Still life, Benjamin Lewin, 2018
This is 100-level, medium specific course introduces students to contemporary art & design practice through short and inspiring practical assignments in different media (drawing, photography, mixed media). The assignments allow room to be interpreted in an applied manner, according to a given brief (design) or more freely (art).
Components and build up of final grade:
Sketchbook, Self Reflection 20%
Presentations (3) 20%
Projects 60% (20% for each project)
Project 1: Mapping the Grounds / Ideas for Drawing (5 weeks)
The first weeks we will work around the idea of mapping our immediate environment. Through observation and researching the specifics your surroundings, its architecture and structure, its usage, people and their stories, tracks left behind etc., each student will be challenged to find their own focus. By drawing and making notes these interests will be further explored and finally visualised in a drawn map. We will investigate the concept of the ‘map’ together with various drawing techniques and methods to visualise these concepts. Artists with a practice in which drawing plays an important role will be introduced. Every week a concrete exercise will be given in order to help you develop a process-driven way of working; sketches are the start of every project and are as important as the final results. During each project we’ll discuss various options and positions on each given topic.
Project 2: A Photo, An Image, A Narrative (5 weeks)
During the second project photography and the analysis of images will be the main focus. Different kinds of photography such as: (self-) portrait, advertisement, landscape and documentary will be discussed and tried out. Through various assignments we will question how to create an interesting visual narrative with newly made or already existing photographs? How to find an interesting subject matter, angle to tell a story? Another topic we will address is the relation between documentary and fiction. The material made during this project will be edited into a printed series or a small photocopied booklet. Various forms of printed matter such as artist books will be examined.
Project 3: An Exhibition (remaining 5 weeks)
The third project will be around a more personal theme. Using the insight, skills and tools from the former projects, you will work towards an individual presentation for which you research your topic and try to put your work in a larger context. This will challenge you to take a position and work your way towards a conclusion. You also have the opportunity to connect your project with your major courses. How artists present their work and which role it has in their practice will be studied as inspiration sources. The projects will be presented in a semi-public exhibition during the last week of the course.
Independent project exercises (2018-I)
Self-study : Sketchbook
Another important term-long self-study project is to keep a sketchbook i.e visual research log book, by assembling a generous collection of writings, drawings, images, collages, and related artistic and scientific references, articulated in a personal and meaningful way. You have to work on this for at least 2 hours of your self-study time. Regularly you will be asked to share your sketchbook for peer review, and it will be graded at Mid Term and at the Final Evaluation