The Arts in New York City: Spring Semester 2018
Professor Marissa Ogè
Macaulay Honors @ Queens College
Honors Hall 12: Wednesday 1:40 pm – 4:20 pm
INTRODUCTION:
Seminar 1 of Macaulay’s 4-part seminar experience will give you a peek into the vast and almost unending world of art in New York City. Throughout the course, you will be introduced to many new forms of art, some traditional, some contemporary, and some that will (hopefully) add to your current definition of ‘art’ and broaden your horizons. I have designed this course with the goal of exposing everyone to new and interesting forms of art that may, by some, not even be considered art. But that’s the fun thing about all forms of art, they’re open to interpretation. Google defines art as “a skill at doing a specified thing, typically one acquired through practice”. This specific definition of “art” is the one we will be using all semester, and yes, it’s broad on purpose. We will work this semester to prove this definition to be true in many aspects of life and of art. In each class, we will discuss “How did what we saw tie into the definition of art provided”. The following is what we will be seeing this semester, along with readings and assignments.
EVENTS:
- Broadway – The Richard Rodgers Theatre: Hamilton
Price: $10 per student
Prospective Date of Visitation: Tuesday, April 24th, 2018 at 8:00 PM
Directions to Venue: Queens College to Richard Rodgers Theatre
Before Class Readings and Viewings:
In Class Assignment: Pick your favorite song from Hamilton and tell us what about it made it special to you, or important to you, or just why it was your favorite.
Due to the Hamilton lottery, the tickets for the show will only be $10 per student. I have chosen to take the class to Broadway, Hamilton specifically because it combines history and traditional art (theatre). The class discussion I’d like to have will relate the history-based musical Hamilton to the history-based musical 21 Chump Street back into our definition of art. Both Hamilton and 21 Chump Street are artworks based on history, a common theme in the art world. What we see in many images and hear in many kinds of music is in fact history, though at the time we may not see it as such because it is still happening in front of us, much like the AIDS at Home Exhibit. Those works were made during the AIDS epidemic and art was made based on what is now a part of this country’s history. History itself though is not thought of as art and technically it isn’t, but musicals like Hamilton and 21 Chump Street show us that it can be. That is the goal of this trip, to show everyone that no matter your passion art can and will be involved, and can and will be beautiful.
- Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
Price: Free
Prospective Date of Visitation: Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018 During Class
Directions to Venue: Queens College to Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
Before Class Readings:
In Class Assignment: Please bring a camera (or camera phone) to class and photograph at least one thing from the garden you find interesting. You may, or may not, manipulate this photo any way you like.
I have chosen to take the class on a trip to Brooklyn Botanical Gardens to prove our definition of art. Gardening is a non-traditional and widely unrecognized form of artwork. The Rose Parade is one example of gardening being recognized in society and public gardens are another example. Gardening is an art that goes unappreciated because most feel it is an easy task but in reality, keeping and tending to a garden can be difficult. Plants need to be taken care of very precisely and differ in their needs, bringing people to a garden and showing them this can make them more appreciative of the art form. This ties back into our definition because perfecting gardening, like any other art, takes years of practice and it makes the world beautiful. It can also be used in combination with a more traditional form of art such as photography
- Caroline’s on Broadway – Comedy Show
Price: $33 per student
Prospective Date of Visitation: Thursday, March 8th, 2018 at 7:30 PM
Directions to Venue: Queens College to Caroline’s
Before Class Readings:
In Class Assignment: Find a 4-minute maximum video of a comedy act to show in class and be prepared to discuss why you feel this video is art based on our definition.
I have chosen to bring the class to a comedy show because, in accordance with our definition of art, we can see that comedy takes time and practice and is a skill not all can possess, making it an art form. Comedy is more of a non-traditional art form compared to some of the others we are going to see but I think that gives us all the more reason to enjoy and discuss it. Comedy can be easily compared to writing which is a more common form of art and is more widely recognized as a form of art. Comedy can also be easily compared to acting, another more common and more widely accepted form of art. Essentially, comedy is a combination of the two, writing and acting. From going to see this comedy show I want to get across the point that no one form of art is more important or above any other form of art. Comedy takes just as much skill and time and effort as acting or writing but as a job, it is often seen as a joke (pun intended) where acting or writing isn’t.
- El Museo Del Barrio
Price: Free for CUNY students
Prospective Date of Visitation: Wednesday, February 14th, 2018 During Class
Directions to Venue: Queens College to El Museo Del Barrio
Before Class Readings:
In Class Assignment: Pick your favorite artwork from El Museo del Barrio and explain how it relates to the culture of its origins.
I have chosen to take the class to El Museo Del Barrio (EMDB) because it is a museum that focuses on traditional visual art. EMDB has a lot of works from Latin American art to Caribbean art with an emphasis on Puerto Rican artists. EMDB represents an under-represented portion of culture in the art world of New York City. Throughout New York City a lot of the art that is pushed toward many people is art from European artists whose art has survived and been passed down from museum to museum. At EMDB, however, it is art that is unique to cultures that developed without the influence of others. It can be disheartening sometimes to have the most famous art at the most famous museums be that of something you are not, but by taking the class to EMDB they can see that there is more to art than Christianity and white war generals. It will expose them to something new, something fresh, and something that is hopefully eye-opening.
- The High Line
Price: Free
Prospective Date of Visitation: Wednesday, April 18th, 2018 During Class
Directions to Venue: Queens College to The High Line
Before Class Readings:
In Class Assignment: Pick something along the High Line that you think is art based on our definition and be prepared to discuss why you feel this way
I have chosen to take the class to the High Line to view the art along the track as well as the architectural art surrounding the space. I want the class to understand that even jobs that deal heavily with math and science also deal with art. Jobs such as those in the architectural field. Part of being in architecture is being able to create what you want visually. You need to be able to draw what you want to build. Walking the High Line will allow the class to be exposed to buildings and will allow them to look at the buildings like they maybe never have before. It will also expose them to more forms of traditional art as there are statues and figures along the High Line and the Whitney Museum of American Art is at one end of the track allowing students the chance to explore that as well on their own.
- Metropolitan Opera: La Bohème
Price: $30 per student (Not included in class budget)
Prospective Date of Visitation: Tuesday, February 27th, 2018 at 8:00 PM
Directions to Venue: Queens College to the Met Opera
Before Class Readings:
In Class Assignment: Be prepared to discuss your favorite or least favorite part of the opera experience
The Opera is a required Macaulay event but I have chosen to take the class to see La Bohème. I enjoyed Madama Butterfly so I wanted to pick another Puccini production. I also chose it because it is the Met’s most popular Opera with over 1200 performances and because Rent was adapted from it. I’d do a comparison of the Opera to the movie to show how different art forms can tell the same or similar story. Just like we did with Madama Butterfly and M. Butterfly and Miss Saigon, we can compare La Bohème to Rent.
- Television Show Recording – The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Price: Free
Prospective Date of Visitation: Thursday, March 29th, 2018 at 5:00 PM
Directions to Venue: Queens College to The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Before Class Viewing:
In Class Assignment: Be prepared to discuss what you learned about the making of a television show.
I have chosen to take the class to the recording of a television show to expose them to media arts. Much like with comedy, many people don’t consider media a form of art even though it has been on the rise for years. New art forms have been cropping up in the world due to the presence of the internet growing. With the growth of the internet also comes the continued growth of television because many interview shows will have popular internet influencers on their shows. Visiting a television show will also give the class a behind-the-scenes look at what really goes into a show. I hope seeing this will show them that working in media can be a form of art just like everything else we’ve experienced and will experience.
- Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art
Price: Free
Prospective Date of Visitation: Wednesday, May 9th, 2018 During Class
Directions to Venue: Queens College to Leslie Lohman Museum
Before Class Readings:
In Class Assignment: Follow the link and look at the photo done by Leonard Fink and be prepared to discuss why it is important based on the readings and what we see at the museum.(http://www.reinagossett.com/sylvia-rivera-10-year-memorial/)
Much like the cultures of those seen at El Museo Del Barrio, Queer art is an under-represented culture in the art scene of New York. Because of this, I have chosen to take the class to the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art. I have chosen to take the class here for many of the same reasons I chose to take the class to EMDB. I want them to experience art in a culture that is different from their own or from a culture that will empower them and give them pride.
- Lips Drag Show
Price: $25 per student
Prospective Date of Visitation: Tuesday, March 20th, 2018 at 7:00 PM
Directions to Venue: Queens College to Lips Drag Show
Before Class Readings and Viewings:
In Class Assignment: Enjoy the Show – Mid-Semester Assignment Break
I have chosen to take the class to Lips Drag Show. Drag is a performance art that is more similar to traditional art than one may originally think. With the premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race on television, the rise of Drag in pop culture started. Drag is actually very related to other forms of performing art such as theatre or dance. The Drag Queens have to memorize and perform a routine like any show and they have to get dressed to the nines in hair and makeup whenever they do a show. I want to show the class that drag is just like any other performance we may go to but it is less popular than other shows because it was taboo for a long time. In fact, it was illegal for a long time. My goal in taking the class to a drag show is to have them understand it is no different than any other art form. For this reason, I would like for my behind-the-scenes experience to be an interview with one of the Queens from the show we see. I want them to be able to ask questions and learn about being a Drag Queen. I feel it is important that this takes place to disprove any stereotype or belief that is false to open up the minds of the class.
Marissa, this is a nice range of experiences that you’ve designed. I appreciate your attention to the in-class elements of discussing the arts as well. Your focus on the “skill” aspect of art is provocative as well and would lead to great debates in class as well.