1.  Mapping

See detailed handout.  A few other things:  decide on a starting point that is important in both cities, follow the route as closely as possible.  You will face obstacles of all kinds-brave your way through them.  You may have to ask for permission to do certain things, walk through shallow water, go through buildings or over cars.  Don’t do anything illegal, but be dedicated.  Bring your maps to class, and your stories about your experiences.  How you record these stories is up to you, you can use all sorts of technological apparati or a pad and a pen.  You will be graded on the thoroughness of your research, the craft and quality of your final map, your dedication to your path and the overcoming of obstacles, the thorough and poetic representation of your experiences.

2.  Cinematic Precedents | Optical Toys

Research and build an early cinematic or image-transfer device.  There are many to choose from including but not limited to: magic lantern, peepshow, taumatrope, phenakistoscope, zoetrope, kinetoscope, praxinoscope, choreutoscope, kaleidoscope, anorthoscope, bioscope, chromotrope, flipbook, mutoscope, camera lucida, camera obscura.  There is a lot of information on pre and proto-cinematic devices, on optical toys and the precursors to animation in books and online.  You will be graded on the evidence of the depth of your research, the material quality of your device, how well it functions and your imaginative 21st century approach to the re-creation of a 19th century object.

3.  Happening

Score, present and document a Happening.  Choose your site(s) with care—what is the relationship between the what and the where, the who and the how?  Sets, costumes, and props can be part of your work; most important is that it should have material consequence.  Consider your role and experience as well as that of any participants or audience.  You will be graded on innovation, bravery, materiality, effect and your understanding and documentation of your experience.

4.  Presentation

Prepare a short presentation (5-7 minutes) that introduces an artist (chosen from the list) and their work to the class.  Research and present his or her background, a survey of his or her work, a thorough investigation of one or two specific (important) works.  Your presentation should include images and/or footage as well as information about how the artist’s work is conceived, diagrammed and documented and who inspires and in what context they produce their work.  Provide a class handout during class that includes this information in brief or outline, a select list of works, a select bibliography, and related URLs. You will not be able to do all or perhaps any of your research online.

5.  Final Projection Installation

To be discussed in detail during the course.