Sydney Epps Intro

Hello! My name is Sydney Epps. I am a junior majoring in Art Therapy. I was born and raised in Somerset NJ. I am Jamaican. I love to paint, draw and make sculptures. My passion for art came from a young age. I was surrounded by it and later fell in love with it. I'm shy at first but once I become comfortable with you, I'm very outgoing :)

5 social issues

1. The paying gap between females and males 

2. Women’s Rights/ Women’s Health 

3. Gun violence 

4. Climate Change

5. Food Storage/ Inflation

The artist that I was inspired by is Shepard Fairey. I was briefly introduced to him in high school when we looked deeper into the portrait he made of Obama. His work spreads awareness towards gun control and supports women of color. He's really passionate about the issues that are happening in this world and portrays them really well even if it's not through painting or drawing. In ways like making t-shirts or protesting. 

Karen Osorio's Intro

 I am very passionate about color being present in an individual's artwork. I enjoy looking at things that are sometimes considered overstimulating, messy, or "too much." Two social issues that I find particular interest in are feminism and the LGBTQ community. My interest in the two have always been rooted deep within me due to the fact that I've always been aware of the belittling and the minimization of the two. As a young girl I wondered why I couldn't do certain things and reading "Understanding Patriarchy" by bell hooks reminded me instantly of this time in my life where I was very interested in anything that looked or even remotely resembled a rock or mineral. Shortly after, that interest transitioned into collecting marbles. I was only about 7 or 8 years old. My father has always been fairly reserved when it comes to commentary on others and what they're doing. My mother however was infuriated by my usage of these marbles because she told me, "those are for boys." I really do think that my parents being indirectly homophobic is what led up to my interest on the LGBTQ backlash issue. These two issues are very common and are more often than not generational.

The artist that I have chosen for this particular assignment was Andy Warhol. During the late 1960's there was a transgender and AIDS activist by the name of Marsha P. Johnson. Her outspoken and courageous character helped charge up the LGBTQ civil rights movement. An inspired Warhol created a series titled "Ladies and Gentlemen". This series paid homage to Johnson in two of the pieces in which it displayed vibrant and colorful tones. This was Warhol's creative touch used in order to illustrate how charismatic these women are and how unapologetically they live their lives. The first photo is from Warhol's "Ladies and Gentlemen" series and the latter is my inspired portrait. 

Yoko and I

My name is Farrah Pepino, and I am studying Computer Science. I have a profound passion for the arts despite choosing this career path. Coming from a family of artists, my world has always revolved around it. Growing up, I heard my uncles, who are tattoo artists, share their detailed critics of musical bands, artists, and actors as they worked. I also watched my mother draw and my father play the guitar and drums. I was immensely inspired by their burning love for the arts that I explored both forms. I make music, paint portraits, and take photographs. In addition, I have an interest in architecture, interior design, and fashion. Having such a great appreciation for works of art, to me, is a blessing. Art allows you to see beauty outside the standards of society— to see beauty in all things. Understanding arts also allows you to develop empathy for people and with this empathy, the love for the environment also grows. The five social justices that I mostly care about are free/low-cost healthcare and education, equality, food insecurity, refugee crisis, and climate justice. I believe that no one should ever be denied their rights to education, opportunity, security, life, and so on.

The artist I resonate with is Yoko Ono. Having been introduced to her in class, I saw myself in her right away. Yoko Ono, the Japanese multimedia artist, gained popularity after she married John Lennon of the Beatles. I believe that she deserves more recognition for what she does than for being someone's wife. I love her art style. It is minimalistic, yet conveys full of meanings. I love how she presents her advocacies to the world through her artworks. As I mentioned earlier, I empathize with everyone so much that my love for the environment also came into being. Those are the similarities between Yoko and me, our support for peace and climate justice.

Here, I drew a sketch of myself, inspired by the art style used in John Lennon and Yoko Ono's drawing from the Personal Collection of Keith Haring, "Let's Have A Dream" (1977).

 

Renee's Digital Selfie (Inspired)

 What do you want?

What Am I Doing Here?
I Should Ask You the Same, 2022

I am Renee Ramos, a B.F.A Illustration preparing for my show in the spring. I love science-fiction and fantasy art which makes up the bulk of my portfolio, along with my collection of happy families and work illustrations. While working, I spend time listening to political podcasts and keeping up to date on what is going on with LGBTQ politics. I also listen to a lot of queer history stories, which makes me grateful that I could live freely during this time period. However, with too much news consumption, I run into terrible news about violence against gay and trans people and how it is still an ongoing problem due to conservative dogma. I also cannot believe that women's autonomy is still being debated. I am very passionate about many socio-political issues, and I believe everyone should be passionate about fighting for fundamental human rights for others. 

For my artist, I chose Jenna Gribbon, a feminist portrait painter whose primary subject confronts the gendered gaze. Her paintings of her recently wedded wife, Toress Scott, feature the subject in powerful poses, and intimate compositions, most of which have a mirror that reflects her gaze back at the viewer. Her work can be considered activism in the art world, as she is a queer artist, making art that goes against the male gaze and is a commentary about how women are viewed as objects or fetishized by their nudity. Gribbon's paintings of Torress aim to make the viewer uncomfortable as the portrait looks at the viewer as they look at her body. In the Frick gallery show Living Histories: Queer Views and Old Masters, What Am I Doing Here? I Should Ask You the Same, Gribbon was inspired by Hans Holbien's ornate paintings of Sir Thomas Moore and Thomas Cromwell. The two paintings have spent a century facing off against each other, as they were mortal enemies during their lives; Gribbon interrupts this fight with her painting of Torress, who is posed with power and intensity. Instead of painting the subject in profile, she is facing forward, legs spread with an expression that confronts the audience. Gribbon describes this painting as camp, considering the bright purple velvet suit, red coat, and six rings the subject wears. Gribbon states, " Painting women with incredible presence and power. It is something clearly lacking in the history of painting." Like her other work, this painting is about the gendered gaze, putting the woman in power instead of being objectified by the viewer. 

My selfie was inspired by a collection of Jenna Gribbon's paintings featuring the subject posing in front of a mirror in awkward angles, covering her eyes, and staring back at the viewer. I was also influenced by the commentary of What Am I Doing Here? I Should Ask You the Same, where the subject is forward facing and antagonizing. In addition, I wanted to take my profile because the angle is very dramatic and powerful in its own right. My profile and portrait also appear to hold different expressions; while one is more composed and distinguished, the other confronts the viewer. She has folded hands on her lap with her nose turned up, somewhat annoyed that the viewer interrupted her. Meanwhile, in the background, I have my self-portrait peeking over my shoulder, also looking at the viewer. Like this selfie, the portrait is annoyed that the viewer invaded her personal space. This selfie is a combination of my research and an homage to Jenna Gribbon's portrait work. 

The Self Portrait 
In Question 
2020 

Gabriel Diaz's Intro

  5 Things about me

- Im an aspiring fashion designer

- I am very passionate about anything art related.

- I love architecture and interior design

-I'm from the Dominican Republic

- I love fashion and can talk about it for hours if you dont stop me :)

5 social things I am passionate about

- Inner city violence

- I am extremely anti war 

- Pollution and the state of our earth

-Prison reform

-Poverty 

One of my favorite artists and someone who can be considered a social activist is Jean Michele Basquiat. He is someone who I can relate to on many levels and I have watched countless documentaries and interviews on Basquiat and I have also visited the exhibition that his family put together in NY. He was not afraid to speak his mind and being one of the only black artists on the art scene is something I admire very much. His art is very interesting to me because to an average person it may look like a child developed these paintings but he has a specific technique and style that many people copy and take inspiration from today. 

I took these pictures at the Basquiat Exhibition. It was amazing to see these pieces in person and learn about more about Basquiat.

Amelvis Villafane Selfie and 5 Facts

 5 Things About Me: 
I love to read, especially literary fiction.
I am a psych major with the intention to pursue a career in substance abuse counseling or adolescence counseling. 
I am a big fan of musical theatre and music in general. 
I am currently a barista at a cafe and have the intention to work up into higher management until I am finally ready to pursue counseling. 
I tend to be a bit of an overachiever and can over exert myself. 
5 Social Issues
Black and Brown rights
LGBTQ rights
Low income communities lack of resources
Feminism 
Afro-latinx rights and recognition

Lin Manuel Miranda 

Lin Manuel Miranda is from New York and is of Puerto Rican descent. He is a singer, songwriter, playright, actor, rapper, and activist. He is most known for his broadway shows Hamilton and In the Heights, but also created the soundtracks of Vivo, Moana, and Encanto. A lot of Miranda's work put an emphasis on the recognition of Black and brown rights, especially those involving latinx and hispanic community. In the show In the Heights, a song called 96,000 talks about what life would be like for those who live in low income poor communities if they won the lottery. The whole film brings awareness to the latinx community in New York. It talks about issues with immigration being undocumented and holding onto your latin roots during tough times. Below are the lyrics to the most impactful lines in the song. 

"Yo, with ninety-six thousand, I'd finally fix housin'

Give the barrio computers with wireless web browsin'

Your kids are living without a good edu-ma-cation, change the station

Teach them about gentrification, the rent is escalatin' (What?)

The rich are penetratin' (What?)

We pay our corporations

When we should be demonstratin' (What?)

What about immigration? (What?)

Politicians be hating (What?)

Racism in this nation's gone

From latent to blatant! (WOOOH!)

I'll cash my ticket and picket, invest in protest

Never lose my focus 'til the city takes notice

And you know this, man!

I'll never sleep because the ghetto has a million promises for me to keep!"

My intentions were to touch upon a couple of things in my selfie. First thing is to reasonably capture my natural hispanic self. Meaning no straightening my hair, keeping my face bare and not trying to hide any latinx features in my face. Emphasizing my latin features helps show the acts you see regularly in Lin Manuel work. The image shows a bunch of lottery scratch offs, and they represent both the actual lottery tickets in the song, and represents the "What if" questions he asks in the song. The song regularly talks about what each person would desire in life if they had won the lottery. The lottery scratch offs are supposed to be showing little moments of hope each low income person has everytime they buy a lottery ticket. It subtly explains how many black and latina The image is definitely more impactful when you learn that it is also taken in low income housing, in a community very similar to the one Lin Manuel Miranda is speaking about. 

 

Introduction Post

5 things about me 

- I like exercising

- I am the youngest of 3

- I like going dance

- I love music

- I'm a CJ major

5 social issues 

- Gun Violence 

- Women Empowerment

- Police corruption/misconduct/brutality

- Healthcare availability

- Bullying

The artist that inspired me is Amy Sherald, she's an American painter. Amy works mostly as a portraitist depicting African American doing everyday things. Her signature style is painting black people in gray monochrome set against everyday life like riding a bike or surfing on at the beach. Because there's this stigma around black people's life being tied to struggle, Amy instead uses her art to showcase the opposite. "My work doesn't commit black life to grief" she said. 

I am passionate about women's rights/empowerment because for so long women were denied opportunities, jobs, education. Women have been abused, stripped of their rights over and over. Girls and women continue to face significant challenges all around the world. Most times women are underrepresented in power and decision-making roles. Women usually receive unequal pay for equal work. As we've recently seen Roe vs Wade was overturned and abortion is now outlawed in many states, this has been made to reduce or completely eradicate women's control over their reproductive lives. 

Introduction

 Safa Mostafa

5 things about me

1. I'm the middle child

2. I'm Egyptian but born and raised in New Jersey

3. I lived in Istanbul for a year, studying abroad

4. I'm a political science major

5. I'm weirdly short, 4" 10'

5 issues I'm passionate about

1. Gun violence prevention

2. Women's reproductive justice

3. Universal healthcare

4. Affordable and equitable housing

5. Defunding the police

_______________________________________________

My favorite artist is Halimah from @artpce on Instagram; she's a new artist that creates artwork of black people being hanged in their homes; see the picture. She intentionally only paints portraits of black people for her own people because we don't necessarily know a lot of paintings of black people are portrayed positively or reflect their modern culture. It's beautiful, and while I don't own any of her artwork, decorating your space to reflect the life you want is essential. This is why most people create vision boards to manifest what they want.

I was born and raised in Jersey City, but I'm a product of Egyptian immigrant parents. When I was 18, I was working at Newport mall when the shooting happened. At the time, I was also apart of the only student gun violence prevention organization in the city. Then a few months after I turned 19, the horrific mass shooting in Greenville happened and I couldn't reach my little sister who was in Snyder, she's was okay, just told not to use her phone. I care about gun violence prevention because it's impacted me more then once. In 2020, I stopped my activism, like everyone else my mental health wasn't the greatest at the time. The burn out of providing from an empty cup is something I'm still learning to come back from. I don't consider myself an activist, more of a person who does what she can in her capacity to make her community better for those around. weather that's donating clothes or money or harrasing my congressmen by calling repeatedly to pass a bill, it's still something to better the world we live in. And that is good enough for me.

 

 

Daniel's Introduction

5 major issues:

1. Gun Violence 

2. Mental Health 

3. War in Ukraine 

4. Cyber Attack

5. Homelessness 

About me:

1. Love: Drawing ✍

2. Love: Fantasy 🧙‍♂️

3. Love: Goats 🐐 

4. Love: EDM 🎵

5. Hate: Spiders 🕷 

Me and the 🐐 

Jeff Koon and "Play-Doh" sculpture

Hi everyone! My names Daniel, an illustration major! What I'm passionate about is drawing and designing fantasy characters for novels or animation videos. I'm very skeptical when it comes to gun control. Some people think it's a functional system, but in reality it's not. The news I keep hearing that somebody got shot stresses me out. Shooting people who are vulnerable with mental health issues is even more disturbing. What bothers me a lot is that we haven't come with a solution yet since people are still getting harmed by dangerous people with guns. To this day, people still have to be cautious around their environment if there's shooting again. 

The artist that inspires me is Jeff Koon, he's an artist that's known to make art pieces that represents an everyday life. From my perspective, his art pieces encourages me to enjoy the simplest things such as making balloon animals, playing play-doh and interacting animals. In a way, he helps us to not take things for granted and cherish your every moment. It also impresses me of the gesture he makes to show people what their potential is with his art pieces. My favorite art piece from him is the "Play-Doh" sculpture. His sculpture not only achieved to grab the audiences attention with its colorful presentation, but it also gives us a message that people are capable to find their potential in their own way, like playing play-doh. 

Introduction_Caitlyn Cathel Salas

Five things about me:

1. I started off going to school at Felician as a nursing student. Before leaving Felician, I switched to a psychology major, but I was still not happy.

2. I love tattoos and piercings. I started working on my arm and leg sleeve over the last two years, and I have about 10 piercings (all are on my ears lol).

3. Eventually, I secretly applied to NJCU as an art therapy major in order to pursue my two passions: art & helping people. Only my mother knew about it and fully supported my decision to pursue a major that matched me better. Basically, my mother is the only person who always pushed me to chase my passions as long as I put in the effort.

4. While in school I work a full time job to support myself; last year I was working two jobs and going to school full time.

5. My free time is spent drawing on either paper or on my iPad. I want to be a tattoo artist in the future but who knows. Art has always been my passion.

I am very passionate about women's rights, feminism and mental health overall. I know oftentimes the lines between feminism and a general dislike for men can be blurred, but personally, I do not care to be equal to a man. I just always wanted to do as I please without the authority of a man who has no experience of what it means to be a woman & a woman of color trying to regulate that for me. It was always about equal opportunity for me rather than feeling equal to the opposite gender. Also, I have failed to understand why being an advocate for mental health or even acknowledging the importance of mental health is so "de-masculating" for men. I feel as though it takes more courage to speak up about a tough subject like mental health rather than saying nothing at all.

My favorite artist is Frida Kahlo. I was introduced to her in high school because an art teacher I've had compared my artwork & personality to her. As a junior in high school, I took a trip to the Brooklyn Museum to see her exhibit, and I instantly fell in love with her. She was one of the main woman that carved the path for the feminist movement through her many paintings. She wasn't afraid to go against the grain and express herself, her life and her mental health in the way she had see fit. She was a big fighter against patriarchal oppression and an icon for the LGTBQ+ community considering that she was open enough to discuss her sexuality about her relations with both men and women.

One of my favorite works from Frida Kahlo's collection is the Self Portrait with Cropped Hair. The selfie I chose to use to show myself is my own depiction of what she created; Frida's long hair is cut and she is wearing a dark suit, all representing a more masculine visual of her. The quote reads "Mira que si te quise, fue por el pelo/Ahora que estas pelona, ya no te quiero" which translates to "See, if I loved you, it was for your hair/ Now you're bald, I don't love you anymore." This painting was to shine a light on her separation from Diego & how she completely abandoned her feminine look by cutting her hair & dressing in men's clothing; the only thing she kept feminine was her choice of jewelry on her ears. The selfie I posted of myself was my own rendition of that, but with the message that just because my hair is short and I'm wearing sweatpants, it does not take away from my feminine energy. My hair used to be about over a foot longer than it is right now; I had thick, light brown hair that reached to my lower back. I was told by many male figures in my life that I would not be as attractive or feminine if my hair was short, but this was the style that I felt the most confident in. My picture is supposed to represent how the length of hair or choice of clothing does not take anything away from, but how I carry myself is the true definition of femininity and being a woman in a toxic society that favors the male gaze.

Five social justice issues:

1. Women's rights; the right to have authority of my own body is a right that is extremely overlooked.

2. Equal opportunity for women of color. Being a hispanic woman who is a part of the LGBTQ+ community has presented more than a few obstacles for me throughout my life. Has that ever stopped me? Of course not, but I just feel as though another person should not have authority over a body that they do not own.

3. More strict birth control testing regulations. Most of my family was born & raised in different parts of Puerto Rico, and when I was learning about contraception in school and the history of contraception, I found that the women from Puerto Rico were used as test subjects for the birth control pill when it was in its early stages of being created.

4. Mental health; breaking the stigmas between mental health and the hispanic culture

5. Breaking gender norms/rules; I feel as though people on the internet are painting the idea that a woman or feminine-presenting person who is seen as "independent" is presenting herself as too masculine. In my perspective, I was raised with the ideology that if I wanted something, I had to make efforts and work hard in order to obtain my wants and needs; that's not being masculine, its being myself. I don't feel the need to wait for someone else to help me or do something for me where I am capable.

Renee's Five Things About Me

Things about me

1. I am a B.F.A in Illustration. 
2. I enjoy Fantasy and Science Fiction. 
3. I have a Shih-Tzu who likes to steal from me. 
4. I did mural work after I graduated high school. 
5. In sophomore year I took a zoom oil painting class in my bedroom. I worked until the painting started talking to me. 

5 Socio-political issues I am passionate about: 

1. Universal Healthcare (disability rights)
   - Basic health care should not cost millions of dollars. I literally cannot afford to get sick! If you're disabled and need proper resources and mobility devices. Good luck because your insurance might not deem the most practical and life-improving device necessary. Not to mention that insurance can stop paying for life-saving medicine at anytime. 
2. Abortion rights- It's 2023; why are we still having this conversation when greater issues are being dealt with in this country? It's absurdist. 
3. Poverty in the U.S. 
   - It is too expensive to live in this country, depending on where you are. Food accessibility is also an issue in this area. 
4. Gay/Trans rights/ safety
   - I am a lesbian, and most of my friends are LGBTQ. It is hard to think that families and groups antagonizing people can harm others. Recently a white supremacist group shot at power stations to stop a drag show from performing. It knocked out power for 40,000 people over a drag show. It is still unsafe for LGBTQ people even if we have the right to marry. 
5.  Police brutality
   - It is self-explanatory. Everyone should be protected by the police, not terrified by their incompetency. 

Brionna Dunkley’s introduction

5 things about me

1. I am a  hairstylist 

2. I am a  Jamaican /American     

3 . I am a  sociology major     

4.I am a first-generation college student

5. I am a Christian 

5 social things I'm passionate about

1. Gender equality 

2. Fashion

3. Mental health

4. Learning about different cultures

5. Visiting Church

Introduction

Five things about me:

1. I'm a photographer, and most of my work is fine art self-portraiture. I also take pictures of my daughter frequently, I also do still life photography, and toy photography as well

2. I'm a nerd, I watch a lot of anime, I read comics, and manga, I'm a cosplayer, I watch a lot of pop culture shows and movies, etc.

3. I am a collector, I collect figures, statues, graphic t-shirts, etc.

4. I want to be a photography educator. I want to teach others what I love, which is photography.

5. I am a mom. I have a daughter, her name is Dahiana. 

Five social things I'm passionate about:

1. I am passionate about mental health, which I think is an important topic to talk about. A lot of people struggle to even accept that they need help. We need to talk about it more and make sure every day more people know the importance of taking care of our mental health.

2. I am also passionate about the addition to social media, it worries me how the addiction grows by the second, and we are losing a little touch of reality. We are not paying attention to what is around us because we are more worried about what is going on on Tik Tok, Instagram, etc.

3. As an immigrant myself, I am passionate about immigrant equality, especially as an immigrant artist, it would be nice if we get the same opportunities as the majority does.

4. Gun control is something that worries me, and I am passionate to talk about it because as a mom gun scares me, and worrying about it because I am scared for my daughter and all the kids of this country, is something I shouldn't worry about, but here we are.

5. Lastly, I am very passionate about Beauty standards. We live in a world that is dominated by social media, and with that, we have people who pretend they have a perfect life. Also, we have filters that erase "people's imperfections" which is a problem and a bad example to young girls and people with insecurities. These factors and many more create beauty standards that many people can follow, and that creates problems such as depression, and sadly suicide. 

Nan Goldin: Photography And LBGTQ+ Activism

Nan Goldin is a photographer and an activist. The main themes of Nan Goldin's works are love, sexuality, and gender. Through her intense, personal, captivating, and intimate photographs Nan Goldin is one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century.

The name Nan Goldin is associated, almost intrinsically, with provocation. Provocation and vindication that she does not show only in her photographs but that it is a way of life, a declaration of principles and values ​​that she has made clear, in recent days, leading protests in front of prestigious art galleries in New York. Nan Goldin continues to be a warrior, an unconditional fighter for just causes, and the visibility of the forgotten.

Nan Goldin took a self-portrait (shown above) to remind herself why she should never have a relationship with the man who had done this to her, her partner until the moment he nearly blinded her in one eye with a beating.

My self-portraiture

In my self-portrait, I wanted to make a statement because I have been mistreated many times in my life, and is not in my nature to confront people. I find photography to be the only way I can express my feelings. I have the words that have hurt me the most on my chest and my mouth has a taping that conveys all the times that I have wanted to say something, and I've been silent but wanting to explode from the frustration. I used Nan Goldin as an inspiration because her work inspired me to express myself more through self-portraiture. She taught me that it is important to speak up and that the documentation of our pain is also a reminder that we can overcome our darkest moments. She also taught me that it is important to express through photography whatever is important to us, because at some point people will notice, and it will have more meaning as time passes. It is important to be persistent, and most importantly, believe in ourselves.

Devanee Osorio's Intro & Selfie

Hey guys my name is Devanee Osorio! (Dev for short). I am a graphic design and arts major. Aside from graphic design, I love painting abstract art. I'm puerto rican and love being puerto rican. I love eating and listening to music. Im a libra and I love being outside. I love the aesthetics of futurism and etherealism. I would say that I am attracted to more unique things, not the usual or things that don't make sense, hence abstract art. I would say I'm like an introverted extrovert. I love being creative and I love creating it's what keeps me going truly.

The artist I was inspired by is Barabara Krueger. I'm pretty sure a lot of people have heard of her before. She is the Helvetica lady😂 I thought this would be perfect for me because how I actually got into design was through collaging, as she was noted for doing. She uses a lot of black and white and gets her message across through text within boxes. I have especially inspired by Barbra's untitled "Your Body is a Bodyground" piece for the Women's March in Washington. I was inspired by it to be the muse of my selfie because I believe women should have rights to their own bodies. We are constantly controlled and told by men what to do with our bodies when they have no idea what it's like to deal with society's standards. As well as how women's bodies work. I believe feminism is sort of losing its true meaning and being misinterpreted as time goes on but I still a lot of work needs to be done there. Barabara also talked about consumerism and politics which is stuff I also believe needs to be more spoken upon. People are losing sight of humanity due to this world of capitalism. Let's just all escape to the matrix.

 social issues: Income gap, gun violence, Racial injustice

SYLLABUS

Acts of Resistance: Activists, Interlopers and Pranksters

SPRING 2023

Wednesdays 9:55am-12:35pm

Prof. Doris Cacoilo      

*CLASS MEETINGS WILL BE HELD ON ZOOM (until further notice) AND CLASS ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE POSTED TO A CLASS BLOG.

CLASS BLOG:

https://actsofresistancesp2023.blogspot.com           

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This is a course about media subversives: people working outside of mainstream media institutions who nonetheless find creative and provocative ways to use the media for cultural, political, and/or economic critique and resistance. Over the course of the semester, we will examine a range of "alternative" media phenomena.

Activists + Interlopers + Pranksters will engage social analysis and cultural critique to examine and reflect on the media influences that effect (or distort) and inform (or misinform) our communities and culture. This course places value on being meta-aware of the relationship between culture and creative production within communities, as well as the necessity of being socially conscientious citizens.

This course uses culture studies and social analysis to investigate the myriad ways in which individuals, groups and subcultures use creative productions to perform and manifest ‘acts of resistance’ against the hegemony of western Eurocentric culture, dominant societal institutions, and class/power structures. The course will examine the American consumer culture and unpack the influence capitalism can have on communities and the production of culture and sub-culture.

The goal of this course will not be simply to romanticize "outlaws", nor will it merely condemn them as criminals or troublemakers. Instead, it will focus on how and why such figures struggle against the global "media monopoly" so that students might come to a richer understanding of the nature of the media's considerable political and cultural power, and the ways that ordinary people can engage with powerful cultural institutions as active participants, innovative creators, and powerful critics. 

This course encourages a broader consideration of citizenship by thinking critically about the relationship of images, values and ideals in a highly complex visual world. Conscientious citizenship is also honed by examining cultural forces and the effect they have on personal and social values and ideals. Students will think critically and complexly about issues of media, culture, politics, and how creative productions can influence these.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING

Our class time will be split between discussion, lecture, and presentations ON ZOOM.  While in discussion please be respectful of the opinions of others even if they stand diametrically opposed to your own. You must be in class ON TIME and prepared for class each week. Failure to do so will be reflected in your participation grade. Failure to do so consistently can lead to failure in the course.

REQUIRED TEXTS

The Art of Activism, Your All-Purpose Guide to Making the Impossible Possible by Steve Duncombe and Steve Lambert, OR Books, New York 2021

This is What I Know About Art by Kimberly Drew, Penguin Workshop, New York 2020 

The Interventionists: Users’ Manual for the Creative Disruption of Everyday Lives edited by Nato Thomson and Gregory Sholette, MIT Press, Cambridge 2004 (only used copies available. Also available online as a pdf at: http://www.gregorysholette.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Interventionists_03_14_041.pdf)

Additional readings on Blackboard http://blackboard.njcu.edu/ and linked online.

READINGS AND CLASS PARTICIPATION Various weekly reading assignments will be assigned from the required texts, on blackboard and linked on the blog. The full reading schedule will be distributed on the class blog. Readings are due each week. All readings are REQUIRED unless otherwise stated. 

ATTENDANCE Attendance is mandatory. More than one unexcused absence in the class will begin to count against your grade. Attendance and participation in the class discussions make up your attendance/participation grade. Each absence beyond one will count against this average.

FOR CLASS DISCUSSION: For each week’s readings you must select two quotes or passages from each of the readings and write a brief reaction to each quote. I will periodically collect these assignments on our class blog. Please have them typed up each week so you can access them during class. I will call on students each week during our Zoom class discussion to read and discuss these quotes in class.

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS Two short essay assignments that draw on the class readings in response to our in-person visits to the art galleries at NJCU will be due during the semester. These will be explained in class and will be described in detail on the class blog. These assignments will be submitted by posting to the class blog.

ART AND ACTIVISM INTERVENTION PROJECTS

This is a three-part project that asks students to think about and research the database of current events and social issues. Look to issues, artists, movements or citizen actions that exemplify acts of resistance. We will be highlighting many during the semester. Using the readings and resources of the course as a way to make a critical argument, create a project that acts as advocacy, intervention, performance or amplifies a social issue of your choice. Look to other art projects, artists and movements to inspire, and connect to your own interventions.

The goal of this multi-part assignment is to get you to take a stand on a significant issue(s) related to the course material and then to highlight and support past or current acts of resistance. In order to be a conscientious participant in community and society, one must attend the current events and important social/political struggles of current times. Race relations, gender equality, social justice, health care, reproductive rights, privacy, corporate regulation, marriage equality, religious tolerance, LGBT rights, etc. are all examples of issues citizens have engaged in acts of opposition and resistance, using any number of creative strategies.

INTERVENTION 1+2: In response to the artists, issues and projects we discuss and learn in class, students must design and create art activism projects that are directly inspired by projects that they learn in class. Each project will be in response to a particular artist's work or several artists works. These short projects will explore art advocacy and intervention. The projects will allude to physical and public interventions but can be created for the purposes of this semester to be interventions during isolation and social distancing. The projects will involve the creation of a meme/performance and a poster/print project. These will be assigned and specified in class and on blog.

INTERVENTION 3 FINAL: Choosing any one or combination of processes that you have explored during the semester design and create an extensive art intervention. This can involve any combination of approaches and media. The project should connect to your own ideas of advocacy, social justice and resistance. Through an oral, written and visual presentation of your artwork you will make a case for why this act of resistance is important, timely and worth engaging in and promoting.

Consider and research extensively and thoughtfully the history and development of the issue you have chosen. The themes and topics of the course have had a recurring history of friction within America’s culture and institutions.You will need to describe and explain the strategies that have been used and are now being used to engage this issue and explain how the example you have chosen to highlight fits into the larger issue. Be sure to research extensively and thoughtfully in choosing your project. You must connect to the work of other artists and activists in your presentation. You will present the research and historical background, supporting your artist(s) or movement(s) along with the project. Your project should coincide with your own professional ambitions. Projects can be performance, social-engagement interactions, community interventions, video/photography, print/poster, painting, sculpture, audio and sound projects, and other forms.

Final projects will include a writing portion that explains the project and presents the research. The writing project can take the form of an online article, an essay, a blog, a website, tumblr, or even a podcast. Students can present ideas outside of this list if they would like to propose other ways of presenting their writing for this assignment.

GRADING

Attendance is mandatory and all assignments must be finished and handed in on time to receive a passing grade for this course.

60% semester projects 

20% 2 blog posts 

20% attendance/participation (Contributions to class discussion + attendance)

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Students will:

1. Develop an objective understanding of visual communication practices.

2. Value judging, appropriation, and cooperation as strategies for creative problem solving.

3. Correlate the role of information and visual design to cultural production as a means of mass influence.

4. Interpret the difference between cliché and archetype, cultural construct and stereotype, representation and signification.

5. Create alternative strategies for cultural interactions as a means to disrupt common interpretations.

6. Integrate social and empirical research into projects.

7. Consider creative problem solving as a way to invent solutions to real world problems.

8. Engage substantially with a significant social, cultural, and/or political issue.

 

HEALTH AND SAFETY

You are not to risk the health or safety of yourself or any of the other people in the Art department. To ensure safety strictly follow all safety procedures explained to you as well as the New Jersey City University regulations. If you have any concerns or questions or are ever unclear about proper safety and health procedures, then ask the instructor or appropriate authority.  

If you feel you have any special concerns or problems that you would like to address please feel free to bring them to my attention. If there are any health concerns, either physical or psychological, that may affect your ability to fully participate in the class or complete assignments I am available to discuss possible solutions or address any of your concerns. If you have health or disability concerns that you would like to address but do not feel it is appropriate to discuss them with me there are services on campus available to address your concerns; contact Student/Health Services (Vodra Hall, Suite 107, 201-200-3456), the Art Department Office, or feel free to see me for contact info.