STUDIO SYSTEMS
UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO
Fall 2008
Studio Systems was an introductory course that walked students through some of the basic strategies for making art under contemporary conditions.
Art-making has often been a way to train oneself to really see one’s environment/world, to reflect on it and then to develop and share one’s own personal visual vocabulary in response. Contemporary art is often highly experimental or marginal, and often misunderstood, however: it doesn’t play by the same historical rules that most people assume all art to adhere to, and this can be frustrating for both artist and viewer alike.
Studio Systems encouraged exploration with themes and materials. Technical skill is only one aspect of art making: inquisitiveness, innovation, open-ness, respect for the creative process, and discipline are equally, if not more, important.
The core of this class was 4 main studio projects, supplemented by smaller experiments and written responses and reflections. Studio Systems incorporated readings, lectures on contemporary artists and art practices, video screenings, field trips and group critiques to enhance creative process and critical language skills.