I am considering my application for the William H. Johnson Prize and a component of this process is the obligatory essay. Most often, grant making institutions/organizations ask you to elaborate on your process, materials and whatnot, and it seems a unnerving opportunity to be repetitive, even to your own ears. I am learning to challenge myself in these instances, going beyond the literal answers to these questions, and exploring the deeper connection between a creative impulse and the tangibility of production. It seems clear that it's the audience that personifies this link. And, while curators, gallerists and journalists play a significant role, it is the collector with his or her unique perspective that allows the artist to exhibit both pride and humility simultaneously. In light of these thoughts, imagine my surprise when upon my late night perusal of NETFLIX Streaming I stumbled upon Herb and Dorothy...
We've been informed that as graduate students in the Art School we can take almost any course within Yale College. In fact, one course outside of the Art department is required for graduation. So I've been shopping the online catalog to see if there's anything that strikes my fancy. That was a fool's errand: I've identified over 20 courses I'd absolutely looooooove to sink my teeth into. I think I'm going to take Kevin's advice and select something that will challenge me physically as well as intellectually, but I think it's a good idea to make note of the items on my wish list. Perhaps in another time/place I can explore the themes suggested by the coursework on this list further...
Introduction to the role of language in the constitution of gendered, class, ethnic, and national identities. Ethnographic and linguistic case studies are combined with theoretical and comparative approaches. Enrollment limited to 40.
Theoretical debates about the body as a subject of anthropological, historical, psychological, medical, and literary inquiry. The persistence of the mind-body dualism, experiences of embodiment and alienation, phenomenology of the body, Foucauldian notions of biopolitics, biopower and the ethic of the self, the medicalized body, and the gendered body.
An introduction to the anthropological study of capitalism. Focus on how markets and commodities are embedded in social, cultural, and political contexts. Discussion of the many ways people have embraced, reinterpreted, and resisted capitalism worldwide. Consideration of the implications of this diversity for theories of capitalism as a whole.
Language difference and language inequality as symbols and shapers of political dynamics and social change in plural societies. Comparative, theoretical, and ethnographic approaches to the politics of sociolinguistic difference, with case studies focused on specific issues. Topics include "problems" of substandard languages, bilingual identities, ethnic and national identity, and globalization and language shift.
An introduction to understanding economic systems in other cultures and societies. How work and leisure are organized, who gets what and how, and how economic concerns tie into other aspects of social life. Major debates and controversies examined, and examples from different parts of the world presented.
In-depth study and interpretation of American furniture from the past four centuries. Hands-on experience with furniture in the collection of the Yale University Art Gallery to explore such topics as materials, techniques, styles, use, and meaning.
The problem of violence and justice in American society, history, and culture. Introduction to the disciplinary approaches in social science, history, and cultural criticism that comprise the interdisciplinary practice of American Studies.
Significant themes in American life, 1607–1750: politics and imperial governance, social structure, religion, ecology, race relations, gender, popular culture, the rhythms of everyday life.
A study of the great American film comedians and an investigation into the psychology of laughter. Comedians from Chaplin and Keaton to the Marx brothers and Fields examined against a background of European comedy. Comic form and technique and their relevance to the American scene. Not a history of American film comedy.
Examination of mixed-race matters in both literary and critical writings, primarily within the black/white schema. Historical and current questions of black and interracial identity; the contemporary "mixed race movement" and the emerging rubric of "critical mixed race studies"; historical genealogy of interraciality and hybridity. Analysis of long-standing debates on race mixing in the realms of legal classification, transracial adoption, census taking, grassroots movements, the discursive, the ideological, and the popular.
Attempts since the late nineteenth century to imagine, in literature, cinema, and social theory, a world different from the existing world. The merging of political critique with desire and anxiety; the nature and effects of social power; forms of authority, submission, and resistance.
American religious expansion from the Gilded Age to the late twentieth century. Religion's response to urbanization, industrialization, and the "new immigrations"; religion and science; the challenge of pluralism; religion in America's wars (hot and cold); religion and politics from 1960s radicalism to neoconservative evangelicalism; women's rise in leadership; New Age occultism.
Overview of sociological approaches to genetics, including gene/environment interactions and the history of genetic medicine. A focus on genetic testing in Huntington's disease, pregnancy, cancer, and psychological disorders to explore how genetic information is provided to patients, and how patients experience genetic risk. Discussion of commercial firms offering direct-to-consumer genetic testing.
The nature and effects of gender images (males and females, sexual orientation, gender identities) on the construction of self-identity, stereotypes, aspirations, and interpersonal relationships. Focus on contemporary media, with attention to how, when, and why gender images change with time.
The dynamic relationship between the civil rights movement and the women's liberation movement from 1940 to the present. When and how the two movements overlapped, intersected, and diverged. The variety of ways in which African Americans and women campaigned for equal rights in the twentieth century. Topics include World War II, freedom summer, black power, the Equal Rights Amendment, feminism, abortion, affirmative action, and gay rights.
Constructing the Self: From Autobiography to Facebook
Autobiography in its evolving form as literary genre, historical archive, and individual and community narrative in a changing geographical context. Women's life stories from Afghanistan, China, Cambodia, Indonesia, India, Iran, Egypt, Jordan, and Vietnam illustrate the dialectic relationship between the global and the local. What the reading and writing of autobiographies reveal about oneself and one's place in society; how autobiography can be considered a horizontal community formation.
Interdisciplinary exploration of the gendering of food production, preparation, and consumption in cross-cultural perspective. Topics include agricultural practices, cooking, pasteurization, kitchen technology, food storage, home economics, hunger, anorexia, breast-feeding, meals, and ethnic identity.
The reading of selected material with supervised participant-observer experience in infant programs, a day-care and kindergarten center, or a family day-care program. Regularly scheduled seminar discussions emphasize both theory and practice. An assumption of the course is that it is not possible to understand children—their behavior and development—without understanding their parents and the relationship between child and parents. The focus is on infancy as well as early childhood.
Development of curricula for preschool children—infants, toddlers, three-, four-, and five-year-olds—in light of current research and child development theory.
Introduction to the unaccompanied congregational hymn-singing practice known as Sacred Harp. Origins in Puritan New England, migration to the post-Reconstruction rural South, and contemporary revival in American urban communities. Musical forms and singing styles, analysis of hymn texts, and social and religious meanings of Sacred Harp practice. Students participate in the weekly Yale–New Haven Regular Singing (YNHRS), a traditional-style Sacred Harp singing. No previous singing experience required.
A course for singers and pianists that emphasizes the analysis and musical preparation of classical solo song and operatic repertoire. Examination of structure (poetic, harmonic, motivic), discussion of style, exploration of vocal techniques, and introduction to the International Phonetic Alphabet. Students are strongly encouraged to supplement the course with individual voice instruction.
Development of aural skills that lead to an understanding of Western music. The musical novice is introduced to the ways in which music is put together and is taught how to listen to a wide variety of musical styles, from Bach and Mozart, to Gregorian chant, to the blues.
Critical investigation of introductory concepts in physics through the lens of dance. Topics in physics include the normal force, friction, Newton's laws, projectile motion, potential and kinetic energy, and conservation of energy. Topics in dance include aspects of dance history, contemporary artists who engage with science, and the development of movement studies. Class meetings include movement exercises.
The structure and meaning of traditional and contemporary musical theater repertoire. Focus on ways to "read" a work, decipher compositional cues for character and action, facilitate internalization of material, and elicit lucid interpretations. For singers, pianists, and directors.
Sensory aspects of the material arts, theater, musical and movement performance, ritual, and architectural space. Cultural translation and presentation; theories on the arts and the senses throughout history. Includes museum visits and theater attendance.
An examination of major movements in the history of concert and social dance from the late nineteenth century to the present, including ballet, tap, jazz, modern, musical theater, and different cultural forms. Exercises are used to illuminate analysis of the body in motion.
Conceptualization of a play into a sequence of visual ideas, incorporating both text and subtext. Expression and testing of those ideas within a space large enough to bring together performers and audience.
Basic exercises in approaching dramatic or other literary texts from the director's perspective. Particular attention to the many roles and functions of the director in production. Rehearsal and production of workshop scenes.
An introduction to the field of performance studies, with attention to events in music, theater, dance, performance art, and social practice. Live performances interpreted using strategies of observer-participant analysis.
I have a friend, Alex Branch, who recently sent me and interesting LINK (which I posted HERE). It's typical for me to include a clickable LINK to the work my colleagues are doing, so I follow up with a google search to dig up information :-)
In this case, I stumbled onto another artist, also named Alex Branch whose work I am fascinated by...
"I grew up on a damp island in the Puget Sound where mysterious things would often wash up on the beach. There were strange sea animals and oddly shaped shells to examine, but some of the things that washed up were objects from the human world: shoes, tires, engine parts, bottles. I remember being amazed at their condition. Although familiar, the sea had changed them. Barnacles and sea plants would attach to the objects, transforming them into a hybrid. This summer I drove to the farm where I spent my early childhood and found that the neighbor’s house was completely overtaken by vegetation. The roof, and walls were torn away in places. Blackberry vines curled through the house. Dried leaves filled the kitchen sink and mildew altered the pattern of the faded wallpaper. I remember being in this house as a child. It is somewhat comforting that a human structure can be absorbed back into nature so quickly, just as a beaver dam or a sparrow's nest can be, but there is also a feeling of melancholy about the erasing of it. I have discovered that the only constant in life is change. The rapid decay of my neighbor's house and the altered remnants that wash up along the Puget Sound shore are visual evidence of this reality. A reality that is often avoided. In my work, I attempt to embrace this natural process of change, bringing forward the positive aspects of metamorphosis while recognizing the loss and disconcerting aspect of it. My current work involves dismantling and transformation. I often take things apart, alter and recombine them into a new form. In my sculptures and installations I transform everyday objects and materials with the intention of investigating the dual nature of transformation."MORE
Alex and I are performance colleagues, working for Kate Gilmore, and hoping to continue a dialogue about visibility/invisibility... She sent me a link to SNAP JUDGEMENT, a radio show hosted by Glenn Washington. This particular set of episodes focus on "...the parallel universe humming right beside All-You-Thought-You-Knew. This week, Snap Judgment proudly presents “Invisible Cities” where we dive into the hidden world next door."MORE
"Few battles in history have been more scrutinized than Gettysburg’s three blood-soaked days in July 1863, the turning point in the Civil War. Still, there were questions that all the diaries, official reports and correspondence couldn’t answer precisely. What, for example, could Gen. Robert E. Lee actually see when he issued a series of fateful orders that turned the tide against the Confederate Army nearly 150 years ago?" MORE
I met artist (and shoe designer) Romy Scheroder last night at wonderful garden party hosted by Cecile Chongand her husband Ryan. After viewing Romy's and Cecile's websites I thought I would share a few images that were particularly striking to me. Objects are a fascinating touchstone for dialogue, especially when an artist can transform items of mundane ubiquity into the truly fantastic.
I met Elisabeth Rosenthal during our time as roommates and residents of the Triangle Arts Workshop. It was a serendipitous pairing, as our creative practices span both the performative and object making space...
"I want to share these pictures with you since many people refer to me as only an performance artist and less a sculptor. In fact I spend a lot more time with building objects in the studio. Planning my performances is a thing that I do when riding my bike and somewhere in between the days and I hardly rehearse. But I understand that performances have a stronger effect then objects. This is because they don´t make any noise or move. The process and the time it takes to work on my objects is never visible to the people. So here are the pictures.6 month work. All kind of stuff, all for one big piece." - ELISABETH ROSENTHAL
When I worked at the Boys and Girls Club in Gainesville, I organized a schedule that highlighted different skills. Generally, these themes focused on experiences within a classroom setting (i.e. reading, writing), but, as classrooms are social venues, they connected to interactive life skills as well. Wednesday was designated as "Collaboration Station" and I realize that I've been very much influenced by these lessons. Fiona Gardner and I are preparing a collaborative sculptural and (interactive) performance piece for CROWN HEIGHTS GOLD, an exhibition informed by the upcoming 20th anniversary of the Crown Heights riot, a tragic event that began on August 19, 1991. Throughout our conversations, and the through the advice/experience of other artistic collaborations, I think I've identified a few key elements that help move this process along.
Brainstorm Freely (Avoid censoring the thoughts you've got in your head. Unexpressed ideas tend to take up brain space, thereby edging out the gems that could enhance the project.)
Say "yes" as much as possible (Replace "No" with "Not exactly", "not yet", and "what about...?")
Invest time (Collaborations are often a time-based puzzle and the solutions are only partially dependent upon the creativity of the individuals involved. Mostly, it just takes time for the ideas to marinate.)
If you're stuck, revisit the earliest ideas (These ideas are unfettered by the expectations built up over planning conversations, while still benefiting from the 'marination affect'.)
Respect your partner (Remember, no participant should feel greater ownership over the other. Work toward a solution that blends voices.)
Regard disagreements as opportunities, not obstacles (It seems like every disagreement resolved is space to expand your own practice. Embrace this!)
I have been fortunate to be an occasional witness to the behind the scenes experience of the 2010- 2011 Studio Museum of Harlem Residency. Simone Leigh and Paul Mpagi Sepuya have both graciously allowed me the opportunity to share a glimpse of their creative process and I have been thoroughly enriched by their generosity. I wanted to take a few moments to congratulate each of the Residents on the culmination of this leg of their respective journeys; and thank them for contributing their unique voices to the creative conversation. I believe this dialogue is an important element to the development of Black culture globally- their work continues to open my mind.
Simone Leigh(I am humbled by your ability to make tangible the timeless quality of the clay body. I look at your work and see the primeval and the prescient in one glance. Inspired by the depth of your awareness, I am encouraged to discover deeply.)
Paul Mpagi Sepuya(You remind me that art making can be about desire. That, in fact, the wanting is not subordinate to possession but is often the nexus of action.)
Kamau Amu Patton(I am intrigued by your all-over-the-place-ness. You are an artist, educator and experimenter- I hope to occupy a similar space.)
"If you watch enough television shows and movies, then you might even start to notice that a bunch of the same props are used over and over again. I first noticed this with a magazine prop in various television shows including Married With Children, which featured a gum advertisement on the back cover. Someone on Reddit recently put together a compilation of photos from various television shows, commercials and movies, showing how one newspaper prop gets around and is reused, and reused again. I don’t know the story behind this prop newspaper, but I assume it was created as a royalty free prop for television shows. Somewhere along the line, the prop became a recurring gag between propmasters. Something like how sound designers reuse the Wilhem Scream in every movie." MORE
“On a Desert Island” requires two couples to play. Each couple is given a Newspaper. The host or leader tells them to look at the piece of newspaper as a desert island and they are stranded on it. They cannot go outside of the newspaper or they are in the ocean and will drown or be eaten by sharks. Well, not really, but it sounds good. The only play they can stay in on the island or piece of paper. Now here comes the fun part of the game. The paper will be folded in half, so now the size of the island is even smaller. Next it is folded again and than again and so on. The couples are supposed to figure out how to stay on the island that seems to get smaller and smaller together. If either one lands outside of the paper, they lose the game."
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