Art Across Species Art 351 Special Studies

INSTRUCTOR: Ella Dawn McGeough TIME: Monday – Friday 9:30-12:30 DATES: May 14 – June 15 2018 LOCATION: Visual Arts Building Rm. 131 OFFICE: Rm. A212 EMAIL: emcgeough@uvic.ca OFFICE HOURS: by appointment

Course Description:

Our time is an urgent time. A time of mass social, cultural, and environmental change. We cannot isolate ourselves within our own kind; we must turn towards becoming, making, and thinking across. Collectively, each and every entity survives in sympathy through the dynamics of infection and co-creation.

Art Across Species is a studio-based course that focuses on the possibility of multi-species artistic practice. Transdisciplinary in scope, this class will expand students’ understanding of cultural production to wonder and wander beyond anthropocentrism. Together we will begin to understand and relate to non-human species beyond their use-value in order to view both flora & fauna as potential collaborators, co-conspirators, co-agents, and oddkin.

The question of ontological divide between humans and non-human species has worried Western thinkers since Artistotle stated, “human beings are unique among animals because we have the ability to love the smell of something without wanting to eat it.” And yet, as Donna Haraway argues, “It has become literally unthinkable to do good work in any interesting field with the premises of individualism, methodological individualism, and human-exceptionalism.” Why then does so much contemporary cultural production, remain confined to human-centred subjectivity? For example: What is the upcoming schedule for aerial swallow ballet? Who is the leading lichen muralist? Why aren’t critics paying attention to the ground-breaking collaborative architectural projects between leaf-cutter ants and fungus?

Alongside Fastwürms, Pierre Huyghe, Tanya Tagaq, Abbas Akhavan, Simon Starling, and myriad non-human artists, we will consider the ways in which theorists, activists, nature writers, and environmental researchers (from both Western and non-Western cultures) are thinking across-species and redefining world-views.

While emphasis will be placed on studio-production/experimentation, we will also engage in daily speculative-thinking-exercises and experiential learning as fieldwork. All assignments will be thematic and open media.

We will use our senses. We will pay attention. We will go outside.

Course Aims, Objectives and Learning outcomes: F Students will develop basic skills at analyzing and discussing readings from a variety of disciplines in a critical

context. F Students will develop and understanding behind some of the complex relationships of culture and nature from the

perspectives of various disciplines. F Students will develop more refined skills at approaching thematic assignments, where a level of independent

research, thought and experimentation is required. F Students will develop speculative-thinking, brainstorming, and other generative skills. F Students will develop further familiarity with practicing hands-on and field-based research in a variety of

disciplines. F Students will develop increased familiarity with contemporary artists, art works, and practices working across

species. F Students may develop an increased interest in cultivating positive and sustainable relationships with non-human

species.

To be a one at all you must be a many. It’s not a metaphor. It is about the tissues of being anything at all. And, those that are, have been in relationality all the way down. There is no place that the layers of the onions come to rest on some kind of foundation.

- Donna Haraway, Anthropocene, Capitalocene, Chthulucene: Staying with the Trouble

Selected Readings, Films, Audio: Agamben, Giorgio. excerpts from The Open: Man and Animal. Stanford: Stanford UP, 2012;.

Blackwell, Stephen H., and Kurt Johnson, editors. Fine Lines: Vladimir Nabokov's Scientific Art. Yale University Press, 2016.

Haraway, Donna. Tentacular Thinking: Anthropocene, Capitalocene, Chthulucene. E-flux, September 2016; http://www.e-flux.com/journal/75/67125/tentacular-thinking-anthropocene-capitalocene-chthulucene/

__________. excerpts from Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene. Durham: Duke UP, 2016;

__________. excerpts from When Species Meet. Univ of Minnesota, 2007;

Kafka, Franz. Metamorphosis and Other Stories. London: Penguin, 2007. (Excerpts include: Metamorphosis and A Report to an Academy);

Kastner, Jeffrey. excerpts from Nature. London, England: Whitechapel Gallery, 2012;

Kohn, Eduardo. excerpts from How Forests Think: Toward an Anthropology beyond the Human. Berkeley: U of California, 2015;

Le Guin, Ursula K. The Unreal and the Real: Selected Stories Volume Two; Outer Space, Inner Lands. Small Beer, 2012. (Excerpts include: The Author of the Acacia Seeds And Other Extracts from the Journal of the Association of Therolinguistics and She Unnames Them);

Narby, Jeremy. excerpts from Intelligence in Nature: An Inquiry into Knowledge. New York: Penguin, 2006;

Pollan, Michael. “The Intelligent Plant.” The New Yorker. 5 December 2014; http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/12/23/the-intelligent-plant

Ramos, Filipa. excerpts from Animals. London, England: Whitechapel Gallery, 2016;

Scarry, Elaine. “Imagining Flowers: Perceptual Mimesis (Particularly Delphinium).” Representations. 57 (1997): 90-115.

Tagaq, Tanya, Jeremy Berkmna, Anna Pardo Canedo, Steve Denroche, Jean Martin, Michael Red, and Jesse Zubot. Animism. Six Shooter Records, 2014;

Von Uexkull, Jakob. excerpts from A Foray into the Worlds of Animals and Humans: with A Theory of Meaning. Minneapolis: U of Minnesota, 2010;

Wall Kimmerer, Robin. excerpts from Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants. Minneapolis, MN: Milkweed Editions, 2013;

Green Porno: A Series of Short Films. Prod. Isabella Rossellini. Sundance T.V, 2009. YouTube.

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. 1989. DVD;

“From Tree to Shining Tree.” Radiolab. 30 July 2016. http://www.radiolab.org/story/from-tree-to-shining-tree/

“The Glass Flowers.” Things That Talk: Object Lessons from Art and Science, by Lorraine Daston, Zone Books, 2008.

“Wild Talk.” Radiolab. 18 Oct. 2010. http://www.radiolab.org/story/98611-wild-talk/

Methods of Evaluation: Participation…………………………………………………………………………………… 25% Studio Assignments……………………………………………………………………………. 60% Critical Presentation……………………………………………………………………………. 10% Field Journal…………………………………………………………………………………… 5% Late work will not be accepted. Students are expected to hand in all assignments and have all work ready for critique by the deadline. Late works will receive zero unless exceptional circumstances arise. Assignments (Experiments): Participation 20% Attending all classes, contributing to class discussions and critiques, and participating in all course activities is integral to your learning in this class. We will read and discuss complex works from various disciplines, make impromptu artworks, and participate in daily studio-based and experiential learning activities. Students must also refer to the daily schedule and come prepared to each class for the day’s seminar and field-based activities. Students are asked to contribute to the both/either the class Instagram + Wordpress Blog [mystictruths.org] with images, video, experiments, interesting research, and critical reflection. *If you are unable to contribute to the class discussions for any reason, please discuss this with your instructor who may be able to offer assistance or other models for participation. Critical presentation 10% Working in groups of 3, you will present a collection of material (readings, audio, video, artwork) in the form of an interactive ~1 hour presentation to the class. While the instructor will prearrange key readings and themes, students are encouraged to supplement their presentations with additional material. The structure of these presentations are flexible and should include a combination of the following: game, survey, experiential activity, definition of key terms, .ppt presentation, short video, reading discussion (with prepared questions), and other creative content. Students will provide presentation notes on the course blog. Field Journal (5%) Students will be expected to keep a field journal that may include impromptu responses/reflections relating to class discussions and readings, field drawings, brainstorming notes, etc…to be submitted on the final day of class. Perception 20% Throughout the semester students will be encouraged to consider qualities and modes of perception, particularly in relation to semiotics. Using a variety of media, students must complete quick projects that reflect upon how species communicate using sight/smell/touch/sound/taste/etc… Students are encouraged to experiment with a variety of media. Students may work individually or in collaboration with a partner. Students must provide documentation of at least 5 works on the class blog, 1-2 works will be presented during class critique. Symbiosis and Collaborative Entanglements 20% A prominent discussion thread throughout the semester will be interspecies relationality, symbiosis, and creative entanglements. For this project, students will work in groups of 2-3 to create a three-dimensional “multi-part” artwork wherein each “part” is reliant on the others for its structural and conceptual integrity. Projects are not restricted to a particular media however rationale must be given as to why a particular media was chosen and the students are expected to demonstrate thorough engagement with course themes and methods. Students are encouraged to consider the legacies of sculptural assemblage and installation with special attention paid to methods of attachment. Upon completion, students must provide documentation of research developed during the work’s construction on the class blog. Camouflage, a situated practice 20% Students will make a wearable work of art that considers the concealment strategies of one or more non-human species. Projects are not restricted to a particular media however rationale must be given as to why a particular media was chosen and the students are expected to demonstrate thorough engagement with course themes and methods. Students are encouraged to consider the past/present/future politics of surveillance in addition to the legacies of Land Art, Eco-Art, and interactive social practice. Upon completion, students must provide documentation of research developed during the work’s construction on the class blog and wear their project on the final day of class.

Equipment: Students in Art Across Species must have appropriate clothing and footwear for all kinds of weather. You must come prepared to get wet, cold, hot, or dirty in every class. Details will be announced in class before various activities, but some essential items include: Waterbottle Raincoat Closed toe shoes/runners or hiking boots Comfortable clothing you can get dirty/muddy/wet Sunscreen, sun hat Field journal Drawing/Writing Tools Cellphone or Camera Important Note: Student should never do anything illegal, unethical, or that can harm yourself or others in any way. And dangerous/hazardous materials and tools are not allowed on campus or in the studios. By agreeing to participate in this course you must adhere to these guidelines. You must discuss your idea with your instructor if there can be any question about the safety of your projects. Students who do not follow this process will receive 0 on assignments, in addition to facing other academic or legal consequences. Be care fu l , be sa f e , use good s ense , and be cons idera t e o f o ther s a lways . Accessibility: Students with diverse learning styles and needs are welcome in this course. In particular, if you have a disability/health consideration that may require accommodations, please feel free to approach me and/or the Resource Centre for Students with a Disability (RCSD) as soon as possible. The RCSD staff are available by appointment to assess specific needs, provide referrals and arrange appropriate accommodations http://rcsd.uvic.ca/. The sooner you let us know your needs the quicker we can assist you in achieving your learning goals in this course. Academic Integrity: Academic integrity is intellectual honesty and responsibility for academic work that you submit individual or group work. It involves commitment to the values of honesty, trust, and responsibility. It is expected that students will respect these ethical values in all activities related to learning, teaching, research, and service. Therefore, plagiarism and other acts against academic integrity are serious academic offences. The responsibility of the institution Instructors and academic units have the responsibility to ensure that standards of academic honesty are met. By doing so, the institution recognizes students for their hard work and assures them that other students do not have an unfair advantage through cheating on essays, exams, and projects. The responsibility of the student Plagiarism sometimes occurs due to a misunderstanding regarding the rules of academic integrity, but it is the responsibility of the student to know them. If you are unsure about the standards for citations or for referencing your sources, ask your instructor. Depending on the severity of the case, penalties include a warning, a failing grade, a record on the student’s transcript, or a suspension. It is your responsibility to understand the University’s policy on academic integrity:

http://web.uvic.ca/calendar2012/FACS/UnIn/UARe/PoAcI.html

Health and Safety Policies for the Department of Visual Arts In order to protect the integrity of the Visual Arts building and guarantee the safety of students, staff and faculty, the following guidelines must be followed:

• There will be no alteration of the physical building (temporary or otherwise), without the written approval of the chair. All proposals for special projects should be f i r s t submitted to The Visual Arts Facilities and Production Manager for consideration. • All temporary installations of art that may occur outside the regularly sanctioned locations (i.e., the gallery and classrooms) must be authorized. • At no time will the use of hazardous materials either inside or outside the vicinity of the Visual Arts Building, be permitted without the department’s prior approval. • There shall be no disposal of toxic materials down sinks: all solvents, acids and other substances used in the routine course of art making must be handled in a safe and acceptable manner. • Artworks that include an element of self-harm must be must be authorized in writing by the Chair and will include strict pre-determined conditions depending on the proposal. In most cases the artist/ student will be responsible for ensuring all safety precautions are taken with regard to their safety and the safety of others. This includes having first aid equipment at the performance or during the creation of the work where the action takes place, and consider any health risks your actions may pose to others. At the discretion of the Department Chair, a first responder may be required to be present • Art that includes elements of violence, self-harm, and or other subject matter that may be traumatic or pose a trigger risk should be clearly identified to students, faculty and staff, allowing them to choose if they want to witness your work, these types of warnings are typical if one were to do such a performance in a gallery or other public space. • Art that includes excessive volume is dangerous to the hearing of students, faculty and staff. These artworks can also be disruptive to other classes and activities within the Visual Arts Building. Artworks and or actions that contain sound at or above 98dB need to be pre-approved by the Department and clearly labeled. During critique situations hearing protection should be made available anyone required to experience the piece. Free decibel metering apps are available for most smart phones determine the level or risk.

FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE DEPARTMENT SAFETY GUIDELINES MAY RESULT IN ACADEMIC PENALTIES, FINANCIAL CHARGES, AND/ OR, THE LOSS OF SHOP, LAB, STUDIO, AND EQUIPMENT USE PRIVILEGES.

Bee Orchid, © xkcd.com (Randall Munroe)