AESTHETICS, VALUES, AND AUTHORITY: ART AS SOCIAL LANGUAGE

The Honors College at FIU
John Bailly, Fellow
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FIU University Park Campus, DM 233
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AESTHETICS AND VALUES 2008 RESEARCH AND EXHIBITION PROJECT


A&V 2008 catalog cover with Guerra De La Paz's Last Supper, 2005

Values and Authority: Art as Social Language 2007-2008 course syllabus

March 17th to April 10th, 2008 in the Gallery at Green Library at Florida International University

Installation: Friday, March 14th, 2008

Reception: Friday, March 28th, 2008, 5-8 pm

Deinstallation: Friday, April 11th, 2008

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.

Methodology and Requirements
There will be 10 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 7 page paper about the artis, or do a combined paper in which all students write five pages of the final paper.
  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)

Student-Curator Groups - Artist

  1. Victoria Cueto & Carolina Candelaria - Elisabeth Condon
  2. Ezequiel Romero & Danielle Tighe - Carol Brown
  3. Rachelle Galindo & Monica Rodriguez - Pepe Mar
  4. Sarena Bahad & Jessica Moro- Priscilla Forthman
  5. Natasha Pytlik & Layda Rodriguez- Michelle Weinberg
  6. Alexander Cool & Meaghan Skog-Rios - Kristen Thiele
  7. Christian Villaseca & Cindy Kohn-Cybulkiewicz - Alete Simmons-Jimenez
  8. Andrea Lahoz & Andrew Scharhag - Guerra de la Paz
  9. Natalie Zamora & Jose Otero - Maritza Molina
  10. Jacqueline Hernandez & Gabriela Perez - Carol Prusa

Tasks for Individual Student-Curator Groups – maintain dialogue between yourselves and the artist you will be working with.

  • Request participation from artist
  • Interview artists
  • Write a 500 word bio of the artist. This should include but is not limited to specifics of their birth and education. If they are affiliated with a university (name their position) or gallery, this should be listed. You should also discuss the nature of their work and some of the most prominent exhibitions and awards associated with them.
  • Select artwork for exhibition and determine special installation requirements etc.
  • Request digital images (300 dpi) of artwork for reproduction on invitation, catalogue, website and other venues
  • Collect title, medium, dimensions, date created, value of all works in exhibitions or reproduced
  • Request an artist's statement, resume, and a photographic portrait of the artist.
  • Communicate with you individual artist: Let artist know delivery dates, pick up dates, transportation arrangements, insurance info, reception info, etc.
  • Most importantly, communicate regularly with your artist. Keep him or her informaed of all news and development in relation to the A&V Project.

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.

Fundraising Committee – solicit funds or underwriting to finance exhibition

Members – Rachelle Galindo, Jessica Moro, Carolina Candelaria, Layda Rodriguez, & Andrew Scharhag

  • Determine budget for exhibition - Lead S-C: Rachelle Galindo
    • bare necessities budget
    • additional options budget
  • Explore funding and opportunities for commercial advertising - Lead S-C: Rachelle Galindo
  • Reception - Lead S-C: Danielle Tighe
    • Reserve space for reception
    • Set up
    • Clean up
  • Exhibition Dean ’s Statement and Student-Curators' statement- Lead S-C: Sarena Bahad
    • Invite Dean to write introductory statement
    • Print statement in large format for exhibition
    • Draft and finalize an exhibition statement for class
  • Catalogue - 3 Lead S-Cs: Carolina Candelaria, Layda Rodriguez, & Rachelle Galindo
    • Does budget allow for images, or will it be a catalogue raissoné
    • Editing & designing of the catalogue
    • Number of catalogues to be printed
    • Artifact reproductions, invitation, posters, etc.
    • Reproduction permissions: provision for resolving copyright issues
    • Decide when a complete and final catalogue listing will be provided
  • Generate an complete Exhibition List of Works from all artists
    Download the Microsoft Excel form for Exhibition List of Works
  • Send Loan Agreements to Artists - Lead S-C: Jessica Moro
    • Finalize exhibition checklist with S-Cs from Exhibition Committee
    • Completion and Printing of loan forms, receipts, condition report forms
    • Signing of individual lender's agreements.
  • Exhibition Insurance - Lead S-C: Jessica Moro
    • 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

     

Public Relations Committee – coordinate production and distribution of invitations & create and distribute press releases

Members – Victoria Cueto, Ezequiel Romero, Natasha Pytlik, Natalie Zamora, Cindy Kohn-Cybulkiewicz, Jacqueline Hernandez, Sarena Bahad, & Andrea Lahoz

  • Submit Budget to Fundraising Committee - Lead S-C: Cindy Kohn-Cybulkiewicz
  • Create exhibition invitation - Lead S-C: Natasha Pytlik
    • Select image
    • Include all relevant information – names of artists & dates of exhibition
    • design invitation
  • Create press releases - Lead S-C: Victoria Cueto
    • 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 - Lead S-C: Andrea Lahoz
  • Generate mailing list - Lead S-C: Andrea Lahoz
    • send invitations three weeks prior to opening
    • Provide invitation to participating artists
  • Website - 2 Lead S-Cs: Jacqueline Hernandez & Andrew Scharhag
  • Advertising - 2 Lead S-C: Natalie Zamora, Ezequiel Romero, & Cindy Kohn-Cybulkiewicz
    • Submit exhibition description and information to all local media outlets and calendars
    • Electronic submission of of information
    • Take advantage of all free listings.
  • SRAI Conference - Cindy Kohn-Cybulkiewicz

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 – Alexander Cool, Monica Rodriguez, Jose Otero, Gabriela Perez, Chris Villaseca, Danielle Tighe, Meaghan Skog-Rios

  • Submit Budget to Fundraising Committee - Lead S-C: Monica Rodriguez
  • Lay-out location of artworks in exhibition space - Lead S-C: Gabriela Perez & Chris Villaseca
    Open this link to view a floorplan of the Gallery at Green Library
    • Finalize exhibition checklist with S-C from Fundraising Committee
    • 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 - Lead S-C: Monica Rodriguez & Meaghan Skog-Rios
    Open this link to view sample labels
    • information about the artists
    • wall texts
    • wall labels
    • show title
  • Installation - Lead S-C: Alexander Cool & Meaghan Skog-Rios
    • Budget for installation
    • Collect supplies for installation
    • Coordinate installation
    • Artwork Delivery
    • Reminder call for artwork delivery
    • Coordinate student/installers
  • Condition Reports - Lead S-C: Jose Otero
    • Check condition of objects at arrival and return
    • Incoming Condition Reports
    • Outgoing condition reports
  • De-Installation - Lead S-C: Jose Otero
    • Coordinate de-installation
    • Reminder call for artwork pick up

       

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
  • Organize staffing/ responsibilities
  • Create calendar
  • 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
  • Act as liason between S-Cs and artists: Let artists know delivery dates, pick up dates, transportation arrangements, insurance info, reception info, etc.

 


Archive of Aesthetics and Values Reasearch and Exhibition Project :

Aesthetics and Values Home
Aesthetics and Values List of Artists
Aesthetics and Values 2008 Task List
Values and Authority: Art as Social Language 2007-2008 course syllabus

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