Art in the Modern World
ANTH 3415, ARTH 3915
Summer 2015
Time:
Tuesdays and Thursdays, June 23–July 30, 7:00–9:00 PM
Weekend trip to New York City, Saturday July 11–Sunday July 12
Location:
First meeting in Lincoln B24; other locations noted in schedule
Instructors:
Billie Jean Isbell, Professor Emeriti of Anthropology, bji1@cornell.edu
Renate Ferro, Visiting Professor of Art, rtf9@cornell.edu
Christopher J. Miller, Lecturer of Music, cjm299@cornell.edu
Course Description
This course is designed to enable students to explore and directly experience the arts
through ‘art making’ in an increasingly interconnected global world. The three faculty
members teaching the course are involved in experimental art: Isbell, Anthropological
Creative Writing; Ferro, Global Digital Art; and Miller, Contemporary Experimental
Music. We have created hands-on activities that we hope will take you to places that you
have not been before and open doors to new creativity. The ultimate goal is that students
arrive at an understanding that art is essential to our humanity.
This is not a traditional course in art, art history or anthropology. Rather, it is an
interdisciplinary exploration into the global world of art that is multilingual and
interconnected. Art is always personal, and always political. We will examine this
interface.
Course Segments
The course consists of three segments, taught by each of the three instructors, plus a
weekend trip to visit art museums in New York City.
Segment 1:
Cycles and Sounds: Javanese Gamelan and Experimental Music
Composition (Miller)
This segment begins with a hands-on introduction to traditional Javanese gamelan, a
musical ensemble consisting primarily of bronze gongs, gong chimes, and metallophones.
We will then turn to exploring the full sonic potential of gamelan instruments as the basis
for experimental music composition. You will form smaller groups and collaborate to
Art in the Modern World, Summer 2015
1
create and present compositions; video recordings of these will be posted on YouTube.
Segment 2:
Materiality/Immateriality: Exploring the realms between the real and the
virtual (Ferro)
Our digital workshop in the Sibley ADM lab will allow students to complete a project
that will enable them to scrutinize the translation of real physical materials into
immaterial virtual pixels. Critical reading and discussion will allow students to parse the
zone between fact and fiction. Students will finally respond critically through writing
assimilating the relationship between production and analysis.
Segment 3:
Story Telling: Human and Nonhuman Story Telling
(Isbell)
The final segment of Art in the Modern World will focus on human and non-human story
telling. First, you will be introduced to the universal language created by the MacArthur
(1999) award winning Chinese-born artist, Xu Bing https://www.artsy.net/artist/xu-bingxu-bing in his graphic novel, Book from the Ground, composed entirely of symbols and
icons. He spent seven years gathering materials, revising symbols, and arranging
thousands of pictograms to construct a narrative without words that he argues is a
universal language that can be read by anyone. He believes that such a universal language
is the future and direction of communication. An opposing view is expressed in the
poetry and drama by Qwo-Li Driskill, a two-spirit, queer prize winning poet and writer
http://dragonflyrising.wearetheones.info/index2.php. The class will examine a short
selection of seven poems and dramatically perform a play from The Borders of Empire.
The final segment of Story Telling will examine the ‘storytelling’ of insects and moths
with guest artist/ biologist, environmental activist, Brandon Ballengee
http://brandonballengee.com/
At the end of this segment of the course you will be able to articulate your positions on
several critical issues about Story Telling and the nature of language.
Extra credit may be earned by working with Brandon Ballengee sometime over the
weekend of July 25-26 to study the communications of insects and moths in the ‘Love
Motels’ built by the class under his direction. A total of ten extra points is possible.
Art in the Modern World, Summer 2015
2
Weekend Trip to New York City
The trip to visit art museums in New York City is mandatory. Travel, hotel, and
admission fees are paid by the programs. The museum visits provide an opportunity to
investigate the relationship between production and critical analysis. How do artist’s tell
stories through their work? How much liberty do artists have with reporting the truth in
their work? What is the relationship between fact and fiction and how does that get
played out in historicizing events and perspectives?
Assignments and Grading
There are no exams; attendance in all classes is mandatory. 10 points will be deducted for
an unexcused absence. Failure to go on the New York City field trip will result in the loss
of 30 points.
Students will gain points for completed assignments, as follows:
Cycles and Sounds (Miller)
Blog Post: Making Sense of Music
Group Composition
Blog Post: Lessons about creativity and collaboration
10
10
10
Materiality/Immateriality (Ferro)
Scans and Project work: Workshop day 1 and blog posts
Composites and Project work: Workshop day 2 and blog posts
Installation, Artist's Statement, Exhibition day and blog post
05
05
20
Story Telling (Isbell)
Story using Icons
Five Question on Insect Communication
Construction of ‘Love Motels’
In-Class Presentation of Driskill Drama
Extra credit (up to 10 points)
10
10
10
10
Grades will be recorded on Blackboard. Totals equate to letter grades as follows:
100 – 97: A+
89 – 87: B+
80 – 78: C+
71 – 69: D+
96 – 94: A
86 – 84: B
77 – 75: C
68 – 66: D
92 – 90: A-
83 – 81: B-
74 – 72: C-
65 – 63: DBelow 63: F
Address any questions or issues directly to the faculty member in charge of the particular
assignment in question.
Art in the Modern World, Summer 2015
3
Course Schedule
DATE
LOCATION
INSTRUCTOR
All classes meet 7-9pm
TOPIC & ACTIVITIES
Tuesday June 23
Lincoln B24
Miller
Introduction to the teaching
faculty and the structure
and requirements of the
course.
ASSIGNMENTS
To be completed in
advance of class
See Blackboard for full
instructions
BLOG POSTS AND
OTHER NOTES
Blog posts to be posted
after class, by date listed
READING: “Time and
Tune” by Judith
Becker,“The Joys of Noise”
by Henry Cowell, and “The
Future of Music: Credo” by
John Cage. Listen to
associate audio examples.
Meet at least once with
your groups in advance of
class to explore the sonic
potential of gamelan
instruments
READING: See Blackboard
Bring at least twelve
diverse scans to class; see
Blackboard for instructions.
BLOG POST:
Making Sense of Music
Due Tuesday June 30
Cycles and Sounds 1:
Hands-on introduction to
traditional Javanese
gamelan music.
Thursday June 25
Lincoln B24
Miller
Cycles and Sounds 2:
Sound Exploration as the
basis for music
composition.
Introduction of group
composition project.
Tuesday June 30
Lincoln B24
Miller
Cycles and Sounds 3:
Workshop material for
group compositions.
Tuesday July 2
Sibley 223
Ferro
Materiality/Immateriality 1:
Digital Media Workshop
Exploring the realms of
Fact and Fiction and the
zones between the two that
digital culture allows.
Tuesday July 7
Sibley 223
Ferro
Materiality/Immateriality 2:
Discussion of Immersive
Spaces and Fact/Fiction.
Workshop on digital
compositing continues
READING: On the senses;
see Blackboard
BLOG POST:
Post one new composite.
Due Thursday July 9
Thursday July 9
Tjaden Hall Experimental
Gallery
Ferro
Materiality/Immateriality 3:
Immersive Gallery
Installation
Prepare in-class
presentation; arrive at 6:30
pm to set-up, in order for
class to begin promptly at
7:00 pm.
BLOG POST:
Documentation of
installation and artist
statement.
Due Tuesday July 14
Art in the Modern World, Summer 2015
BLOG POST:
Post at least one of your
scans and a description of
your project idea.
Due Tuesday July 7
4
Saturday July 11
Board the bus at the
Circular Driveway of the
Statler Hotel at 7:15 am,
for a prompt 7:30 am
departure.
The bus returns to
campus by the evening of
Sunday July 12
WEEKEND IN NYC
Visit Museum of Modern
Art, Guggenheim Museum,
the Whitney Museum, and
the New Museum.
See Itinerary for further
details.
Note: The bus DOES NOT
HAVE WIFI
Tuesday July 14
Lincoln B24
Cycles and Sounds 4:
Presentation of group
compositions.
BLOG POST:
Lessons about creativity
and collaboration
Due Thursday July 16
Thursday July 16
Olin Library Media Room
Isbell
Introduction to Story Telling
Writing Exercises
Tuesday July 21
Olin Library Media Room
Isbell
Story Telling 1: A Universal
language of Signs?
READING: The Book From
the Ground by Xu Bing
Thursday July 23
Location TBA
Isbell and Ballengee
Story Telling 2: "Love Motel
for Insects"
Workshop with Brandon
Ballengee, on the stories
that insects tell, and
construction of “Love
Motels”
Explore
BrandonBallengee.com
Story Telling 2: "Love Motel
for Insects"
Continuation of workshop
with Brandon Ballengee
Story Telling 3: 7 poems
and performance of a
drama by Qwo-Li Driskill
Consult BB for possible
projects and writing
assignments
Tuesday July 28
Location TBA
Isbell
Thursday July 30
Olin Library Media Room
Isbell
Art in the Modern World, Summer 2015
BLOG POST:
Create your own short story
using your own icons. 2
pages minimum.
BLOG POST:
Submit five questions for
Ballengee on insect, moth
communication.
Due Tuesday July 28
Extra credit will be given to
those who participate in the
weekend activities Sat.July
25 and Sun. July 26
READING: The Borders of
Empire by Qwo-Li Driskill
Decide which of the three
voices you would like to
represent in the drama.
Practice the play in groups
of 3 to present to the class.
5