Fifth Term Review class is a preparation course to assist students for participating in their fifth term review. In this important review, students will need to present a body of current work to Fine Art Department core faculty, write a statement about their work, and demonstrate an ability to discuss directions and issues within their own artistic production. This course acts as a departmental gate between lower division "foundation" courses and upper division level classes based on individual pursuits, including their Senior Projects graduation exhibition. Fifth Term Review is a required class which acts as the prerequisite for ART 401 - Post Re-Thinking Art (6th term) and for ART451- Senior Projects 1 (7th term) and ART 452 Senior Projects 2 (8th term). NOTE: Previously entitled, Mid-Program Review, this review now takes places in the students fifth term - when a student meets the 60 units requirement.
Course number: ART-300
Prerequisite: n/a
Pseudo Course Block
Course number: ART-111.PC1
Prerequisite: n/a
Psuedo course block
Course number: ART-162.PC
Prerequisite: n/a
Psuedo course block
Course number: ART-271.PC
Prerequisite: n/a
Psuedo course block
Course number: ART-274.PC
Prerequisite: n/a
Drawing has always been an important part of artistic practice from the simple thumbnail sketch to drawing as a primary medium. In the last ten years, drawing has become the topic of many books and exhibitions that chronicle drawings expanded definition in contemporary art. Advanced Drawing will explore the role of drawing in contemporary art through projects, lectures, critiques and field trips. The goal of this class is to challenge your definition of drawing, and to set into motion a personal drawing practice that fits your sensibilities as an artist. Students will leave this class with an expanded definition of drawing in the twenty first century.
Course number: ART-371
Prerequisite: n/a
Advanced Painting is a class that will allow students the ability to create, develop and maintain a sophisticated studio practice in the field of painting. Students will research and develop an independent project in the field of painting that will be pursued throughout the term in a manner chosen by them that will culminate in final presentations and critiques at the end of the term. All iterations of the medium will be covered down to the most intimate detail and possibilities for surface and format will be explored completely. Students will be exposed in particular to techniques, formats and materials that have not been covered in previous less advanced classes as well as a deeper reading and understanding of more traditional mediums. All iterations of painting will be permitted and students will not be restricted to only a two dimensional format. Emphasis will be on the development and comprehension of course material as well as the creation of work that could potentially be used for portfolio and further advancement including graduate school application. There will also be a strong focus on examining the history of painting from the past to the immediate present and students will constantly be exposed to the extensive body of information that is contemporary painting. Museum, gallery visits and any other outside information will be an important part of the class as we will seek out any and all relevant information available during the course of the term. Students will be graded on the sophistication, development and presentation of their work. Class participation as well as the ability to pursue discourse within this chosen field will be very important and will factor into the grading process.
Course number: ART-311
Prerequisite: n/a
Advanced Sculpture focuses on student-driven projects, moving forward from the material investigations and three-dimensional concepts introduced in Sculpture One. Students will gain deeper knowledge of sculpture history and the veins of contemporary sculpture. Initial concept development will be tested in multiple material experimentations and supported with additional workshops in new materials. Students develop presentation skills including more nuanced finishing details, installation strategies, and verbal and written articulation of ideas. Areas of inquiry include, but are not limited to--site and body, objects and props, monuments and ephemerality. Course work includes three projects with graded stages of development, readings with written responses, workshop exercises, installation and critique, and field trips.
Course number: ART-212
Prerequisite: n/a
This course will focus on individualized instruction for advanced sculpture students, including skill building and problem solving, critiques and selected readings.
Course number: ART-213
Prerequisite: n/a
Digital Explorations is an Advanced Sculpture class with a focus on introducing artists to ways of incorporating digital technologies and processes into their sculptural making practice. Through hands-on contact with 3D Printing, CnC Milling, and Laser Cutting, students will consider various ways that these assistive technologies can enhance their work physically, aesthetically and conceptually.
Course number: ART-214
Prerequisite: n/a
"Advanced Studio" is a studio class for advanced undergraduate students working in all mediums. The purpose of the class is to provide ample studio time for students to develop their individual studio projects in an open studio/seminar environment under faculty guidance. The studio aspect of the class is enhanced by intensive weekly group critiques of new work or works-in-progress. Emphasis will be on creating a thematically cohesive body of work and/or ambitious project which reflects the culmination of knowledge and exploration the student has achieved. "Advance Studio" is a prerequisite (or co-requisite depending on credit units) for ART-451, "Senior Projects 1," and a prerequisite for ART-452, "Senior Projects 2". "Advanced Studio" can be taken in lieu of ART 401_"Post ReThinking Art."
Course number: ART-385
Prerequisite: n/a
Advanced Video Art builds on knowledges and practices gained in Video One and applies them to more complex projects. Readings, screenings, and discussions will enhance an understanding of contemporary discourses and conceptual frameworks of video and film in art. Students will work on independently driven projects that explore time-based media forms such as single channel video, analogue film production, video performance, and installation.
Course number: ART-277
Prerequisite: n/a
This course functions as an individualized and specifically tailored interdisciplinary term of study for advanced students terms 5 and above. Enrolled students will already have a solid foundational and conceptual approach to their unique practice, hence each student will embark on self directed work to bring three finished pieces to fruition over the course of the term. Students will receive lectures and readings specific to their chosen journey in making to help them further solidify and contextualize themselves within historical and contemporary practices. Students will also delve further into their mediums of choice and seek ways of bringing their conceptual and visual ideas to fruition within the limitations of those mediums.
Course number: ART-354
Prerequisite: n/a
This course builds students' capacity to influence thoughts and behaviors to support their growing practice as an artist and citizens of the world. Students will workshop holistic approaches to their artmaking while gaining knowledge of the interworking of various art organizations. These entities span from galleries, museums, art nonprofits, collectors, and critics, among others. Students will develop archiving methods for their work, curate an exhibition and work on teams to meet deadlines. Art Agency is designed to prepare students for social engagements within the art world and their studio.
Course number: ART-383
Prerequisite: n/a
Art as Land Acknowledgment Through their creative practice, students will reflect on frameworks and concepts such as decolonization, settler colonialism, and healing, among others, to practice situating themselves within these unceded lands as allies, using land-based artmaking. Printmaking, augmented reality (AR), and other art forms will be mediums used to consider how to make actionable these land acknowledgments.
Course number: ART-319
Prerequisite: n/a
Speculative Ecologies - Ecozone "Undevelopment" - Floodplain Revitalization This nine-week course delves into the concept of post-human infrastructure, focusing on the Los Angeles River and floodplain eco-zones in downtown Los Angeles. Through the lens of speculative ecology, we will explore hypothetical scenarios for the regeneration of this area, envisioning a future where ecological systems are prioritized. We will also explore creative solutions for promoting ecological regeneration and resilience at the site of the LA River in downtown LA. Each student will choose a specific site along the LA River and the floodplains eco-zones to study. Exploring their biggest concerns about the area, they work directly with Metabolic Studio's bioremediation team, Farmlab. Incorporating insights from their individual research and class group discussions, students create projects that are embedded in ideas of speculative ecology while prioritizing the regeneration of the Los Angeles River and floodplain eco-zones. By the end of the course, students will have gained a deeper understanding of the potential for post-human infrastructure and the role that we, as artists or designers, can play in promoting ecological resilience. Metabolic Studios/FarmLab https://www.metabolicstudio.org/farmlab@metabolics tudios
Course number: TDS-302A
Prerequisite: n/a
Photography reflects the illogic of defining present day art-making as media-specific; it is a "field" produced out of the intersections of digital-imaging, drawing, cinema, performance, sculpture, painting, and even sound. In turn, photography stands released, so to speak, from its responsibilities as document and representation. In this course will look at photography as invention, play and experience, which addresses what-is-photography, what-is-now in the 21st century. This course is project based, and includes lectures, readings and discussions, visiting artists/curators. Critiques and discussions will be planned for individual student projects, as well as the production of a student-curated exhibition and small exhibition catalog. Studio hours (3.00) (3.00 cr), Pre-requisite: ART-204
Course number: ART-273
Prerequisite: n/a
This course aims to provide students with an overview of key theoretical concepts from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, and apply those concepts in a rigorous, generative way to artistic production. Special attention will be paid to history of critical theory-as-liberation., with an emphasis on post colonial, feminist, and Marxist thought.
Course number: ART-344
Prerequisite: n/a
Technical advances in brain imaging offer new insights into the neurological underpinnings of consciousness. Yet the new science of mind leaves many unanswered questions regarding philosophical, cultural and spiritual aspects of subjectivity. Who is the "I" that makes art and who is the "I" that experiences it? Drawing from a broad range of disciplines, this hybrid seminar / studio course examines questions of subjective experience while paying particular attention to media and linguistic theory, cognitive psychology and theories of consciousness. The material is topical and the readings are guided. Of paramount importance is your commitment. Active participation in discussions, activities, self-directed research and creative production is required.
Course number: ART-364
Prerequisite: n/a
Art Structures and Systems is designed specifically for 4th Term Fine Art students who are now ready to examine their work through larger contexts. Students build a growing understanding of how their work (and that of others) is situated within structures and systems of knowledge, which inform not only art-making but also their experiences in the world. Additionally, this course focuses on the individual student's art-making as a developing art practice, which entails producing a small body of work and developing the tools needed to navigate and articulate the connections between one's making and thinking. This course is a pre-requisite for 5th Term Review.
Course number: ART-204
Prerequisite: n/a
In this course students will delve into the research, application, and interview process for artist residencies. Artist residencies offer the opportunity to spend a period of time developing into and focusing on a specific project. No two residencies are alike; though they may offer similar opportunities, they commonly have different requirements. Some provide funding, while others may require you to host a workshop. You may prefer a self-guided residency, while other artists gravitate towards a more structured program. You might be the only artist present, or you could find yourself immersed in a creative community. This class will show students how to identify opportunities that are best suited for their practice. We will research various artist residencies to identify the pros and cons of each. Students will prepare to apply to a residency, while envisioning how it will benefit their creative process. Students will leave this class understanding how to research, prepare application materials, and interview. Students will then be able to utilize their research and preparation skills when approaching work opportunities, mentor-ships, grants, and more.
Course number: ART-263
Prerequisite: n/a
Artists' Books For students who want to explore making sequentially developed ideas in traditional and nontraditional book forms. Creating books is a powerful way to infuse your practice by finding new methods to come at ideas and themes, and it also increases visibility of your work and professional profile. Students will learn how to conceptualize and produce artists' books through assignments, critique and exposure to tools and materials. The course also includes field trips to see the works and studios of people who produce artists' books and/or run presses and print shops. Students will produce books intended for the production of multiple copies, rather than single copy hand-made volumes. Production techniques that will be covered and may be used for final production include silkscreen, offset, riso and digital printing as well as researching materials, papers and book binding methods. In addition to producing their own book works, students will research the history and methodologies of different book art practitioners, and study narrative and conceptual approaches to using sequential page formats.
Course number: ART-253
Prerequisite: n/a
Auxiliary: Curatorial Practicum This activity will look for strategies and coordinate the shared "visual display" areas at 870 while expanding student participatory ART experiences. This activity offers a "hands-on" experience for students interested in the practical nature of curating. Using a "cradle to grave" approach, we will identify issues, locate work, create communications surrounding exhibition experiences in the physical and digital environments: with the general public in mind. [This is not room planning, authorization seeking or permission granting activity.]
Course number: ART-233
Prerequisite: n/a
With one of the most vibrant cultures in the world, Berlin is a highly multicultural city with a rich and complex history. In this course, we will examine how notions of German identity have been shaped by that history and investigate its ramifications in contemporary art. The travel portion of the Berlin trip will visit museums, galleries and historical sites, as well as allow students to meet artists and curators and attend events. This class is composed of a pre-trip meetings (approximately 7 three-hour classes) that will include lectures, readings, screenings; and then an immersive 12-day study-away experience in Berlin during the Spring/Summer break.
Course number: ART-802A
Prerequisite: n/a
Body of Work is a studio-seminar for advanced undergraduate students working in all mediums. The purpose of the class is to provide ample studio time for students to develop their individual studio projects in an open studio/seminar environment under faculty guidance. The studio aspect of the class will be enhanced by intensive weekly group critiques of new work or works-in-progress. Body of Work is a prerequisite for ART-452, Senior Projects 2. This course can be taken 6th or 7th term in conjunction with ART- 451 Senior Projects 1 .
Course number: ART-401
Prerequisite: n/a
"Collaborative Magic, Creativity and the NFT Phenomenon" This class provides an opportunity to participate in a collaborative process. Collaboration can expand how you think about your creativity in relationship to others - aesthetically, socially, economically. In "CM" students will learn how to develop a collaborative project within an open model of sharing and discourse. It will be a creative adventure. "How can I use collaboration to make better design/art?" In this class, students will first invent/create/design a visual concept/project of their own individual making. These individual concepts/projects will then be brought together and synthesized within a group to produce an imaginative outcome, or hybrid. Experimentation is the bread and butter of this class and you are highly encouraged to push your boundaries and find new tools to express yourselves. During the class "studio-time," beside working through the collaborative problem-solving process, we will also discuss technology from the phenomenon of NFTs, which surfaced in popularity in only the last 12 months, algorithms and more. Students in all departments are welcome. All projects will be student-generated week by week. You do not need to have a project in mind to enroll in the class. The more varied our creative pool, the more prescient the final collaborative projects will become.
Course number: ART-245
Prerequisite: n/a
Culture: Identity and Ethnicity is a 1-unit course designed to provide a broad understanding of the language, processes, and power of visual experience through material and how we see our individual Culture through our Identity and Ethnicity. This course promotes concept development, creative thinking and visual problem solving. Projects will be based on a concern for how each person examines and explores, ultimately interprets, and recreates the world around them. Through a series of interdisciplinary readings, lectures, videos, and field trips, we will explore the "language," "material," and "thought" surrounding contemporary art. Our primary task concerns looking at art and the aesthetic process by engaging a set of related creative and cultural issues that have to do with who we are and how we live.
Course number: ART-441
Prerequisite: n/a
This studio course explores the history, practice and visual diversity in collage language. The course will be structured around three major projects that utilize the process of building a personal code/index using collage. Implementing found, observed and appropriated two-dimensional elements, students will create a visual language that best positions their ideas. Utilizing traditional and alternative ways of looking at pictures, students will investigate and research their biographical, geographical and or interpersonal connections to the images and objects that they love. These collections of media will be used as a catalyst to create narrative metaphors and sequential structures within their compositions. Students may use any medium to experiment and apply to the collage discourse. 3 credits
Course number: ART-262
Prerequisite: n/a
Drawing is often used as a tool to reveal the creative thought process, or supplement a primary artistic medium further down the line (be that painting, sculpture, video, etc.). The goal of this course will be to develop a fluency with various approaches to drawing that may prove useful to the artist in the long-term. Each week the students will be given a prompt from which they will make a number of thoroughly conceived and subsequently execiued drawings or paintings on paper, employing various mediums (graphite, ink, watercolor, etc.). Class time will be spent drawing and conducting individual meetings.
Course number: ART-373
Prerequisite: n/a