AESTHETICS, VALUES, AND AUTHORITY: ART AS SOCIAL LANGUAGE

The Honors College at FIU
John Bailly, Fellow
e: baillyj@fiu.edu
FIU University Park Campus, DM 233
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Miami, FL 33199
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AESTHETICS AND VALUES 2006 RESEARCH AND EXHIBITION PROJECT

Course Description

This course will investigate the manifestations of social and cultural issues in the arts. Specifically, how have artists challenged, or enforced, authority by creating new aesthetics? How is art used to initiate, accelerate, or prevent social change? Further, how does art document these transformations, and by documenting them, do the arts, in turn, contribute to the definition of social issues?  

Project Description

The class will complete research projects as part of a group exhibition. We will select local artists and analyze their work from a sociological perspective. You will visit the artists in their studios, interview them, and write about how their work relates to broader social issues. How has each artist addressed the values on an authoritative entity or tradition through aesthetics? We will then organize a group exhibition of these local artists, in which we will present their work and your research about them.

March 10 – April 23 in Gallery at Green Library at Florida International University

Methodology and Requirements

There will be 11 groups of two students, with each group selecting one local artist for the research project and exhibition. The groups will be responsible for the following:

  1. each member of the group must write a separate 10 page paper about the artist
  2. interview of the artist
  3. photographic documentation of the artist, the artist’s studio, and (if allowed) the artist’s working methodology
  4. coordination of the artist’s participation in the THC exhibition
  5. selection of the artist’s work for exhibition
  6. installation of the artist’s work, with support information (labels & informative text)

Groups

  1. T. Karina Donadel & Viviana Villegas - Alberto Meza
  2. Hector Jorge & Santiago Castillo - Friends with You
  3. Brent Capley & Gina D’Agostino - Helen Burgos
  4. Aviva Rose-Avila & Richard Garcia - Christian Duran
  5. Tatiana Acosta & Ketty Quindemil - Tony Chirinos
  6. Francisco Pino & Bernadette Salgado - Liz Cerejido
  7. Tamara Marryshow & Matt Parisi - Peggy Nolan
  8. Raquel Cool, Francesca Ramirez, & German Moran - Cesar Trasobares
  9. Sunaina Hiranandani & Catherine Zarama - Carolina Sardi
  10. Anaid Punto & Martha Gutierrez - Kiki Valdes
  11. Monica Palacio & Sara Purcell - Wendy Wischer

Exhibition Committees

We will also create in-class committees to address different facets of the exhibition planning. If possible, we should avoid two members of a group being on the same committee.

  1. Fundraising Committee – solicit funds or underwriting to finance exhibition

Members – Tamara Marryshow, Richard Garcia, Sunaina Hiranandani, Tatiana Acosta, Matt Parisi, Brent Capley, & Hector Jorge

  • Determine budget for exhibition
  • bare necessities budget
  • additional options budget
  • Reception
  • Reserve space for reception
  • Set up
  • Clean up
  • Exhibition Curator’s / organizer’s statement
  • Invite individual to write introductory statement

2. Print statement in large format for exhibition

  • Catalogue
  • Does budget allow for images, or will it be a catalogue raissoné
  • Editing & designing of the catalogue
  • Number of catalogues to be included
  • Artifact reproductions, invitation, posters, etc.
  • Reproduction permissions: provision for resolving copyright issues
  • Decide when a complete and final catalogue listing will be provided
  • Send Loan Agreements to Artists
    • Completion and Printing of loan forms, receipts, condition report forms
    • Signing of individual lender's agreements.
  • Exhibition Insurance
    • Arrange for insurance under indemnity
    • Approximate total value and specific period of coverage
    • Provision for sending insurance certificates
    • Indication of how insurance premium will be paid
  1. Public Relations Committee – coordinate production and distribution of invitations & create and distribute press releases

Members – Aviva Rose-Avila, Sara Pursell, German Moran, Viviana Villegas, Ketty Quindemil, Martha Gutierrez, Catherine Zarama, & Bernadette Salgado

  • Submit Budget to Fundraising Committee
  • Create exhibition invitation
  • Select image
  • Include all relevant information – names of artists & dates of exhibition
  • design invitation
  • Create press releases
  • short informative letter
  • CD with images by each artist
  • Including/submitting info to appropriate calendars
  • Credit lines for sponsors, organizer
  • Allowance for view of press releases in advance by organizer and borrower (FIU, THC, Green Library, & participating artists)
  • Send invitations & press releases
  • Generate mailing list
  • send invitations three weeks prior to opening
  • Provide invitation to participating artists
  • Let artists know delivery dates, pick up dates, transportation arrangements, insurance info, reception info, etc.
  • Website
  • Advertising
  • Take advantage of all free listings.
  • Explore funding and opportunities for commercial advertising
  1. Exhibition Committee – Oversee the physical installation of artwork and the related administrative tasks (all students are required to participate in the installation and de-installation of the exhibition)

Members – Monica Palacio, Gina D’Agostino, Raquel Cool, Santiago Castillo, Francesca Ramirez, T. Karina Donadel, Anaid Punto, & Francisco Pino

  • Submit Budget to Fundraising Committee
  • Lay-out location of artworks in exhibition space
    • Make artwork “fit” into the given space
    • Consider the amount and limitations of exhibition space
    • Consider physical, as well as aesthetic qualities
    • ADA compliance
    • safety/ security of the objects
    • requirements of artwork including light levels, electricity, etc
    • exhibition venue may limit organic materials or hazardous installations
    • fire codes
    • No conservation to be undertaken without approval of lenders
    • Special requirements for lighting, temperature, humidity, electricity, or other special display equipment
    • Any special handling requirements or installation needs
  • Collect, format, and print written materials for exhibition.
    • information about the artists
    • wall texts
    • wall labels
    • show title
  • Installation
    • Budget for installation
    • Collect supplies for installation
    • Coordinate installation
    • Artwork Delivery
    • Reminder call for artwork delivery
    • Coordinate student/installers
  • Condition Reports
    • Check condition of objects at arrival and return
    • Incoming Condition Reports
    • Outgoing condition reports
  • De-Installation
    • Coordinate de-installation
    • Reminder call for artwork pick up
  1. Instructor – Facilitator between students and artists, exhibition venue, and university.
  • Develop conceptual framework for exhibition
  • Create tentative artist list
  • Secure location & dates for exhibition
  • Finalize list of artists
  • Organizing staffing/ responsibilities
  • Creating calendar
  • Finalize exhibition checklist
  • Set timetable for completion of various stages of the projects
  • Decision on the dates for the loan - Include sufficient time to cover the shipment, receipt, unpacking, installation, exhibition period, dismantling, repacking and return shipment
  1. Individual Groups –
  • Request participation from artist
  • Interview artists
  • Select artwork for exhibition
  • Request digital images, title, dimensions, date created, value, artists statement & resume, special installation requirements etc.

 

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