Please look at the varied works of our visiting artists before next class.

Katherine Behar is an interdisciplinary artist. Her work intersects performance, installation and video. You will find her projects on her website Katherine Behar

Terry Berkowitz is a visual artist. You will find her projects on her website Terry Berkowtiz

Update: I don’t know if you have seen President Wallerstein’s message. It appears that out of concerns for safety after the protests of a week ago, the college has decided to cancel classes that meet in the NVC after 3PM on Monday because  another Board of Trustee Meeting is scheduled that eve. Our class is not impacted. We do meet.

For Monday’s class, please prepare on paper 2 different topics for your final project. Explain why it is important to you; why should we care; how it adds to our exposure to artists and art works this semester.

We want to look for ideas that relate to culture and memory. For instance, David Henry Hwang’s plays on cultural memory to alter it, overturning long standing western conceptions of Chinese culture—especially female stereotypes. Another source of ideas can come from any of the trends or issues jumping out in your Fresh Paint posts, such as art and technology.

To Quan in the MHC talent show.

Monday we are meeting at 23rd@10th in Chelsea. 2:30 Sharp.

Before we visit 1 or 2 galleries in the area, we want to gain some reference for looking and talking about visual art, especially abstraction. To prepare–so do this over the weekend, we will try out a multimedia “web textbook,” smarthistory. Instead of print text, this site offers conversational visual texts by different experts. Go to the site with this link  why look at art. and watch that segment. Then on the same page menu bar, go to “Skills of Describing,” and after that “1960-Present: An Overview.”  Finally, go to under artists or click here Jackson Pollock He is a very important figure to a movement called abstract expressionism and techniques (action panting). Get to know him!

I am curious what you think about smarthistory after using it. You are first group of users.

For those of you interested in seeing more opera, here’s the link to the student membership at the MET Opera. Once registered you have access to the student discount where you can get 2 tickets, so take a friend!

For all you music lovers, Carnagie Hall student membership is also worth signing up for. The subscription grants you $10 tickets to concerts. If you want to play an active part in this stellar cultural institution, volunteer for the student marketing council.

I found the story on the New York Times Arts Beat blog that explains why Pogossov stepped in for Mattei in the role of Figaro. It seems the lead (Mariusz Kwiecien) in another opera, Mozart’s Don Giovanni, had to withdraw due to a back injury. Mattei replaced Kwiecien in DG; Pogossov took over for Mattei in Barber.

My office is on the 7th floor, room 235. If the department door is closed call 646-312-4066 so that I can let you in.

Oct. 13 @2PM Abhinaya Swaminathan

Oct. 17 @1PM Ngawang Tsetan; @4PM Semyon Toybis; @4:30 Jessica Lin; @5:30 SharonLin

Oct. 18 @3PM Quan Vu; @3:30 Devon Khan; @4PM Camille Studer

Oct. 20 @12:30PM Serge Sorokin; @1PM Mark Stone; @1:30OM Derek Ku; @2PM Steven Sklyarevskiy

Oct. 24 @1PM Kenny Vu; @4PM Michael Zaslowsky

Oct. 26 @1PM Raymond Wang; @4PM Anna Mai; @4:30 Keith Stegner

Oct. 31 @4PM Sion Siyanov; @ 4:30 Isadore Betesh

To get started with your scrapbook, Jill has given you editing privileges to create your own page on the website. Yes, you are now masters of the site. We trust you. You are now full collaborators.

If you have a moment, set this up. Go to your dashboard and “add new page.” Use your name in the subject heading. This way, Jill can transfer your page to the menu later in the week. We decided to go with a page instead of eportfolios for the convenience and joint creative vision it allows–so that the pages express perspectives of our shared cultural journey. If you feel very strongly that you want to use the eportfolio or some type of advanced wizardry, you can always link to the page. Whatever your vision, we can find a way to realize it.

Once you have created your page put up your first entry on a cultural passport event: theatre, meet the artist, museum visit or such. It need not polished. Many start with a slideshow or visual diary. These set dates to get something up are merely to keep you on track. Be sure to show me proof of where you went. By the way if you are looking for something Halloweeny, check out Blood Manor. It is a haunted house/ interactive experience downtown on Varick Street. Tickets are $25 +service fee. It looks like they will be holding some student nights. This kind of immersive tour is one of the hottest cultural trends happening globally.