Course Number: Art 355
Course Name: Critical Topics in Art and Time
Meeting Time and Room: MW 3:30p.m. - 5:59 p.m. AB 300
Instructor: Mr. Woodstrup
Office Hours: M/W 11a.m. - 1p.m. AB 319 (by appointment)
Semester: Fall 2004

Course Synopsis:
This course explores issues related to electronic and time based media (video, web, and interactive/computer art). Areas to be covered include historical contexts, experiments in art and technology, popular culture and media in digital art, and future contexts. Class time will be divided between video screenings, interacting with art on the Internet, discussions, and lectures. Reading material will be assigned on a weekly basis.

Students are expected to approach the examination of contemporary art and issues relating to contemporary art practices in a critical and dynamic way. Students will formulate personal theories, philosophies, and manifestos by keeping a journal related to course material. Journals will be collected periodically for review.

Required Texts:
New Media in Late 20th -Century Art by Michael Rush

Future Cinema: The Cinematic Imaginary After Film (Electronic Culture: History, Theory, and Practice) by Jeffrey Shaw and Peter Weibel (editors)

Student Evaluation:
• Attendance and class participation
• Weekly readings, journal entries, and case studies
• Independent research and presentations – depending upon the fluidity of classroom discussion, papers and presentations may be assigned
• Mid Term and Final Examinations – your midterm and final exam will be in essay form (see below)

You will be required to keep a daily journal and sketchbook for this course. Your journal entries will remain confidential and will not be graded, however, you will need your journal/sketchbook to answer the essay questions on the midterm and final examination.

Attendance Policy:
There are no excused absences.
Excessive absenteeism in this course will affect your final grade.

Your grade will be lowered one letter grade after three absences and one letter grade for each absence after – if you miss more than 5 classes you may fail the course.

Students will not be credited for in-class assignments they missed due to an absence.

Class policies:
In the event of a late arrival or absence, students are responsible for any lectures and demonstrations that were missed. Lectures and demonstrations will not be repeated.

The use of cell phones in class is not permitted; turn them off or set them to silent. If you absolutely need to use your cell phone excuse yourself from class, do not talk in class.

Policy on Late Work:
Late work will not be accepted. Extenuating circumstances will be considered.

Weekly Tentative Schedule

Week One
Introduction to course
Assignment: Artist's Statements - Manifestos
Show and Tell

Week Two
Time - readings on the subject
Assignment: Representations of Time
Artists: Bill Viola, Andy Warhol

Week Three
Semiotics and Image Analysis
Artists: Martha Rosler, Neil Postman, Marshall McLuhan

Week Four
News and Propaganda
Assignment: News Case Study
Filmmakers: Michael Moore, Leni Riefenstahl
Organizations: GNN, Adbusters, Ant Farm, Deep Dish TV, Paper Tiger Television

Week Five
Copyright and Appropriation
Artists: Negativland, John Oswald, Craig Baldwin
Organizations: RtMark

Week Six
Audience and Research
Assignment: Research

Week Seven
Censorship and Representation
Artists: Guillermo Gomez-Peña, Serrano, Marlon Riggs

Week Eight
Midterm - In-class and Take-Home

Week Nine
Narratives and Genre
Assignment: Magazine Narrative
Artists: Joseph Campbell

Week Ten
Realism
Films: Bloody Sunday, War Photographer, Blair Witch Project

Week Eleven
net.art
Assignment: Join Rhizome.org
Artists: Cary Peppermint, Mark Tribe, NN(antiorp-integer)
Websites: jodi.org, hell.com,
Organizations: Rhizome.org

Week Twelve
Video Games as art
Assignment: Game as Art
Artists: Cory Archangel

Week Thirteen
Environments and Installations

Week Fourteen
Experimental Art

Week Fifteen
Final Exam Assigned

Week Sixteen - Finals