Studio Research

Catalog description

This course is designed for senior BFA and BA students in Studio Art to explore the research skills and methods employed by professional artists. Through case studies of contemporary and diverse creative practices, majors will develop an understanding of how research habits drawn from different disciplines can impact both the artistic process and its resulting output. The course covers topics and methodologies such as site-specific research and fieldwork, influence mapping, the use of archives, and the relationships between visual work and language. Functioning as a collaborative think tank, students will investigate approaches to contemporary artistic practice, fostering the evolution of each student's emerging practice as both a maker and thinker. As participants engage in collective exploration, they will simultaneously make progress toward the development of a cohesive body of individual work in preparation for the Senior Capstone course taken the subsequent semester, ultimately culminating in the BA and BFA exhibitions. NOTE: During the senior year, Studio Art majors are required to take a 4-credit studio art course above the 2000-level each semester—one in conjunction with ' ARST 5010 : Studio Research' in the fall and one in conjunction with ' ARST 5020 : Capstone' in the spring.