Massachusetts College of Art
SIM 4X4 - Survey of Performance Art
Spring 2003
Fridays, 9 - 1:30 p.m. | Tower Room 312

Syllabus

Prof: Nita Sturiale
Email:nsturiale@massart.edu
Office hours: Wednesdays 1:30 - 2:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 - 12:30 pm
or by appointment

~ Link to weekly schedule ~

Course Description

This course studies a selection of artists/artworks/movements that have redefined performance as an art form over time. Focus is on work since the Futurist movement of the early 190s to the present, though earlier examples are included. During the course, students present their own written and performative responses to the artists/artworks/movements introduced. Skills for developing, directing and performing are introduced. This course is a performance studio based on historical influences.

Topics

• Examples of Performance Art
  • Hawaiin Hula
  • Day of the Dead ceremonies
  • Quaker silence
  • Humphrey Davy and Science Theater of the 18th century
  • Futurists
  • Dada
  • Bauhaus
  • Black Mountain College and John Cage
  • Allan Kaprow and Happenings
  • Fluxus
  • Shamanic ritual and Joseph Beuys
  • Native American - Black Elk Speaks
  • Prayer meeting Gospels
  • Laurie Anderson and Pop culture
  • Middle Class America - wedding (and graduation) ceremonies
  • Marilyn Arsem and the Boston Performance Art Scene
  • Butoh
  • Kitsou Dubois and zero gravity performance
  • Bio-performance art
  • Web-based performance: World Wide Simultanious Dance
• Individual invention and cultural redefinitions
• Skills associated with giving a talk
• Skills associated with giving a performance
• Local resources for performance art
• Future trends

Course Requirements

We'll be together 4 + hours per week for 3 + months. Our goal is to learn things we don't already know towards the long-term goal of being effective and articulate artists. The teacher's responsibility is to present information, provocations and a structured environment that will help you learn. Your responsibility is to participate in this environment fully by voicing your interests, thoughts, and questions as well as listening to your classmates. Class participation, discussion and attention is fundamental and required.

We will be hearing from visitors as well as going on a field trip here and there. Please check the online syllabus for current information and schedule changes at the following URL - http://babel.massart.edu/~nita.

List of requirements and assignments:

• Get an email account for class communications. Let us know if you need help with this.

• Be present in body - come to class ontime - more than two absences, or chronic lateness will result in a NC grade,

• Be present in mind and mouth - participate in class discussion and critique sessions,

• Read the readings and be prepared to discuss them in class,

• Complete Assignments:

  1. Write what you think the differences are between 'Performance Art', 'the Performing Arts', theater, and the music industry, and cultural community events.
  2. Interview a local performance artist about their influences, orginal ideas, mentors, inspirations. Document interview and present to class.
  3. Short presentation and essay of artist/artwork/movement that expands YOUR definition of ART. Select from the topic list above and/or on the STIMULI webpage. Include images. Bring copies of essay for everyone in class.
  4. Mid-semester self-evaluation (http://babel.massart.edu/~nita/eval/mideval.html)
  5. Short Performance and performance document that reflects the ideas of one of the artists/artworks/movements presented in class. May be solo or in a group. Performance Doc due one week before performance.
  6. Final self-evaluation (http://babel.massart.edu/~nita/eval/finaleval.html)

   

Selected Readings

1. Gladwell, Malcolm." The Naked Face", The New Yorker, August 5, 2002, pgs 38-49.
2. Goldberg RoseLee, Performance Art, Thames & Hudson, 1988, pgs. tba.
3. Hamblyn, Richard. The Invention of Clouds, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2001, pgs. 7 - 20.
4. Strapp, Jacques. "Terrorism as Art Form", The Spleen, Oct 2001.
5. Wallace, Ronald. "On the problem of a Ten Minute Performance", March 18, 2000.
6. Wolfson, Wendy. "Bio-artist Adam Zaretsky sleeps with the fishes", Red Herring Magazine, March 13, 2002.

Stimuli - http://babel.massart.edu/~nita/stimuli.html

Resources - http://babel.massart.edu/~nita/resources.html