Finish Environmental Video Art critiques

Artist Book Collection and reading together in class

Discuss book design/concepts

ARTIST BOOK ASSIGNMENT:

Pop Quiz By Dave Dyment About the project: A near comprehensive collection of all of the questions posed in pop songs from the artist’s music collection. 360-page softcover artist’s book 5″ x 8″ Edition of 500, numbered and signed by the artist (each with unique handwritten question) $50

Experimental 2/3

ARTIST BOOK PROJECT: A BOOK ABOUT A BOOK

Note on Schedule:
1. Book design workshop with Nathan

2. WORK IN PROGRESS due for discussion

3. ***Final works uploaded and submitted for printing deadline****

4. Works will also be discussed in progress during class.

Consider a book. Use any book you are interested in – a novel, a textbook, a book of essays, a field guide, a book of maps, a self-help book, an instruction manual, a cookbook, a memoir, a monograph… the possibilities are endless.

Choose one book as the point of departure for a print-on-demand artist book that you will develop and design in class. Like examples of artist publications discussed in class, your artist book will emphasize image over text and be an artwork in its own right.  It can be any length or size available on Blurb.com under a budget of (total) $30 including taxes.

Your work can be about the book, use the book’s images, respond to or engage the book in any way. Consider content, text, meaning, and image in your work. The original book may or may not be visible or obvious in your finished work – but the artist book will represent your own version of the ideas in the book, and your own responses. The work may be discursive and legible, or it may be austere, formalized or abstract.

Strategies and motifs you may consider:

Scanning and photocopying from books

Using found photographs from the internet

Taking photographs

Working with appropriated text

Using text as image

Making a book from the past into the present

Focusing/repeating one detail in a book

Exploring visual references in the book

Responding to cover art, diagrams or illustrations in a book

Playing with scale

Rearrangements and reorientations

Drawing from books

See also: Dave Dyment and Nothing Else Press

Dave Dyment

*Bring three possible books to work with and discuss on Thursday

Student examples:

More student examples:

here your pardon for the poet, by Andrea Aleman-Pastor

Flip Book

RED BOOKS (For David Shrigley and Jesus Christ) – Ryan Grover

FIELD TRIP SATURDAY OCT 21 –

Field Trip Itinerary

Saturday Oct. 21, 2023

****BRING THIS ITINERARY WITH YOU. Share phone numbers with another classmate or class bus supervisor.

Bus departs UC loop at 9:30 am

Arrives at MOCA at 10:30 am

*Under 18 admission is free

* Student admission is $10 with ID

158 Sterling Road, Toronto, Ontario.

Admission PWYC (note main exhibit closed)

Also: Art Metropole

Bus departs MOCA at noon

Bus arrives at TPW at 12:15pm

170 St Helens Ave, Toronto, 

Also: Daniel Faria Gallery/Clint Roenisch Gallery

But departs TPW at 12:45

Arrives at Kensington Market at 1:15

Corner of Augusta and Baldwin

Bus departs Kensington Market at 2:30pm

Bus arrives at Mercer Union at 3pm

1286 Bloor St. W

Bus departs Mercer Union at 3:30 pm

Bus arrives at U of Guelph UC Loop at approx. 5:00pm

Thanksgiving holiday

Critiques for Environmental Video Art

TUESDAY and THURSDAY

Work time in arboretum

Editing and consultations in class*

Show and discuss work in progress

Something that I feel is very important is the incorporation of the Earth in the art world, there is a deep connection between humanity and the environment that mothered us. With the abundance of resources our environment gives us, there is ample opportunity for creation.

One of my favourite ways artists have used the environment is through the raw use of the Earth’s natural push and pull (wind). Tim Knowles’ Tree Drawings are my personal favourites. In this series of drawings, Knowles sets up plain white paper within reach of a drawing device attached to the branch of a tree. The tree branch is guided by the spontaneous nature of the wind to create unique and lively drawings. The idea that the artist steps away from doing work and gives a voice to natural elements gives the Earth a voice and a sentimental nod to its unpredictability and change.

Another favourite environmental piece is a video art piece done by the Agricultural artist group Kultivator, titled Dinner with Cows. This video is one of many documentations of a group dinner with humans of all ages, some being toddlers some being elderly, and adult cows. There is not much documented on this piece, however, seeing these cows eat at the same table and from the same plates as humans is quite jarring. Beef consumption is very prominent in many people’s lives, having dinner with an animal most well known to be something humans eat is a humorous yet uncomfortable sight.

Dinner with cows

Something that I feel is very important is the incorporation of the Earth in the art world, there is a deep connection between humanity and the environment that mothered us. With the abundance of resources our environment gives us, there is ample opportunity for creation.

One of my favourite ways artists have used the environment is through the raw use of the Earth’s natural push and pull (wind). Tim Knowles’ Tree Drawings are my personal favourites. In this series of drawings, Knowles sets up plain white paper within reach of a drawing device attached to the branch of a tree. The tree branch is guided by the spontaneous nature of the wind to create unique and lively drawings. The idea that the artist steps away from doing work and gives a voice to natural elements gives the Earth a voice and a sentimental nod to its unpredictability and change.

Another favourite environmental piece is a video art piece done by the Agricultural artist group Kultivator, titled Dinner with Cows. This video is one of many documentations of a group dinner with humans of all ages, some being toddlers some being elderly, and adult cows. There is not much documented on this piece, however, seeing these cows eat at the same table and from the same plates as humans is quite jarring. Beef consumption is very prominent in many people’s lives, having dinner with an animal most well known to be something humans eat is a humorous yet uncomfortable sight.

Dinner with cows

Stacking books as an art form is akin to the likes off blackout poetry, in which one would search out prewritten words to form a completely new text. Since my book collection is fairly small and I lend literature to many people, I dug through the University of Guelph’s library to see what stacks I could make. I found this to be a meaningful exercise when using text with limited resources, digging and the art of “hunting and gathering” should be taught in art school.

There were books which targeted my self-esteem and I made an effort to have both me and the books be insulted directly. Very punk.

I dug into a very intimate part of my being and acknowledged my fear of letting go of things I need or crave.

Good question.

I am Generation Z, but broke Millennial’s are still a sad sight to see.

See several projects by Sara Angelucci – Ghost Orchard, Mourning Chorus, The Twirl of a Butterfly’s Tongue… etc.

https://sara-angelucci.ca/filter/Projects

See the feature article and the video for FOSSORA:

https://pitchfork.com/news/watch-bjorks-psychedelic-new-fossora-video/

Natasha Lavdovsky

http://www.natashalavdovsky.com/

Atmosphere manipulation

Lichen works

Plastic Bag

Aislinn Thomas

Rock Camoflauge

Rock disguises (for rocks and other bodies)

PROJECTS

Mountains Used To Be Ugly

Darcy Wilson

https://www.darcywilson.org/felia-and-1-fan

https://www.darcywilson.org/protect-your-love

TUESDAY:

Research for Arboretum Videos – post on blog and present ideas in class.

Video recording outdoors demo with Nathan

THURSDAY:

More Environmental Video Art

Video editing refresher demo with Nathan

Discuss ideas for videos, work time in studio/ arboretum if needed

Note – Next week will be all work time in arboretum/studio as needed. Videos are due Thursday Oct. 12th for critique.

https://www.cbc.ca/arts/nuit-blanche-toronto-2023-must-see-artwork-1.6970135

Tuesday:

Meet at the lab at 11:30 sharp!

Together we will be walking to the Arboretum nature centre to participate in an environmental conservation activity: Bird Banding with Chris Earley.

Please come dressed for weather and walking, and bring a water bottle and snacks if needed.

Thursday:

Please come to class – we will have a special guest artist: Megan Arnold

See her video – Are We Human, Or Are We Skater

Megan will be showing some of her own work in video – and introducing you to our local video art and media support centre: ED VIDEO

https://www.edvideo.org/programming?/events

During the final 1. 5 hours of in-class time – please develop loose video art ideas – related to an artist, and environmental subject of your choice. Make a blog post and prepare to discuss your research and ideas in the next class.

Each student will make a blog post that includes some images/drawings/notes as needed – you must include research, images, and reflections on ways you might interpret and respond to the information in a video to be shot in the arboretum, or in controlled, studio conditions. Choose a partner to work with today – but each student will make their own blog post reflecting on the themes and ideas for working.

This research and process notes are the foundation for your video art project. You must have a completed blog post due for show and tell during our next class – where we will be discussing your research, and video art ideas.

Stacking books as an art form is akin to the likes off blackout poetry, in which one would search out prewritten words to form a completely new text. Since my book collection is fairly small and I lend literature to many people, I dug through the University of Guelph’s library to see what stacks I could make. I found this to be a meaningful exercise when using text with limited resources, digging and the art of “hunting and gathering” should be taught in art school.

There were books which targeted my self-esteem and I made an effort to have both me and the books be insulted directly. Very punk.

I dug into a very intimate part of my being and acknowledged my fear of letting go of things I need or crave.

Good question.

I am Generation Z, but broke Millennial’s are still a sad sight to see.