MONDAY

Final critique of final One Feat, Three Ways videos

WEDNESDAY

WATCH and COMMENT ON THE WORK OF YOUR CLASSMATES:

We need to complete our final critque of One Feat, Three Ways videos. From home, comment directly on the blog pages of the students below. Say more than “I liked x”, or “x was funny...” Comment in detail on at least three things about their video – for example: the specific significance of their references; how the video begins and ends; use of cuts, and transitions, text, image quality or other editing effects; some of the ideas, arguments, and questions raised by the artwork; and how all of these artistic decisions affect the experience of watching the video, and how they may or may not serve ideas the artist intended.

1. Haadi, Fatima and Patrizia (on Haadi’s page)
2. Melissa
3. Tumi and Zamani

*Some of these final Internet videos have not been posted yet. Please post your final videos and a description ASAP! These three works should be available for viewing by 3pm today.

Suggested time required to complete: 1 hour

WATCH and MAKE A BLOG POST REFLECTION:

“Moments of pathos and humour in Moser’s work arise from the friction between her virtuosity and ineptitude. On one hand, Moser’s writing is full of disarming turns of phrase and poetic insight (“I’m drowning in a sea of Hamlets! All indecisive and infested with ghosts. And me worst of all”), and her imaginative reconfiguration of simple props is nothing short of thrilling. Her vaguely narrative performances elicit sensations of being slightly “off” or unreconciled. They feature props and set pieces in states of becoming or collapse. They access humour and produce pathos through the haphazard and awkward. They reveal moments of beauty and insight to be the tenuous constructions that they are by allowing them to fall apart.” – Jordan Tannahill

My Crops Are Dying But My Body Persists

Meet Bridget Moser and watch the video: My Crops are Dying but my Body Persists. Read the review of this work in Artforum here:

https://www.artforum.com/events/bridget-moser-247483

Watch the video again – in light of the commentary by Charlene Lau – and comment on the ways Moser appropriates internet tropes, youtubers, pop culture references, and/or memes in this work. What are some of the things her colour choices, and/or her props and costumes remind you of? How do you experience the video physically? What are some of the ideas Moser is playing with, including questions she is raising? What is the role of absurdity in her work? In your discussion of Moser’s work, you should quote the art forum review twice.

Suggested time required: 1 hour

OPTIONAL: Dive into Moser’s other works, including performances and videos.

And Recent Work

THERE IS NO HOMEWORK DURING READING WEEK*

Note: Your blogs should be up to date with your final videos and descriptions (every member of the group should make a post) and all of the required posts so far. I will be grading all the work on your blogs when we return.

I hope you will enjoy a restful break!

Monday

Editing Demo with Nathan – Using Davinci for editing video art

Work time with your group – show work in progress.

Complete all recording before next class

Wednesday

Work time with your group – everyone should have footage by today!

Show work in progress.

Critiques for One Feat, Three Ways videos next week!

WEDNESDAY

On your blog by today there should be:

1. KM project (includes images, live links or videos, description and notes)
2. Notes on Katja Heitmann article
3. Field Trip Blog Post

Comprehensive blog posts contribute to getting the full grades for your assignments. The blog in general (especially articles and notes) will be evaluated at the end of term to contribute to your participation grades.

Discuss Field Trip:

Present video art ideas with your group in a roundtable brainstorm

Studio bookings for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and for next class on Monday and Tuesday

Each group must have footage to work with and edit by next week WEDNESDAY – when we do an editing demo.

MONDAY

Lecture: Simple Instruction Videos

Simple/instruction based video art

Assignment: One Feat, Three Ways video project

Video Art: One FEAT, Three Ways*

You will work with a partner to make three videos 1-2-minutes (MAX) each in length each.

Your videos should be shot at the studio in controlled, illuminated conditions.

Pick your FEAT. You will repeat variations on your “FEAT” in each video below.

Your FEAT should be an everyday gesture or activity that you can push to its limits. Push yourself to your limits. Push a material to its limits. Do not take ANY risks with your safety – subtle, quiet, funny risks are better and more interesting anyway. Just watching someone smiling as long as they can as hard as you can is fascinating and even painful to watch for its duration.

Examples of gestures from past students include: Eating something, Juggling, Kissing, Blowing up a Balloon, Smiling, Holding an Awkward Pose, Reaching for Things out of Reach… etc.

It might be an absurd thing – something pointless, or an impossible feat that you can’t actually do   

The object is to try to do the thing, not to “act” – and what happens… happens!

You, your partner, or someone else may perform. Maintain your concentration and explore how a simple gesture becomes interesting when performed with commitment and intention.

NOTE: Add a title to some of your videos, and they should be approximately 1-2 minutes in length MAX.

Video #1: The One-Shot 

The video will consist of “one shot” – there will be no editing, other than a black screen to mark the beginning and end of the video. You may focus on camera function, unusual points of view, and framing. You will also add titles and end credits to your videos.

Video #2: The Sequence

The object of this video exercise is to shoot a series of shots with the intention to edit them into a sequence. It may require 5 minutes, an hour, a day, or a week, and you can show it in a series of stills or a time lapse.  Edit your footage to be less than two minutes.

Video #3: The Loop

The object of this video exercise is to create a video that is meant to be played over and over again indefinitely, without stopping. Consider the content of the video when you are shooting your feat, and use looping to complete the meaning of the work. Don’t make a short GIF type video – think of a longer loop – something that could play in a gallery on repeat without end.

Edit your loop footage to be less than 2 minutes long, and then play on a loop for the critique.

_______________________________________________________________

Videos will be graded by the degree to which students demonstrate:

• Understanding of the key concepts in the assignment
• Clarity and originality of ideas
• Investment of time and contributions to the group
• Focus in performance and intentionality about everything in the frame
• Technical success using lighting and professional camera equipment in works, and technical success using editing software and exporting gallery-quality video
• Presentation and openness to feedback during critique

Students are also expected to post a final work (including any revisions after critique) to the class blog with a title, artist names, and a short description of the work within ONE WEEK of the critique for final marks.

Videos will not receive a grade until a

READ: NYT Dance Article

Turning the Gestures of Everyday Life into Art, Katja Heitmann

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/21/arts/dance/gesture-archive-art.html

(if you are blocked by a paywall use this PDF of the article and watch the video for examples of movement)

Make notes on your blog:

1. Describe the work discussed in the article and the unique challenges – as well as the unique gifts- that come with attempting to archive personal movements?
2. Discuss one or two examples of movements in the article – what strikes you about them?
3. Describe the habitual movements/unconscious gestures, tics etc. of 3 people you know well. How do individual body parts move, and how does the whole body interact? What about facial expressions, and emotional valence of the movement? How does body type inform the movement?What do these examples of small movements mean and imply?

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WEDNESDAY

FRIDAY JAN 24th EXPERIMENTAL FIELD TRIP

9:30 AM to 6PM – Toronto Museums

Here is the eventbrite link for students to purchase tickets: 

https://www.eventbrite.com/checkout-external?eid=1141141217099&parent=https%3A%2F%2Fx23.experimentalstudio.ca%2F2025%2F01%2F12%2Fweek-2-8%2F

SCHEDULE and assignment:

EXPERIMENTAL FIELD TRIP 2025Download

FIELD TRIP ASSIGNMENT:

Due ONE WEEK after field trip on the blog.

Mandatory: Create a FIELD TRIP blog post illustrating, describing and responding to two art works from each museum. How are these works relevant to your own research interests and practice? What did you notice, learn, or take away from the experience of the works in the gallery?

Note: Students who are not able to attend the field trip must visit one of these Toronto museums, in addition to the AGG exhibition and create a blog post based on this field research.

More examples of student videos:

*Reading notes due on blog

Sal and Ava – 2023

(SEE DESKTOP for 1 minute examples – lemons, hugging, denim…)

https://x1.experimentalstudio.ca/2023/01/17/avery/

Zoe –

Ways to Draw a Circle

Camera Recording and Lighting Demo

Discuss ideas with group and Diane

Work in progress

Book work time on studio sign up sheet for next week!

MONDAY

Critique of Kilometre assignment – Bring in your kilometre for discussion, and/or make a post about your kilometre in any media on your Blog page.

Review on how to post to blog

BLOG Deadlines and expectations:

1. All blog posts should be up on the blog ONE WEEK after final critique, reading assignment, proposal assignment or class activity/trip.
2. Include work in progress, research and references to support your final projects.
3. For final projects, include the artwork, artists names, a title, and a short description of the work – why did you choose to make it this way? What does it consist of? How did you complete it? How might it work in the gallery or other context?

1. Note:
2. You must have at least one final blog post for each project, and you will not receive a grade (or a grade with a significant reduction) if a post is missing. Rich evidence of engagement with course materials will increase your grades on your work.

REMINDER:

FRIDAY JAN 24th EXPERIMENTAL FIELD TRIP

9:30 AM to 6PM – Toronto Museums

Here is the eventbrite link for students to purchase tickets: 

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/january-24th-experimental-studio-trip-tickets-1141141217099?aff=oddtdtcreator

SCHEDULE and assignment:

Art Gallery of Ontario

https://ago.ca/exhibitions/culture-hip-hop-and-contemporary-art-21st-century

https://ago.ca/exhibitions/pacita-abad

The Power Plant

https://www.thepowerplant.org/whats-on

WEDNESDAY

Watch the Film: The Artist is Present

Watch the film: The Artist is Present, Marina Abramovic

“Seductive, fearless, and outrageous, Marina Abramovic has been redefining what art is for nearly 40 years. Using her own body as a vehicle, pushing herself beyond her limits and at times risking her life in the process she creates performances that challenge, shock, and move us.

This film follows Marina as she prepares for what may be the most important moment of her life: a major new retrospective of her work, taking place at The Museum of Modern Art. To be given a retrospective at one of the world’s premier museums is the most exhilarating sort of milestone. For Marina, it is far more: it is the chance to finally silence the question she has been hearing over and over again for four decades: But why is this art?”( From Film Summary)

Questions for discussion and blog post:

1. What are some of your first impressions of Marina Abramovic’s performance works, based on the documentary? Use an image/example of one or two works to describe aspects you admire, and aspects you might agree are problematic?
2. How would you answer the skeptical journalists when they express shock, confusion, and rejection of Abramovic’s work?
3. What have you learned about features of performance art based on Abramovic’s work? Name a few key features according to her precedents. Include an image to illustrate. Consider her quote “When you perform it is a knife and your blood, when you act it is a fake knife and ketchup.”
4. Discuss the ways performance art resists many museum and commercial artworld conventions. How does Abramovic solve/negotiate some of these challenges, and do you find these compromises add to, or undermine the ideas at play in her work?

MONDAY

Join AGO for a free pass:

https://visit.ago.ca/m/5/19?_ga=2.132613959.878887620.1736263473-392189085.1736263473

https://ago.ca/exhibitions/culture-hip-hop-and-contemporary-art-21st-century

FIELD TRIP DETAILS:

FRIDAY JANUARY 24th

We will be leaving from the US bus loop in a yellow school bus at 9:30 AM

We will be going to the AGO and the Power Plant and returning to campus by approximately 6pm.

SEE DETAILS HERE:

Please pay for the bus trip at the eventbrite link : TBA