Each of you has an specific assignment of what needs to be developed for Monday’s class. These sketches show ranges of development, but your sketches should combine words and images to explicate your ideas (show a variety of ideas). Also note that the images themselves should be interesting and engaging.
Presentation:
Technologies for display (Lisa Strausfeld/Pentagram, Small Design, Imaginary Forces, Lust, etc.)
In class:
Review sketches of display strategies and discuss issues that might be addressed through technology
Homework:
Refine and develop display strategy sketches.
Art on Call (Walker Art Center)
Interactive Architecture dot org
Listening Post project
Mark Hansen and Ben Rubin
In class:
Discuss audiences. Identify display issues AND concepts to be communicated through the work. Brainstorm ideas for display strategies and experiences.
Homework:
1. Define display strategies.
2. Sketch ideas for approaches.
This should be a big brainstorm. Come to class with lots of ideas!
Please determine the following and post as comments PRIOR to Monday's class. Also have a written page to bring to class and hand out to all your classmates.
Title options
Consider several options for a title and sub-title to keep in play. As the project evolves the best one will become obvious.
The major themes in your exhibition
Think of these like chapters in a book. You can also determine sub-themes.
For example:
If Roman's exhibition was on the physiognomy of stuffed animals, themes might be: Noses, Necks, and Eyes. Sub-themes for Necks could be: Short, Long, None.
Main ideas to be communicated
Consicely articulate the main point of the exhibition, the one that if you don't communicate it your whole exhibition is a failure. There may also be a secondary, but extremely important point.
For example:
For "Made in California" exhibition, the point was: How did artist's engage with popular imagery of California?
Secondary: At the beginning of the century, art and other images of California were in comfortable agreement; as the century evolves, the relationship between art and other images becomes much more complex.
Major pragmatic/formal issues to be considered
Make a list.
For example:
Joe and Stephanie exhibition of the work of Posada needs to account for:
· Size
· Light sensitive paper
· Particularly beautiful paper and printing
Location/Context
Think about the posibilities both conceptually and practically. Create or find a floor plan, drawings, photos, images – anything to help understand the physical space of your exhibition. Bring these to class. It's fine to have several options. (You don't have to post images.)
For example:
We discussed Roman's exhibition on the physiognomy of stuffed toys in a cosmetic surgeon's office or perhaps a psychologist. This kind of context creates an interesting tension that informs the conversation about physical characteristics and what the meanings they have.
Presentation: A contemporary overview of experimental exhibition design
Examples shown in class:
• Ideas for organizing and structuring exhibition content
• Flow plans (Kiesler and Bayer)
In class: Define what is most important and interesting about your objects and how they might beorganized. Define exhibition themes and sections.
Homework:
1. Create a diagram that shows the conceptual organization into themes or sections
2. Chart the exhibition flow onto floor plan
Download Experimental Exhibition Design Today presentation
Download exhibition_design_today.pdf
Presentation: A historical overview of exhibition design.
Examples shown in class:
• Exhibition concept presentations
• exhibition titles
• object checklists
• floor plans
In class: Identify the exhibition goal (what the exhibition is about, why it is worthwhile, and why anyone would care). Brainstorm concepts for the exhibition along with exhibition titles.
Homework:
1. Define exhibition title
2. Write short statement defining exhibition
3. Make checklist of objects, including images
4. Create or get a floor plan of your intended exhibition space
Please post the title and exhibition description on the class blog
Download a_History_of_ Experimental Exhibition Design presentation.pdf
This seminar/studio class will introduce the basics of exhibition design while asking students to think critically about interpretive experiences of art and objects. We will kick off with a brief history of ground-breaking, experimental exhibition design, but the main focus of the class will be on design and design process for creating, meaningful experiences of objects, ideas, and information in physical spaces. Topics to be covered include: Developing curatorial concepts, designing display strategies, 3-D design, media design, and graphic and material language design.
The class will be comprised of lectures, discussions, field trips, and crits, focused on the conceptual design of a small exhibition. Students may work alone or in teams of two. At the end of the class students will be required to make a “proof of concept” presentation. The workload will be reasonable, but regular attendance and maintaining assignments will be imperative.
Before the the 1st class you will need to identify your exhibition content.
Consider a collection of artifacts that’s of great interest to you and that you’re certain others will equally find equally fascinating. These could be books in the library; a collection from the CalArts archives (posters, John Cage scores, history of CalArts collection, etc.); work of your faculty; a collection of someone you know (vintage clothing, records, toys, etc). You must have access to the collection.
For the first class bring printed color photographs of at least 20 objects to be included in your exhibition as well as some actual samples from the collection.
Prerequisites: The class is open to the Institute for BFA 3 students and higher by permission of instructor.
Limited to 16 students who can commit to regular attendance and work progress.
