Conceptual Studio: Transformative Art and Social Change

Catalog description

How do we create transformative art that activates social change? How do we create art that expresses the world we see and the world we wish to change to? What concerns do you feel passionate about that you wish to activate artistically? How can emotions, events, policy, loss, grief, hope for peace, end to war, healthcare, gender, race, cultural equity, social justice etc... become art? Can this work be abstract or diffuse or should it be direct and clear? Considering the artist as a historical recorder we will strive to develop work that witnesses, illustrates and communicates issues about which we wish to foster awareness or change. We will consider art examples, meet with artists, experiment and workshop works in progress. We will have readings, creative assignments, formulate poetic voicing and artistic vision. As we develop our own content we will begin to consider context and concept with our own practice and transformation. Intentional areas of reflection will be employed for the student to experiment and expand perspective. Units such as Architectural Methods as a Way to Unify, will include activities such as ""making"" bridges, creating windows, building foundations, urban wall murals or graffiti art. Sound and color will emerge as a way to express emotion, outrage and cultural shifts. We will consider memorials, monuments and borders. Collaboration, collectives, community practice and public art. Cultural and collaborative manifestos. Through this all we need to find the passion, courage and faith to sustain our practice and heart. Finley may share her own practice, such as with installation, sound, video, poetics, performance, memorials or Art in response to AIDS. This class aims to facilitate the development and awareness of transformative art with assignments, research, reflections, discussion and creative practice. These undertakings will provide the…