Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2023 - CA 361 D100

Studio in Visual Art IV (4)

Class Number: 6345

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 4 – Apr 11, 2023: Thu, 9:30 a.m.–4:20 p.m.
    DT VSAR

  • Prerequisites:

    CA (or FPA) 360 and 366. Corequisite: CA 367.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An open critical studio course. It will continue and extend work done in CA (or FPA) 360. Students are required to have a program of work prepared at the beginning of the term. This program will form the basis of the student's work in the course, and will be the subject of continuing critical discussion. This discussion will be integrated with theoretical studies in the parallel seminar course, CA 367. A course materials fee is required. Students with credit for FPA 361 may not take this course for further credit.

COURSE DETAILS:

CA 361 is a unique studio class that focuses on and engages with a specific theme in contemporary art practice and is augmented by the involvement of the Audain Artist-in- Residence. Through a process of working in collaboration with the visiting artist, working in collaboration with each other, and also working individually, students will produce a series of projects and develop an exhibition.

This year’s class is titled I’ll Be Your Mirror and centres on the relationship of mirrors to artistic practice. Through a series of readings and exercises we will look at the role of the mirror historically and it’s continued deployment in contemporary art practice. We will consider mimesis, reflection, refraction, reenactment, repetition, and mise-en-abyme in an attempt to consider what it is to represent the world around us.
Kota Ezawa is the Spring 2023 Audain Visual Artist in Residence. He uses animation to re-present and reflect on moments in contemporary politics, art history, critical theory, and popular culture. Based in San Francisco, the Japanese-German artist is Professor of Film and Fine Arts at California College of the Arts. Ezawa studied at the Art Academy Düsseldorf with Nam June Paik and holds an MFA from Stanford University. He has exhibited his work in solo and group exhibitions on an international scale.
Kota will join our class to guide us through a process of readings, discussions, and studio work. The work we do together with Kota will help to provide the conceptual framework and grounding for the annual third year project exhibition in the Audain Gallery. Students will be actively participating in the planning, mounting, and carrying out of this exhibition. While a major part of the class centres on working collectively and in collaboration, students are encouraged to interpret the chosen topic, apply it to their individual practice, and produce artwork that is their own.

CA 361 is a critical studio course that continues from CA 360 and is taken in conjunction with the seminar class CA 367. Students should be prepared for each class by having their materials gathered and theoretical research at hand or completed for each day they come into the studio to work. Attendance during class times is compulsory, and active participation in class and critiques is essential.

Grading

  • Projects 60%
  • Exhibition 25%
  • Studio Practice/Participation 15%

NOTES:


Grades are determined according to the student’s level of:

  • seriousness of engagement with studio practice and the problems posed during the course
  • openness and willingness to pursue avenues of investigation relevant to their own progress and needs of their work
  • openness to and awareness of issues in contemporary art - complexity of ideas manifested in projects and how those ideas are transformed into existence ie. understanding of the relationship between methods/materials used and an artwork’s connotation
  • understanding of the chosen process of production
  • attention paid to the “finish” of works: care of fabrication appropriate to works; presentation of works
  • contribution to critiques: level of thoughtful analysis of works
  • ability and willingness to integrate feedback from critiques and from instructor into one’s practice i.e. future work and the thinking about one’s own work and other artist’s work
  • development of work over the semester: degree of advancement attained beyond entering level of achievement
  • Ongoing contribution to class group as a whole and the maintaining of good studio practice (clean work area, respectful sharing of resources and space, tools, etc.)

Materials

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html