917
Manet-Projekt '74, Hans Haacke, 1974
Seurat's "Les Poseuses" (small version) 1888-1975, Hans Haacke, 1975
Various works by Louise Lawler
W 2/27 - Due: Reading 5 response - discussion
Art as Idea: The artist
reading 6:
"From Work to Frame, or, Is There Life After 'The death of the Author'?", Craig Owens, 1992
art
Vaious works by Marcel Duchamp, Marcel Broodthaers, Hans Haacke, Martha Rosler, Louise Lawler, Mary Kelly, Alan Sekula
W 3/5 - Due: Reading 6 response - discussion
Art as Idea: The subject
reading 7
"Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses", Louis Althusser, 1971. Part 1 - The reproduction of the conditions of reproduction
pg. 1 - 11
suggested reading
"Addressing the Subject", Catherine Belsey, 1980
video
"Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story", Todd Haynes, 1987, 43 min.
W 3/12 - Spring break
W 3/19 - Due: Reading 7 response - discussion
Art as Idea: The subject
reading 8
"Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses", Louis Althusser, 1971. Part 2 - The reproduction of the relations of reproduction
pg. 11-30
W 3/26 - Due: Reading 8 response - discussion
Part 2: Mass media as idea - In the next couple of weeks, we will investigate production, distribution, and consumption of mass media - including an institutional analysis and methods of decoding or (re)reading mass media products. We will (re)view mass media through its structural constraints and locate its function within a political economy. Additionally, we will investigate activities by cultural producers who use the tools of mass media production, distribution and consumption, while conveying alternative experiences to their audiences.
Mass media as idea: Journalism and News
reading 9
"What Makes Mainstream Media Mainstream", Noam Chomsky, 1997
On Television, Pierre Bourdieu, 1998
art / media
Television Delivers People, Richard Serra, 1973, video
The Business of Local News, University Community Video-Minneapolis, 1974, video
Proto Media Primer, Paul Ryan and Raindance Corporation, 1970, video
About Media, Tony Ramos, 1977, video
Fifty Wonderful Years, Optic Nerve, 1973, video
Manufacturing Consent, Mark Achbar, Peter Wintonick, 1992, video
W 4/2 - Due: Reading 9 response - discussion
Mass media as idea: Advertising
reading 10
"Signs Address Somebody" Judith Williamson, from Decoding Advertisements: Ideology and meaning in Advertising 1978, 1983, 2002
art / media
A Breed Apart, Hans Haacke, 1978
Creating Consent, Hans Haacke, 1981
Various works - Barbara Kruger
Adbusters
Publicity Images from Ways of Seeing, John Berger, BBC video
The Corporation, Mark Achbar, Jennifer Abbott and Joel Bakan, video
W 4/9 - Due: Reading 10 response - discussion
Mass media as idea: Independent Media & Tactical Media
reading 11 (take a break from reading this week and watch this video)
The Yes Men
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5119261857162106907
art / media
Zmag, Znet
Healthcare: Your Money or Your Life, Downtown Community TV, 1978, video
Zapatista, big noise films, 1998, video
This is what democracy looks like, big noise films, 2000, video
Independent Media Center
W 4/16 - Due: Reading 11response - discussion
Mass media as idea: Independent Media & Tactical Media
reading 12
"Electronic Civil Disobedience and the World Wide Web of Hacktivism: A Mapping of Extraparliamentarian Direct Action Net Politics". Stefan Wray
Lecture, Ricardo Dominguez, Columbia Art and Technology Lectures, 2004
art / media
www.thehacktivist.com
Lecture, Ricardo Dominguez, Columbia Art and Technology Lectures, 2004
Various works - Electronic Disturbance Theatre (EDT)
Various works - Crtical Art Ensemble
Various works - The Yes Men
rtmark.com
The horribly stupid stunt that resulted in his untimely death, The Yes Men, video
rtmark.com video promo & independent film channel piece, video
W 4/23 - Due: Reading 12 response - discussion
Part 4: Digital Culture - For the remainder of the semester, we will investigate digital culture in various contexts with an intent toward framing digital concepts and technologies as the products culture. As in previous course sections, we will uncover various critiques of notions of autonomy, transcendence and universality applied to the terms of the so-called digital revolution.
Digital Culture: Technology & Progress
reading 13
"Speed and Information: Cyberspace Alarm!" Paul Virilio
"Beyond Postmodernism? Paul Virilio's Hypermodern Cultural Theory". John Armitage
art / media
Unknown Quantity - an exhibition conceived by Paul Virilio
W 4/30 - Due: Reading 13 response - discussion
Digital Culture: The digitized body
reading 14
"Eugenics: The Second Wave", Flesh Machine, Critical Art Ensemble
art / media
Mythic Hybrid, Prema Murthy, 2002
Various projects, Critical Art Ensemble
Various Projects, SubRosa
Yougenics, Exhibition, 2000 - 2005
Translate { } Expression, Tina Laporta, 1998
W 5/7 - Due: Reading 14 response - discussion - Due: Research paper / project
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avt 280
Introduction to Digital Art
syllabus | outline
avt 399
Special Topics: Tactical Media
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avt 483
Internet Art
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avt 616
Grad Studio: Networked Art Practice
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avt 620
Grad Seminar: Theory and Criticism
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avt 399 / 599
Informed by the Land: Experimental Media
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Senior Project
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avt 180
Computers in the Creative Arts
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AVT 000
Issues and Ethics in Digital Culture
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