Preparation | Objects and Installation

For The First Week:

As we only have 6 weeks together we need to get to going straight away. So here is the work you need to prepare for the first class (which will be held from 9.00am-11.50 am on Thursday 6th March in room M6075):

In the UK there is a television show called ‘Would I Lie To You?’ Here’s a recent episode:

In the TV show, contestants try to fool each other by telling lies.

In the first two weeks of class we are going to think about how objects tell stories. Please bring an object of your choosing to the first class (Thursday 6th March, 9.00am) and tell us a story about it. Your story can be true. You might decide to bring us something from your childhood – a swimming medal perhaps – and tell us how you won it. Your story can be a lie. You might borrow your friend’s swimming medal and tell us a story you have made up about how you won it. It is up to you whether you choose to lie or tell the truth, just come to class with an object that you can talk about for less than 5 minutes. When everyone has told their story, we will all vote on which three stories we like the most and then the storytellers will be asked to reveal whether they were lying or telling the truth.

As this is a short course, this is the first exercise we’ll do together and it counts for 25% of your final grade for Objects and Installation so try and tell us a really good story – whether it’s true or not. Try to delve into your life or your imagination and weave an interesting tale for us!

For The Second Week

1. Think about a Chinese saying or proverb that you like, dislike or has featured heavily in your life. Is there something your mother or grandmother always say? Is there a proverb that you think is particularly meaningful or even ridiculous? Come to class next week prepared to share your thoughts on one or two proverbs.

2. Read one of the following texts: http://retnull.com/index.php?/texts/the-crit/

Chapter 2 ‘The Crit’ from Seven Days in the Art World

For The Third Week

1. Watch one of the following movies:

Exit Through the Gift Shop

Waste Land

For the Fourth Week

1. Turn a pair of chopsticks into a pair of knitting needles. Here are some instructions:

http://blog.trashbackwards.com/2012/10/24/old-chopsticks-new-knitting-needles/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Turn-disposable-chopsticks-into-knitting-needles/

2. Buy a ball of yarn in your favourite colour.

Or you could do this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSZsQu0ZtVQ

For the Fifth Week

1. Collect up cardboard and packaging of all different shapes and sizes and bring to class next week.

2. Watch one of the following movies:

Blade Runner

Any of the Star Wars franchise

For the Sixth Week

Make a PowerPoint presentation. Include at least one slide for each of the following projects and explain what you did:

1.Found objects and storytelling. What object did you select, what story did you tell?

2.Making Chinese proverbs in clay. What proverb did you choose and why? What problems did you encounter working with air-dry clay? How do you feel about your final piece? What could you change or do better?

3.Yarn bombing location hunt. What location did you choose and why? How did you envision the yarn bomb in that space/what effect would it have? What problems might be encountered when installing a yarn bomb in that venue?

4.Knitting a yarn bomb. What yarn did you choose and why? Did you find knitting difficult? If so, what was hard about it? Did you eventually start to get the hang of it? Did you practice knitting after class? What does your final piece look like? What could you change or do better?

5.Becoming a cyborg with papier mache and found objects. What body modification did you decide to make and why? What materials did you use? What problems did you encounter working with papier mache? How do you feel about your final piece? What could you change or do better?

For Your Final Assignment

Convert the PowerPoint presentation you presented in the Sixth Week into a PDF and email it to me as your course portfolio document (clfrost@cityu.edu.hk). You have exactly one week to do this. It must arrive in my inbox by next Thursday at 12.00! (Group L06 that’s Thursday 6th March. Group L05 this date is TBC)