Lorraine Peltz

This course will examine the many issues and contexts surrounding what it means to be an artist today. We will consider the multiple positions of the artist in contemporary culture, their relationships to their audience(s) and to the market, and closely examine major themes and strategies in contemporary art-making. Students will further investigate and articulate their own practice and its relationship to larger creative and cultural structures to contextualize their own goals and desires for their work. What does it mean to be an artist at this moment in time? This is the fundamental and critical question of the course, and as the course proceeds, will yield a broad and diverse range of responses. We will be reading excerpts from Ways of Seeing, John Berger; ?What Art Is and Where it Belongs,? Paul Chan; and Carter Ratcliff. Additional readings and videos will be topical, and come from current sources as the New York Times, ArtNews, Artforum, The Guardian, Aperture, the NewYorker, Interview Magazine, Artnet, Hyperallergic, the Observer and Jsonline. The class consists of discussions of current readings and videos on contemporary artists, exhibitions, and themes, visits to gallery and museums, guest speakers, and student presentations. Each student will lead a discussion on selected contemporary artists and specific readings from our class syllabus. Students present their work at the beginning of the semester and the end, create an artist statement, artist bio, and a Powerpoint presentation on their work in relation to the artists and topics discussed in class. This class is driven by discussions and each student's full participation is expected.

This course is a multidisciplinary seminar that will present strategies for developing and sustaining your own studio practice and help prepare you for life after art school. It will provide practical instruction in getting started on and succeeding with your career after graduation and help you gain a critical understanding of your own artwork or creative endeavor and it's relationship to the larger cultural moment. The student will have the opportunity to create a cohesive body of work or curatorial project specific to each individual student's interest. Additionally, we will examine art historical precedents, contemporary ideas and practices in the art world, and the role of the artist in contemporary culture. The textbook for the class is Art/Work-Everything You Need to Know (and Do) as you Pursue your Art Career, Heather Darcy Bhandari and Jonathan Melber, in addition to readings from current sources, such as Artforum, Art News, New York Times, etc. The student will propose a project that he or she will complete over the course of the semester (which can include preparation for the BFA Exhibition.)The class will include readings and discussions, individual presentations, writing an artist's statement, resume, and cover letter, press release and exhibition announcements, project proposal, and discussions with visiting artists and curators, gallery and museum visits, and class critiques. We will explore graduate school considerations, traditional and alternative strategies for exhibiting and self-promotion, developing an online presence, creating a support system and community, and earning a living as an artist. You will be also presenting your endeavors through at least one PowerPoint presentation.