Marie Herwald Hermann

This course deconstructs and reconstructs ceramic processes and materials to discover crossovers between handmade and industrially produced ceramic objects. We investigate how ceramic objects infiltrate other artistic disciplines by exploring the methodologies and historical use of ceramics as raw material in sculptures, or as props in paintings, cinema, photography, and performance. This course takes account of the ways that ceramics exists beyond the arts, within in our everyday lives, as a way to bridge those histories into the work we make together in this course.
Readings will vary but typically include Postproduction by Nicolas Bourriaud, Schizogenesis: The Art of Rosemarie Trockel, and look at a selection of works from artists such as: Mark Manders, Theaster Gates, Robert Gober, Ladi Kwali, Rachel Harrison, Nicholas Cage, Heather Cassils, and Rosemarie Trockel, Julia Philipps, Sterling Ruby, Eva Zeisel, Ai Weiwei, Betty Woodman, Arlene Shechet, and Rebecca Warren.
Students will practice traditional and nontraditional methods of working with ceramics. Students can expect to work alone and in groups to create, destroy, mend, reconstruct, and reformulate all manner of ceramic objects.

This interdisciplinary studio seminar based in the ceramics department is designed for grad students interested in exploring the endless possibilities that clay offers as a material adapted into individual studio and research practices. The first portion of this class will be technically based to learn different modes of construction, mold making, as well as different glazing and firing techniques in ceramics. The second portion will be focused on independent projects, advising and critical discussions.

Readings will be a combination of history of ceramics, contemporary artist, and technical information. Some of the contemporary artists using clay within contemporary art practice we will study in this course include Cannupa Hanska Luger, Elizabeth Jaeger, Woody De Othello, and more. There will be discussions on the history of ceramics and how contemporary artists use clay in performance, sculpture, design, architecture, and print media.

Students should expect to produce a consistent body of work to be presented in a culminating course critique at the end of the session. Junior and Senior-level undergraduate students are welcome to enroll in this course and should email the instructor to seek authorization to register.

Taken every semester, 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.