John D Neff

This seminar explores questions of cinema and television in relation to the larger issues concerning visual representations and definitions of sexuality and gender. Themes and approaches include theories of spectatorship, in particular, feminist, postcolonial, and queer theories of looking as related to sexuality and gender; stereotypes and social roles; and the interplay between unconscious processes and forms of representation.

The course consists of weekly discussions based on screenings of moving image work, as well as critical and theoretical texts that, from a variety of perspectives, address these issues. Some of the scholars and artists we will study include Jose Mu?oz, B. Ruby Rich, Leotine Sagan, Jean Genet, Kenneth Anger, Shu Lea Cheang, Barbara Hammer, Frederic Moffet, Gregg Bordowitz, Cassils, David Getsy, Liz Rosenfeld, Marlon Riggs, Judith Butler, Vaginal Davis, Dee Rees, Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski, Cheryl Dunye, Richard Fung, George Kuchar

Course work will include in-class discussions, screening/reading responses, a midterm critical response essay, and a final research paper

This seminar explores questions of cinema and television in relation to the larger issues concerning visual representations and definitions of sexuality and gender. Themes and approaches include theories of spectatorship, in particular, feminist, postcolonial, and queer theories of looking as related to sexuality and gender; stereotypes and social roles; and the interplay between unconscious processes and forms of representation.

The course consists of weekly discussions based on screenings of moving image work, as well as critical and theoretical texts that, from a variety of perspectives, address these issues. Some of the scholars and artists we will study include Jose Mu?oz, B. Ruby Rich, Leotine Sagan, Jean Genet, Kenneth Anger, Shu Lea Cheang, Barbara Hammer, Frederic Moffet, Gregg Bordowitz, Cassils, David Getsy, Liz Rosenfeld, Marlon Riggs, Judith Butler, Vaginal Davis, Dee Rees, Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski, Cheryl Dunye, Richard Fung, George Kuchar

Course work will include in-class discussions, screening/reading responses, a midterm critical response essay, and a final research paper

SAIC¿s Low-Res MFA Program conducts Y2 Reviews for students in their second summer residency. These reviews provide an evaluative milestone midway through the program, and consists of critical responses to second-year students from a panel of faculty and peers. The Y2 Reviews are an opportunity for students to be involved in evaluative discussions with multiple voices directed toward their work, enhancing and challenging the conversations they¿ve experienced with the faculty, mentors, and peers they have already worked closely with. These critical discussions are designed to prepare students for their thesis year and to provide reciprocal feedback to faculty in understanding our students¿ overall progression.

The course will center on the review of student work, with supplemental readings offered by faculty to contextualize the critiques. These might include Daniel Buren's 'Function of the Studio,' Andrea Fraser's 'The Critique of Institutions and the Institution of Critique,' and other artist-centered texts that examine the critical stakes of studio practice.

All Y2 students are asked to prepare a 3 - 5 min introduction of their work. You may choose to script your introduction, or speak candidly. The following questions may serve as a guide:

What are the concepts, contexts, or histories that meaningfully position your work?

What are the set of questions or problems that you are working through?

How do you understand your craft, methodology, or approach to your practice?

If you intend to present written work or time-based media or documentation of performance work, please consider sending materials a few days ahead of time (preferably 1 week or 3 days minimum) to give your panel time to review. You may then wish to present an excerpt during your review. If you wish to present time-based work in the review, it is recommended to keep this to under 10 min to give time for qualitative discussion.

This seminar consists of weekly studio visits, discussions, and small group critiques. Students are expected to arrive with completed and semi-completed works and be prepared to make and re-make new works throughout the summer sessions. A wide variety of readings chosen by faculty will guide discussions that concentrate on problems concerning methods of artmaking, distribution, and interpretation. Readings will include examples drawn from the emerging category of conceptual writing as well as crucial art historical texts, literature, and poetry.

Over the course of each six-week summer residency period, all students in the Low- Res MFA program engage with a series of world renowned artists and scholars to expand our collective conceptual frameworks and discourses. Invited speakers participate in our Visiting Artist & Scholar Lecture Series. They deliver a public lecture open to the entire SAIC and Chicago community and the general public, and then participate in a Colloquium the next day exclusively for Low-Res MFA students. Each Colloquium takes place with the artist present, and is a space where the artist¿s work and concepts (direct or adjacent) are discussed, questions are raised, and topics are debated. Colloquium asks for consensus, but rather a dynamic and in depth discursive exploration of ideas. This form allows for a multiplicity of voices to build on concepts through questioning, contributing, challenging, and listening to each other. The colloquium is considered a Gift anchored with the presence of the visiting artist. This Gift is generated by enacting full attention to the concepts present in the artist or scholar¿s work. In the spirit of Lewis Hyde, the Gift is an exchange which generates or propagates further attention and exchange in culture. Thus, the Colloquium is a Gift meant to propagate further exchange in the world, as artists and citizens.

This synchronous online course provides a forum for structured group discussion of students' studio work during remote semesters. Attendance at regularly scheduled synchronous meetings is required for this course.

The project of this course is developing students' skills around the observation of artworks, the verbal interpretation of artworks, and the framing of generative questions about studio practices.

In the course, students will present their own artwork and respond to colleagues' works within the context of facilitated group discussions on Zoom. A modest amount of asynchronous coursework will take place through Canvas and other platforms.

This synchronous online course provides a forum for structured group discussion of students' studio work during remote semesters. Attendance at regularly scheduled synchronous meetings is required for this course.

The project of this course is developing students' skills around the observation of artworks, the verbal interpretation of artworks, and the framing of generative questions about studio practices.

In the course, students will present their own artwork and respond to colleagues' works within the context of facilitated group discussions on Zoom. A modest amount of asynchronous coursework will take place through Canvas and other platforms.

This specialized professional practice course prepares students for active participation in the artistic and scholarly life of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, including familiarizing them with on-campus and online components of the Low-Residency MFA infrastructure. Students will be introduced to in-person and online library resources, including SAIC¿s special collections. We will become familiar with both bricks-and-mortar and digital research, communication, and production tools available through the school. Students will be trained on digital platforms including Canvas, SAIC's learning management system, in preparation for their fall and spring online courses. Additionally, this course will introduce Chicago area resources that may be useful in students research and practice. Through this course, students may be authorized on some equipment for use during the residency.

This course combines study of texts on aesthetics and language¿concentrating on works that experiment with autobiographical forms¿with short writing exercises encouraging students to reimagine genres of art writing such as artist statements, interviews, press releases, and reviews. The authors explored will include Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, Peter Ho Davies, Lara Mimosa Montes, Claudia Rankine and Anne Truitt. Students will share short responses to readings and brief writing exercises every week. Students will complete a final project of their design, one formed in conversation with their classmates. Throughout the semester, there will be regular, required synchronous meetings (Mondays, 6 PM CST) via Zoom for discussion of course exercises and materials as well as asynchronous meetings when required.

Prerequisite: Must be enrolled in the Low-Residency MFA Program.

Taken every semester across the Graduate Division, the Graduate Projects courses allow students to focus in private sessions on the development of their work. Students register for 6 hours of Graduate Project credit in each semester of study.

Taken every semester across the Graduate Division, the Graduate Projects courses allow students to focus in private sessions on the development of their work. Students register for 6 hours of Graduate Project credit in each semester of study.