2009 Fall: COLA 1001 The Art of Collaboration

Thursday=Assignment

2009-11-09T06:09:56Z

PROPOSE AN EXPERIMENT
Consider this work as a micro/tiny world..How do we go inside the microscope?
Our laboratory is small so plan accordingly in regards to what you want your collaborators to do.

YOUR PROPOSAL:
Create an experiment for the entire class.
The duration should be 1-3 minutes.
Explore thoughts-actions-ideas that may intersect with your current thinking/classes.
Write and present a hard copy of your proposal/ idea.
Bring all necessary materials to realize your experiment.
Consider the gesture of your idea. How does it flow?
Push your personal boundaries.

walls and a cipher

2009-11-02T02:19:39Z

I thought the discussion at the end of our last session was really interesting and I just wanted to put some of my thoughts and questions onto the blog, perhaps for the chance to bring some of the discussion outside of the Thursday sessions.

First, the idea of walls as a structural element in identity and character. It is obvious that a set of walls is unique to each individual person. They must come about for a variety of reasons: familial tradition, cultural tradition, self-exploration, the conditions exerted upon one by the outside world or simply individual experience both from a central and periphery view. Furthermore some are inherited, some are acquired willfully, others are imposed both consciously and unconsciously. In a way our interaction with each other is guided by these walls as points that inform our navigation of the world of communication and communicability. Without them there is chaos, or perhaps it's the highest order that is free from reference points?

I am interested specifically in how we (you in this case) manage these self structures. How does a wall become built into your infrastructure, how do you take some of them down once they become useless. Is there a certain set you keep forever, such as a certain code of conduct, or a set of morals. Why does a wall become obsolete, and is it erased or replaced by something else?

How many of these walls are informed upon us by outside agents. Family, government, mentors, friends. How do you decipher which ones are true, honest? Which ones based on a false premise?

Is there a conscious connectivity on your individual part to create connectivity between these structures and your in-depth study of a specific area of expertise here at the university? If so what is the particular goal of your study?

I feel and share a particular view on this as if the study was simply a refinement of the thinking mechanism, almost disconnected from the actual set of knowledge. It is this training that allows the mind to transcribe any given set of actions that is given to it once you establish a goal that you really want to achieve.

Another concept I find interesting in this discussion is that of a cipher. Secondary knowledge, primarily through literature, visual and audible sources almost always requires a cipher. When hip-hop was being created and as it moved through a variety of states, a cipher was always a necessity to make hip-hop available to people outside of the culture. In this way any of the new knowledge that is being created, and a lot of it that has already been created requires a cipher. That is outside of a certain universal standard, for example the majority of our generation knowing how to operate a basic computer.

A cipher allows for two individuals to connect their knowledge (multiple individuals, societies, etc..). In this sense it is almost an individual affair, as each person has to figure out his/her own cipher to the outside world. How do I put my ideas and thoughts out into the public sphere in a way that will make it possible for me to connect with others who can remix or reflect them.

There are of course walls established by family, culture, and government that allow these connections to be made, because we sort of inherently understand how to navigate the basics of human interconnection. We are taught.

But I see an incredible amount of failure in this every day. If you don't actively build your set of ciphers you become limited to a certain layer of society. And here is another scenario, the people that do understand each other, but in the context of a commercial world choose to take advantage of each other... what is their deal?

How does the net alter these definitions and processes by which they are implemented into our minds? And would the net aid in the global acquisition of ciphers, or would there still be large fractions of societies all over the world who will continue to be as lost in the net as they are in the real world...

Anyways...just throwing some thoughts out there, if you can add something I would definitely be happy.

peace

Assignment for Thursday Oct 22nd Time/Duration

2009-10-16T13:05:26Z

#1
Find a space that you enjoy.
Spend one hour in the space in complete silence,i.e. no cell phone, i pod, talking.
As you experience the space/time duration/silence keep a record through a system of mark making, doodling, drawing let your hand move freely. Bring this "record" to class on Thursday.

#2
Take a daily mundane action, something you do everyday and repeat it for 1/2 hour.
Write a brief description of your experience and bring it to class on Thursday.

MIA Thursday Oct. 1

2009-09-30T06:54:56Z

The MIA
Minneapolis Institute of Art.
MIA: "Missing in Action." "Make Interesting Actions" "Many Ideas Interconnect" "My Itchy Armature"
Remember you will have one hour to locate a work that's Gesture will be received and continue in an individual presentation the following week.(Oct. 8th) Be brave, let the gesture you create transport/push/inform itself to a place/action/thinking that will surprise you. You will also bring in your "Document" on Oct 8th to share with your collaborators.

Candlelit Performances

2009-09-29T13:24:18Z

I especially enjoyed watching all of the performances and seeing how each group tackled the project. It was a good way to start off the collaborative thinking in my opinion since the limitations were so simple, it allowed each group to focus on the flow and learning how to best work together to create a performance. My group had amazing flow, we were having to shut down ideas by the end of it to keep it simplistic enough. After the discussion about gesture and flow I'm also looking forward to how people interpret art through physical gestures.

MIA

2009-09-24T23:02:39Z

I think the MIA will be a very broad and full of great art work.
i'm glad to have gotten into this class and explore all the creative things in this world.

The Tea Candle Shadow Collaboaration

2009-09-24T21:50:05Z

Please take a moment and share some thoughts about your experience in regards to this project.
Michael

The Art of Collaboration

2009-09-24T16:20:58Z

What is the art of collaboration? I know I have trouble coming up with ideas to explain the actual art of collaboraation itself. Collaboration is easily defined as two things coming together to form and create something different. The art of it is the actual way its put togther, the reason behind a project, and so on. As this class goes on I do believe that I will fully understand what the art of collaboration really is. It is still early in the year, and I will need a little time to help my ideas evolve and to start and understand the concept of art in collaboration.

The Minneapolis Institute of Art: Space-Gesture-Flow

2009-09-24T03:02:00Z

Next Thursday, October 1st, our class will meet in the lobby of the Minneapolis Art Institute (MIA).

You will use the first 1/2 of class time to travel from the West Bank to the MIA.

You may only use the Transit System (#2) or a bike. Please go on line for schedule and bus stop.

After we have met in the lobby you will have one hour to explore the collection. With the goal of locating a work that you respond to in an immediate way. You will then create a brief, simple gestural response to the work. After one hour we will regroup and share your gestural response with the work you have selected.

You will use the remaining class time to return to the West Bank.
This gestural response will culminate in an individual project the following week

The author role for you

2009-09-18T20:34:56Z

Author. Can create entries and pages, can edit their own entries and pages, upload files and publish. Can comment.

the art of collaboration

2009-09-17T14:49:32Z

cola.pdf

please, do make general comments!

2009-09-07T15:57:25Z

We deeply appreciate your input written in a collaborative spirit. Please, try to write comments that help improve our mutual understanding and our motivation to unfold collaboration. Best, Guerino

Syllabus ARTS 1905/COLA 1001, Fall 2009

2009-09-02T18:44:22Z

University of Minnesota

The Program for the Collaborative Arts

The Art of Collaboration

ARTS 1905, COLA 1001

Thursday 1:25-4:25 pm.

Regis Center W 217

3 Credits

Instructor Information

Guerino Mazzola

Office 164 Ferguson

Office: 612 624 4487

Home: 651 222 3601

Email: mazzola@umn.edu

Office hours: by appointment

Michael Sommers

Office 572 Rarig

612.625.7013 (University office)

612.823.5162 (Studio, Open Eye Figure Theatre)

Email: somme034@umn.edu

Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 11:3o-12: 30 or by appointment. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me.

Prerequisites

None

Course Description

This introductory course presents the characteristics and the challenges of collaboration through representative approaches from the visual arts, music, literature, media and theater. The course content is designed upon three pillars: the collaborative space, flow and gesture. Through concrete problematic situations, in class discussion, readings and proposed themes students will work collaboratively to create a series of events/works to be presented in class. The Art of Collaboration is a laboratory, a place to play, inspire, question and fail. It is a platform to unlock personal images, and to cross boundaries. The class includes lectures by guest artists as well as exploration of the cultural landscape of the Twin Cities.

Goals and Objectives

The course objective is to make the students acquainted with the characteristics and challenge of collaboration, to teach them the intellectual and behavioral instruments of performing this art, specifically the installation and handling of a collaborative space, the flow performance of a distributed identity, and the communicative tools set forth by interdisciplinary exchange of ideas.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1: Active Participation: A willingness and readiness to participate, ask questions, respond to idea, take a critical stance, to take risks, work collaboratively and respect and support the thinking of others.

2: Attendance: is mandatory for full participation. You must notify the instructor if you are going to miss a class or expect to be late. For each unexcused absence (after the allotted 2, please do not use them) your grade will be lowered ½ letter grade.

3: Reading assignments will be given periodically. It is expected you will read and be prepared to discuss the reading at the next class.

4: There will be three in-class performance projects exploring the forms and techniques as discussed in the the lab. You will be given time inside class for project development and creation but outside time may be expected.

-The work should demonstrate: preparation, application of techniques and vocabulary explored in the class, with strong specific choices, artistic focus and commitment.

-A short written self-evaluation will be due after each performance; criteria for this will be discussed after each assignment.

5: Each student will be required to keep a written record THE DOCUMENT; the criteria fort his will be discussed in class.

6: The Final Project:

A team will work to create and develop a final project that will be presented the last day of class. Through the course of the semester the students will develop and propose their idea.

EVALUATION AND GRADING CRITERIA

30% Participation and Attendance

30% In Class Projects

20% Growth

15% Final Project

5% The Document

Grading A-F

0-100 steps: 95-100 = A, 90-94 = A-, 85-89 = B+, 76-84 = B, 70-75 = B-, 65-69 = C; 60-64 = C-, 50-59 = D, 0-49 = F.

Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will lead to failure.

Calender

Weeks 1-5:Survey of Creative Collaboration

The Gesture: Playing and Making

Weeks 5-13: Practice and Critique of Collaboration

The Collaborative Space and Flow

Weeks 14-15: Final Project

Pillar of Guerino Mazzola

The embodied pulsation between the gesture of making, the processs, and the resulting facts.

Collaboration is spanned between the agents, which jointly make the labor, the processes they instanciate in so doing, and the resulting objects, facts, and works. We focus on the conceptual and technical devices needed in order to control these three layers of embodiment of knowledge production and their interplay. Collaboration must therefore transcend the merely interdisciplinary objectives, it has to deal with a different behavior in the making, in the communication between the agents, and in the critique of the resulting works, which bounce back to their creators. We shall typically exemplify this philosphy by examples from the world of jazz.

Pillar of Michael Sommers

The Body in Performance.

Students will explore the boundaries and intersections where multiple art forms and practices converge. Students will collaborate to co-author and co-create a series of works for in-class and public performance. Emphasis will be on exploring the collaborative process and the possibilities of integrating visual art, music, theatre and dance to create interdisciplinary and collaborative thinking, art, and performance.

Selected Original References

(1) Anne Bogart: A Director Prepares 2001

(2) Guerino Mazzola and Paul B. Cherlin: Flow, Gesture and Spaces in Free Jazz--Towards a Theory of Collaboration. Springer, Heidelberg 2009

(3) Keith Sawyer: Group Creativity: Music, Theatre, Collaboration 2003

________________

ArtOfColaSlyabus.pdf

How to put video onto our blog

2009-09-02T14:37:36Z

1. make a video
2. upload the video to mediamill using the media mill uploader
3. go to media mill and add "title", "description", "credits", ...
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6. select our weblogs "2009 Fall: COLA 1001 The Art of Collaboration"
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