THEROBERT GORDON

UNIVERSITYABERDEEN

Gray’s School of Art

Stage 2 2007-2008Contextual and Critical Studies – Mini-Programme 2

A Sense of Place

Tutor: Andrea Peachemail: a.peach@rgu.ac.uk (tel: 263679)

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A SENSE OF PLACE

While we might easily be lost in place, we would certainly be lost without it.

Tacita Dean, Place

This programme will look at the idea of ‘place’ in both a cultural and philosophical context. It will investigate how we construct relationships with places, both real and imaginary, and the importance of place in locating our identity.

It will consider the influence of land, nature and cultural geography on creative practice, as well as the idea of ‘non-places’ in our increasingly global society, and draw on a wide range of disciplines and discourses to consider the meaning of place.

1. INTRODUCTION AND TIMETABLE

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This programme comprises one of two mini-programmes running in Semester Two 2007/08. Each programme runs across 3 weeks, and includes a lecture on Mondays at 1.00 pm, SB27, Scott Sutherland Building, followed by seminars on Tuesdays in SC24 Scott Sutherland School. Seminar groups and times will be posted on the CCS noticeboard. Students should attend all lectures and seminars, and come to the seminars prepared to participate (see weekly programme for details). Students must follow one mini-programme for assessment. Assessment will be based on seminar attendance and participation and a written assignment.

WEEK2008

1 24

Feb

311 Feb

418 Feb

525 Feb

63 Mar

710 Mar

817 Mar

924 Mar

Easter

Break

31 Mar

107 Apr

1114 Apr

STAG

E TW

O

Intro

and

sign

up

Mini-Programme 1Alexandra KokoliLecture Monday

1.00 SB42

Mini-Programme 2Andrea Peach

Lecture Monday1.00 SB42 (not 10 March)

Mini Prog 2: Hand

In GP20Mon 14

April

Seminar1

Tuesday

9.30SB 27

Seminar2

Tuesday

10.30SB 27

Seminar3

Tuesday

12SB 27

Seminar1

Tuesday

SA 46

Seminar2

Tuesday

SA 46

Mini Prog 1: Hand in GP20

Mon 17 March

Seminar3

Tuesday

SA 46

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2. OVERALL OBJECTIVES OF THE CONTEXTUAL AND CRITICAL STUDIES MINI-PROGRAMMES

The Contextual and Critical Studies mini-programmes aim to encourage discussion of contemporary practice and theory with a view to situating that discussion in a wider cultural and historical framework, enabling you to make links with your studio practice. At the end of this series of mini-programmes you will be expected to:

Demonstrate an increased understanding of both the historical and contemporary context relating to art and design theory and practice.

Demonstrate the ability to analyse and criticise your own studio work in relation to a wider cultural context.

Demonstrate an ability to undertake research relevant to the critical aims of the programme, using both paper based and electronic sources.

Build up confidence in discussing and sustaining a critical argument that is clear and consistent. Begin to develop self- directed areas of research in Contextual and Critical studies related to your

studio practice and emerging critical interests.

3. COURSEWORK

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Seminar Participation and AttendanceThere are three seminars for each mini-programme. The seminars will follow the theme of the lectures and will address a particular issue each week. Students are expected to contribute to the seminars as part of their assessment. For this reason, it is essential that students attend all lectures and seminars for their elected mini-programme. If for any reason, you are unable to attend, please email the mini-programme tutor (a.peach@rgu.ac.uk) or leave a message with the CCS office (263679). Details of the seminar tasks and groups will be found in the weekly schedule that follows.

There are two components to the assessment: a Critical Notebook and an Essay. Assessment criteria can be found on: www.studioit.org.uk (under Contextual and Critical Studies).

CRITICAL NOTEBOOKYou are required to keep a Critical Notebook evidencing your ongoing personal reflection and academic research inspired by the mini-programme theme. It should contain your responses and thoughts in relation to the lectures and seminars (in particular, the weekly seminar tasks), as well as any additional research and development you have undertaken in relation to these. Do not use the notebook simply as a ‘scrapbook’ for filing your lecture notes and photocopies of readings etc! Where possible, try to make connections between the mini-programme theme and your own studio activity and interests. Your Critical Notebook should be a hard-backed notebook, no larger than A3, and can comprise personal writing,

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drawings, photographs, sketches and any other materials relevant to the analysis and criticism of the mini-programme. NB: Although the notebook does not need to be formally referenced like the essay, any notes from other sources (both direct quotations and paraphrased ideas) and illustrations need to be identified and labeled clearly.

ESSAY:

Using at least two specific images or objects, discuss how and why the idea of ‘place’ informs the work of artists or designers and why it continues to be an enduring and relevant theme in contemporary visual arts practice? Conclude by considering what you would understand by the term, ‘a sense of place’.

You are advised to limit your focus by selecting, perhaps, one aspect of place introduced by the programme and ensuring that you only discuss a limited number of images, artists, photographers etc. Remember that depth is always preferable to breadth in essays!

You are expected to approach your topic in an informed manner, making reference to at least two or more readings from the programme, and showing evidence of some further research into both scholarly (academic) and art critical sources (e.g. exhibition catalogues, art magazines, etc.). Your essay should be

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illustrated, and all illustrations should be clearly captioned, including at least the name of the artist/designer, the title of the work and the year it was made. Try to make links, if appropriate, between your own studio interests and this subject. Although you should not rely on unsubstantiated opinion, your essay should be about your own ideas and your original approach to the course material: you are expected to engage in a dialogue with published writing and visual material, demonstrating both an in-depth understanding of the terrain and ability for critical thinking.

Your essay should be approximately 1,500-2,000 words, must be fully word-processed and include a comprehensive bibliography. You should reference all sources used in your text, using the Vancouver referencing system (see section 4: ‘Referencing Sources’ for details). Your Essay should be securely attached to your Notebook. NB: Please remember to write your name and degree programme clearly on both the essay and the notebook!

The submission date for the Critical Notebook and Essay for this mini-programme is: Monday April 14 th 2008

4. REFERENCING SOURCES

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RGU has two systems for referencing sources: Harvard (also known as Author/Date) and Vancouver (also known as ‘endnotes’ or ‘footnotes’). For your essay, we recommend that you use Vancouver. You will find information on Vancouver in handouts available from the CCS website, at www.studioit.org.uk See Contextual and Critical Studies / Support Files 2007/8 / General CCS Documents:

Vancouver Referencing System – Sheet of examples Guide to Academic Referencing

Please note: if you do not reference quotations and sources properly, you risk committing plagiarism – an extremely serious academic offence with corresponding penalties!

The study skills sessions offered in Semester 1 should have helped with referencing and writing; please refer to the relevant documentation if in doubt, and feel free to ask questions about research and writing during seminars.

5. EXTENSION REQUESTS

Extensions will only be granted in exceptional circumstances, which include serious problems or events which genuinely affect your ability to complete coursework on time. Such circumstances might include:

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serious physical or mental illness (must have doctor's certificate), serious illness or death of an immediate family member or close friend.  'Exceptional circumstances' do not include colds, headaches, hangovers, poor time management, problems caused by English not being your first language, and circumstances within your control (such as: absence due to holidays, weddings, jobs etc). To request an extension, please complete a Coursework Extension Request Form (available from the School Office). This form must be submitted before the coursework submission date, and include written documentation (medical certificates etc.) where relevant. Claims are reviewed by your CCS tutor and treated as confidential.Coursework handed in after the hand-in date, which is not supported by a fully approved Coursework Extension Request Form will be recorded as a non-submission. There will be no exceptions.

6. MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES

If you feel that you have genuine and legitimate circumstances that may affect your performance on this mini-programme, and therefore your coursework, you should fill out a Mitigating Circumstances form. Mitigating circumstances are exceptional, serious and acute problems or events which have genuinely affected your performance in your assessments or your ability to complete coursework (these do not include ongoing issues – such as dyslexia etc.). Mitigating Circumstances forms are treated confidentially and are considered at the end of year Examination Board when making final decisions about your mark. To make a claim for mitigating circumstances you must complete a Mitigating Circumstances Request

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Form (available from the School Office). This form must be submitted no later than the coursework submission date. See the form for further details.

Week 6 Semester 2 Monday 3 March

1.00 SB42Scott Sutherland

School

LECTURE 1: A Sense of PlaceKey Issues and Questions What is ‘place’? - defining conceptual place and actual place How do we construct place? – mind, matter and mapping Being somewhere, everywhere, nowhere … How do artists and designers respond to the idea of place?Key Practioners and Works Tacita Dean, Kathy Prendergas Frances Walker, Ross Sinclair, Dalziel and Scullion, Hamish Fulton Mona Hatoum, Do Ho SuhKey Writers (by no means an exhaustive list! See bibliography) Aristotle (Physics), Martin Heidegger (Being and Time), Luce Irigaray (Elemental Passions) E Relph, Irit Rogoff, Lucy Lippard

Required Reading Berleant A. Chapter 1: ‘The Aesthetic in Place’, in: Menin S. Constructing Place – Mind and Matter, pp. 42-54.

Dean T. and Millar J. Entrance: ‘Place – The First of All Things’, in: Place, pp.11-26. Lippard L. Introduction: ‘All Over the Place’, in: ‘The Lure of the Local – Senses of Place in a

Multicentred Society, pp.4-20. Relph E. ‘The Essence of Place’, in: Place and Placelessness, pp.29-43.

Additional Reading Casey E, Preface: ‘Disappearing Places’, in: The Fate of Place – A Philosophical History, pp. ix-xv.

Lippard L. Chapter 2 ‘Being in Place’, in: ‘The Lure of the Local – Senses of Place in a Multicentred Society, pp. 32-38.

Robertson J, McDaniel. Chapter 3: ‘Place’, in: Themes of Contemporary Art, pp. 69-95. Rogoff I. Chapter 1: ‘Subjects /Places / Spaces’ and ‘Mapping’, in: Terra Infirma – Geography’s

Visual Culture, pp.14-24. Yi Fu Tuan. ‘Home’, in: Grounding Patterns: Deciphering (Dis)Order in the Entanglements of

Nature and Culture, pp. 164-165.

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Seminar Assignment What does ‘place’ mean to you? Where are you now? Where do you belong? Where have do come from? Where would you like to be? Do you have a ‘sacred place’? Consider whether ‘place’ is significant to you as an artist or designer? How can the idea of place influence and inform the work of artists and designers. Bring supporting text or images, if possible.

Week 8 Semester 2 Monday 17th March

1.00 SB42Scott Sutherland

School

LECTURE 2: Place: Land and NatureKey Issues and Questions The influence of land and nature as ‘place’ on the visual arts Iconography and symbolism in the landscape; sacred places and the ‘wilderness myth’ Investigation of ‘The Idea of North’ and ‘The Lure of the Local’Key Practioners and Works Caspar David Freidrich, Ansel Adams Olafur Eliasson, Dalziel and Scullion, Simon Starling, Roni Horn Richard Long, Richard Serra, Christo and Jean Claude, Andy Goldsworthy Jim Partridge, Robert Smithson, Ian Hamilton Findlay, The Boyle Family, Tony FranksKey Writers: Peter Davidson - The Idea of North Lucy Lippard – The Lure of the Local Henry David Thoreau –Walden

Required Reading Lippard L. Chapter 1: ‘Traces’, in: ‘The Lure of the Local – Senses of Place in a Multicentred Society, pp.124-130

Dean T. and Millar J. Room Two: ‘Nature’, in: Place, pp.47-59.Suggested Reading Andrews M. Chapter 1: ‘Land into Landscape’ and Chapter 9 ‘Landscape into Land’, in:

Landscape and Western Art, pp. 1-22; pp. 201-223. Chang M. Chapter 3: ‘The Symbolic Landscape’, in: Cultural Geography, pp. 27-42. Orvell M. Chapter 3: ‘Viewing the Landscape’, in: American Photography, pp. 39-59. Speed F. Chapter 2: ‘The sacred environment – An investigation of the sacred and its

implications for place-making’,in: Menin S. (editor) Constructing Place – Mind and Matter, pp. 55-65.

Seminar Assignment Bring an object, text or image, which you feel is either directly or indirectly influenced by either ‘land’ or ‘nature’. Come prepared to discuss how this contributes to our programme theme of ‘a sense of place’.

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Week 9 Semester 2 Monday 24h March

1.00 SB42Scott Sutherland

School

LECTURE 3: Place and NonplaceKey Issues and Questions Placelessness and globalisation Cyberplaces and Heterotopias Intimate places, eccentric places and places of the imaginationKey Practioners and Works Susan Hiller (Dream Mapping), Jane and Louise Wilson Jeff Wall, Elivra Hufschmid, Andreas Gursky, Thomas Demand Rachel Whiteread, Cornelia Parker Las Vegas, The Eden ProjectKey Writers Gaston Bachelard Mark Auge JG Ballard Michel Foucault

Required Reading Auge M. ‘Prologue’. In: Non-Places – Introduction to an Anthropology of Supermodernity, pp. 1-6.

Crang M. Chapter 7. ‘Place or Space’. In: Cultural Geography, pp.100-119Suggested Reading Bachelard G. Chapter 1. ‘The House. From Cellar to Garret. The Significance of the Hut’, in:

The Poetics of Space, pp. 3-8. Dean T, and Millar J. Room Eight. ‘Heterotopias and Non-Places’, in: Place, pp. 163-176. Harbison R. Chapter 1. ‘Dreaming Rooms: Sanctums’, in: Eccentric Spaces, pp.22-37. Light J. ‘From City Space to Cyber City’, in: Virtual Geographies – Bodies, Space and

Relations, pp. 109-130. Relph E. Chapter 6. ‘Placelessness’. In: Place and Placelessness, pp. 90-121. Vidler A. ‘Dark Space’, in: The Architectural Uncanny, pp. 167-175.

Seminar Assignment Choose an image which you feel represents the concept of ‘placelessness’ or ‘non-place’. How does this image challenge ideas of ‘place’ discussed earlier in the programme? Can ‘nowhere’ also be somewhere?

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY AND ADDITIONAL SOURCES

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Core texts are highlighted.

Lecture 1 – A Sense of Place Aristotle. Physics (translated by Robin Waterfield). Oxford: Oxford World Classics; 1999.

Casey, E. The Fate of Place – A Philosophical History. Berkley: University of California Press, 1998.

Crang M. Cultural Geography. London: Routledge; 1998.

Crang M, Thrift N. (editors). Thinking Space. London: Routledge; 2000.

Dalziel M, Scullion L. Home. Edinburgh: The Fruitmarket Gallery; 2001 (exhibition catalogue).

Dean T, Millar J, editors. Place. London: Thames and Hudson; 2005.

Harmon K. You Are Here - Personal Geographies and Maps of the Imagination. New York: Princeton Architectural Press; 2004.

Harrison S, Pile S, Thrift N. Patterned Ground – Entanglements of Nature and Culture. London: Reaktion Books; 2004.

Irigaray L. Elemental Passions. London: Routledge; 1999.

Krell D. Basic Writings – Martin Heidegger – Being and Time (1927) to The Task of Thinking. London: Routledge; 1993.

Lippard L. The Lure of the Local – Senses of Place in a Multicentred Society. New York: The New Press; 1997.

Menin S, editor. Constructing Place - Mind and Matter. London: Routledge; 2003.

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Relph, E. Place and Placelessness. London: Pion Ltd; 1976.

Robertson J, McDaniel C, editors. Themes of Contemporary Art - Visual Art After 1980. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2005 (Chapter 3: Place).

Robertson G, Mash M, Tickner L, Bird J, Curtis B, Putnam T, editors. Travellers’ Tales – Narratives of Home and Displacement. London: Routledge; 2005 (1994).

Rogoff I. Terra Infirma – A Geography’s Visual Culture. London: Routledge; 2000.

Videos:Hamish Fulton – V2955Dalziel and Scullion – V3022

Lecture 2 – Land and NatureAigner, C. The Triumph of Nature: The Paintings of Helmut Ditsch. Prestel; 2005

Andrews M. Landscape and Western Art. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 1999.

Boettger S. Earthworks – Art and the Landscape of the Sixties. Berkley: University of California Press; 2002.

Davidson P. The Idea of North. London: Reaktion Books; 2005

Elliott P, Hare B, Wilson A. Boyle Family. Edinburgh: National Galleries of Scotland; 2003. Gooding M. Song of the Earth – European Artists and the Landscape. London: Thames and Hudson; 2002.

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Kastner J, Wallis B, editors. Land and Environmental Art. London: Phaidon; 1998.

Lailach, M. Land Art. London: Taschen; 2007

Long, R. Walking the Line. London: Thames & Hudson; 2005

Long, R. Walking and Marking. Edinburgh: National Galleries of Scotland; 2007

Malpas W. Andy Goldsworthy Touching Nature. Maidstone: Crescent Moon; 2005 [1995].

Orvell M. American Photography. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2003.

Potteiger M, Purinton J. Landscape Narratives – Design Practices for Telling Stories. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; 1998.

Powers A. Nature in Design. London: Conran Octopus Ltd.; 1999

Sonfist, A. Nature – The End of Art: Environmental Landscapes. Florence: Gili Orli; 2004.

Thoreau H. D. Walden. New York: Collector’s Library; 2004 [1845]

Williams, G. Olly & Suzi: Artic, Desert, Ocean, Jungle. New York: Harry N. Abrams; 2003

www.land2.uwe.ac.ukUniversity of Western England website on artists and landscape

http://www.ilanahalperin.com/Ilana Halperin - Scottish-based artist looking at ‘place’

Video: Boyle Family - V2685

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Video: Dalziel & Scullion 2002 – V3086

DVD: Hamish Fulton, Eyes Feet, Road, 2006DVD 196

Lecture 3 – Place and Non-PlaceAugé M. Non-Places – Introduction to An Anthropology of Supermodernity. London: Verso; 2000 (1995).

Bachelard G. The Poetics of Space. Boston: Beacon Press; 1969.

Crang M, Crang P, May J. Virtual Geogeographies – Bodies, Space and Relations. London: Routledge; 1999.Demand, T. Thomas Demand, New York: Museum of Modern Art; 2005

Dodge M. Mapping Cyberspace. London: Routledge; 2000.

Graham S (editor). The Cybercities Reader. London: Routledge; 2004.

Harbison R. Eccentric Spaces. Cambridge Massachusetts: The MIT Press; 2000.

Vidler A. The Architectural Uncanny – Essays in the Modern Unhomely. Cambridge Massachusetts: The MIT Press; 1992

Video: Dalziel & Scullion: Electronic Landscapes, V2907

www.imaginalregions.co.uk

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A practice-led artists’ research project investigating mapping and ‘imaginal places’

8. ACADEMIC RESERVE

Core texts will be placed on Academic Reserve in the Library. Academic Reserve is the desk at the far end of the Issue desk as you enter the Library. Books on Academic Reserve are issued for a 2 hour period during the day, but after 4pm they go out overnight and are due back the next day. On Friday, books can be taken out after 2pm and they are not due back until 10am on Monday. Books can be booked in advance, and 2 can be borrowed at a time. Fines for overdue Academic Reserve books are charged at the following rate: £1 per hour for the first hour overdue, 50 pence per hour thereafter, every hour, with a maximum fine of £15 per item.

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