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Art As Activism
Instructor: Maggie Leininger
Roosevelt University, Chicago (Spring 2008)

I. Prerequisite: None

II. Attendance policy:

Attendance is mandatory. This is a studio course and it is important that you attend to obtain valuable information that will be necessary to fulfill the requirements for the course. Discussions and demonstrations will not be repeated. Students with more than two absences will have an additional point deducted from their final grade for every absence incurred afterward. According to University policy, students can miss class for a religious holiday without penalty, but must inform the instructor of their intentions during the first week of class

Note: it is the responsibility of the student to withdraw from the course. Final date for with drawl from this course without incurring any academic penalties is Friday, March 28.

Please turn off or place cell phones on pager mode during lectures. It is common courtesy and very disruptive the learning environment.

If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact the office of Disability Services (DS), a part of the Academic Success Center (ASC) as early as possible in the term.

III. Course Description

This course will investigate current theory as it relates to public, guerilla, and political/social based art work. In addition, students will develop a collaborative public art work that will take place in North Lawndale community of Chicago with Umoja, a non-profit group that assists high school students at Manley High School to enter college. Students will be responsible for initiating, implementing and completing this collaborative process and will have direct interactions with members of Umoja and the North Lawndale community.

IV. Course Objectives

1. Learning Objectives
   
   1. Students will acquire an in-depth understanding of current social and political movements from 1970 to present.
   2. Students will learn the premise behind contemporary art criticism and theory and will discuss the relevance or irrelevance this has to public art
   3. Students will investigate specific media applications as it relates to the public art work to be developed.
   4. Students will learn how to work with community-based organizations: how to approach, partner and meet the needs of their constituents.
   5. Student will explore potential funding sources and how to acquire such sources for public projects.
   6. Students will demonstrate the ability to implement what is learned in the academic setting and apply it to the needs of the broader community in which they live.
2. Objective Assessment Tools
   
   1. Artwork: completion of samples and assistance in larger project which will be displayed.
   2. Research and discussion of texts through oral and written presentations.
   3. Class participation.

VI. Text/Items

A selection of readings will be given from the following bibliography. If you are able to obtain any of these books second-hand or at your library, please feel free to do so.

• The Citizen Artist, 1st Edition, Edited by Linda Frye Burnham & Steven Durland. 1998, ISBN 1883831-10-5 (available free on-line at www.communityarts.net)
• One Place After Another, 1st Edition, by Miwon Kwon, 2002 ISBN 0-262-11265-5 (Available at Amazon.com)
• Modern Art in the Common Culture, Thomas Crow. 1996, ISBN 0-300-07649-5.
• Cultural Theory and Popular Culture, A reader, Edited by John Storey. 1998, ISBN 0-8203-2006-4.
• Lure of the Local: Senses of Place in a Multi-centered Society, Lucy R. Lippard. 1997, 1-56584-2480-0.
• Dialogues in Public Art, Edited by Tom Finkelpearl. 2000, ISBN 0-262-06209-7.
• Additional Reading files to be posted on Blackboard or handed out by instructor.
• Spiral bound unlined notebook, min. size 5X7 inches (Blick Art Materials, Utrecht, Target, Michael’s or any drugstore)
• Art materials (Roosevelt will provide basic supplies, but you will be expected to support your individualized artistic processes).
• Basic art supplies: scissors, found paper, pencil, eraser, charcoal, pen, oil pastel*, pastel*, watercolor*, art pens*.

*suggested, not mandatory

VII. Course Requirements/Evaluations

1. Reading Assignments: It is imperative that you come to class having read the requested material beforehand as we will be discussing in detail our responses to the ideas posed by the authors. These readings are intended to broaden the understanding of contemporary art within the last 30 years including political and social movements, processes such as performance, installation and site specific works. Each student will be expected to complete one research presentation based off of the text. Research projects will be assigned at the beginning of the semester.
2. Studio Exercises: Class participation and completion of studio activities designed to help students understand the fundamental techniques of art making.
3. Field Trips/Research Projects: As this is a studio course, students will not be expected to write a formal research paper. However, students will be asked to lead a minimum of one discussion throughout the semester based off of the texts and readings provided by the instructor. These discussions must be properly researched and understood so that the student can guide the class in an active vibrant dialogue regarding the issues that have been read.
4. Critiques: We will be working on developing a final work of art that will encompass our investigation of the chosen theme for the public art work. Critiques will be used to foster and encourage development of ideas, integration of techniques, and hone conceptualization of the theme.

If you fail to attend class on the day that any course work is due, it will be counted late. It is your responsibility to make sure the work is turned in on the day that it is due.

VIII. Determination of Grade

Requirements — Percentage
Studio Exercises — 55
Research Presentations — 35%
Class participation — 10%

A= 100-90% B=89-80% C=79-70% D=69-60% F=Below 59%

IX. Course Calendar

Week	Session	Lecture/Activity	Material Reviewed	Project
One	1/28	Intro. to course, image preview	What is Public Art? Why this class? Expectations. Reading.	Discussion/class dialogue
	1/30	Assign student presentations; image and reading review.	Citizen Artist: pp. xvii-21; image presentation www.suzannelacy.com	Discussion/dialogue of reading and view/discuss students’ work
Two	2/4	Feminism and Activism: How the two are related. Reading review.	Lucy Lippard (instructor provided); Citizen Artist: pp. 23-8; 55-60	Dialogue and visual response; Meet Umoja students at RU
	2/6	Print as social commentary image review. Studio project. Reading review.	Citizen Artist: pp. 41-50; 73-79; 87-101;	Discussion; register tape assignment; open studio
Three	2/11	Student Presentation #1	Citizen Artist: pp. 117-120; 129-135; 159-178	Discussion; Brainstorming of potential themes/media to explore for final project.
	2/13	Image presentation of artists in readings.	Citizen Artist: pp. 179-184; 201-06; 235-42; 251-8; 301-04; 335-140	Critique of register tape assignment; discussion of readings;
Four	2/18	Student Presentation #2	Community Arts Book Review	Student led activity; discussion; material guide for open studio session on 2/20
	2/20	Student Presentation #3; Off-site Studio demonstrations	Conversation Pieces pp. 50-69; Review Gonzalez-Torres, Fiber Activists: Knitta, Catherine Mazza, John Gittelson	Student led activity; discussion; demos on screen printing at instructor’s studio
Five	2/25	Umoja Presentation	History of North Lawndale (presented by Umoja students)	RU at Manley High School Discussion; begin to set agenda for project, site, timeline, theme, media
	2/27	Student Presentation #4; Off-site Studio work	One Place After Another, chapter 1	Discussion/planning; open studio for screen printing at instructor’s studio
Six	3/3	Student Presentation #5; Planning session.	One Place After Another, chapter 2	Discussion; Assign media duties; Set timeline; discuss materials and budget; brainstorm ideas around theme
	3/5	Open Studio off-site	Screen printing	Final work day for screen printing
Seven	3/10	Student Presentation #6; open studio	One Place After Another, chapter 3	RU at Umoja; Student led activity; Begin creating sketches/samples for final work
	3/12	Planning Session	Update on logistics of exhibition space and p.r.	Plan and open studio session
Eight	3/17	Spring Break
	3/19	Spring Break
Nine	3/24	Artist: El Anatsui; PBS ART 21 DVD (if time permits); open studio	Contemporary Artists; Instructor provided reading (Sculpture Since 1945 pp.231-259)	Exploring constructed surfaces: integrating dimensionality while exploring the theme of empowerment.
	3/26	Field Trip*	SAIC	Dialogue and exchange
Ten	3/31	Student Presentation #7	One Place After Another, chapter 5; Review the work of Eva Hesse, Agnes Martin, Louise Bourgeois	Umoja at RU; Student led activity; open studio constructed surface compilation
	4/2	Student Presentation #8	One Place After Another, chapter 6; Review work of Tamiko Kwata, Tom Friedman, Tara Donovan	Student led activity; constructed surface compilation
11	4/7	Student Presentation #9	CP pp. 97-101, 114-18; 140-7	Student led activity; Critique of constructed surface
	4/9	Field trip to FREE STUFF*	See blackboard for directions/location	procure recycled studio material
12	4/14	Work Day		RU at Umoja; begin final canvas compositions/constructions
	4/16	Work Day		Studio Day
13	4/21	Work Day		Umoja at RU; discuss and plan additional button component for Manley students at large
	4/23	Work Day		Open studio
14	4/28	Work Day		RU at Umoja; open studio; critique in progress
	4/30	Installation prep.		prepare work for installation
15	5/5	Installation		Final installation/construction to take place at Manley High School
	5/7	Prep for Opening date TBD		Install Work

*Field trips subject to change if time permits. The field trip to the FREE STUFF may be scheduled in addition to regular class time.

THIS IS WORKING SYLLABUS AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE. PLEASE CHECK BLACKBOARD OFTEN AS INSTRUCTOR POSTS UP TO DATE INFORMATION REGARDING ASSIGNMENTS, READINGS AND LESSONS.