Class Syllabus and Essay Specifications

Class Requirements and Grading: Your grade will be based on the following five areas:

1. Weekly, on-time attendance.
Any absence must be discussed with me, and you are responsible for any information and assignments missed. Note that you should be ON TIME for class. I will have class assignments, field trips, gallery lists, etc. posted at wilkinsonseminar.blogspot.com. Please sign up as a follower of this website and feel free to make posts yourself.

This class is a seminar, defined as a meeting for discussion. Classroom discussions of the work we see, what you’re thinking and reading about re. art’s connections to current politics, social trends, economics, family dynamics, the environment, globalization, issues of public vs. private—anything relating to art (even tangentially) can be discussed in this class. A good part of your grade for this class depends on classroom participation. We need everyone to speak up; that is what this class is for. While it is difficult for some people to speak in public, please understand that we need your thoughts. Please contribute at least one unsolicited comment or question per class discussion!

2. Preparation and class participation.
Read the handouts, web article links, and be prepared for discussion of these, and discussion of our field trips. Your input is vital.

3. Field trips and essays.
Field trips will be announced (at least) the week before they happen, and on field trip days, be aware that the class might meet at a designated address, not necessarily in the classroom. The field trips will be followed up the next week by classroom discussion and you will hand in a 400-500 word written analysis/reaction paper two weeks later about what was seen. There will be three of these essays due by the end of the semester—if any one is missing, it will lower your grade, usually one grade lowered per missing essay.
(See my essay-writing handout for more information.)

4. End of semester oral/visual presentation with artist’s statement.
There will be 15-20 minute individual digitally-projected presentations by each student at the end of the semester. You should have digital photographs of your work that can be brought to the class on a flash drive, hard drive, computer, or disk. This presentation will be a minimum of 12 images including your own work and the work of artists who inspire you, and you should also reference in this presentation books, writers, philosophers and any other influences on your work. You will also have ready a three paragraph artist’s statement and have copies to hand out to the rest of the class for reference during your presentation—at least 10 copies.

5. Artist’s Statement
This is a vital part of every artist’s life—you will be continually updating it for the duration of
your artist’s life. During the semester there will be a tutorial on writing a 3-paragraph artist’s statement. You will write one during that class, revise and polish it to hand out to the class during your final presentation.
There will be a presentation on artist’s websites and online resources at some point during the semester.

Most information about the class will be posted on the blog prior to the class. Please check it regularly.


ESSAY SPECIFICATIONS
Three essays, each a minimum of 400 words,
due two weeks after field trips to see artwork in NYC.
(There will be four or five field trips—you may choose three to write about.
Be aware that each essay is due two weeks after the relevant field trip, whichever one you choose, i.e., if you write about the first field trip and hand it in a month later, it will be considered late.)

Note: At least one of the essays should refer to an article, review or press release about the art work/artist. You may use any source: gallery press releases, newspapers, magazines, internet art sites, etc. Make sure you credit the source in your essay. You may do this in the body of the essay.


Emailing Policy:

I prefer to get your essays on paper, handed to me during class.
But if you have to email me an essay:

1. Put your last name and “Pratt Essay” in the title of the email.

2. Send it to jwilkins@pratt.edu

3. Do NOT use docx. files, use doc. When you save your essay in the Word program, there will be choices as to what kind of file to save. The default in the latest incarnation of Word is docx, so in the “format” section, you will have to open it and save it in “doc” instead. The computer hooked up to my printer does not handle docx files.


Three part grading process:
1. Timely completion of assignment
Early: + (plus); On due date: ok; Late: — (minus)

2. Technical aspects (letter grade)
Word length, Grammar, Spelling, Composition/organization
Watch out for run-on sentences and using non-descriptive words and superlatives like “interesting,” “powerful,” “really,” “incredible,” “enjoyed,” etc.
As in “I really enjoyed this incredibly powerful and interesting show.”

3. Concept/Creativity (letter grade)
Personal (could anyone have written this?)
Descriptive (can I see the artwork in my mind?)
Connections (how does the work described relate to other artists, writers, philosophers, trends?)
Interesting to read

Be specific. Name the artist, gallery, and artwork. Single out an artwork and discuss it; bring in specific connections and references to individual pieces or to the body of work. Compare and contrast the artist and artwork with other works.

Be descriptive. What does the art look like? What are the formal qualities of the work?
How does the artist use his/her materials?

Be sensitive. What are the expressive qualities of the work—does the art cry, yell, chat, murmur, stay silent? Does it invite you in, push you away? Is it saying anything to you personally? Can you feel the artist in the work? Does s/he have an agenda—political, social, personal—that comes through the art? Do you think about the artist when you look at the work, or is the work making its own statement?

Be accurate. Check your spelling, and use correct grammar. If you have any questions about your writing, or would like to polish your skills, contact the Writing and Tutorial Center at North Hall,
1st floor
(across from the bank),
(718) 636-3459,
wtc@pratt.edu. They are very helpful and friendly.

Avoid using the first person, as in “I think that…”; or “It seems to me…”
Read art reviews for ideas about how to construct your essays.
Analyze, theorize, make your writing come alive!

Revision: If you get a grade on an essay that you don't like, you have the option of rewriting the essay for a new grade. The rewrite is due by the end of the semester.

Dec. 16th, Last class

Morning: Presentations by Sophie, Renee, Stephen and Jacki

Afternoon: Rachel L., Aaron, Rachel M., Taylor, Candace

Last day for handing in essays. My records say that people who still owe me essays are Matt (1), Stephen (2),
Cynthia (2), Juliet (1), Rachel L (2), Izabelle (1), Gabriel (3), Aaron (2), Taylor (1).

December 9th Class

Student Presentations:
Morning:
Stella, Angela, Matt

Afternoon:
Cynthia, Gabriel, Rachel, Izabelle

December 2 class

Morning: Meet in classroom, 9:30, or in Dumbo 10:30 at 111 Front Street, the Gallery building.
Meet in front of building or go to the Brooklyn Arts Council offices, 2nd floor #218.

Afternoon class: Student presentations begin with Erica, Kyung, Sally, Juliet, and Mine.

November 18th class

Morning class: Meet in classroom for further review of artist statements - please bring your statement if we did not
review it last week during the tutorial. Also there will be a presentation of artist resources on the internet.

Afternoon class: Meet in DUMBO at 2:15. Meet at the General Store Cafe which is next door to the Gallery Building, 111 Front Street. Take the A/C to High Street/Brooklyn Bridge, or the F to York Street. From either train, walk downhill toward the river to Front Street.

November 11

Tutorial on writing an artist statement - meet in the classroom.

November 4th

Classroom discussion.

October 28th Brooklyn Museum, Botanic Garden

See the Fred Tomaselli exhibition, 5th floor, and the "SEductive Subversion: Women in Pop Art" show on the 4th floor of the museum. In the Botanic Garden see the Patrick Dougherty sculpture/installation in the Plant Family Collection near Magnolia Plaza.

Ways to get to the museum:
Walking: from Pratt walk down Washington
to Eastern Parkway where you'll see the museum.

Other options: take the B69 on Vanderbilt to Grand Army Plaza, walk up
Eastern Parkway to the museum.

Take the B38 to Hoyt Street, walk one block to Fulton and take the 2/3 Brooklyn
bound to Brooklyn Museum/Eastern Parkway.

October 20 - 21

Galleries visited 10/21 by morning class:

Pace Wildenstein
32 E 57th St.
50 years at Pace (Closed)
Some Artists: Picasso, Modrian, DeKooning, Giacometti…etc.
http://www.thepacegallery.com/

41 E 57th St.
11th Floor
David Findlay Jr.
The Castelli Years: 1955- 1959, 10/6 – 10/28
Artist:Jon Schueler
http://www.davidfindlayjr.com/indiv_exhibit.php?id=80

Jason McCoy Inc.
Artist: Annelies Strba 10/7-11/19
http://www.jasonmccoyinc.com/current.html

13th floor
Bonni Benrubi Gallery
Groundwork , 10/7- 12/18
Artist: Abelardo Morell
http://www.bonnibenrubi.com/exhibitions.php

Alexandre Gallery
41 E 57th St.
At All Hours: New Paintings, 10/14 – 11/27
Artist: Gregory Amenoff
http://www.alexandregallery.com/exhibitions/current

Ana Tzarev
24 West 57th St. Btw (5th and 6th)
Legends of Asia, 10/14 – 12/4
Artist: Ana Tzarev
http://www.anatzarev.com/exhibitions

Marlborough Gallery
40 West 57th St.
Threading Orbs, Jacquard Tapestries and works on paper, Closed
Artist: Thierry W Despont
http://www.marlboroughgallery.com/exhibitions/threading-orbs-an-exhibition-of-recent-tapestries-and-works-on-paper-by-thierry-w-despont
and
Rafael Cidoncha
http://www.marlboroughgallery.com/exhibitions/rafael-cidoncha

Afternoon Class:
Museum of Art and Design
2 Columbus Circle
Dead or Alive: Nature Becomes Art, closed
http://collections.madmuseum.org/code/emuseum.asp?style=browse¤trecord=1&page=seealso&profile=exhibitions&searchdesc=Past%20Exhibitions&searchstring=Past/,/greater%20than/,/0/,/false/,/true&action=searchrequest&style=single¤trecord=1

Eat Drink Art Design 9/21 – 2/27
Think Again: New Latin American Jewelry 10/21 – 2/27
http://www.madmuseum.org/



Wednesday, October 20th my Pratt seminar students have a special invitation from curator David Gibson to attend the group "Critical Edge" at the gallery Art Jail, on the edge of the Lower East Side and Chinatown, where the group show "Lost Horizons" is showing. This is a critique group engaged in discussion about art and issues of the day. The address is 50 Eldridge Street, 6th floor, between Canal and Hester Streets, starting at 7:00 PM. There is an elevator to get up there.

The nearest subway is the F to East Broadway, walk west 3 blocks and north 1/2 a block, there will be gray metal doors, take the elevator to the 6th floor. You can also take the B or D train to Grand Street, walk east on Grand for 2 blocks, south on Eldridge for 1 1/2 blocks. The phone number at Artjail is 646-666-8550.


Next Thursday the morning class will be going to 57th Street Galleries: meet in classroom at 9:30 sharp, or let me know if you will meet us at Pace Gallery, 32 East 57th Street about 10:15ish.

The afternoon class will meet at the Museum of Art and Design on 8th Avenue between 58th and 59th streets at 2PM.

Class 7, October 14

Guest speaker, Geoffrey Dicker. Meet in classroom. Website: http://according2g.com