4.322 Introduction to 3-D Art Work (Fall 2014)

                                      

Units: 2 – 4 – 6

Class time:                Mondays and Wednesdays            9:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Location:                   E15-207 or E14-251G

Professor:                 Dr. Azra Akšamija                        azra@mit.edu

TA:                            Allison Anne James                      aljames@mit.edu

Technical Instr.:        Seth Cimarron Avecilla                  sethcim@mit.edu

 

Office Hours:            Azra Akšamija               Tue 1:30 PM - 2:30PM  (E15-231, email to confirm)

Office Hours:            Allison Anne James      TBA

 

 

General course description         

This studio course introduces issues in three-dimensional forms such as sculpture, which in an expanded definition includes installation, environment, site context fabrication, and the object’s relation to the body. Focusing on the notion of “fabric” both as a medium and as a framework to explore the complex cultural histories, meanings and functions of clothing, this course is an artistic exploration of connections across cultures. We will investigate how three-dimensional art and wearable technologies can link ideas and people across physical and psychological borders. Students will probe cultural exchanges in different locations through on-site investigations of local traditions and their reinterpretation through creative applications of wearable technologies. Students from all disciplines are encouraged and welcome to enroll.

The course will introduce working with a variety of materials and techniques, with an emphasis on papier-mâché, mold-making and textiles. Sewing skills are beneficial but not pre-required for the class; sewing tutorials, machines and basic sewing equipment/textiles will be provided. Lectures, readings, screenings and field trips will supplement studio practice. Students will be expected to work on two studio-based projects informed by research and discussions in relation to the class theme.  Selected readings from the fields of art history, anthropology, and cultural theory, will provide us with different perspectives on how clothing and wearable art and architecture can be a medium for politics and communication between cultures. Students will have an opportunity to meet with a group of visiting artists from the "Edge of Arabia" collective and discover interconnected stories between the Middle East and the United States.  

The class will meet twice a week. On Mondays the class meets as a workshop, discussion of readings, lectures and screenings. Wednesdays' class meetings incorporate technical tutorials and supervised studio production. Additional individual work is required outside of class (min. 6hrs / week expected). Students from all disciplines are encouraged and welcome to enroll. Limited enrollment.

 

EXPECTATIONS

The course meets twice a week for 3 hrs each session for a total of 12 units of credit. There will be one midterm project, developed as 4 class exercises in artistic research, and one final project. All projects and assignments will be graded. Students are also required to prepare a 1-page statement for the final project. Readings are regularly assigned to provide a historical and theoretical framework for discussed in class.

Regular and on-time attendance is required for all class sessions and reviews. It is your responsibility to catch up on missed content by contacting instructors or fellow students.

All class work and assignments must be completed on time. No Food or Drink is allowed in lab facilities.

 

EVALUATIONS

Grading will be based on:

Class participation – 20-%

Readings and presentations 20%

Execution of exercises, journal of work – 20%

Final Project – 20%

Demonstrated growth over the course of the semester – 20%

 

Completion of the final project is required for a passing grade, as is regular attendance. Unexcused absences and repeated tardiness will automatically lower a grade by half of a letter grade.