Movement Manifesto

We didn't have a chance to discuss the upcoming assignment in class today. So to begin, here is the assignment description from the syllabus.

Students will work in groups of 3 - 4 to conceptualize a new artistic movement (or approach or style or genre), write a manifesto that expresses the movement’s objectives/motivations/characteristics, and create art (visual art, poetry, narrative, film, music, etc.) that demonstrate the significance of said movement.The form of the manifesto should compliment its content. The art created can be lots of littler things or one big thing, but it must clearly exemplify the concepts introduced in the manifesto. Students are encouraged to consider what they (collectively) have to offer the world of art and how best to articulate that in a manifesto and realize that in a few works of art.

So, you'll be writing something (a manifesto) that informs your making of something (some piece(s) of art), and then you'll write another thing (the artists' statement) that discusses the process behind your previous writing and making, and their significance.

On Thursday, you'll each be responsible for a 1-2 minute (no longer) presentation in which you use some existing work of art (it may be a poem, a film, a novel, a sculpture, etc. but it should not be your own work) to illustrate some 'aim of art' that will inform your group's Movement Manifesto.

For example, you consider the art that you find to be particularly compelling and find that there is a pattern. Maybe, like me, you find this next thing to be particularly meaningful.

the Scared is scared from Bianca Giaever on Vimeo.

Post that on your blog (you'll share at least a sliver of it on Thursday). Now consider what it is about that thing that makes it significant or compelling. 

• It might be a thematic thing--"Good art demonstrates how imaginative play and creative production help us meet the challenges of life." 
• OR it might be an aesthetic thing--"Good art utilizes foundational, primitive, even childlike aesthetics to represent complicated things as accessibly as possible." 
• OR it might relate to the creative process--"Good art relies upon the sharing of story and feeling between individuals, and the relationships that come out of those interactions."

Of course there are plural definitions of 'good art,' but you'll want to key in on something that you find particularly important. Then, on Thursday, share your piece of art, and then in a paragraph or so (max) share what you think is significant about this piece. (You can write this explanation out and post it on the blog with your art if you'd like, but it's not necessary. As long as you can briefly explain its significance to the class, that's what matters most.) 

Then, we'll have each student vote on the top 5 movements that they'd like to be a part of, we'll divide into groups and get crackin.'