Course HUAS 7320-001

Professor John Pomara

Term Fall 2010
Meetings Friday 9:30-12:15. Visual Arts. 1.116 /1.118

Professor’s Contact Information

Office Phone 972.883.2675
Other Phone
Office Location Visual Arts Building 2.110
Email Address Pomara@utdallas.edu
Office Hours Tuesday 11:00-1:00 Wed. 1:00-4:00 and Fri. 2:00-4:00
Other Information I do not read web ct email

General Course Information

Pre-requisites, Co-
Expertise in a medium of choice such as Painting, Video, Digital Imaging,
requisites, & other
restrictions Sculpture or Hybrid Forms.
Course Description
Glitch is a term currently used in electronic media to describe an accident, when
things go wrong. What results is a visual manifestation of an error, something not
planned or unexpected. One New York critic has stated that these accidents when
used by artists are “acts of creative destruction allowing the artist to open up the
visual surface or space in new ways.” This appreciation and exploration by artists
can been seen as a fetishization of technology seen in forms of breakdowns, static
or visual interference. Artists are always quick to seize new forms of working
bringing new ways of seeing into the mainstream of culture. By understanding
ones tools and materials whether it is electronic forms of media (Pipilotti Rist) or
analog forms of creating with paint (Jackson Pollack), visual artists have used
Course Description such accidents to open their work up into new visual dynamics.

This course will be part lecture/seminar and part studio creative, allowing each
student to make-work. Time will be allotted for lectures and visual presentations
by the instructor exploring historically the development of its beginnings in Dada
and Surrealism to present day in electronic media. Students will be given
assigned readings from several texts for class discussions. Also, each student will
explore in his or her own visual work the idea of the accident or the glitch. What
can happens in the creative process and then be tweaked, repeated or controlled
in some creative fashion. Time will be allotted for creating work, class critiques
and evaluations of creative work. There will also be several guest artists who will
address this theme and possibly one field trip during the semester.
Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

1.Students will explore a medium of choice of which they have some

expertise, while focusing on creating a personal vision. Along with
content they will develop formal aspects and skill techniques to express
Learning Outcomes
their vision. The student will be graded on the content objective, creative
application, effort, and critical assessment through your artist statement.

2. Students will develop visual perception and verbal analysis through

class critiques and evaluations of projects. A critical analysis will follow
 in the form of group dialogues and evaluations on each others art works
that are presented relating to chance and glitch aesthetics.

3.Student will learn to create a visual presentation of their artwork within

a set time frame for public speaking. This will enable them to articulate
verbally about their visual art works to a larger audience.

4.Students will develop a broader understanding of their art and its’

connection to art historically as well as current contemporary issues with
Chance Aesthetic and Glitch.

Chance Aesthetics by Meredith Malone

Required Texts &
Materials
Chance, Documents of Contemporary Art
Glitch: Design Imperfection by Iman Moradi, Ant Scott, and Joe Gilmore

Suggested Texts,
Additional assigned readings will be given as well as internet searches to
Readings, &
Materials view videos.

Assignments & Academic Calendar

[Topics, Reading Assignments, Due Dates, Exam Dates]

8/20 Introduction: 1. Course outline, readings and texts

2. Grading Criteria
3. Materials and procedure.
4. Visual presentation: Chance/Glitch Aesthetic
5. Student-Artist presentation as final exam
6. Assignment: read first 3 ch. of text, Chance Aesthetics

8/27 Lecture/Images over readings, Duchamp and Dada, Nouvea Realism, Fluxus,
and the Situationists
Discussion of student creative work for class that reflects the focus for the
semester with the intent to incorporate in some fashion the Chance or Glitch
Aesthetic.
Assignment: Read remaining chapters of text, Chance Aesthetics.

9/3 Lecture/images Analog Painting/Photography Glitch Masson/Pollock to

Baldesarri/Richter and Man Ray to Wolfgang Tillman/Matthew Brandt to Present.
Sign-up; Office Appointments.

9/10 Critique 1 and Evaluation of creative work.

9/17 Studio Work day. Office appointments

9/24 Lecture/Images Video Glitch; Nam June Paik, Bruce Conner, Pipilotti Rist to Cory
Arcangel, Ryoji Ikeda and others

10/1 Critique 2 and Evaluation of work.

10/8 Studio Work Day. Office appointments.

10/15 Visiting artists work presentations. Shane Mecklenburger, Patrick Murphey, and
Trent Straughan
Assignment: create a data mashed video.

10/22 Films of Stan Brakhage, or Luis Bunuel’s That Obscure Object of Desire.
Class discussion on text, Glitch: Designing Imperfection.

10/29 Critique and Evaluation of Data mashed Video or other medium such as distorted
photos.

11/5 Studio Work Day. Office appointments.

11/12 Critique and Evaluation of work.

11/19 Select and present favorite glitched video and discussion??? Or Presentations

11/26 Holiday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

12/3 Last Class Day: 15 minute Presentations Group.

12/10 Exam Period

Course Policies
Grading Policy
(including percentages for assignments, grade scale, etc.)

1.Class attendance for all critiques is mandatory. If you miss 2 unexcused

Grading (credit) critique sessions you will receive no higher then a B.
Criteria 2.Completion of projects for critique. 75 %

3.Assigned readings
4.Presentation 25%

Make-up Exams Make an appointment with instructor

Extra Credit Extra work will be averaged in and can raise your grade
Late Work Make an appointment with instructor to review
Special
Assignments
Class attendance for all critiques is mandatory. They are like tests. If you miss
Class Attendance 2 unexcused critique sessions you will receive no higher then a B. Talk with
the instructor if in question if you plan to miss these designated days.
Please go outside the classroom to talk on your cell phones. I would prefer
Classroom
during critique sessions that you cut off the voice stream and focus on listening
Citizenship
respectfully to your peers.
Field Trip
Policies

UTD Syllabus Policy http://go.utdallas.edu/syllabus-policies

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.