Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Community-Based Public Art class coming soon!

Offered for the first time at Washburn University

Instructor - Dave Loewenstein


Community-Based Public Art: Roots and Practice* January 2011

*listed as Murals and Public Art in Washburn course catalog


Beginning with a series of lectures, visiting speakers, and field trips, this unique new course will introduce art students to the roots and current practice of collaborative community-based public art: projects that bring local people together in partnership with professional artists, to engage in an open process that culminates in the creation of site specific artworks reflecting their interests and their workmanship. Following the classroom work, students will move to the studio where each will develop their own design for a community mural at a specific site in the Topeka area. This process will include site visits, meetings with stakeholders, and consideration of logistics in the execution of the work. The completed designs will be shown at the end of the semester in an exhibition open to the public.

“The highest, most logical, purest and most powerful type of painting is mural painting. It is also the most disinterested, as it cannot be converted into an object of personal gain nor can it be concealed for the benefit of a few privileged people. It is for the people. It is for everybody.”

- Jose Clemente Orozco, Mexican Muralist

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dave, That sounds awesome! I met you this summer in Newton when I attended design team meetings for the Newton mural project. I'm fascinated by the work you do, and community based art is something I've always had an interest in. I teach elementary art and have wondered about ways to incorporate community or public art into the curriculum. I'll continue to watch your work with interest, and hope to find ways to share it with my students. Beth

PaMdora said...

Hi Dave, love your blog - your images are beautiful and your work is powerful. I recently photographed your mural in Springfield, MO done with the Bailey alternative students several years ago. It's holding up very well, except the landscape has changed since they built a Hollywood theater across the street in what used to be an empty lot.

I'd like to feature the mural on a new Public Art Blog that the Springfield Regional Arts Council is doing to document and promote public art. Could you please contact me because I'd like to ask you some question about the history of the project. Also I could send you my photos if you would like them. Thanks! Pam

http://pamrubert.com
http://springfieldarts.com