Course Description
Field study course designed to provide first-hand exposure to contemporary art and design practices in a major metropolitan area. Students will visit studios, collectives, installations, galleries, and artist communities, as well as be introduced to the professional practices of these areas through meetings with curators, gallery directors, and critics.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will research venues and opportunities specific
to their fields and complete the application process to submit
work to one venue. The requirements will be a completed artist
statement, an artist resume, a portfolio of twenty digital
images, and production of promotional material.
Athena Title
Art and Design Field Study
Prerequisite
Three ARST courses or permission of department
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
This is an intensive three-week immersion in the professional practices of contemporary artists and designers in a major metropolitan area outside of Georgia. Through studio visits, discussions, and readings, this class investigates the contemporary art scene of the city and prepares students for a career in the art and design field. Students gain exposure to different perspectives and real-world experiences through visits to studios, collectives, artist communities, and various art venues. By meeting practitioners and professionals, students learn to evaluate and connect to resources and opportunities and to foster relationships for future careers and professional activities. This course exposes students to the work of emerging and mid-career artists and primes them for careers in the professional contemporary art realm. This is a concentrated learning experience, both in the sites visited and the experience of living in a major city. During this time, students develop problem-solving skills, adaptability, and the flexibility needed to manage daily life in a major city. Students return with a richer sense of responsibility and commitment and a deeper understanding of the current atmosphere of art and design. Upon completion of the course, students will have a clearer understanding of specific career opportunities with a fine arts degree, the various skills needed to maneuver through major artistic metropolitan centers, and understand the intricacies of a specific contemporary art scene. Students are evaluated through weekly essays, daily assignments, participation in class discussions, and an investigation into the professional practices of their specific area.
Topical Outline
This intensive field study will introduce students to the contemporary art scene of a specific metropolitan area. The course will examine the development of a career in art and design from emerging, mid-career, to established artists. As the term progresses, we will transition from conventional, more established artist spaces, to satellite venues, commercial galleries and firms, and end with non-traditional spaces, such as artist collectives, small publishing houses, performances, and festivals. Students will meet and talk with professionals at each site, such as curators, gallery directors, editors, art buyers, and artists. I. Established Contemporary Spaces The course will begin with visits to fixed contemporary art institutions in the selected city. These spaces may be satellite spaces of museums, smaller museums, auction houses, and the studios of mid-career to established artists. We will also consider large scale public art and installations associated with these institutions. II. Secondary Scenes The second week of this course will examine the spaces geared towards artists transitioning from emerging to mid-career. We will examine the difference in commercial and non-profit galleries and the specifics of locations around the city. Galleries with stable showing records will be explored alongside visits to publishing houses, magazines, and the critics who contribute to the notoriety of such spaces. Students will visit the studios of artists showing and working in these spaces and focus on the steps needed to transition into these careers. We will also look at major festivals in the city. III. Emerging Artists and Non-Conventional Venues The third part of the course will investigate careers and sites for emerging artists. We will look at collectives, studio communities, and venues with non-traditional and new means of art and design presentation. We will consider the organizations and non-profit groups that help to sustain emerging artists in large communities, and examine the challenges and opportunities for careers in the arts. Students will investigate an opportunity for their work or career path in this final section. Throughout the course, students will be: • Networking and fostering professional relationships for career development • Discussing career development • Investigating means for acquiring studio and living spaces • Examining the specifications for submitting applications to a range of venues • Developing of a strong, effective artist statement