Utica College / Division of Arts and Sciences
FIA 500X Albania Art Experience 3 credit hours
Professor Carolynne Whitefeather
Office: 103 DePerno Hall, 315] 792-5292
Description:
The Albania Art Experience is the first studio and art history course to be invited by the Albanian government to Butrint National Park in southern Albania. The course begins in the capital city of Tiranë with diplomatic visits and visits to national archives and collections, and then moves south to the ancient city of Buthrotum, now called Butrint. Butrint National Park [BNP] is Albania’s first national park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. BNP holds art and architecture from the Mycenaean, Hellenic, Greek, Roman, Venetian and Ottoman periods. BNP is a place of natural and man-made beauty; rich in opportunities for drawing, photography, and painting.
This course will introduce students to the Albanian cultural and visual art heritage. Students will explore selected art collections, archives, galleries and museums and will be immersed in a unique cultural site for lecture and studio-based learning experiences in a mentor-based setting. Students will participate in historic and culture-based discussions and presentations of their art in class-group settings.
There will be structured class meetings, discussion periods, structured and open studio times in the park, and the opportunity to hike to the outer areas to explore the park and meet local residents. The course is open to both studio and art history majors as well as interested students from other majors and is available for academic credit to upper-level undergraduate and graduate students.
Course Objectives:
Students will explore the artistic heritage of Albania in a mentor-based environment and complete a variety of studio art projects. The course will include studio activities, guided visits to archives and museum collections, and lectures and demonstrations.
Requirements
This course is a studio-based art course with on-site art history lectures provided to enhance assigned readings and bring focus to the studio assignments. Students must submit an application portfolio and faculty permission is required to enroll in this course.
Students are required to:
· Complete all reading assignments in advance of the related lectures and site visits,
· Attend all lectures and demonstrations,
· Participate in discussion,
· Complete at least two works of art in each of two or more different media in ten project areas,
· Maintain a daily journal, and
· Submit a final paper of 1,500 – 2,000 words on a topic to be determined in consultation with the instructor.
Student journals are to be personal recordings and reflections of each day’s activities. Journals will be reviewed periodically during the course.
Studio projects are reviewed and graded at completion of the assigned projects. For a list of required studio supplies see the attached studio-supplies list.
Final papers should reflect the student’s experiences, growth in understanding of Albanian cultural heritage, the academic benefit of this method of exploring the culture and what the student was able to incorporate in personal visual art works. Final papers are due July 15, and must be formatted in MLA style.
In accordance with Utica College policy, intellectual dishonesty in studio projects or writing is unacceptable. All students are advised to see the college policy on intellectual honesty in the Utica College Catalog.
Calendar
For details, see attached schedule
June 6 - Leave USA for Albania, arrive June 7 in Tiranë
June 7 – 10 Tiranë - Meetings in Tiranë with representatives from the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of the Interior, the National Archives, the National Gallery, and the National Museum of Albanian Cultural History.
June 11 – 22 Butrint - Orientation and director’s welcome, art-walk in the park, history of art in BNP, group and individual studio projects, hiking the outdoors and art, volunteer activities in the park, discussions and presentations.
June 23-24 Durres - Durres Archaeological Monument
June 25 Return to USA.
July 15 Final Paper due.
Attendance and Participation
Attendance is necessary to receive lecture information, handouts and additional information that are provided only verbally. If you are not present, the professor is not responsible for providing any of this information. You will have to get all other information from another student. If you miss additional verbal instruction on assignments, this will not exempt you from whatever requirements, date changes or explanation of standards that were provided in class. Participation is grade bearing.
Grades
Attendance 5%
Discussion Participation 20%
Studio Projects 50%
Daily Journals 10%
Summary 15%
All components are graded on a letter scale from A to C & F. Any late assignments will be graded with one letter grade reduction, per late day.
Assigned Texts
1] Neritan, Ceka Butrint, A Guide To The City And Its Monuments,
2] Fjalor Shqip-Anglisht-Dictionary
3] Myftiu, G. Albania: A Patrimony of European Values, Albania History and Culture Guide
4] A binder of printed course materials which will be provided before travel.
Copies of texts will be provided in Tiranë. Copies are also on reserve in the Utica College library for review before travel, and may be purchased from Amazon.com.
ADA Conformity
Students who have disabilities or individual academic needs that may prevent them from fully demonstrating their abilities should contact Academic Support Services and advise the instructor as soon as possible to discuss the necessary accommodations to insure their full participation in class. Not all areas of course sites are handicapped accessible.
COURSE CONTENT AND CALENDAR
DAY DATE CONTENT
1 / Mon June 6 / Leave USA2 / Tues June 7 / Arrive in Tiranë, Albania
File US Embassy Papers
Bardha Bookstore / Textbooks
Orientation Dinner, European Dining Protocols
Assigned Readings
3 / Wed June 8 / Minister of Culture / Diplomatic Visit
Minister of Interior / Diplomatic Visit
National Archives / Purple Codex
National Gallery / Chair of Trustees Visit
Assigned Readings
4 / Th June 9 / Travel South to Butrint [8 hour duration]
5 / Fri June 10 / Breakfast Meeting
BNP Orientation, Art-Walk-Talk Tour of BNP, Art in the Park Exhibit,
Self-guided tour and familiarization
6 / Sat June 11 / The Butrint Theater / history, remodeling, archaeology, today
Handouts from Ugolini Excavation Report by Oliver J. Gilkes
Drawing and Photography in the Theatre
7 / Sun June 12 / Hiking the outer areas for nature drawing, painting, and photography
8 / Mon June 13 / The Butrint Baptistry / unique Byzantine architecture, alchemy and tiles, visual language-design and messages, 2004 research and reports, inspirations for the first art exhibit in the park
A Study of Form: student symposium on the Baptistry
Drawing, Painting, Photography, 3D acrylic tile project
9 / Tues June 14 / The Baptistry / from opaque hidden treasures to acrylic stained glass – studio project
10 / Wed June 15 / The Basilica Style Church from Roman to Christian in form, design, and function. Drawing, Painting, Photography
11 / Th June 16 / Ancient Walls and Gates / Mycenaean, Greek, Roman, Venetian
Standards, Patterns, Inscriptions
Dramatic Photography of Large Scale Dimension
12 / Fri June 17 / The Art of Nature / Patterns, Light, Forms as subject and material
Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Photography
13 / Sat June 18 / Saranda / art, architecture and view for creative expression
On location visits, art in the open air, the city promenade
14 / Sun June 19 / Open Morning for informal discussions, art in the park, park exploration
Afternoon symposia – art across culture and national lines
15 / Mon June 20 / Ali Pasha’s Fort, The Venetian Tower, The Triangle Fort
History, form, function. Drawing, Photography
16 / Tues June 21 / The People of the Park
Drawing and Photography of the First Staff
Human interests, portraits, journal emphasis
Course Group Dinner / Last Evening
17 / Wed June 22 / Travel north to Tiranë [8 hour duration]
18 / Thur June 23 / Roman Theater in Durres / The Art in Archaeology
Open Evening
19 / Fri June 24 / Student Return to USA
20 / Fri July 15 / Final Paper Due
Studio Supplies List
Photography:
Digital or Film Camera for documentary and art work.
A reasonable estimate of photographic activity for a course of this nature is 100 – 125 final images. Computers: Personal computers are not required for participation, but essential if you wish to produce final digital images as art items. You will not be required to print those while on location.
Studio Art:
Studio Majors:
· Variety of B/W, color, pastels, pen-ink of choice
· Drawing Paper in Book, Block or Loose 25 –30 sheets 11” x 17” or larger [purchase for media used]
· Watercolor paints [Holbein, Windsor-Newton or professional equivalent]
· Water Color Paper [5 – 10 sheets, Arches, Murillo, Rives, Somerset, or equal]
· Watercolor Brushes in variety of sizes,
· Wash/Hake for paper prep
· Flat Paper Folio or Tube for Carrying Art Works
· Miscellaneous: erasers, sharpeners, containers for supplies, board for field work, masking-painter tape for paper release, backpack or case to carry on daily work trips,
· Journal: One 8” x 10”, or larger, blank journal for daily entries
Non-Majors:
· 3 Ebony Pencils,
· 1 each 2B - 2H,
· Small Set of Pastels
· Small Set of Watercolor Pencils
· Watercolor Brushes: sets are good for beginners and appropriate for this course. If this is new for you, ask for help. Choose brushes with natural-synthetic combinations. Include angular shaders, stroke brushes, and round brushes. Short handles work best for travel. You want 5 – 8 different types for small and broad work.
· Drawing Paper in Book or Loose 11” x 17” or larger [25 –30 sheets, general drawing, Bristol Plate is a good quality and for most drawing media if you are not familiar]
· Water Color Paper [Arches, Murillo, Rives, Somerset, or equal]
· Portfolio Case or Tube for Final Art [25-30 sheets each type]
· Miscellaneous: erasers, sharpeners, containers for supplies, board for field work, masking-painter tape for paper release, backpack or case to carry on daily work trips,
· Journal: One 8” x 10”, or larger, blank journal for daily entries
· One box for supplies to carry daily
· Flat Paper Folio or Tube for Carrying Art Works
You may use larger sizes of papers and journals if you choose. However, when choosing the size of your paper stock and carrying case, consider whether you are going to bring your art work back as a carry-on or in checked baggage.
Materials for projects other than listed above are provided by the instructor in Butrint.
Computers:
The hotel in Tiranë is Internet ready. The hotel in Butrint is not Internet equipped. There is an Internet café in Saranda, a short drive from Butrint. You will need converters for European current and adaptors.
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