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By Terri McGaffin, Instructor
This three-week course studied the power of the visual. We looked at art through print and digital reproduction, and face to face. We spent 5 days in New York City, looking at art and experiencing the city that is home to much significant art of the twentieth century. Students kept journals, and at conclusion of the course, they chose to make a piece of art, or document in some way the experience of looking at art.
During the first week on campus, we looked at art in books, on the internet, and in video recordings. We visited local artists Pauline Sensenig, Ann McTaggart, Jodi Melnichak and Jamie Bowers in their studios. We learned about some of the transitions in 20th century art from Art Department Chair John Bowitz, using pieces from the Helen Levitt Collection to illustrate his points. Sioux City Art Center Curator Michael Bettancourt presented a lecture on the history of video in art.
From May 19 – 23 we visited New York City! Participants included Art Faculty Terri McGaffin, Dolie Thompson and Amy Foltz, and twelve students. The Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim and the Whitney Museum were included in our schedule. We saw a wealth of historical examples, as well as the work of currently practicing artists. We saw an installation by Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang at the Guggenheim, and the Whitney Biennial exhibition featured new work by practicing American artists in a variety of mediums. Our lodgings were at the YMCA on the west side of Central Park. Rooms were tiny, but clean, and the location was perfect.
We also saw the Broadway production of “Phantom of the Opera,” took a cruise around Manhattan, and dined at an Italian restaurant called Becco, and at Jeckyl and Hyde Club.
Some participants visited the School of Visual Arts in Chelsea, guided by Morningside Alumni Mike Drury (BA 2006), who has just completed his Master of Fine Arts degree at SVA. Other activities included a stop at the International Center for Photography, private gallery openings, views of the city at night from the top of the Rockefeller Center, and time spent shopping and sight-seeing.
It was a great trip, and a wonderful opportunity to see the breadth and depth of human creativity through looking at art!
Student paricipants:
Sarah Chambers
Emily Domayer
Kelsie Grave
Jeni Jepsen
Selina Johnson
Kelsey Knudson
Laura McElroy
Jenna Mansker
Matthew Murray
Michelle Rubenking
Anne Torkelson
Stephanie Ubben |
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