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Please mark it on your desktops as it will keep you up to date to all readings, assignments, course calendar, trip information, etc.
OH 12:30 > 2:00 PM JCA #210 and by appointment at jpepper@cazenovia.edu
SP 2019 Jen Pepper
Course schedule
M W F Museum as Medium FA 351.01
1:25 > 2:20 Coleman C
Final Exam: TUES MAY 14 2:45 > 4:45 PM
T TH Mid Century Modern Design & Thought FA309.A3.01
9:30 > 10:50 WM #244
Final Exam: MON MAY 13 10:15 > 12:15 PM
T TH Art History I FA 111.01
11:00 > 12:20 MacDonald Lecture Hall
(WM #345 until heat is corrected)
Final Exam: TUES MAY 14 12:30 > 2:30 PM
T TH Drawing I SA 111.01
2:00 > 4:50 PM JCA #206
Final Exam: FRI MAY 10 2:45 > 4:45 PM
1:25 > 2:20 Coleman C
Final Exam: TUES MAY 14 2:45 > 4:45 PM
T TH Mid Century Modern Design & Thought FA309.A3.01
9:30 > 10:50 WM #244
Final Exam: MON MAY 13 10:15 > 12:15 PM
T TH Art History I FA 111.01
11:00 > 12:20 MacDonald Lecture Hall
(WM #345 until heat is corrected)
Final Exam: TUES MAY 14 12:30 > 2:30 PM
T TH Drawing I SA 111.01
2:00 > 4:50 PM JCA #206
Final Exam: FRI MAY 10 2:45 > 4:45 PM
OH 12:30 > 2:00 PM JCA #210 and by appointment at jpepper@cazenovia.edu
Course Description
One can say that many historical, natural history and cultural museums are about the past.
It can also be said that museums, and their collections, assist in the structure our knowledge from what we take away from our visits. A collection, a gallery, a museum can be used almost as if it is a physical text about a specific topic.
FA351 is a structured course that provides an introduction to the design, administrative and behind the scenes workings of museums, galleries and the practice of collecting.
Museum as Medium examines what roles museums and galleries play in culture as they interface with the community as a functional site. Both Public and Private institutions.
This course is aimed for students who are interested in all aspects of gallery work and museum collections while also assisting students in preparations for future opportunities in exhibiting their own work, working in archives, and other similar institutions.
As a shared research and gallery practicum course, the course introduces students to the role of the museum; the makeup and functions of museums; galleries and collections; the role of the curator in the museum field along with other job descriptions; especially in the areas of collection management and exhibit preparation.
We will pay specific attention to the question of how museums shape histories and narratives; using particular organization strategies; deciding on what to collect (or not collect); exhibition design; the design of architectural flow; each that often demonstrate authoritative knowledge while allowing visitors to raise questions.
Through our investigation, we will learn how collections speak of power — who is doing the collecting and what is being collected, and the importance of installation as a conceptual frame that speaks to a narrative, practice and participation, and even power and politics.
The Art Gallery in Reisman Hall and the Deacon Student Gallery in Jephson Campus A building serve as two labs for this course, allowing each student to put their working knowledge into practice in the handling of artwork, the installation of work, gallery and exhibition preparation, wall text and label composing, de-installing of work, packaging, and shipping.
Field trips to various museums and galleries will provide students with direct working experience and gained knowledge of regional institutions in the area. These will be practicum site visits that will usually occur on Fridays introducing students to behind the scenes workings of:
Site Visits
The Hubbard Collection at the Cazenovia Public Library
Stone Quarry Hill Art Park, Cazenovia, NY
The Matilda Josyln Gage Foundation, Fayetteville, NY
The Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, NY
MOST Syracuse, NY
Cazenovia College’s Library’s Special Collections & Archives organized by Dr. Robert Greene*
It is my hope that each visit will give students first-hand information about the public sites, behind the scenes information provided by curators, gallery directors, and archivists of these regional institutions, and so much more.
Goals of the Course
Students who successfully complete this course will understand the basic functions of the museum/galleries including historical, cultural, art, scientific and natural history collections.
Students will gain a basic Introduction to how museum collections came to be during the Renaissance period, the history and creation of Wunderkammers, The American Museum & Charles Willson Peale.
Throughout the course, students will understand the basic core architecture of museums while gaining a deeper understanding of the social and cultural roles of such institutions play today.
FA351 presents students with the opportunity to understand different policies of collection management, including accessioning and disposal of objects, documentation, cataloging and data collection, display/exhibition planning, installing, basic care and conservation of artifacts.
It is intended that students will gain awareness of what constitutes exhibition planning and concepts:
- The psychology hoped to experience by the museum visitor
- The interpretation of artifacts
- The role of permanent and temporary exhibitions
- Curatorial planning
- Conceptual installation planning, orientation, and environment
- Care for special needs visitors
- Various presentation techniques; text and labels; the catalog: essay and photographic documentation; exhibition evaluation; insurance, etc.
- Exhibiting objects in non-traditional sites: Museum without Walls
- And more!
Students will discover actual museums throughout the world on the internet through virtual tours. Students will write critical response research papers to questions posed by the instructor while discovering International and North American museum collections that are “off the beaten track.”
Students will have the opportunity to put their knowledge to practice with hands-on work experience in the Art Gallery in Reisman Hall for the installation of the Annual Juried Student Exhibition, as well as one professional exhibition, and the possibility of collaborating alongside the BFA Senior Candidates as seniors plan and install their Thesis Exhibitions in the gallery.
Considering Marcel Duchamp’s In Advancement of a Broken Arm (1964) MoMA Learning on Line and other examples, present students with information of how the interpretation of an artifact has the ability to transform in various contexts. Projects from the common snow shovel (above), to the exotic, the Bell Jar, the vitrine and beyond.
Seeing an exhibition through from start to completion will put into practice various exhibition development techniques, extensive writing, research, documentation, and presentation. Students will present a final multimedia project as a Guest Curator: creating and planning; concept and design; object collecting; label construction; wall text written document; artifact checklist and database; installation architecture/ floor plan schematics; curatorial catalogue essay; digital image collection; three dimensional maquette realization of the The Virtual Gallery Tour. The multimedia project will serve as the culminating document for the course.
This course will provide students with an educational experience in the museum /archiving field while improving problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Snapshot of the course
• Introduction to museums & collecting and the purpose they serve
• History of museums and history of collecting as a functional site
• Museum definitions, types, and functions i.e. commercial, educational, historical, multi-arts, interdisciplinary, experimental, public spaces, venues without walls, etc.
• Collections & exhibition management, permanent vs. temporary installations > collecting collections
• Archiving, cataloging, wall text and other need of writing, digital files, websites
• Gain awareness in the various professions in museum and gallery work
• Collecting and disposal policies and practices
• Documentation and marketing
• Contracts and documents, database of artifacts
• Storage, packing, handling and installing
• Security and insurance collections-based research
• Become aware of current issues and philosophical questions surrounding museums and collections
• Understand the role of the museum/gallery visitor and their needs
Methods of instruction & classroom procedures
This course will function as a lecture and on-site practicum course, where information is exchanged primarily through discussion between students, faculty and through on-site visits with professionals in the field.
Class time will be spent in discussion of articles, slide presentations, research collecting, multimedia presentations, and fieldwork. Students will work independently as well as collaboratively in small groups.
Students will work alongside the Gallery Director for hands-on preparatory full gallery experience and will collaborate with BFA Seniors as they prepare their Thesis Exhibitions.
Student responsibilities & expectations
- It is the student’s responsibility to be prepared with all assignments in a thoughtful and fully engaged manner.
- Students need to be wary of time management concerns and restraints of the term.
- Should a student not understand an assignment fully, or have an idea of how to extend an assignment, the student needs to take the initiative and contact the professor.
- Students need to check college e-mail accounts daily.
- Students need to keep up with new course materials loaded onto the course Blog weekly.
Class Hours & Engagement
The effort that each student invests in this class will be reflected in their work.
The grade a student earns will also reflect this time and effort.
I will hold each student accountable to the potential I see in them. Make a commitment to this class and you will be rewarded with exciting growth in your thinking practices and hands-on skills.
This commitment requires cooperation, hard work, dedication, creativity, motivation, and perhaps most critically - being open to input and new ideas and a willingness to receive mentorship.
Attendance, Participation, Professionalism
A strong showing in this category can increase your final grade by a half grade, i.e. c+ becomes b-, b becomes b+!
However, a weak showing in this area can severely reduce your grade.
Students who miss class, in an extreme case, are responsible for notifying faculty prior to class start time.
Two excused absences will be acceptable, beyond that, each absence will impact the student's overall final grade by 2%
Students who are absent from a class are expected to be prepared with ALL assignments and readings due at the next class meeting.
Evaluation
The quality of the semester is what students bring to it.
It is expected that one’s participation is committed and remains active.
Museum as Medium requires serious engagement in all facets of the semester’s preparations: readings, discussion, initiated participation, research, study, thoughtfulness in critical thinking and planning.
Students should set high standards for their own work.
It is important that the student be prepared to initiate discussion regarding current readings and come to class with thorough notes.
Intellectual understanding and exploration of the readings and individual drive are significant factors in grading a student’s level of participation.
Hard work and improvement are recognized and therefore, will positively impact a student’s grade.
Lack of preparation, disengagement from course work, poor note taking, test scores, poor paper construction, avoidance of assignments and general lack of participation in discussion, incomplete and not prepared work will result in a lower grade.
Students are to attend class every day and be prepared with assignments, readings, and papers always!
Tardiness and absences will greatly hinder student progress in this course.
Methods of evaluation
Grades are determined by the following:
Project 1
Weekly Response Papers (500 words each) introduced in Week 1 and completed by the Monday of Week 2.
By the end of the semester, you should have completed ten. 20%
Project 2
Personal Collections, photographs, data collection, labeling 5%
Project 3
Project Bell Jar / fictional artifact; include 250-word text essay, label, media release 10%
Project 4
A collection of site visit synopsis and overviews, including two Off the Beaten Track 10%
Project 5
One student-led multimedia presentation and discussion
Find a selected reading and distribute to class one week prior to presentation
Find 3 image examples that qualify the information discovered in selected reading
Construct 4 critical questions that the essay purports
Develop and deliver a ten-minute multimedia presentation to the class
10%
Project 6
Exhibition Prospectus creation & selection 5%
Project 7
Installation and Deinstall Practicum in Gallery work 10%
Project 8
Students will have the opportunity to create fictional artifacts and realize them in three-dimensions as their own curatorial practice
20%
Overall student preparation, participation, class investment and completion of 2 minor assignments 10%
Student projects will be evaluated according to the following criteria: your solution to assignments, conceptual cohesion, evidence of individual growth (technically and conceptually), making use of the information and vocabulary presented throughout the course practice, during class and presentations, thoughtfulness and depthfulness of discovery and delivery via writing, making, presenting.
Student projects will be evaluated according to the following criteria: your solution to assignments, conceptual cohesion, evidence of individual growth (technically and conceptually), making use of the information and vocabulary presented throughout the course practice, during class and presentations, thoughtfulness and depthfulness of discovery and delivery via writing, making, presenting.
Standards for evaluation + grading overview
- Grades are based on a number of factors that include class participation, attendance, attitude, effort, project execution, project evolution, and improvement.
- It is important that the student be prepared to initiate discussion regarding current readings and come to class with thorough notes.
- Intellectual understanding and exploration of the readings and individual drive are significant factors in grading a student’s level of participation.
- Superior excellence in all of these areas, on a continual basis, will earn an “A” for the course.
- Continuing to show improvement and quality of work is constantly well executed, will earn a “B” for the course.
- Fulfilling the requirements of the course is considered average and will earn a “C”. Grading is an individual process, but general standards will be used to evaluate your performance in order to assign a letter/numerical
- Assignments will be the primary source of your grade and you will be expected to work outside of class approximately one hour for every hour of class.
- Informed speculation and experimentation are encouraged.
It is important that each student is prepared in the course and initiate discussion regarding their research and projects.
- Intellectual understanding and exploration of the readings and projects, the ability to initiate research, and individual drive throughout each project are significant factors in grading a student’s level of participation.
Hard work and improvement are recognized.
Therefore, in addition to completing exquisitely crafted projects, engaged work and participation will positively impact a student’s grade.
Lack of preparation, disengagement from his/her work, avoidance of critiques, lack of participation in discussion, incomplete and not prepared work will result in a lower grade.
Should a student be performing below an adequate level, the student will be notified as soon as it is evident and a meeting will be scheduled to address deficiencies. Assignments will be considered in terms of concept, execution, thoughtfulness, inventiveness and delivery.
Quality participation is characterized by the following:
• On time attendance at each class meeting. Attending all site visits.
• Active, enthusiastic participation in class discussions and with the studio work at hand.
• Student exhibits on-going effort and takes risks in studio practice
• Preparation and understanding of assignments in the classroom and site visits, research and presentations. The student continues to ask thoughtful questions
• Responding to others’ comments in a responsible and constructive manner
• Contributing regularly and mindfully to others
• Leadership and active participation independently and in small group activities
A student’s work performance in class is based on the instructor’s observation and record of the student’s personal performance in the following areas:
• Attitude, demeanor – courteous, respectful, teachable, considerate of other students’ needs for concentration.
• Attendance, punctuality, and handing in work on time.
• Participation in class projects, in critiques and discussions, within collaborative projects.
• Conduct – Helping to create an atmosphere conducive to creativity and keeping the workspace neat.
Standards of Grading
The typical "A" student will consistently follow all of the steps in the creative process, resulting in work that is beyond the students’ previous technical, conceptual and expressive capabilities. Attend all classes and complete all assignments on time; follow all instructions, demonstrate above average skills and creativity in completing assignments, turn in consistently good work equally important, the A student will conduct research, integrate information from other classes and experiences, follow through on ideas, not opt for an easy way out, will hand in work on time and in a well presented manner, will participate fully in class, ask questions and do extra work when needed in the pursuit of knowledge and greater ability. The work produced is exemplary and sets a benchmark for other students; actively participating in class discussions and critiques with a sustained high level of curiosity. In short, the A student will be a responsible and active learner throughout, while completing stellar work.
The “B” student will attend all classes and complete all assignments on time; follow all instructions, demonstrate above average skills and creativity in completing assignments, turn in consistently above average, good work though some further development of knowledge and skills is possible; frequently contribute to discussions and critiques and complete good work overall.
The typical “C” student will have less than perfect attendance; complete all assignments with average skills, attitude and creativity demonstrating a limited commitment to the learning process, average use of materials, and ideas that need further development. Occasionally contribute to class discussions and critiques. The “C” student performs average work.
The “D” student has poor attendance; seldom meet deadlines, have an unconcerned attitude; work below average; contribute very little to class discussions and critiques.
The “F” student continues to display poor attendance; seldom meet deadlines; turn in poor work; has a poor attitude, and/or impervious to the learning process. This type of student will fail the course.
All assignments are to be completed in a thoughtful and timely manner.
The grade of “C” indicates an adequate level of overall work to gain credit for the course; a “B” means a student has achieved a more than adequate level of work. To excel, as indicated by an “A” requires a superior level of skill, concept, quantity, professionalism, risk, and a surpassing depth of FA351 seriousness. Moving beyond a “C” in this course will require your very best efforts in all areas of your artistic development.
Undergraduate Grading
Grades calculated in grade point average (GPAs) as follows:
A = 4.0 A- = 3.67
B+ = 3.33 B = 3.00 B- = 2.67
C+ = 2.33 C =2.00 C- = 1.67
D+ = 1.33 D = 1.00 F = 0.00
Numerical Equvalencies
A 93-100
A- 92-90
B+ 89-87
B 86-83
B- 82-80
C+ 79-77
C 76-73
C- 72-70
D+ 69-67
D 66-65
F 64 or below
Course Policy
The atmosphere throughout this course is to create a community of active learners.
We need to realize that world experience produces differences in all people.
Our differences often make communication and understanding difficult to comprehend, or even agree with, when considering the ideas of others.
We need to create a safe space where individuals can interject their ideas even if they may not be reflective of others.
Our space needs to be one where people are encouraged to take risks, and not worry if they don’t have the ‘right’ answer, and have the space to take a wild guess by connecting earlier information together.
Each of us needs to remain active participants in the world of learning.
Our course together asks you to cultivate a relationship of mutual respect between each other and the work at hand, your faculty, guests, etc. This respect, is hoped, may extend outside the walls of this community into the world in general. The key is to listen and be considerate of all people.
Confidentiality
Self-expression and honest reflection will take place through our discussions, written and created work. It is expected that each student will recognize that s/he will be privy to personal information about others in the class and must protect their privacy of the others by exercising strict confidentiality outside of class. When discussing class content outside of class it is recommended that all identifying descriptors be removed from statements so that the statements cannot be attributed directly to the individual who had made the statement. Respect for others is mandatory and non-negotiable.
Please note that failure to adhere to confidentiality is a serious offense carrying severe penalties.
Please note that failure to adhere to confidentiality is a serious offense carrying severe penalties.
Academic Honesty
Cazenovia College is committed to academic honesty. The Committee on Academic honesty reviews all reported cases of alleged plagiarism, cheating on examinations, undocumented copying of art, and similar forms of academic dishonesty. At the beginning of each full academic term, all new students receive a comprehensive orientation to the College's expectations regarding academic honesty. It is expected that each student in this course will carry out all the assignments appropriately and that all work submitted by the student will be her or his own. Academic dishonesty in any form (e.g., cheating in exams, using another's plan or project, fabricating a study, plagiarism, etc.) is a serious offense with severe penalties. At the very least, the student will receive an F on the particular assignment or exam in question. Cazenovia College’s policy for students who abuse the academic honesty policy are as follows: First offense the student is given a warning. Depending on the circumstances, the student may fail the course. Second offense is reported to the Dean of Faculty and depending on the circumstances, the student may fail the course. Third offense, depending on the circumstances, the student may be dismissed from the college. A description of plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty are to be found in the on-line Student Handbook @ www.cazenovia.edu
Special Educational Needs
Any student who requires special accommodations for classroom work, independent assignments, and/or examinations should notify the Office of Special Services at 315-655-7170. The Office of Special Services will grant students accommodations in accordance with their identified individualized educational plans. Students with accommodations are responsible for informing their instructors of their needs and giving them the accommodations report provided by the Office of Special Services.
Cell Phone Policy
Use of cell phones and/or text messaging during class is strictly prohibited. Students are also prohibited from cell phone usage during field trips and speaker presentations. Please place your phones on vibrate. Cell phone usage in class or while on field trips or speaker presentations will negatively impact a student’s final grade.
The potential of the curator as creator - Those who create and question the physical frame.
The potential of the curator as creator - Those who create and question the physical frame.