Skyped Performance Art

Rachel Rosenthal

Check out this interesting project Low Lives which was a series of live, internet transmitted performances from all over the world: http://lowlives.net/home/

We will look more at this project in class.

Performing Via Skype

Create an original performance work to be transmitted locally via Skype, imagining that you are performing for an audience that is not present in your immediate space.

Each of you have the Project NV Gallery for 5-10 minutes.  This should include any set-up or arranging of the room, your lighting, props or laptop. You can control the POV of the Skyping laptop as long as you do so carefully (I will provide the laptop with camera and Skype connection).  The resulting video image of you performing your work will be watched by the class in CFA 207 as projected on the big screen. We will be recording these for possible future playback (it will be very beneficial to each of you to watch yourself perform!), while as well providing video documentation to be included on your portfolio blog.

Timeline:
1) Tuesday, November 1st: Complete and conduct research surrounding the reading "What is Performance" first, do this before and as you are conceptualizing your concept.

2) Thursday, November 3rd: Lab day - time to work on further developing your concept, feel free to try any dry run set-ups in Project NV. Rehearse, or not, depending on your approach to the project. If I were doing this I would be very interested to see what you look like via skype, testing pov, lighting, sound, etc. We will make sure that the Project NV Gallery is open thru the weekend for your to come in a test at will.

3) Tuesday/Thursday November 8th and 10th. PERFORMANCES DUE! We will discuss scheduling on the 3rd.

Project #3 Christian Marclay PLAY!

EVERYONE: Watch this documentary - you will see much more in depth some of the ways in which Marclay performs - be inspired - adapt, originate...PLAY.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62EbjlGU5Os


Christian Marclay PLAY!  Due: Thursday October 20th!

Mandatory Work/Lab days until then...on Thursday we have a visiting artist coming to the class - please visit her website and become familiar with her work: http://www.kristafranklin.com/

Objective:
With the ultimate goal of created an original composition to be performed before the class, create a series of playable records in they style of Christian Marclay's mashed up, cut, glued and purposefully repurposed vinyl discs. You reconfigured records will be played using three turntables that are at your disposal. This is a triptych audio performance of an original composition performed in real-time.

Steps:
1) Explore vinyl recordings - you are REQUIRED to purchase and or find records beyond those which we have provided via the deaccessioned collection from the KC. Visit local thrift stores, garage sales or raid the home record collection to discover recordings that are of interest. The more the better!

2) Listen! Listen to your records - use blue tape or dots to mark parts of recordings you may wish to use - spend a good deal of time on this step as it will be crucial as you work to develop.

3) Experiment - cut, break, glue, tape, paper - play with these materials, invent others...seek to PLAY with your records - you may discover the unexpected!

4) Rehearse - you have 5 minutes to perform before the class - make it good! This is a performance, thing of this as such - present and play your composition for the class and be prepared to discuss your approach.

5) Have fun! Explore! Experiment! Be gentle with our record players...but PLAY!

Events Worth Writing About!

Fall 2016 Events:

These events would be appropriate for your lecture, exhibition, events reviews:
(there are many other venues in town, feel free to explore and suggest alternatives that you may wish to cover).

Exhibition, Lecture and Screening:

Sameer Farooq: Blind Forms http://www.sameerfarooq.com/

Sheppard Fine Arts Gallery
Exhibition: September 15th thru October 22nd

In Gallery Talk: 6:30pm September 15th

Film Screening: "The Silk Road of Pop" 7:00pm KC Wells Fargo Auditorium
September 19th

https://www.facebook.com/SheppardContemporaryAndUniversityGalleries/

Off Campus Lecture:

Artbite: Joseph DeLappe http://www.delappe.net

Nevada Museum of Art

12pm to 1pm
https://www.nevadaart.org/calendar/2016/10/21/

(Hey, yes, this costs $10, it is FREE FOR MEMBERS! See Jodie in the Art Office we have memberships for students that are $10! This is an amazing deal, take advantage, you get in free to the museum, free to special events like this, etc.).

Visiting Artist Lecture:

HEATHER GREEN www.heathergreen-art.com

Hosted by Inge Bruggeman

Lecture: November 10, 2016, 5:30-6:45pm, KC Wells Fargo Auditorium

Other exhibitions on campus:

JANINE ANTONI & STEPHEN PETRONIO: HONEY BABY

Exhibition: September 15-October 22, 2016, Sheppard Contemporary, Church Fine Arts

Reception: September 23, 5-6pm

Dance recital: September 23, 7-8pm

BFA THESIS EXHIBITION: AUSTIN CLINTON & ERIN WOHLETZ

Exhibition: September 26-October 6, 2016, Student Galleries South, Jot Travis Building

Reception: September 29, 6pm

PANORAMA: A NEVADA ARTS COUNCIL EXHIBITION

Exhibition: October 10-27, 2016, 10am-4pm, Mondays – Thursdays and by appt., Student Galleries South, Jot Travis Building

Reception and Gallery Talk: October 13, 6pm, Student Galleries South, Jot Travis Building

FABRICation

Exhibition: November 1-December 15, 2016, Sheppard Contemporary, Church Fine Arts

Lecture: November 3, 5pm

Reception: November 3, 6pm

MFA MIDWAY EXHIBITION

Exhibition: November 21-December 1, 2016, Student Galleries South, Jot Travis Building

Reception: December 1, 6pm

Other off-campus events:

Nevada Museum of Art (there are many good shows there to review - visit their website for details: https://www.nevadaart.org/

The Making of Seven Magic Mountains: Film and Panel Discussion

Thursday September 29, 2016, 6-8pm

Exhibition Walkthrough: Tilting the Basin with curator JoAnne Northrup

Friday September 30, 2016, 12-1pm

Photographer Tarek Al-Ghoussein on k-Files

Friday October 7, 2016, 12-1pm

Ai Weiwei: A Perspective on Two Centuries of Cultural Misunderstandings

Thursday October 13, 2016, 6-8pm

The Holland Project

Check out their website for exhibitions, music, and events http://www.hollandreno.org/

Project #2 Experimental Mapping/Audio Tour

From the Audio Tour Hack website: http://audiotourhack.com/

Objective:
Conceptualize, design and disseminate an audio artwork to be experienced in a specific location or locations by individual participants using mp3 players and headphones.  The project objective is to creatively utilize sound, voice, music and/or sound effects to create an audio based experience of physical space that somehow transforms the experience of said space through sound and navigation of our local environment.  You are required to use the sound recording studio and equipment available through the @One Center at the Knowledge Center.  You can reserve the sound recording studio through this link: http://knowledgecenter.unr.edu/

The intention of this project is to create an opportunity for you to incorporate digital sound recording and mixing technologies for creative audio production to developing sound based experiences to occur privately (through one's headphones) in public space.  Furthermore, these productions are to be specifically designed to create a unique, location based, site specific, performative experience for your audience.  Think of the world of vision, touch and physical activity as something that is to be augmented by a complete replacement of natural sound with your audio creations.

Examples:
Several links to works in this vein are are included below.  This project is truly wide open to experimentation and a vast array of possibilities.  I'd encourage you to think about much of what we have been looking at and listening to over the semester so far.  Through your creative production and going out into the world and actually "listening" for perhaps the first time in your lives, you have experienced and learned to have a greater appreciation of sound in the everyday and in art production. Now you have an opportunity before you to entirely replace the auditory experience of space for your listeners.  I am not quite sure where to start with actual examples but would ask you to think about some of the following possibilities.

Words - rewrite/invent history, tell us a story, share actual history, share personal histories, interview people about particular spaces/memories, read poetry, free associate, cut-ups (look it up!). Be site specific? Learn about a place and then reinvent it or tell us a story about those locations.

Directions - guide your listener/viewer through space using words, sounds, prompts, become a puppet master, create instructions that are open to interpretation (these could be group actions as per your instructions/prompts), scavenger hunt, have people take pictures, call you on the cell phone...etc., etc.,  These can be one track played through or for better flexibility, design into your experience, instructions for play, pause, "now walk to the tree in front of you, then hit play", tones, verbal cues, etc.

Mapping Local Spaces - explore!  Find locations that are everyday or extraordinary or make the everyday extraordinary through your audio tour, look around, the best spaces for this may not always be your first ideas, indoors or out or a combination, parking garages, streets, walking areas, lawns, parks, restrooms - this is really very open - choose carefully and with reason.

Content: humor, pathos, love, memory, fantasy, sci-fi, politics, god/religion, art, life, money, sex, you know...   Have fun!

http://www.abrahamingle.com/neighborhood-diaries/
http://audiotourhack.com/
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/slate_audio_tours/2005/07/introducing_slateaudio_tours.html
http://www.neighborhoodpublicradio.org/TRACKS/
http://www.betseybiggs.org/project/soundwalkcaramoor/
http://www.christinakubisch.de/en/works/electrical_walks
http://www.thehighline.org/activities/the-gaits-a-high-line-soundwalk
http://www.elastic-city.org/artists
http://www.sabinegruffat.com/BIKEBOX_ARCHIVE/BIKEBOX_about.html
http://artscool.cfa.cmu.edu/~johnson/nutshell/PED/illusnarrative/narrative.html
http://temporarytraveloffice.net/stories/main.html
http://www.cardiffmiller.com/artworks/walks/index.html
http://researchswinger.org/smellymaps/
http://community.long-time-no-see.org/
https://streetart.withgoogle.com/en/audio-tours
http://soundsky.org/
http://elmcip.net/creative-work/la-flood-project
http://www.kimstringfellow.com/portfolio_page/invisible-5/
http://34n118w.net/34N/
http://yolandeharris.net/?nk_work=displaced-sound-walks
http://gregoryandwatts.blogspot.com.au/
http://01sj.org/2010/artworks/machine-to-see-with/
http://www.impossiblegeographies.net/net_derive/

Due Dates/Calendar:
Tuesday, September 13th - Assign Project/Sound Booth and Digital Recorder Demo
Thursday, September 15th - Turn in formal project concepts including location map (NO HAND DRAWN CRAP, DO THIS ON THE COMPUTER PLEASE!)
Tuesday, September 20th - Lab day mandatory.
Thursday, September 22st - Lab day mandatory.
Tuesday, September 27th - group #1 crit locations TBA (on or near campus).
Thursday, September 29th - group #2 crit locations TBA (off campus downtown/midtown).

Assignment #1 Found Sound/Audio Montage/Looping Self-Portrait

Assignment #1:           Found Sound/Audio Montage/Looping Self Portrait

Sound                

a vibratory disturbance in the pressure and density of a fluid or in the elastic strain in a solid, with frequency in the approximate range between 20 and 20,000 hertz, capable of being detected by the organs of hearing  b. A disturbance of any frequency  c. The sensation stimulated in the organs of hearing by such a disturbance  d. Such sensations collectively  e. an articulation made by a vocal apparatus  f. The distinctive character of such an articulation  g. auditory material as recorded  h. meaningless noise

Loop                  

something having a roughly oval, closed or nearly closed turn or figure.  b. a closed circuit

Self Portrait       

a portrait of an artist produced or created by that artist.

Objective:

Using the free app Musaico on your iphone, or any similar looping app on the android record found sound or what are referred to as "concrete sounds" from your everyday life.  The sounds you record and present to the class will serve as an audio self-portrait – a snapshot of sound from/of your life. 

Continue to open your ears – what do you hear? Spend several hours intentionally just listening to your life – do not record anything.  Use this experience as the foundation to choose what you would like to record for the class tomorrow. Consider the form of the loop as a primary conceptual aspect of the work.  Use the loop recording and playback in a creative manner – this piece literally has no beginning our end. 

Examples:

There is so much sound in our lives that to give specific examples is almost defeating the purpose of this project.  Experiment!  Listen!  Allow your recording device to inhabit your life. Please avoid music in the familiar sense (no favorite songs, radio of media based audio in the background, ok!) - expand your ears….

In teaching students how to draw, we tell them that we are “teaching you how to see”, in this project, we are “teaching how to hear…”

You will likely need to experiment and get to know the capabilities of your smart phone to record - this will generally involve holding your device quite close to record as one would to record a voice. 

DUE Thursday September 8th! 

Syllabus

Art 345 Sound and Image

Instructor: Professor Joseph Delappe
T/Th 1:00-3:15pm in CFA 207

Office: CFA 158

Office Hours: T/Th 11:00am to 12:30pm

Email: delappe@unr.edu

http://unr-art345.blogspot.com 
Lecture+Lab: 1+4


Credit(s): 3

Investigation and creation of audio and image production for the studio artist. Creation of experimental audio and video works for performance and installation.

Prerequisite(s): ART 245.


Course Objectives:


In this class we will explore the creation and history of artworks in sound, visual art, and across disciplines. Through the use of analog and digital systems students will engage with experimental approaches culminating in exhibitions for physical and online space. Working independently and collaboratively students will explore software and hardware systems to produce original interdisciplinary works for contexts including: mobile devices, vinyl records, live performance, video projections, gallery installation, and online delivery. The objective is to creatively explore the implications and possibilities of time based media for interaction and display.  

    

Student Learning Outcomes:

•Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to perform intermediate competencies utilizing digital software and hardware systems for practice-based creative research, leading to the development of exploratory models for learning and production in experimental digital art.

•Students will apply analog and computer-based systems for creative production in a studio setting, including intermediate problem solving utilizing: digital video, digital sound, installation and projected video.

•Students will examine and discuss critical issues and practices in the areas of digital media and interdisciplinary practices in the visual arts.

•Students will articulate an intermediate level of knowledge of critical theory and practices in the areas of sound, video and interactive art.

•Students will demonstrate experiential competency in sound and video art for public contexts.

•Students will apply, in discussion, critiques and written work, concepts central to experimental digital media practices.

•Students will develop a proficiency in writing about their creative practice and others while learning best practices for basic website/blog development.

Course Content:

This course will involve a hands on, balanced investigation of the history and practices surrounding sound and image within public environments. The course will function to provide students the opportunity to work through structured projects and those conceptualized through a challenging process of problem solving and implementation of complex, technology based artworks. Throughout the course activities we will seek to incorporate the utilization of the computer and related technologies. This course emphasizes the personal and group development of critical thinking, artistic and technical skills. Readings, screenings and discussions will be used to further expand the student’s exposure to and understanding of sound and video as crucial areas of expression available to the contemporary artist. 

Course Structure:
Students will be working on a series of individual and group projects each lasting between 1-3 weeks.  We will as well, over the entire course of the term, work to explore artworks both contemporary and historical to continue developing a contextual and critical understanding of the evolving field of art, technology and social practice as specifically related to experimental uses of sound and video.

Course Philosophy:

The Digital Media program exists as part of the larger Art Studio program for the Department of Art – all studio programs currently focus on the development of a contemporary approach to studio art practice and theory.  The program emphasizes an artistic, experimental and technical approach to learning to utilize media systems as tools for the facilitation of socially engaged art. The intent is to provide an intensive learning environment that considers new technologies as broadly flexible tools available to the contemporary artist.  The Digital Media program and this course emphasizes a creative model that is based on collaboration, dialogue and cooperative learning.  

This is a thoroughly hands-on course. You will learn in this class by doing – students will be given broad introductions to a variety of applications and devices as incorporated into their project assignments. Learning to use these complex graphics programs, online technologies and computer peripherals takes much dedication of time and a flexible attitude towards experiential practice and learning.  Learning to become proficient utilizing new technologies is accomplished through both individual and shared experience.  What you derive from this class in terms of technical learning will largely be defined by the amount of time you spend exploring and experimenting.

Finally, you will be challenged constantly to consider just what you are doing with these new tools to connect with our larger context. This course seeks to develop an alternative pedagogy for learning just what it means to be an artist in our contemporary time and place.

Techniques:


You will be introduced to the following basic programs and systems:
 Looping mobile audio
, Soundtrack and/or Audacity, 
Finalcut Pro and/or Adobe Premier, digital cameras, .mov file and DVD creation for projections, monitors, and online distribution.
 We will as well be incorporating various physical tools for production, including but not limited to: laser cutter and various shop tools.

Readings:

Assigned readings will be provided as pdf files or through online links. There is no textbook for this course

Course Requirements:


• Each student will complete all assigned class projects. Project documentation will be uploaded and accessible to the instructor and students on individual student blogs. Students will also exhibit their works for the class during group critiques, and many of these works will be exhibited on a larger public scale within the art department, university and local public spaces as needed.

• Students are expected to participate in class critiques of works, both completed and in progress. As the term evolves, we will orient towards weekly progress critiques. Talking about your work and others is a crucial aspect of creating art. Learning to articulate what your work is about is just as important as the actual making of the work. The ideas shared in an open critique will help us all learn from each other and greatly increase our ability to understand our creative practice.



• Attendance is mandatory at all scheduled class meetings. If you are to be absent for any reason please contact me via email the day of the class that you are missing.



• Supplies: 
Smart phone, External Storage Device, etc. – we will talk about this further in class (ALWAYS BACK UP YOUR WORK!).



• Artist Statements: You will be writing artist’s statements regarding your projects. These are to be posted to your blog along with associated project documentation (sound files, video files, etc).



• Required Outside Lectures: Each student is required to attend two approved lectures and two outside exhibition/performance/film-screening, these are regularly announced in class. I will provide you with a list of approved events both on campus and off. You are required to write a one page critical summary of each event and two questions to ask the speaker (extra credit will be given to those who actually ask their question at the event!).

• Lecture/Lab Component: Lecture periods will be devoted to presentations, demonstrations, reading discussions, and critiques. Students are required to work at minimum an additional 6 hours per week of work outside of the scheduled class times (studio production, reading assignments, etc.)

  

  
Computer Access:


Ours is a streamlined, small computer and media arts laboratory with a limited number of student workstations. In light of this situation and specifically in recognition of the fact that we cannot provide a workstation for each student during scheduled class times, we will be working from a lecture/lab model that requires that the majority of your work is to be completed outside of our scheduled lecture class periods.  Students should expect to complete their work during our lab/studio days and during after hours access to our lab. All student projects are to be completed during available lab hours in the Digital Media Studio, on your own computers or in the Knowledge Center’s Dynamic Media Lab. 

The media lab of the Knowledge Center’s Dynamic Media Lab as well has capable staff on site to assist students.

You will be assigned a digital access code for after-hours access to the Digital Media Studio by the end of the second week of the term.

Grading:

Grading: Students will be graded according to how well their projects reflect an understanding and a willingness to experiment with the techniques, issues and practices covered in class. 

If a student chooses to not turn in an assignment, the student will earn a ZERO (0) for the assignment. 
NO LATE WORKS ARE ACCEPTED!

•Grades for the critiques based on quality of work, evidence of time spent, attainment of project goals, articulation of your processes, responses to others work, etc.

•Grades for projects based on creativity, exploration, and a willingness to engage with readings and concepts discussed in class.

•Grades for blog based on clarity of writing, quality of responses, number and quality of images, organization composition and quality of design.

•In class participation grades based upon attendance, notes required for medical excuses.

Grades on reviews based on clarity of description of event, concise critique and analysis, original thoughts and appropriately intellectual responses.

Grading Rubric

•60% Studio Projects - 600 pts 

•20% Participation/critiques, discussions. -    200 pts (15 weeks x 10 pts per week+ 50pts engagement)

•20% Written lecture and exhibition reviews. -  200 pts (4 reviews x 25 pts ea)

Total points: 1000
A = 1000-900

B = 899-800

C = 799-700

D = 699-600

F = 599-000

I will meet with each of you individually at the midterm to discuss your progress in the class and provide advising regarding the Digital Media program. You will receive written comments and a grade for each project.


The “+” and “-“ system will be used for grading.  http://www.unr.edu/provost/curriculum-central/curricula-forms-and-guidelines/syllabus-guidelines/nshe-grading-policy

Policy on Attendance
Absences

There are no official absences from any university class. It is the personal responsibility of the student to consult with the professor regarding absence from class. In the event that a student misses a class because of an official university function or event or because of serious personal considerations, the Office of the Associate Vice President for Student Life Services may, at its discretion, send an explanation to the instructor involved or to the faculty in general. The instructor shall make the final determination on whether the missed work can be done at a time other than during the regularly scheduled class period.

Religious Holy Days:  It is the policy of NSHE to be sensitive to the religious obligations of its students. Any student missing classes, quizzes, examinations or any other class or lab work because of observance of religious holy days will, whenever possible, be given an opportunity during that semester to make up the missed work. The make-up work will apply to the religious holy day absence only. It shall be the responsibility of the student to notify the instructor in advance in writing, if the student intends to participate in a religious holy day which does not fall on state holidays or periods of class recess. This policy shall not apply in the event that administering the assignment at an alternate time would impose an undue hardship on the instructor or the institution which could not reasonably have been avoided.

Policy on Academic Dishonesty:

"Cheating, plagiarism or otherwise obtaining grades under false pretenses" constitute academic dishonesty according to the code of this university. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and penalties can include canceling a student's enrollment without a grade, giving an F for the course or for the assignment.
For more details, see the University General Catalog.

Policy on Disability:

If you have a disability and will be requiring assistance, please contact me or the Disability Resource Center (Thompson Building Suite 100) as soon as possible to arrange for appropriate accommodations.

Academic Success Services: 
Your student fees cover usage of the Math Center (784-4433 or www.unr.edu/mathcenter/), Tutoring Center (784-6801 or www.unr.edu/tutoring/), and University Writing Center (784-6030 or http://www.unr.edu/writing_center/. These centers support your classroom learning; it is your responsibility to take advantage of their services. Keep in mind that seeking help outside of class is the sign of a responsible and successful student.

Statement on Audio and Video Recording:
“Surreptitious or covert video-taping of class or unauthorized audio recording of class is prohibited by law and by Board of Regents policy. This class may be videotaped or audio recorded only with the written permission of the instructor. In order to accommodate students with disabilities, some students may be given permission to record class lectures and discussions. Therefore, students should understand that their comments during class may be recorded.”