Art 410-Course Descripton

Spring 2013    ART 410.01: CONCEPTUAL STRATEGIES   T/TH 9:10-11:40        

Art Department, San Francisco State University    

  

Instructor: Paula Levine  

Fine Arts Rm 537 

415.338.6457 

plevine@sfsu.edu 

Office hrs: T/TH 12:15-1:45 pm, & by appointment

Course Description

This course is a general introduction to new practices in digital media and an exploration of strategies for generating ideas and producing new work. Our focus is both on process and product, developing and understanding various approaches by which to generate ideas, and carrying these ideas through to their concluding visual result.

Art 410 is a combination of studio work informed by presentations, research, experimentation and critical discussions. We will investigate the complex webs of influences of art, technology, culture and everyday life, in order to understand more fully how each is formed and informed by the other. Students will learn new digital tools, work in new digital environments and build new ways to approach ideas and make art differently.

This class is one of two foundation classes for Conceptual Information Art (CIA).  For those with an emphasis in CIA, both Art 410 and Art 412 (an introduction to interactivity) are required. For those with a dual emphasis, combining CIA with another studio area, both classes are strongly recommended. Normally, both classes are required to be taken concurrently, however severe budget cuts have made this option impossible. This semester, however, we are fortunate to be able to again offer the two classes in the Spring, so it is strongly encouraged for those continuing with a CIA emphasis, register for both Art 410 and Art 412 for this semester.

Art 410 is informed by:

• Cross disciplinary art practices;

• Historical avant-garde practices, such as Dada, Surrealism, Futurism, Fluxus, Situationists, Conceptual Art;

• More contemporary practices, such as culture jamming, interventionist and radical spatial practices, new cartographies, social networking practices; politics and practices of open source;

• Cultural theory, semiotics, literature, urban studies, digital rights and copyright issues, particularly as they effect art and artists.

Goals & objectives:

• Attain a functional level of mastery in the software presented, or further develop the level of skills already in place.

• Develop stronger written and verbal critical thinking through engaged class discussions of work and articles, critical writing and reading, viewing and discussions of work by those in the class and by artists in the world.

• Develop research skills and incorporate research into art studio practices.

• Expand existing knowledge of art and artists, learning about new arenas that often bridges art, technologies and other disciplines outside of art.

• Extend studio strategies, approaches and sources of ideas.

Workload              

Art 410 involves studio/lab projects, readings, presentations and writing.  Class meets twice a week, for 3 hours a session.  There is an additional 3 hours of outside class work expected per week. (Note: 3 units=9 class-related hours per week)

Projects involve:

• Learning new digital skills (or building on those already present),

• Creating studio work,

• Researching selected topics for individual projects or class presentations,

• Reading assigned articles and blogging response comments to each,

• Fully participating in class discussions.

Readings will be available on-line, or handed out in class.   All course materials, such as syllabus and assignments, will be located on-line on the class web site.

Expectations

• Complete all studio projects, readings and reading responses on time.

• Participate fully in all studio critiques, discussion and exercises.

• Arrive to class on time.

• Bring problems, questions or circumstances that hamper full participation in class to the attention of the instructor as soon as circumstances arise.

Course Requirements (for an A):

1. Regular attendance, maintaining a consistent and timely presence.

Attendance is kept for the class throughout the semester.  Three unexcused absences will be an automatic "F". Two late arrivals = one unexcused absence.

2. Active participation in class discussions & critiques.

3. Complete all assignments on time.

Late work will be accepted for 1 week after the date due, with a full grade reduction.

4. Keep an online ongoing journal/blog of ideas, notes from class discussions and readings, research on artists, works you find relating to your project ideas, screenings and discussion of work in class. Your journal/blog should be part of every project you do. Blogs and wikis are fine.

5. Attend a minimum of three community art events such as openings, art exhibitions, lectures related to class along with short (blogged) written responses to each. Examples are: Art, Technology and Culture Colloquium (ATC: http://atc.berkeley.edu), Leonardo Art/Science Evening Rendezvous (LASER: http://www.leonardo.info/isast/laser.html or Grey Area Foundation for the Arts (GAFFTA: http://gaffta.org)

6. Take risks in projects and ideas, pushing past what you already know. Ideas that fail often teach more than ideas that succeed, so aim to fail better.

Grades

Projects: 50% Attendance/Participation: 50%

Overall, grading is in accordance with University standards outlined in the SFSU Bulletin - Grading Policy which can be found at: http://www.sfsu.edu/~bulletin/current/grading.htm. 

Readings-Texts - All materials will be available online.

Lab Fees

The lab fee for this course is $30 and must be paid by the last day courses can be changed. If you remain enrolled in this course past the add/drop deadline, a charge for the above amount will appear in your University Account. Notification will be sent by the Art Department Office when your University Account has been charged. Lab fee payments can be made at One-Stop Student Services (SSB 103) or the Bursar’s Office (ADM 155). Unpaid balances in the student university account can affect registration, graduation or other campus services.

ACADEMIC PROBATION

If you are on academic probation, make an appointment as soon as possible to work out what you need to do to meet the terms of your probation.

AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) ACCOMMODATION

The Disability Programs and Resource Center provides university academic support services and specialized assistance to students with disabilities. Students with disabilities who need reasonable accommodations are encouraged to contact the instructor.  The Disability Programs and Resource Center (DPRC) is available to facilitate the reasonable accommodations process.  The DPRC is located in the Student Service Building and can be reached by telephone (voice/TTY 415-338-2472) or by email (dprc@sfsu.edu). If you have any problems, such as physical disabilities, that require special attention or accommodations, please contact me directly.

SPRING SEMESTER DATES TO NOTE

February 8	Last day to add a class with a permit*, drop or request an “audit” grading
March 22	Last day to request CR/NR grading option
March 25-30	Spring Recess
April 1	Cesar Chavez Day: No classes
May 17	Last day of classes
May 18, 20-24	Final exams
May 25	Commencement

                                               

* Information on dropping classes after this date can be found on the Registrar’s Office website: http://www.sfsu.edu/~admisrec/reg/regsched.html. Students are responsible for completing administrative requirements to drop classes.