CA 125
PROVOCATIVE ART: OUTSIDE THE COMFORT ZONE
Spring 2018
Fridays 2:00-4:50 pm
Led by: Mark Brimhall-Vargas and Gannit Ankori
With the confirmed participation of Brandeis faculty and staff:Jamele Adams, William Chalmus, Eric Chasalow, Cynthia Cohen, Luis Croquer, Rajesh Sampath, Sarah Shoemaker, Dawn Skorczewski, Dmitry Troyanovsky, Stephen Whitfield,Aida Wong and visiting artist, James Montford.
General Course Description:
This team taught course will present, analyze and discuss works of art that provokecontroversies, outrage, fear, discomfort and other strong responses for a variety of reasons, related to form and/or content. We will focus on a broad range of artistic modes of expressions, including visual art, theater, film, music and literature with the help of Brandeis faculty as well as visiting artists. Historical and theoretical aspects of the subject will contextualize our discussions.
In addition to our general exploration of the theme, the complexities of the issues at hand as manifested on a university campus will be addressed, specifically the desire to balance freedom of speech, freedom of expression and academic freedom with a commitment to provide a safe space that is conducive to learning, for our community.
Questions we will strive to explore include: How do we engage in civil and open conversations about contentious and offensive issues? How can art help facilitate such conversations? How do we distinguish between ‘free’ speech that is legitimate and ‘hate’ speech that incites violence?
Course Outline
INTRODUCTION
January 12 – Introduction: Framing Art; Framing Discourse: Discomfort and learning
How (and why) do we engage with offensive art? How do we discuss contentious topics? How can we learn from our disagreements?
PART I – THE ROSE ART MUSEUM
January 19 – A special session in the Rose Art Museum with Henry and Lois Foster Director, Luis Croquer.
EXTRA CREDIT: January 24, 10-11 am “A Conversation with Michael Weller” [details forthcoming]
PART II – LENNY BRUCE
January 26 – A special session at the Lenny Bruce Archives– with Prof. Emeritus Stephen Whitfield on the life and legacy of Lenny Bruce
Library session with ‘banned books’, inquisition notes on Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’, and other primary sources with Sarah Shoemaker
PART III – RACE AND GENDER RELATIONS IN THE US
February 2 – -- Gannit Ankori with visiting artist, James Montford on being African-American, Native-American in the US.
February 9 – Film and Music Videos – led by Mark Brimhall-Vargas
PART IV – PROVOCATIVE DRAMA
February 16 –Staging controversy – led by Dmitry Troyanovsky; Theater in the US and Russia.
February break – No class on February 23
PART V – BREAKING TABOOS IN POETRY, ART, FILM AND THEATER
March 2 – Part I Offensive language: Dawn Skorszewski on Anne Sexton’s “Briar Rose” – Incest and Cover up. Part II Taboo sexuality in art and film
EXTRA CREDIT: March 8 – Evening event at the ICA with artist Wangechi Mutu [details forthcoming]
March 9 –Spoken Word: Jamele Adams – presentation and workshop
March 16 –William Chalmus – Playback Theater
PART VII – POPULAR CULTURE
March 23 – Race, Gender and Religion in popular culture – Rajesh Sampath (the “Danish Caricatures”).
Passover break – No class on March 30 and April 6
PART VIII – DANGEROUS MUSIC AND GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
April 13 – Part I Eric Chasalow – Music; Part II Gender and Art in the Middle East
April 20 –Part I ‘Acting Together on the World Stage’ – Cynthia Cohen; Part IIChinese contemporary art, the case ofAi Wei Wei– led by Aida Wong.
PART IX – A BALANCING ACT: FREEDOM, SAFETY AND LEARNING OUTSIDE THE COMFORT ZONE
April 25 (Wednesday: Brandeis Friday)
LAST CLASS – Student presentations – ‘The Dangerous Wish list’
Final discussion and panel on how we ensure freedom of expression on a university campus andhow we learn by venturing “outside our comfort zone.”
LEARNING GOALS:
The objectives of this course are two-fold:
- To introduce students to provocative and, at times, offensive works of art; to teach them how to analyze and interpret them by providing them with a variety of methodological and disciplinary tools to do so.
- To teach our students how to engage in civil and open discussions about contentious and disturbing issues. To create educational contexts conducive to learning ‘outside the comfort zone’ and to conducting dignified and constructiveconversations about divisive topics and artworks.
Requirements and evaluation
- Attendance, class participation, short assignments60%
- Final presentation 40%
Successin this courserequiresat least ninehoursofworkforeverythreehoursof classtime.
Required readings will be posted on LATTE. Detailed instructions for all assignments will be provided in class.
Course Materials:
There is no textbook for this course. Required readings (book chapters, excerpts and articles) will be posted on LATTE for your convenience.
CLASS POLICIES
Cell phones:Use of cell phones in class (for talking, texting, reading/writing email, or any other purpose) is prohibited. Kindly keep your cell phones turned off and stowed away in class. However, if you need to leave your cell phone on because of an ongoing emergency situation, please speak to the instructors at the start of class.
Laptops:Kindly keep your laptop turned off and stowed away in class. Using laptop computers in class is distracting, in part because the temptation to take “just a second” to check email or web updates is hard to resist.
Attendance Policy:Attendance is mandatory. Unexcused absences will result in a lower grade. More than 5 unexcused absences may result in a failing mark. If you have to miss class for a legitimate reason, kindly let me know without delay.
Come on time:It is vital to our discussions and really important to us that you come to class on time.
Disabilities:
If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonableaccommodation made for you in this class, please see me immediately.
Academic Integrity:
You are expected to be familiar with and to follow the University’s policies on academic integrity (see ). Faculty may refer any suspected instances of alleged dishonesty to the Office of Student Development and Conduct. Instances of academic dishonesty may result in sanctions including but not limited to, failing grades being issued, educational programs, and other consequences.”
Communications:
We will communicate with you via e-mail in case there are any changes or announcements. Also – please check our LATTE course website frequently for postings and syllabus adjustments. Please come and see us during our office hours if you have any concerns and/ or at least once during the term.