Drawing/Painting/Photography

Required for all MFA graduate students. The studio elective gives students an opportunity to work in media that they are unfamiliar with or that might be incorporated into their studio work. Students must work in a media and studio outside their primary discipline. Any exceptions must be made in consultation with the appropriate advisor. Enrollment is by permission of the studio faculty.

The focus of this course is self-generated studio work and research during the first year of graduate study. This is the main studio-based interaction between student and faculty advisor. Students work under the guidance of individual faculty studio advisors; with midterm and final reviews by Division of Drawing; Painting; and Photography faculty and Dusseldorf faculty.

This course is a platform for peer critique and discussion on contemporary art issues. Students read and discuss pertinent texts and participate in critiques. The course may also include meetings with visiting artists and field trips to museums and galleries.

This course takes place during the Dusseldorf semesters and focuses on cultural exposure; first hand interaction with art world professionals; and related workshops and discussions on current professional practices. Students gain a global perspective of the art world by interacting with visiting artists and lecturers through individual studio visits; group discussion; and museum and gallery field trips.

The studio work is supported by a written thesis report that includes a detailed statement about the work; a technical documentation of materials and processes used; and images of the thesis work. This documentation is archived in the Scholes Library. This course is structured as a seminar with all second year MFA Painting students participating.

The third and fourth semesters of the Painting MFA focus on the development of the thesis work. A body of work is presented in a thesis exhibition at the end of the fourth semester of study. Each student continues to work independently under the guidance of individual faculty studio advisors; with midterm and final reviews by Division of Drawing; Painting and Photography faculty and Dusseldorf faculty.