ekloff

Ways of Seeing, Essay #1

“Seeing comes before words”

First impressions of this book are insightful. It is interesting to read through the tackling of psychological considerations of art and institutionalized understandings of how art is perceived and seen. He says “We only see what we look at. To look is an act of choice.” This is important but not commonly recognized by consumers and producers of art. I thought this would be worth developing an object and environment where the method of looking is the heart of the experiment. Surroundings change perception. Hierarchy, context (supplemental words or images), and planes of view are components that may influence a different way of seeing.

“Non Theatrical Performance,” Art Forum, March 1976, Alan Kaprow

Performance is ordinary and structured in most cases. In the 1960s, standard expectations were thrown out and extended into unconventional and even absurd. Things dispensable in performance are actors, roles, and plots. Furthermore, audience, location, and length of time are no longer necessary components of a performance.

The gameplan is as follows:

REQUIRED ASSIGNMENTS

• FEB 1: Read Ways of Seeing Essay #1
• FEB 1: Read “Non Theatrical Performance,” Art Forum, March 1976, Alan Kaprow
• FEB 8: Read Ways of Seeing Essay #2+3
• FEB 15: The Latest: Fluxus and Music from In the Spirit of Fluxus by Elizabeth Armstrong and Joan Rothfuss
• FEB 22: Sections on Performance Art (titles on upcoming blog posts)
• MAR 1: Watch Man on the Moon (life as performance/perception stunts)
• MAR 1: Read Ways of Seeing Essay #4+5
• MAR 8: Sections on Performance Art (titles on upcoming blog posts)
• MAR 15: Watch Blade Runner (inspiration of sight & memory)
• MAR 22: Chapter 3 of Inside the White Cube by Brian O’Doherty
• MAR 29: Read Ways of Seeing Essay #6+7
• APR 5: Sections on Performance Art (titles on upcoming blog posts)
• APR 12: Web Research
• APR 19: Project analysis and preparation
  
• APR 26 – MAY 10: Finish projects, retry studies
  

ADDITIONAL RESEARCH
(potential directions; updates when new ideas form)

• Andy Kaufmann
• Find John Berger Videos
• Miranda July
• Contemporary Documentation online
  

PROJECT CATEGORIES
There will be at least four attempted major projects. Much more will be planned, but some may not end up being fully executed.

• audio project (sound in art, object makes sound)
  
• Persona Portrait (embodying attitude & perception)
• Risky Object (impractical; design with danger)
  
• Media Intervention (altered public awareness)

Tentative Schedule:

FEB 20: Performance, audio, time, and space – Saturday @ Café Lucé
(MORE DATES TO COME)

PREPARATIONS & IDEAS

• prepare poster for Pretty Pigeons