Announcements

Hi all,

The final is now posted under “assignments” on the blog. Please note that I have updated the instructions to include (1) your budget of $60 per student and (2) links to the CUNY Arts and Macaulay Cultural passport websites, with lists of free museums, etc.

If you missed class and have questions–or even if you attended and have questions–get in touch.

Thanks again for a great semester!

-Prof Kolb

Dear students,

First of all, congratulations on all your projects at the STEAM festival! They all looked fabulous, and from what I saw you were doing a stellar job of explaining them to other festival-goers. I hope you are all as proud of yourselves as I am of you.

Don’t forget to post blog post #9 by tonight at 9. Read through everyone’s posts, and then add two comments in response to your peers’ work by Monday night. When commenting, try to favor posts lacking comments rather than those that already have several.

Grades for post #8 should be up later this evening.

Finally: do your course evaluations! Many thanks to those of you who have already done them.

See you Tuesday!

Prof Kolb

Dear Students,

A quick reminder to add your comments to your peers’ blog posts  by 9 pm tonight. Leave substantial, thoughtful comments on two posts (or more, if you like!). If a post already has multiple comments, please move on to one that has no comments yet.

See you tomorrow! Remember to do the four readings related to tomorrow’s excursion to see the Jungle at St. Ann’s.

Best,

Prof Kolb

Dear Students,

Blog post eight is due by Sunday, at 9 pm. Because we weren’t really able to have a detailed discussion at the museum, we’re having a virtual discussion this week. Read through all of your classmates’ posts, after the deadline (or as they start showing up!). Then, by Monday at 9 pm, leave substantial comments on two of your peers’ posts.  You can extend your peers’ lines of thinking; offer alternate interpretations of the work of art they focus on; or connect their ideas to your own. Be generous and thoughtful.

NOTE: In your comments, simply praising or criticizing is not enough. Think of the posts and comments as parts of a dialogue, a conversation, in which we collectively and collaboratively analyze works of art.

Your readings for next week are posted. Two are short news articles; two are longer and more academic (be prepared to spend some time with these). We will spend about half the class on discussion, and half on STEAM work.

Remember that on Wednesday, 12/5, we are going to The Jungle at St Anne’s Warehouse in Brooklyn. No one has emailed me with transit/scheduling difficulties, which is great–I’m working under the assumption that everyone has their travel under control. (If this is not the case, speak now!)

See you on Tuesday!

Prof Kolb

One week from today, on Wednesday, Dec. 5, we will have our final class excursion to see The Jungle at St. Anne’s Warehouse in Brooklyn. Plan your transit now. Do not be late. Latecomers may not be seated, which means you’ll miss the play, and the participation for the excursion.

The show begins at 7:30; arrive by 7:10 at the latest. The run time is 2 hours and 45 minutes, with one intermission.

Right now–seriously, right now, as you are reading this–(1) take the time to anticipate any problems you might have in getting to this excursion, or in getting home from it. Then (2) actively try to come up to solutions to those problems.

If you truly cannot figure out a solution on your own–and I have faith that as increasingly savvy New York City navigators, you can!–get in touch with me immediately. Do not wait til next Tuesday or Wednesday. Get in touch now.

I’ll be sending reminder emails about the reading for next Tuesday, and about Sunday’s blog post (and the replies you will write to other people’s posts). For now, I want you to take a few minutes to plan your transit for next Weds evening.

Be in touch with questions.

Prof Kolb

Hi all,

A reminder that we will meet tomorrow at 11:10 at the Jewish Museum. Bring your Macaulay cultural passport–you need this for free admission!

Remember that there are four short readings for you to complete in preparation. Finish these before arriving at the museum.

Blog post #8 (due 12/2 by 9 pm) will be based on this excursion. At the Jewish Museum, choose a work of art from either the Martha Rosler show or the Chagall, Lissitzky, and Malevich show, and photograph that work. Jot some notes for yourself on (1) how this work is (or was, in its historical moment) experimental as art; (2) how it is–or was–a political statement; how it is trying to intervene in the world; and (3) how these things fit together: how is this work’s experimental medium, content, or style linked to its political message?

If you missed last week’s class or have questions about the post talk to me tomorrow!

See you tomorrow on the Upper East Side!

Prof Kolb

Hi everyone,

A reminder that if you need to print photos on glossy paper, tomorrow (Monday 11/26) is the day to do this! I will be in the Baruch Honors Program office during my regular office hours from 12-2, and then again from 4-5. Come any time, you don’t need to let me know in advance. Please bring your images on a USB drive as JPEG (preferred) or PDF files, and try to combine multiple photos onto a single 8.5×11″ page to print so that we use less paper (you can do this in either PowerPoint or by using the free web app Canva, just ask me if you’re having trouble).

I will also be able to print photos next Monday, December 3, during my regular office hours from 12-2. If none of these times work for anyone in your group, please let me know ASAP and we will try to figure out an alternative time to meet.

The Honors Program office is at 138 E26th St., room 306. This is also the office where your advisors have their offices, and is right next door to the temporary honors lounge.

-Jake

Dear students,

The portal is now open for signing up for STEAM festival slots. Click here to register. Remember that only one person per group should sign up; you will be able to enter everyone’s name on the registration form. The sooner you sign up, the more likely you are to receive your desired time slot, so do this ASAP.

I’ll see you in class tomorrow, which will be dedicated to STEAM festival work. Remember that everyone must have something to work on, and that–when it comes to presenting–everyone must contribute, out loud. Remember, too, that you should present something visual or physical–even if it is just a sketch of the project, or a tiny portion of it. In your presentations, talk about your vision for the project, your methods for making it, and your major influences (these can be artworks we’ve seen, texts we’ve read, or anything from outside the class that inspired your project).

Really looking forward to seeing what you’re working on.

See you tomorrow–

Prof Kolb

P.S. For teams that requested supplies: these have been ordered but have not yet arrived; we will keep you updated.

Hi everyone,

Two big reminders here:

1. If you need any art supplies for your project and you haven’t already asked, the deadline to do this is TODAY.  Please send both me AND Prof. Kolb a list including item number, quantity, color, size, and any other things that need to be specified. These should be either from dickblick.com or amazon.com. Please do this before 3pm today.
2. The signups for STEAM fest will open this Monday, Nov. 19. They are going to be available at this website: eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/steamfest. I will remind you of this on Tuesday, but especially if you need to present on a certain day because of religious obligations, I recommend that you sign up Monday. ONLY ONE PERSON PER GROUP should sign up for the entire group, with everyone’s names.

-Jake

Dear Students,

Our optional trip to see Warhol at the Whitney is tomorrow. Meet at the Whitney Museum (99 Gansevoort St) no later than 12:30 pm.

If you didn’t sign up but you decide to come, that’s fine (you might shoot me a quick note to let me know to look out for you). If you wish to attend but find yourself running late, definitely email me. I’ll be checking my phone periodically before we head in.

I recommend reading a write-up of the show beforehand, as preparation, either in the NYT or the New Yorker.  Load one of these up in your phone to read on the train as you travel to the museum.

See you soon!

Prof Kolb