Leading artists, curators and critics give weekly lectures.

Giving and receiving feedback on work-in-progress is an essential part of a successful studio practice. In this three-summer course sequence, all students participate in group critique. Over the course of each summer, students will have the opportunity to present their work to the entire program, including their peers and faculty. The course provides opportunity for feedback on work-in-progress, as well as a rigorous and thoughtful inquiry of how one’s work is perceived as a public statement.

In this foundational seminar, students develop their own art practice in conjunction with a deeper understanding of contemporary issues in art, theory and politics. Topics of special discussion include social engagement, collaboration, transdisciplinary practice and personal narrative.

The core of the summer session is studio practice. The objective is to produce original advanced work with instruction and support from faculty and a robust roster of individual artists. Individual studio visits will primarily take place from Monday through Friday. Studio Practice is the central element and primary requirement of the program. Studios are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

In the 21st century critical theory has taken on a significant role, not only in reflections on works of art but also in their production considerations. Why is this the case? In this course artists develop a foundational knowledge of modern philosophy and critical theory while simultaneously considering how the modern world emerged in history, and how the form and role of art have changed in tandem. In the first half of the semester, cornerstone texts of modern thought—Kant, Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche and Freud—are considered alongside primary documents that reflect the historical struggles and contexts through which these ideas emerged. The second half of the course explores how these concepts are taken up, transformed and sometimes rejected by the critical theories of the 20th century as the way is paved for the 21st.

Ceramics
Students in this workshop will have the opportunity to explore ceramics as a tool for their individual practice. We will cover practical hand building, mold-making and cast ceramics, among other techniques.

Fibers
Students in this workshop will have the opportunity to explore fibers as tools for their individual practice. A series of demonstrations that explore 2D and 3D surfaces will introduce the traditional methods of sewing, felting, dyeing, knotting and weaving. Digital demonstrations will explore pattern design for laser cutting, digital embroidery and textile design that can be outsourced to print. Students will also learn techniques for designing and creating costumes and wearable art for performances, videos and photographic works, and using soft sculpture and fiber projects for installations. Current trends and historical examples of fiber art and costumes will be discussed.

Bio Art
In this course students will be introduced to the emerging field of biological arts through hands-on laboratory practices and discussions. Demonstrations include microscopic imaging, growing 2D and 3D biomaterials, painting with bacteria, working with bioluminescence, bioplastics and molecular gastronomy techniques. Discussion topics will range from bioethics, genetic manipulation, climate change and sustainability. Workshops will take place in the SVA Bio Art Lab, which is a laboratory that facilitates using the tools of science as an art practice.

Digital Sculpture
Making sculptures using computer-aided fabrication and rapid prototyping machines is the focus of this workshop. Students will learn how to make templates for sculptures using Adobe Illustrator and SolidWorks, and how to use machines like the Epilog laser cutter and the CNC router “ShopBot” to create fully realized 3D objects from their designs.

Through various methods that include instructor-led workshops, field experiments and group critique, students will explore practices for creating audio and video projects, possibilities for installation, multichannel works and performance. High-definition video and proper compression for projection, web and DVD will be addressed, and students will become familiar with basic editing software, including Adobe Premiere. The workshop includes screenings of film, video and sound work from modern and contemporary artists. It considers the use of media as both a document and final product.

We all take it for granted that artists can use any materials, any disciplines (painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, sound, video, spoken word, performance, etc.) they want in the making of their work. But when and how did this way of working begin? This course proposes that at least in the history of modernism there is a time and place when and where this kind of interdisciplinary thinking can be reasonably said to start, beginning with examples of gesamtkunstwerk, and exploring other key and canonical examples in modern and contemporary art.

This course explores how cultural shifts are articulated through the intersection of art, politics and pop culture. It introduces the history and power of image-making and knowledge production through a critique of the cultural evolution of the Western concept of research and its linkages to extractive economies while speaking to the specificities of the colonial experience.

During Studio Practice Review, online study sessions will take place and students are expected to continue studio work from their home location. On a weekly basis students are required to post and comment on one another’s work online, and will collaborate with one another on a publication. Periodically, guest reviewers, including artists, curators and critics, will also give feedback.

Drawing on art history, philosophy and political theory, this course will explore strategies for creative interventions in the political arena. Topics of discussion will include race, gender, bio-politics, identity, power structures, public space, cultural policy, censorship and social justice.

This course will explore pedagogical strategies for art practice, including collaborative dialogues, action research and experiential learning. Topics of discussion will include the role of art in society, aesthetic inquiry into social systems, institutional critique, artist accountability and evaluation of social practice projects.

In this series students will participate in in-depth discussions on compelling, contemporary issues as they relate to the art world. Topics may include environmental concerns, professional development, studies of contemporary artists and exhibitions, social justice and the history and philosophy of art.

This course is a continuation of APG-5390, Studio Practice Review I. Students will continue to participate in online group critiques of their studio work. They will also begin planning their summer group exhibition.

Leading artists, curators and critics give weekly lectures.

Giving and receiving feedback on work-in-progress is an essential part of a successful studio practice. In this three-summer course sequence, all students participate in group critique. Over the course of each summer, students will have the opportunity to present their work to the entire program, including their peers and faculty. The course provides opportunity for feedback on work-in-progress, as well as a rigorous and thoughtful inquiry of how one’s work is perceived as a public statement.

See: Graduate Seminar I

See: Studio Practice I

This workshop will provide a critical and research-driven exploration into world-building through performance art. Students will utilize a range of approaches centering shape-shifting as a way to actualize live performance work. Through studies and iterations, language and writing, movement and choreography, sound and music, as well as lighting and atmosphere, objects and materials, sculpture and installation, the group will explore how these modes of creating social spaces can be used as a poetic tool for subverting discourse. Over the course of the workshop, the cohort works toward a live collective performance/presentation. Structured as a lab/think tank that proceeds as a series of screenings, workshops, physical warm-ups, written exercises and readings. This workshop will provide an intersectional analysis of how culture, race and gender identity help shape the way we cultivate realities.

Drawing on art history, philosophy and political theory, this course will explore strategies for creative interventions in the political arena. Topics of discussion will include race, gender, bio-politics, identity, power structures, public space, cultural policy, censorship and social justice.

This course will explore pedagogical strategies for art practice, including collaborative dialogues, action research and experiential learning. Topics of discussion will include the role of art in society, aesthetic inquiry into social systems, institutional critique, artist accountability and evaluation of social practice projects.

In this series students will participate in in-depth discussions on compelling, contemporary issues as they relate to the art world. Topics may include environmental concerns, professional development, studies of contemporary artists and exhibitions, social justice and the history and philosophy of art.

During the third online semester, in addition to maintaining a studio practice and receiving regular feedback from a mentor, MFA candidates begin working on their thesis. The thesis is the culmination of artistic development, consisting of both a project and research document. Faculty will guide students in considering their ideas and concepts to production of artworks, which they will also research and write about.

A written thesis document reflecting rigorous research is required for graduation from the MFA Art Practice program. Students will formulate and refine the central ideas that will become their thesis documents, and will consider appropriate strategies for the research, form, presentation and distribution of their ideas.

In this series students will participate in in-depth discussions on compelling, contemporary issues as they relate to the art world. Topics may include environmental concerns, professional development, studies of contemporary artists and exhibitions, social justice and the history and philosophy of art.

In the penultimate semester, students will produce their thesis work that will be exhibited and presented for fulfillment of the thesis requirement in the summer. Faculty will offer feedback and guidance.

Lectures from leading artists, curators and critics

Giving and receiving feedback on work-in-progress is an essential part of a successful studio practice. In this three-summer course sequence, all students participate in group critique. Over the course of each summer, students will have the opportunity to present their work to the entire program, including their peers and faculty. The course provides opportunity for feedback on work-in-progress, as well as a rigorous and thoughtful inquiry of how one’s work is perceived as a public statement.

See: Graduate Seminar I

See: Studio Practice I

MFA Art Practice students are required to produce a thesis project and a thesis document, and create an archive of each. The thesis represents the culmination of each student’s work in the program, and is a central requirement for the completion of the degree. During the final weeks of the program, each MFA candidate will show their work in a public exhibition. They will then defend their thesis, beginning with an oral presentation that describes their research, artwork and conclusions. Candidates will then respond to questions posed by the Thesis Committee. The exhibition and defense is a demonstration of each candidate’s professional competency and artistic mastery.