In Art As Social Tool: Archival Research and Social Activism as Creative Methodologies students will develop methodologies in research and activism to be used in creating videos, prints, publications and performances. Each student will be encouraged to spend time developing an in-depth, research-based-project, inspired by and in dialogue with topics of social, cultural, and political significance. Students will be able to sharpen tools of self-inquiry and public research and delve deeper into how art can generate public discourse around such topics. Students may work independently or collaboratively, and incorporate a wide range of disciplines, and cross-disciplinary strategies from performance and activism, to video, posters and books. We will study the practices of contemporary artists using these strategies, including Sharon Hayes, Roma Publications, Hito Steyerl, Taryn Simon, Ai WeiWei and Laura Poitras.

This course will focus on conceptual and material engagement with a variety of fiber based methods. Students will develop their own work as they are introduced to fibers techniques and to artists who use fibers in their contemporary art practices. Each week students will be introduced to a new method (e.g. sewing, printing on fabric, dyes, felting, etc). They will then be encouraged to use these approaches to create paintings, sculpture, installation, and performance. For the final project students will be expected to incorporate various ideas, methods and materials covered during the course to create an ambitious and individually driven project.