This studio course will examine the expansive nature of installation and its prominent place in contemporary art discourse, both within and outside of institutional settings. The emphasis will not be on making what is termed 'Installation Art' but engaging with strategies and situations where artistic action/production can take place. We will examine the historical lineages surrounding installation, while considering its critical capacities in relation to site, intervention, bodies, public vs. private, the archive, and representation. Assignments allow for students to work in various media and to focus on the process and methodology for developing ambitious ideas, both materially and conceptually. We will deconstruct the ways in which the subject can offer multiple viewpoints and allow for the spectator to take on active and engaged roles. This class is not defined by or limited to a specific technical or artistic discipline. Students should be prepared to challenge the boundaries and limitations of materials, media, and space. The assignments and readings are designed to act as instigators for each student's studio and intellectual work. Experimentation and improvisation will be strongly encouraged, if not expected. The intention is to maintain, advance and expand robust artmaking processes within the mode of installation-based work. There will be group critiques of developed work throughout the semester in addition to lectures, screenings and discussions.

Elective

This seminar connects sophomore Sculpture majors to significant parts of the ever-expanding discipline of contemporary sculpture. Over the semester the class will explore how methods of artistic production, materials of artistic transformation, and practices of makers participating in various artistic movements have created and sustained the conversations so integral to contemporary sculptural practice. Through a series of film screenings, assigned readings, slide talks, and discussions, students will gain a familiarity with the historic events and trajectories that continue to produce associative canons and relational movements, forming the foundation of their chosen discipline. The course trajectory is coordinated with topics covered in Sculptural Practices I and II and Sophomore Sculpture: Studio I.

Estimated Cost of Materials: $50.00

Students are pre-registered for this course by the department; registration is not available in Workday. Enrollment is limited to Sophomore Sculpture Students.

Major Requirement | BFA Sculpture

Building on the methods of research and synthesis learned in Junior Sculpture: Research Studio, this is an intensive semester designed to strengthen students’ knowledge of professional practices for maintaining a creative practice past graduation. Students will develop a packet of materials which include a portfolio of work, artist statement, resume, and artist CV. This course will advance their research into a range of opportunities specific to the discipline of sculpture and their own individuated practices. 
 
Each week students will be introduced to a variety of resources and skills necessary in preparing for upcoming and future opportunities such as residencies, granting organizations, graduate schools and fellowships. Additionally, topics of exhibiting works in various spaces such as galleries (artist-run, for-profit, university, etc.), museums, alternative art organizations and public art venues will be presented. There will also be workshops for preparing project budgets, archival storage of work and formatting for digital organization. This seminar aims to give students a strong foundation for professional practices prior to their final semester at RISD so they can focus on their body of work in Senior Degree Project and feel prepared to graduate.   

Estimated Cost of Materials: $300.00

Students are pre-registered for this course by the department; registration is not available in Workday. Enrollment is limited to Senior Sculpture Students.

Major Requirement | BFA Sculpture