Massachusetts College of Art and Design | Continuing Education | Summer 2008 Courses

DESCRIPTION
This course is an overview of Russian and Soviet art from the end of 19th century until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. We will analyze major developments, styles, and trends in visual and performing arts. The course concentrates on avant-garde art from 1900-1930 when, due to the unprecedented uplift of intellectual and artistic spirit, Russia became one of the European leaders in the arts. The cultural reality and artistic developments of the times will be viewed in relationship to the concurrent complex social and political conditions.

INSTRUCTOR
Anahit Ter-Stepanian holds an MS in Architecture from Yerevan Polytechnic Institute in Armenia and a PhD in Architecture Theory and History from the Moscow Architectural Institute.

DESCRIPTION
This course explores cultural and artistic developments associated with and resulting from the major modern social and political revolutions between the end of the 18th and 20th centuries. The course mainly concentrates on rarely covered artistic responses to political, social, and religious revolutions of the 20th century, and briefly covers art during revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries. Historical, political, philosophical currents and their impact on painting, sculpture, and architecture will be analyzed. Using a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary approach, the visual arts will be viewed in the context of their relationships to political, social, and religious events of their representative time periods.

INSTRUCTOR
Anahit Ter-Stepanian holds an MS in Architecture from Yerevan Polytechnic Institute in Armenia and a PhD in Architecture Theory and History from the Moscow Architectural Institute.

DESCRIPTION
Despite the repeated pronouncements of the ’end of painting,’ painting continues to thrive, often in startling new ways. This course will be structured around topics of interest to two-dimensional media practitioners. We will trace the historical development of painters and balance that with an examination of contemporary practitioners. Topics include abstraction from Jackson Pollock and Helen Frankenthaler to artists such as Ross Bleckner and Jodie Manesivit; figurative painters from Lucian Freud and David Park to Jenny Saville and Chuck Close; neo-expressionist and conceptual painters such as Gerhard Richter and Anselm Kiefer. Site specific 2D practitioners from Sol Le Witt to Glexis Novoa and Lily van der Stokker also have an impact on the contemporary scene. In addition, narrative art in the inventive work of William Kentridge, Jeff Wall, Hiroshi Sugimoto merits close study. No account of contemporary art would be complete without examining of the profound effect of film on art, so the work of artists such as Matthew Barney, Douglas Gordon, Bill Viola, and Chloe Piene will also be examined.

INSTRUCTOR
To Be Announced

DESCRIPTION
When did "globalization" start and what have been its driving forces? What are the historical origins of the environmental movement? How does the electoral college actually work? This is a survey course on American society, culture, and politics, with a special emphasis on "the history you never learned in school." While the course fulfills social science requirements, it deals with topics, readings, and films that should be of special interest to those who work in the creative fields (artists, humanists, and scientists), as well as anyone who seeks an informed understanding of the contemporary world and the history that has made it.

INSTRUCTOR
Michael Pak is a historian and is Adjunct Professor in Critical Studies at MassArt He earned his BA from UC Berkley and PhD from Harvard University where he is currently a Visiting Lecturer in the Department of History.

DESCRIPTION
This course introduces students to major civilizations and cultural traditions around the world. It surveys civilizations that have existed in the Middle East, India, Far East, Europe, Africa, and America before the arrival of Europeans. The course focuses particularly on various belief systems—philosophy, religion, and spiritual traditions—that emerged from various civilizations and shaped their course of development. Included in this survey are Islam and Sufism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism, African and Native-American spiritual traditions, and some of the forgotten philosophical traditions of the West. We will bring our survey up to date by reviewing the implications of globalization for the survival of traditional civilizations and cultural diversity.

INSTRUCTOR
Michael Pak is a historian and is Adjunct Professor in Critical Studies at MassArt He earned his BA from UC Berkley and PhD from Harvard University where he is currently a Visiting Lecturer in the Department of History.

DESCRIPTION
Using texts ranging from the Bible and Homer’s epics to contemporary literary works, this course introduces mythological approaches to such subjects as heroism, place, time, family, and human nature.

INSTRUCTOR
Elaine Mawhinney Professor Emerita of English, Dance, and Creative Arts at Northern Essex Community College. She has designed and presented online courses since 2004 in Western Literature and Exploring the Arts. She received an AB from Emmanuel College, MA from Northeastern University and MM in Music from the University of Massachusetts. In 2007, her online course, Western Literature II, was awarded Online Course of the Year (Mass Colleges Online).

SPECIAL SCHEDULEFirst meeting, Jun 10, 6-10p on site and in Second Life.

DESCRIPTION
This unique course will give insights into how the virtual 3D world is being used to create, promote, and exhibit visual art and how artists and educators are encouraging collaboration through design, social networking, and virtual art making and display. Case studies will be explored as well as providing a list of "dos and don’ts" for 3D worlds. Emphasis will be placed on creating a virtual presence, building objects and places, and uploading images, sound, and movie clips in Second Life. The activities will culminate in a virtual art gallery and exhibition. This is an ideal course for artists interested in exploring emerging technologies. Each week will include face-to-face and online sessions, in Second Life (students may also meet solely online). The following hardware and software is REQUIRED to run Second Life successfully: Internet connection: Cable or DSL; Computer processor: 1.6GHz; Computer memory: 512MB RAM or better; Video/Graphics Card: nVidia GeForce FX 5600, GeForce 6600, or ATI Radeon 9600, X600, or better.

INSTRUCTOR
Nettrice Gaskins is Computer Arts and Community Liaison at MassArt where she teaches and develops workshops focused on computer art including imaging, time-based applications, and multimedia. She is also adjunct faculty at UMass/Boston. She holds a BFA in Computer Graphics from Pratt Institute and MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. nettrice.us.

DESCRIPTION
Imagine instruments played without touching, orchestras with airplane propellers, mind-bending sound pieces using only the echo of a space, vegetable instruments that turn into soup, a "Sound Chair" that propels you through the room, and meditations that reveal sounds in daily life that you never dreamed were there. The course examines works by artists who blur traditional boundaries between music and other disciplines including science, design, visual arts and philosophy. This course is ideal for artists engaged in multi-media work that incorporates sound as well as people interested in experimental music of any genre. Each week will include substantial listening and reading, along with questions about the material and discussion. No previous experience with sound or music needed. Course requires access to an MP3 player and either headphones or external speakers. Built-in computer speakers are not adequate. Sound examples may be downloaded to an iPod. For more information please contact: Judy.Dunaway@massart.edu

INSTRUCTOR
Judy Dunaway is an internationally known sound artist whose works have been presented throughout North America and Europe including the Roy and Edna Disney Center, Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors, ZKM, New Museum of Contemporary Art, Everson Art Museum and many other venues. Awards/grants/residencies include Aaron Copland Fund, American Composers Forum, Meet the Composer, ZKM, Harvestworks, NEA. She received an MA from Wesleyan University, and PhD fromSUNY Stony Brook. For more information visit: http://jdunaway.web.wesleyan.edu

DESCRIPTION
Despite the repeated pronouncements of the ’end of painting,’ painting continues to thrive, often in startling new ways. This course will be structured around topics of interest to two-dimensional media practitioners. We will trace the historical development of painters and balance that with an examination of contemporary practitioners. Topics include abstraction from Jackson Pollock and Helen Frankenthaler to artists such as Ross Bleckner and Jodie Manesivit; figurative painters from Lucian Freud and David Park to Jenny Saville and Chuck Close; neo-expressionist and conceptual painters such as Gerhard Richter and Anselm Kiefer. Site specific 2D practitioners from Sol Le Witt to Glexis Novoa and Lily van der Stokker also have an impact on the contemporary scene. In addition, narrative art in the inventive work of William Kentridge, Jeff Wall, Hiroshi Sugimoto merits close study. No account of contemporary art would be complete without examining of the profound effect of film on art, so the work of artists such as Matthew Barney, Douglas Gordon, Bill Viola, and Chloe Piene will also be examined.

INSTRUCTOR
To Be Announced

DESCRIPTION
Despite the repeated pronouncements of the ’end of painting,’ painting continues to thrive, often in startling new ways. This course will be structured around topics of interest to two-dimensional media practitioners. We will trace the historical development of painters and balance that with an examination of contemporary practitioners. Topics include abstraction from Jackson Pollock and Helen Frankenthaler to artists such as Ross Bleckner and Jodie Manesivit; figurative painters from Lucian Freud and David Park to Jenny Saville and Chuck Close; neo-expressionist and conceptual painters such as Gerhard Richter and Anselm Kiefer. Site specific 2D practitioners from Sol Le Witt to Glexis Novoa and Lily van der Stokker also have an impact on the contemporary scene. In addition, narrative art in the inventive work of William Kentridge, Jeff Wall, Hiroshi Sugimoto merits close study. No account of contemporary art would be complete without examining of the profound effect of film on art, so the work of artists such as Matthew Barney, Douglas Gordon, Bill Viola, and Chloe Piene will also be examined.

INSTRUCTOR
To Be Announced

SPECIAL SCHEDULEFirst meeting, Jun 10, 6-10p on site and in Second Life.

DESCRIPTION
This unique course will give insights into how the virtual 3D world is being used to create, promote, and exhibit visual art and how artists and educators are encouraging collaboration through design, social networking, and virtual art making and display. Case studies will be explored as well as providing a list of "dos and don’ts" for 3D worlds. Emphasis will be placed on creating a virtual presence, building objects and places, and uploading images, sound, and movie clips in Second Life. The activities will culminate in a virtual art gallery and exhibition. This is an ideal course for artists interested in exploring emerging technologies. Each week will include face-to-face and online sessions, in Second Life (students may also meet solely online). The following hardware and software is REQUIRED to run Second Life successfully: Internet connection: Cable or DSL; Computer processor: 1.6GHz; Computer memory: 512MB RAM or better; Video/Graphics Card: nVidia GeForce FX 5600, GeForce 6600, or ATI Radeon 9600, X600, or better.

INSTRUCTOR
Nettrice Gaskins is Computer Arts and Community Liaison at MassArt where she teaches and develops workshops focused on computer art including imaging, time-based applications, and multimedia. She is also adjunct faculty at UMass/Boston. She holds a BFA in Computer Graphics from Pratt Institute and MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. nettrice.us.

DESCRIPTION
Using texts ranging from the Bible and Homer’s epics to contemporary literary works, this course introduces mythological approaches to such subjects as heroism, place, time, family, and human nature.

INSTRUCTOR
Elaine Mawhinney Professor Emerita of English, Dance, and Creative Arts at Northern Essex Community College. She has designed and presented online courses since 2004 in Western Literature and Exploring the Arts. She received an AB from Emmanuel College, MA from Northeastern University and MM in Music from the University of Massachusetts. In 2007, her online course, Western Literature II, was awarded Online Course of the Year (Mass Colleges Online).