The Self and Others

The Self and Others

The notion of intimacy, the use of the body, and
the exploration of the self through various
creative contexts has always been a point of
return in contemporary art practices. In this
class, we focus on the toughest type of
observation - the study of our own persona. We
turn the camera on ourselves and travel through
our psyche, our dreams and our memories to tell
and create stories. Whether we use our memories
or create a fictional character, we reinvent
personal notions of a self-portrait and
documentary.

This is an autobiographical class that focuses on
the observation of the self as a tool, as a
subject, and as a place of inspiration for new
work. We will look at and discuss the work of
Sophie Calle, Emmett Gowin, Francesca Woodman,
Marina Abromovic, Orlan, Jeff Wall, Nan Goldin
and others as points of reference, we will also
look at how world cultures interpret the idea of
"self'. Through weekly class assignments,
students will engage in various approaches to
interpret and project their inner world.
Discussions, short readings, films, critiques,
and writing exercises will be pivotal components
of the course. Students may work in either film
or digital formats.