CAPSTONE: Senior Exhibition
Professor: Mathew Wilson
Adjunct Professor of SAIC
Email: mwilson@saic.edu , https://www.industryoftheordinary.com/index2.html
Tuesdays 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Department: Interdisciplinary Studies
Location: 280 Building Rm 325
Teacher Assistant: Rose Ansari, MFA ransar@saic.edu
Description
Students who enroll in Capstone 4900: Senior Exhibition must have been assigned the Spring exhibition at SAIC Galleries. The Spring exhibition assignment takes place in the preceding term (Fall). Enrollment in this course will only be permitted for students eligible for the Spring exhibition. Students who fail to subsequently complete the Spring exhibition registration process may not ultimately participate in this exhibition-focused course. This interdisciplinary capstone class is designed to help students recognize patterns of inquiry within their practice and to help contextualize their work in preparation for their Senior Exhibition. The class will collaboratively organize a group curated section of the exhibition. Students will tackle both critical and practical aspects of exhibition planning from writing conceptual supporting texts to the nuts-and-bolts methods of installation and preparator work. An assessment of previous work will be the starting point for ongoing critical inquiry into your creative professional practice, and how you might position and locate your own work in the art-worlds of the 21st Century. Readings, screenings, and field trips will vary. Class visits by local artists will provide the opportunity to have a conversation about their lived experience sustaining a creative practice. With an emphasis on faculty mentorship, class meetings will support the development of a body of work or project for the Senior Exhibition, building a strong portfolio, and planning for post-SAIC life. Prerequisite: To enroll, students must be assigned to the Spring exhibition at SAIC Galleries. Assignments take place in the preceding term (Fall). Students who fail to complete the registration process may not ultimately take this course.
About the Professor, Mathew Wilson
Mathew Wilson is a contemporary artist who is part of the collaborative duo known as Industry of the Ordinary (IOTO), which he co-founded with fellow artist Adam Brooks in 2003. Wilson's work with IOTO focuses on challenging and redefining perceptions of the everyday and ordinary through various artistic mediums, including performance, installation, and public interventions.
Education:
- BA in Fine Art from Loughborough College of Art and Design, UK
- MA in Sculpture from the Royal College of Art, London
Mathew Wilson has had an extensive career in the arts, both as an individual artist and in collaboration with others. Before forming Industry of the Ordinary, Wilson already had a notable career, exhibiting his work in various international venues. His solo work often explores themes related to identity, politics, and social commentary.
Industry of the Ordinary (IOTO):
Together with Adam Brooks, Wilson created Industry of the Ordinary to investigate and celebrate the ordinary aspects of life. IOTO's projects are known for their conceptual nature and public engagement, often involving community participation. Their work aims to provoke thought and discussion about what is considered ordinary, questioning societal norms and values. Mathew Wilson's work, both individually and as part of Industry of the Ordinary, continues to push the boundaries of conventional art, inviting audiences to reconsider the significance of the everyday.
This interdisciplinary capstone class will help students recognize patterns of inquiry within their work and help contextualize this work into the broader artmaking environment. The class will collaboratively realize a curated section of the Senior Exhibition.
Students will tackle both critical and practical aspects of exhibition planning from writing conceptual supporting texts to methods of installation and preparator work.
An assessment of previous work will be the starting point for ongoing critical inquiry into creative professional practice, and how an artist might position and locate their own work in the contemporary creative landscape.
Readings, screenings, and field trips will vary. Class visits by local artists will provide the opportunity to have a conversation about their lived experience sustaining a creative practice. With an emphasis on faculty mentorship, class meetings will support the development of a body of work or project for the Senior Exhibition, building a strong portfolio, and planning for post-graduation success.
The 4900 Senior Capstone course is designed to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their creative practices post-graduation. By the end of the course, students will:
- Create and document work that demonstrates conceptual acuity, technical proficiency, and material knowledge relevant to their practice.
- Engage in practices of critique.
- Demonstrate the ability to think, speak, and write clearly and effectively regarding creative practice.
- Prepare and implement a detailed plan to exhibit their work in a public venue following established guidelines, policies, and best practices.
The course aims to better prepare students for life after school.
Shared Assignments:
- Curated Exhibition with UGE at SAIC Galleries
- Documentation of Practice
- Senior Project Presentations
Class Schedule:
- Section 1: INTRODUCTIONS | SELF-REFLECTIONS | SENIOR PROJECT RESEARCH (4 classes)
- Introduction to studio/personal history.
- Section 2: EXHIBITION PREPARATION, PRODUCTION, INSTALLATION & REVIEW** (8 classes)
- Final steps and discussion of work with outside professionals.
- Section 3: SENIOR PROJECT MATERIALS (3 classes)
- Work on Senior Project Materials for a 10-minute presentation to the class and 3-4 faculty members in person on May 7th. The presentation will be evaluated by the faculty and class along with a self-evaluation. Submission of a Senior Project Paper is due on April 30th.
Class Projects:
- Illustrated Verbal Presentation: Due Class 2 with presentations in Class 2 and 3, submitted on CANVAS. A 10-minute PDF presentation on past, current, and future work and ideas for the Senior Undergraduate Exhibition.
- Project Proposal + Class Installation: In the Class Curated Space in the Spring 2022 Senior Undergraduate Exhibition. The proposal outlines the approach to presenting work. The Class Curated Space allows presenting work in an exhibition context with class members. Attendance is required at two class meetings in the NEW SAIC Gallery during installation.
- Senior Project Paper/Artist Statement: Preparation for the Senior Project Panel Presentation at the end of the semester. A 3-4 page written Senior Project Paper is due on April 30th (First draft reviewed on April 23rd). The paper expands the artist's statement, covering:
1. Ideas explored in the work.
2. Formal Decisions/Material Choices: Relation to ideas.
3. Technical skills employed and their relation to the artist's development.
4. Experimentation, Iteration, Revision: Development process.
5. Contextualization: Historical and contemporary frameworks.
6. Self Reflection: Learnings from the process.
The paper should be submitted as a PDF.
- Artist Statement: A 100-300 word statement distilling the art project, discussed and developed throughout the semester.
- Senior Project Presentation: Due May 7th. A 10-minute visual presentation, drawing from the Senior Project Paper, showing the development of the Senior Project in relation to practice and other works. Delivered online to peers and an interdisciplinary panel of faculty members and guests. Introduce the presentation with an artist statement that communicates intent and synthesizes ideas in relation to formal decisions, techniques, and material choices.
Critical Dates:
- Site visit 1: Feb 20th
- Site visit 2: March 5th
- Load-in: March 19th
- Labels due: March 19th by 11:59 pm
- Install: March 26th (One day to install)
- On view: April 5th - 13, 11 am - 6 pm (closed Sundays)
- Reception: April 6th, Noon - 5 pm
- De-install: April 16th
Students installing their projects
Students giving their final project lectures
