art assignment

Stop the Presses PRTM 3706, Winter 2021. Instructor: Associate Professor Ericka Walker

Office hours: Tuesdays 1:30 to 2:30 or by appointment

email: [email protected]

Acknowledgement / Disclaimer I am teaching in an institution that, like most universities on this continent, shares a strong tie to the ongoing project of colonization of this land, it’s people, it’s resources, and the lives of others who are not part of the dominant white elite. The way I conduct this class is a product of my training in similar institutions that have privileged dissemination of knowledge through modalities developed by settlers of white European ancestry. I recognize that the lineage of my training and hence my approach to pedagogy is limited. I take seriously my responsibility to continue to learn from scholars and knowledge keepers outside of my peoples’ classical methodologies. I am in progress as are my teaching methodologies. As is always the case in an educational relationship, I have much to learn from you. It is my hope that I can be a safe enough person in your life that you may help me improve on these fronts. These improvements are important to me in the interest of being of service to my students and hence the world.

I will be delivering this course from my home on Kijipenu’pek in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People. This territory is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship” which Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik peoples first signed with the British Crown in 1725. The treaties did not deal with surrender of lands and resources but in fact recognized Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik title and established the rules for what was to be an on-going relationship between nations. While NSCAD has made some resources available Mi’kmaq and other indigenous students and scholars I am under no delusion that this work is sufficient or that my acknowledgement of treaties and territory is contributing to the important work that has yet to be done. It is the smallest of beginnings. As faculty here I occupy a place of privilege and power and I strive to improve my record of pushing for and contributing to decolonization as a member of the NSCAD community and as a permanent resident of the nation-state of Canada. In regards to this class and this semester, it is my hope that we may proceed consciously with an awareness of the inequalities that have shaped the world we inhabit. This is our responsibility as artists and members of a community of higher education. However awkwardly we proceed I ask that we do so together in this class with openness, patience, and respect in service of one another and of the environment who has born too much damage.

Course Description What distinguishes the act of making a print from other image making or text-based practices? Is it the ability to be reproduced that makes a graphic image a print or is it the existence of a matrix and is this distinction important in contemporary practice? This course will explore these questions and many more through a variety of conceptual and technical approaches to making prints, works on paper, site specific, and even performative print-based works. Studio projects will be created while also discussing, re-contextualizing, and expanding the field of print media. Engagement with critical texts, guest artist talks, podcasts, presentations, and the work of contemporary artists will comprise our time in and outside of class. Studio projects will make use of innovative material exploration with the employment of a twist on some tried and true technical classics. This is an interdisciplinary course and experimentation is encouraged to suit students' needs.

Course Overview This course is designed to introduce students to methodologies (both technical and cognitive) for creating art works through a very broad range of mediated mark making and image making strategies. A variety of technical process will be outlined in video demonstrations and written format but the decisions regarding what materials to be used will be based largely on each student’s goals for project development with the exception of an experimental cyanotype project of which the only strict parameter is the use of cyanotype chemistry. Willingness to experiment with possibilities and unorthodox media as well as mustering the resourcefulness to think in innovative, alternative ways will be the cornerstone of success in this course.

The course will consist of the following components:

o Four large studio projects. o The compilation of a process book and field notes where technical experiments, research about

artists, processes, compositions, and ideas will be recorded and shared with peers and the instructor.

o Reading and discussion of texts, videos, podcasts, and guest lectures. o Regular feedback about the works of your peers and formal critiques.

Required Materials You will be receiving a package of materials put together by the Print Technician. The package will include a small brayer, black relief printing ink, an assortment of papers, and cyanotype chemicals. The paper, brayer, and ink can be used as you see fit. The papers may be used for the first project if you are unable to visit an art supply store and you anticipate shipping delays. You will have other material needs depending on the processes you choose to work with. I have provided you with an extensive list of suppliers in a document called “material resources” which can be found in the ”Course Resources” folder on our Brightspace page.

Learning Outcomes Develop personal processes & creative strategies of investigation through direct research. Build knowledge of materials through experimentation and investigation Apply concepts, media, and processes to express an intended outcome. Speak to the flexibility and diversity of contemporary print practices and theoretical conversations. Communicate theme, ideas, and studio processes. Express learned knowledge through discussion, written communication, and verbal critique.

Course Objectives Develop an appreciation of the breadth and depth of qualities and methodologies that constitute print or graphic art. Develop the confidence to solve dynamic problems in and outside of your studio practice. Embrace experimentation, perseverance and troubleshooting as an important part of artistic process. Find confidence enough to speak to and draw upon the important role of print as a historical and contemporary means of artistic assertion and mass communication.

Develop an awareness of how deeply inter-connected and complex our relationship can be with materials, processes, experimentation, investigation as we move through our studio practice. Accept that it is okay, even preferable, to know very little going into a studio-based investigative process. Recognize the unique and important history of printmaking as a cultural, historical and contemporary means of communication and expression.

Understand how flexible and fluid the boundaries of what constitutes “print” in a contemporary art practice are. Interpreting and placing your own and your classmates’ work in a contemporary context is a challenging and often personal area of development. We will make progress here this semester, and we are all here to help one another in this area. Develop a more mature approach to managing your time. Making strong work will require a lot of false starts and “failures”, plan for this, expect it. Honor your work by honoring the time it takes to work through multiple possibilities. Growth will also come from challenging your medium, challenging your culture, and challenging institutions. Challenging does not necessarily mean judging in a way that closes off divergent thinking. Suspending judgment and asking questions with your research practice leaves you open to learning through experiencing and leaves your work multi-dimensional.

Core Requirements and Benchmarks Your studio work will comprise 65% of your work in this course. This will consist of tests, experiments, and resolved work. These things will be assessed through your submission of assignments to me via Padlet accounts as well as in class critiques, or independent meetings when necessary. It is important that there is flexibility built into the expectations in this course. Since we aren’t able to share a studio and learn from one another in person with the presence of a technician and a student assistant it is likely that technical progress will not be as linear as we are used to. It is also paramount to this course that you stretch outside of your comfort zone and embark on some strange experiments. In light of this my evaluations will be based on your willingness to take risks, your resourcefulness, and your persistence more so than the refinement of the finished product. Therefore, it is very important that you document much of what you do and provide me with this documentation when specified in project briefs. This documentation and your informal presentations in class will provide me with an important window into the important line on my/our rubric called “Depth of Investigation”. Additionally, the sharing of your tests and experiments will be an important part of how your peers expand their thinking. You are expected to pay close attention to the calendars I provide in each project brief as they will give you specific deadlines for when readings are to be completed and commented on in our discussion forum as well as “process book” entries of field notes, videos or podcasts to consume, and more. All of these small, “low-risk” assignments will constitute the other 35% of your grade. It is also expected that you are “present” in the course. In the context of online learning this looks just a little different than face to face courses but in some respects may be easier for some of you to demonstrate. Presence may mean giving generous feedback in discussion forums, taking the time to respond thoughtfully to readings and to one another’s work. Showing up to our synchronous meetings is important but it is not the only way to be present. The relationship between myself and each of you individually may be less impactful for some of you than the impactful of the class dynamic, it’s never

predictable and that is why it is important to “show up” for one another. Your education is not solely in my hands, you also have this duty to one another. Your participation will be calculated in the 35% mentioned in the above paragraph. For more information on how that all breaks down see the grading portion of this syllabus.

Where it concerns time commitment and time management a typical credit hour for a lab or studio course will translate into 3-4 hours of work (“supervised” and “independent”). That means that a six- credit course translates to 18 – 24 hours per week. If you are taking 15 credits, you will be working in or out of class for approximately 45 to 60 hours a week (depending on how many academic or lab/studio- based courses you are taking) Attendance at all critiques, even in-progress critiques is required in order to receive a passing grade for the project being critiqued. Even if your work is not complete it is essential that you show up to contribute to the dialogue about the work of your peers. You will be required to keep a “process book” (similar to a sketch book) to complete simple preparatory exercises or research. You are welcome to use whatever size or format you are comfortable with. Within this book or in another format you will also be creating “field notes” about all of the tests and experiments you conduct. It makes sense for these things to be kept together in one book, but I will remain open to alternative formats for completing this work. Regardless, you will be showing me images of these compendia regularly.

Evaluation Criteria Simply completing projects on time and showing up for class will earn you an average grade of C. The amount of work, thought, and participation that you put forth beyond or below this basic requirement will determine your grade. A’s are reserved for exemplary work and participation. It is always appropriate to approach me with questions and concerns about your grades or relative progress as it relates to your competency in class, and your personal work. Projects 65% Individual projects will be graded separately. Averages of these will be used to determine your “projects grade” Some projects may be weighted more heavily than others when circumstances warrant a distribution that is not equally quartered.

Research / Academic / Participation 35% This grade is an average of your marks from process book homework, required “look-ups”, readings, Padlet posts, discussion forum posts, presentations, academic exercises, your contributions to critiques, etc. The scope of these criteria is explained below.

Projects | grading criteria: Depth of investigation (75 points): In this class you will be researching, testing, and experimenting with a variety of different materials and methods. You will be required to show documentation of these experiments and tests as well as complete simple preparatory exercises and records of test results and the like in your process book. Based on the above exercises, finished product, your personal verbal account during class presentations and critiques, and all other indicators of investment I will ascertain the level of your effort and the “depth of your investigation.” This category proves especially helpful in grading because it accounts for taking risks. If you go above and beyond normal limitations and the end result turns out terribly – your courage in taking said risk will be noted in evaluation. This category looks at the depth to which you challenged yourself formally and conceptually. Formal strategies / Craftspersonship (25 points): While experimentation and depth of investigation are highly regarded, and the triumphs of achieving technical success are celebrated, the importance of making sophisticated and appropriate aesthetic choices is always integral to the success of a work of visual art. Before committing an image to a matrix or to the good paper, sketch multiple thumbnails and get feedback from your instructors and peers.

Looking at the artwork of others as often as possible is a sure way to develop a discriminating eye. Taking new risks and developing innovative strategies for creating works is also encouraged. Aside from testing and more testing, video demonstrations, requests for help to myself or the area technician, and the internet are your avenues for ensuring technical success. It is important that you seek out the help you need from these sources. It is critical that you utilize the appropriate level of craft for the art work. If you are unfamiliar with something you are going to attempt - take steps to provide evidence of your efforts (take photos, save failed proofs) this evidence can help us trouble shoots what may have gone wrong and it will help me note that your efforts and precautions were indeed noble and diligent even if the results are poor. The techniques and strategies you use to complete your work are an integral part of your learning process and the relationship you are developing with your medium. Work smart, get feedback on the approaches you plan to use. Research / Academic / Participation grading criteria: Exercises and Research (35 points): Throughout the semester you will be assigned a variety of exercises intended to contribute to your lexicon of available methods and your maturity as studio artists. You will also be required to look at and read about the works of other artists and collectives. Artist look-ups, process book homework, presentations, reading responses, and the like should be completed sincerely and on time. Engagement with Readings and other provided media (35 points): I will provide you with a variety of exhibition reviews and scholarly texts as well as videos and podcasts. Reading, viewing, and listening to these works by posted deadlines is required. You will also be expected to engage in a dialogue about the readings, videos, podcasts with your peers on a discussion forum in Brightspace. Participation (30 points): Your contributions during critique and in forums, as well as your “presence” for your fellows is an integral part of all of your education. Showing up mentally and physically is not for the benefit of your instructor, it is part of contributing to one another’s growing studio practice.

NSCAD Grading Policy

A+ excellent 95 + A excellent 90 – 94 A- very good 85 – 89 B+ very good 80 – 84 B good 73 – 79 B- good 67 – 72 C+ satisfactory 63 – 66 C satisfactory 59 – 62 C- satisfactory 55 – 58 D marginal 50 – 54 F fail 49 and below For clarity: A “ I made a lot of good work by going above and beyond in my experimentation as well as in my academic pursuits. I was on time as was my work. My conduct in class and online was mature, helpful, and exemplary. “ B “ I made some good work. Sometimes my studio practice and academic work exceeded expectations. My conduct in class and online was reasonable, sometimes good. C “ I made some work. My ability to meet deadlines, general conduct, and attention to my academic work was inconsistent but I eventually completed what was required of me.” D “ I planned for, talked about, and thought about making work. I started projects but resolved only a few. I was inconsistent with my work and my general presence.” F “I thought about making work. I was often absent, work was late if completed at all, I resolved very few studio or academic assignments.”

Important Information re. Working Online NSCAD Code of Conduct Addendum: Covid 19

While some course content can be accessed and interacted with via smart phone, your engagement with the course will be much better with access to a laptop or desk top computer. If you are not able to safely access your local library’s computers or find suitable alternatives contact NSCAD’s Office of Student Experience to inquire about assistance. 902 494 8195 [email protected] Under no circumstances are you to share course materials without expressed permission. This includes videos and images shared by instructors or other students. Everything on Brightspace is protected under the Canadian Copyright Act and NSCAD’s use of copyright material policy. Chrome is the preferred browser for Brightspace and Kaltura. Use Teams to access technical assistance during or outside of class. First, join the “LC Support Team” and find the channel that best fits the problem you are having, use the chat function to begin a chat between yourself and one of the following technicians. Type an “@” followed by their name to hail them. Multimedia Technicians: Annik Gaudet, William Robinson, Renia Stappas, Monika Kulesza.

Policies Office hours and email policy: During a typical face to face semester I have policies regarding the nature of emails I will and will not respond to in addition to expectations you should have of my response time. This is not a typical semester and we will all be sorting it out as we proceed. I will determine a policy/procedure later in the term if I deem it necessary. It may save both of us time as well as provide an opportunity for clearer communication if you attempt to reach me via Teams to ask questions in a short video call. If I don’t respond to an instant message on Teams within a few minutes go ahead and write the email.

NSCAD Attendance Policy: Class attendance at NSCAD is expected. Absences could result in lowered or failing grades. Absences may require the student to ‘make up’ the content missed before being allowed entrance to future classes (e.g. safety knowledge for shop, studio). Any absences must be addressed with the course instructor who may request supporting documentation.

NSCAD University Occupational Health and Safety Policy: At NSCAD safety is a priority. All students are required to obtain and maintain up-to-date safety (WHMIS) certification. An on-line Brightspace certification process is available to all NSCAD students. Please note that your NSCAD ID card needs an up-to-date Health and Safety (WHMIS) sticker to access shops and studios, and for Security to permit you access to the university campus sites after hours. WHMIS training is provided online through students’ Brightspace account.

Academic Integrity: A climate and culture of academic integrity is an expectation of everyone. Students at NSCAD are required to comply with standard academic practices in acknowledging sources in all work presented for academic credit. Please refer to the NSCAD Academic Calendar for the full description and regulations on ‘Academic Integrity and Plagiarism’.

Accessibility Policy: Accommodations can be arranged for disability-related needs by consulting Bill Travis, Disability Resource Facilitator, in the Office of Student Experience (902-494-8313) within the first two weeks of class. Please refer to the NSCAD Academic Calendar for full details in ‘Accommodations for Students Experiencing Disabilities’, or visit the NSAD Wellness Centre at: https://wellness.nscad.ca.

Spiritual/ Religious Observance: Requests for accommodations for spiritual or religious observances must be presented in writing to the instructor within the first two weeks of class.

Review all NSCAD policies pertaining to students by following the links provided here: Charter of Student Rights and Responsibilities Academic Integrity Policy Attendance Policy Privacy Policy Students with Disabilities Respectful Workplace and Learning Environment Sexualized Violence Policy Human Rights Act of Nova Scotia Some notes and guidelines about online etiquette Synchronous meetings:

o Please have your camera on for the majority of our meetings unless there is ongoing background commotion/movement etc in your environs.

o If you are not comfortable with this please set up a time to speak with me or reach out to someone in the OSE to help us reach an understanding.

o If having your video on negatively effects the quality of the call you can turn off your camera but please turn it on periodically to virtually re-connect, with the group.

o You are welcome and encouraged to take a stretching interlude as needed. Feel free to turn off your camera for this. As a class we will have at least one 10 minute break during our 2 1/2 hour meeting.

o If you need to go to the washroom or answer the doorbell or similar activities where you have to get up and move around go ahead and turn your mic and camera off.

Asynchronous matters:

o Be respectful of one another when leaving comments and responses on padlet and in discussion forums. Take a minute to edit your words for clarity before you post.

o Be aware of and responsive to your attention span. Take breaks when you start loosing it. Attention spans are not fixed, you can lengthen yours through practice but often times standing up, stretching, and staying hydrated are a great idea.