Course Information
CONCEPTUAL/INFORMATION ARTS: ART 410 “CONCEPTUAL STRATEGIES”
INSTRUCTOR: John Davis, jd@noiseforlight.com
*Syllabus and schedule are subject to change
DAY/TIME/LOCATION: Tuesdays/Thursdays 9-12; Tuesday class meets in Creative Arts Buiding, Computer Lab, room 260. Thursday class meets in Fine Arts, room 538. Typically, Tuesday classes will be instructional, focused on developing skills and techniques, as well as serving as lab time for production. Thursday classes will emphasize lecture and discussion, as well as screenings and presentations of work.
OFFICE HOURS: Regular hours Tuesday’s 1-2 pm, also by appointment Tuesdays and Thursdays. We will use a dedicated Class Calendar for scheduling, as well as keeping track of Bay Area events, exhibitions, performances, screenings, etc. *You will need a Google Gmail account to post to the calendar. If you don’t already have a Gmail account, I will invite you to sign up for one. They are free and temporary if you choose not to maintain it after the course.
PREREQUISITES: Art 410 is one of two foundation classes for Conceptual/Information Arts, and should be taken concurrently with Art 412. No prerequisites are required, but familiarity with critical theory will be helpful.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is a combination of studio practice, experimentation, critical discussion, and theoretical investigation. With an emphasis on artistic production, we will strategize methods for conveying ideas with visual form. We will explore the relationships between art, technology, culture, and the individual, serving as entry points for assignments and conceptual projects. Readings will be handed out or available on-line. There may be additional materials to purchase. All course materials such as syllabus and assignments will be located on-line on the class web site.
• The class will draw from a range of historic and contemporary sources as we investigate artistic practice through sound, video, film, performance, sculpture, image/graphics, photography and painting, simultaneously considering parallels between art and other fields of research.
• Some ideas relevant to the class will be drawn from art movements and key concepts such as Dada, Surrealism, Futurism, Fluxus, Situationist International, Conceptual Art, Culture Jamming, Satire, Hacktivism, FlashMob, Copyleft, Sampling, Collage, Detournement, Recuperation, and Appropriation.
• Many of the project assignments will utilize image and web software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Dreamweaver, as well as some non-linear editing tools for sound and video editing. We will utilizing some freeware tools for optimizing content for upload to the Web, as well as incorporate some non-computer based media. Throughout the course we will investigate Web concepts such as interface design, navigation strategies, file management, and compression codecs for a web page that you will post online.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: This class is designed to provide you some basic digital media skills as a means for communicating ideas and experimenting with form. You will be encouraged to apply those skills towards a critical engagement with the complex social, political, and cultural forces that shape our daily lives. As we read texts, view creative works, and discuss ideas, we will emphasize the dynamics between the individual and society; reinforcing the importance of personal and collective artistic action as a means toward personal growth, social change, and cultural vitality.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Attendance (see below) is paramount. We will cover a lot of ground quickly, especially during the first half of the course. Furthermore, lively discussion in response to the readings and any works viewed can only occur with you present. Therefore, active participation in class and within the online comments forum will be factors in your grades.
• You will be required to schedule meetings with me a minimum of two times over the course of the semester.
ONLINE COMMENTS: You are responsible for commenting on each reading and assignment viewed; you will be expected to make a brief but detailed online submission before our scheduled discussions in class (comments pages will be unmoderated and encourage an evolving discourse). The only exception are tutorials or other instructional media we may view.
• In order to post comments to this site you will need to register once, and then sign in each time you post.
FINAL PROJECTS: Your final projects will be determined by you, and should be based on the ideas and concepts covered in the class. The project should be manageable given time constraints and available resources. *Your scheduled meetings with me will be to discuss and then sign-off on your final project idea for the class.
ATTENDANCE POLICY: Regular attendance is expected. Three (3) unexcused absences will result in an automatic “F”. Two (2) late arrivals = one (1) unexcused absence.
GRADING: Although creative work is difficult to quantify, the effort put forth is not — your studio and lab assignments will be graded on how hard you work, and how effectively you apply key concepts. Grading is in accordance with University standards outlined in the SFSU Bulletin.
• Final Project 40%
• Assignments 20%
• Postings 20%
• Attendance/Participation 20%
LATE WORK POLICY: This is course involves reading, writing, and studio work. You are expected to complete all assignments on time. Late work will be considered Incomplete.
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 accommodation 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 email dprc@sfsu.edu