Syllabus & Schedule
- Thursday Aug 21: Attend performance of South Pacific, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Lincoln Center.
- Aug 27: Meet rest of class at Metropolitan Museum of Art, 11 a.m., in front information desk. See Early Buddhist Manuscripts, Jeff Koons, and Photography on Photography Exhibitions. Info and directions at www.metmuseum.org
Homework Assignment: Write a 300-400 word essay about any single object in any of these three exhibitions. Due in class Sep. 3.
- Sep 3: Introductions, Discussion of Met exhibits, and of plans for rest of semester.
Homework assignment: see Buckminster Fuller exhibition and “Progress” & Paul McCarthy at the Whitney Museum; post 300-word response on class website.
- Sep 10: Discuss Buckminster Fuller and “Progress”
Homework assignment: See Turner exhibition at the Met; See De Kooning & Pollock exhibitions at the Jewish Museum - Use GoogleDocs to upload assigned image (by group)
- Sep 17: Discuss Turner and De Kooning & Pollock exhibitions; discuss upcoming Fall for Dance exhibition;
Homework assignment: visit Guggenheim Museum to see Louise Bourgeois exhibition OR Olafur Eliasson’s Waterfalls
- Sep. 23, TUESDAY: Fall for Dance performances (8:00 - get there early) To get there: http://www.nycitycenter.org/content/visitors/default.aspx#directions
Homework assignment: write 300-500 word essay about any single dance performance.
- Sep 24: Discuss Fall for Dance performances, Bourgeois & Eliasson. Meredith’s tutorial on peer reviewing.
- Oct 1: NO CLASS
- Oct 8: NO CLASS
- Friday, Oct 10: exchange draft of papers with group members, electronically.
- Tues. Oct. 14 see Don Giovanni at Metropolitan Opera (time TBA)
- Oct 15: First paper due at beginning of class. Discuss Don Giovanni.
- Oct 22: Prepare for Arjuna’s Dilemma. Class visit from composer Douglas Cuomo. See STEVE REICH at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM).
- Oct 29 Discuss Steve Reich and prepare for Arjuna’s dilemma
- Nov 5 NO CLASS - Meet at Professor Israel’s apt (6:00 @ 333 Adelphi St. #2 Brooklyn, NY 11238) and then see Arjuna’s Dilemma at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM).
- Nov 12 discuss Arjuna’s dilemma with composer Douglas Cuomo
Homework assignment for Nov. 12: Have two or three questions ready for Mr. Cuomo to discuss in class - Nov 19 Discussion of The Waves (Duke Theatre, 229 W. 42nd St.) (Take yourself to a show 12-18th - ticket stubs for reimbursement)
- Nov 26 no class. Happy Thanksgiving! Work on your papers!
- Dec 3 Brief outline of paper to be shared in class
- Final papers due on December 10
The Arts in New York City
CUNY Honors College 100
Section 3, Fall 2008
Wednesdays 10:10 a.m.-12:40 p.m.
Hunter West 509A, unless otherwise scheduled
Prof. Nico Israel
Office: 1225 Hunter West, Office Hours: Thursdays 2-4 by appointment
Email address: nico.israel@hunter.cuny.edu
Tech Fellow: Meredith Theeman, email: MTheeman@gc.cuny.edu
Course Description: This seminar is intended to introduce students to an array of arts and cultural events offered in New York City.
Requirements:
Attendance and Class Participation (40%) Regular, punctual attendance of class meetings is essential. Two tardy appearances constitute an absence. More than two unexcused absences lowers your grade. If you are absent four times, you will fail the course. In addition to coming to class sessions, it is extremely important that students attend events scheduled outside of class. If you cannot make an outing for any reason (health, personal, or religious), you must inform me in advance and arrange to go to the event on your own. Your participation grade depends on the timely completion of readings and intelligent contributions to discussions. You should come to class with relevant texts and/or images, prepared to participate in a lively, informed manner. Not having appropriate materials handy in class constitutes a half-absence. Each member of class will be expected to contribute to the discussion; students should be aware that if they do not volunteer to speak, they might be called on at any time. A significant part of the class will take place via the internet. Your regular, timely participation on the class blog, posting of responses, and completion of exercises all factor into your participation grade. Please check your email daily and the class blog regularly; you are responsible for knowing of any changes made or assignments posted on the web.
Papers. (60%) Students will write one midterm 1500-word analytical paper (approx. 6 pages) and write one 3000-word research paper (approx. 12 pages). Students will also write brief responses to exhibitions and performances throughout the semester. Late papers will be graded down by one grade for each class period they are late. Papers will not be accepted electronically. Topics for longer papers must be approved by instructor.
Academic Integrity: Hunter College regards acts of academic dishonesty (e.g., plagiarism, cheating on examinations, obtaining unfair advantage, and falsification of records and official documents) as serious offenses against the values of intellectual honesty. The college is committed to enforcing the CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity and will pursue cases of academic dishonesty according to the Hunter College Academic Integrity Procedures.
Accessibility: In compliance with the American Disability Act of 1990 (ADA) and with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Hunter College is committed to ensuring educational parity and accommodations for all students with documented disabilities and/or medical conditions. It is recommended that all students with documented disabilities (Emotional, Medical, Physical and/or Learning) consult the Office of AccessABILITY located in Room E1124 to secure necessary academic accommodations. For further information and assistance please call (212- 772- 4857)/TTY (212- 650- 3230).
Other policies: Papers are due at the beginning of class; late papers will be penalized at the rate of one letter grade per class period missed. Eating in class and chewing gum are distractions to other students, so they are not allowed. Please be sure to turn off cell phones before class begins (and always before attending an arts event). Students are expected to maintain an active email account, and to check their email every day. If you do not check your email daily, and consequently miss material or are unprepared for an assignment, the responsibility is yours. Please be sure to exchange email addresses with at least two other students so that when you miss class, you can contact them.
Syllabus: Because of the nature of scheduling arts events in the city, the entire semester cannot be planned in advance. This syllabus is to be viewed as a work-in-process, responding to upcoming and still-unannounced events in the city; further refinements will be made to it as the semester continues. All dates are Wednesdays unless otherwise specified.
