NAS 3693-Sec. 900

ARTC 4693-Sec. 900

Contemporary Artist Seminar on Native Art From

North America, Canada and Latin America

The seminar course is an upper division undergraduate discussion course.

The aim of the course is to facilitate the student to share the broad and modern sensibilities that exist and make up the contemporary diversity of the indigenous arts and people of this hemisphere.

In today’s art world it is clear that the impetus to create important native work is often found in the artist’s own personal, cultural and political references. Therefore the seminar shall present artwork that deals with issues of race, class, gender and tribal sovereignty as well as formalist modes.

An additional objective of the seminar shall be to introduce the student to a survey of common methods of contemporary artistic practice. These notions examine the trends inherent in present day art and are not bound by racial associations.

The seminar objectives are met through a five-part process:

1. Participants in the class view video-taped (30-60 min.) interviews of professional contemporary artists discussing the conceptual basis of ideas which generate their work. There will be two artist videos viewed during each class meeting.

2. Before viewing the video on the artists a critical essay or writing by the artist is read. This written piece often challenges the artists ideas and deepens the understanding so that the class is more familiar with the artist’s work. The class participants shall also review recent catalogues which offer an updated view of the artists ideas. A slide talk may also be presented in order to supplement the video tape.

3. After the video presentation a discussion is shared within the class. This session often adds clarity to the video and also allows the class participants to take issue with the ideas and viewpoints expressed in the video. The seminar grade is based in part upon each participant taking part in discussions. Class participants must join in with each discussion.

4. To allow the class to further resolve their opinions on the artwork and ideas presented, a 500-word (minimum) typed paper is written each week. In this paper the student offers his or her reactions to the video program and or the class discussion. Each paper will be due one week after the video is screened. No late papers will be accepted! Each missing paper will lower the final grade by one letter. At the conclusion of the seminar students will be responsible for a 2500-word typed paper that examines a living native artist and his or her work. An outline for the term paper will be due at mid-term as a major part of the mid-term grade. As an important compliment to the research paper the student shall also include extensive bibliographic resources and photo-copied articles which concern the artist. The term paper must list 6 sources and only 2 may be Internet related.

5. A two to three sentence description will be researched, produced and handed in concerning each individual artist listed in the class syllabus on Wednesday, August 30, 2000.

Seminar Artists to be Presented

NAS 3693-Sec.900/ART 4910-Sec.900

1. Allan Houser

2. Edward Poitras-The Artist’s profile as the Canadian representative to the Venice Biennale

3. James Luna

4. Jaune Quick-To-See-Smith

5. Jimmie Durham

6. 16 Songs-Native American and Aboriginal Australian collaborative project in Sydney and Adelaide, Australia and Oklahoma.

7. Jean Lamar

8. Frida Khalo

9. David Avalos

10. Charlene Teters

11. Hachivi Edgar Heap of Birds

12. Kay Walkingstick

13. Diego Rivera

14. Such a Red Day-Contemporary Native Artists of New Mexico and Oklahoma

15. Jim Northrup

16. Guillermo Gomez Pena

17. Rebecca Belmore

18. T.C. Cannon

19. Hulleah Tsinhnahijinne and Native Television

20. Richard Ray Whitman

21. Luis Cruz Azaceta

22. Jonas Dos Santo

23. Ana Mendieta

24. Juan Sanchez

25. Couple in a Cage-Coco Fusco

26. Judy Bacca

27. Shelly Niro

28. SpiderWoman Theatre

29. Jolene Rickard

30. Michael MacDonald

31. Doreen Jemisen

32. Jane Ash Poitras

33. Rena Point Bolton

34. Joane Cardianl Schubert

35. Clay People-Wheelwright Museum

36. Daughters of Ixche-Women Artists of Guatemala

37. Harry Fonseca

38. Siqueiros-Artist and Warrior

39. The Legacy of Generations, Pottery by American Indian Women