Coming in from
Paper Monument (a sibling publication of N+1), we now stock
Draw It With Your Eyes Closed: the art of the art assignment - an elusive, treasure of a book.
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| John Baldassari's typed list of cheeky art assignments. |
A compilation of contributions from artists and teachers on the topic of the best art
assignments in their memory (whether given, received, or heard of),
this book is simulateously specific and unspecific. Meaning, it has one
clear purpose: to publish the variant methods and purposes of the art
assignment. But the trajectories and curves of each contribution
highlights precisely how difficult it is to teach art, especially in our
contemporary "anything goes" age.
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| Results from Ken Horii's Cardboard Chair assignment |
To quote the NY Times:
Draw It With Your Eyes Closed is an upbeat and idiosyncratic book that
also happens to speak some uncomfortable truths about the art world. One of them is this: “It’s quite difficult to get a foothold if somebody
older than you doesn’t take an active interest.” Perhaps more
pertinently, there is this advice to any teacher who lords it over his
or her students: “Don’t forget how easy it is for them to find images of
your own work on the Internet.” (
Dwight Garner)
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| Poster for the Hansel & Gretal Theatre Workshop c.2011 |
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With contributors like Rochelle Feinstein, Liam Gillick, Chris Kraus, Bob Nickas, Julien Kreimer, Jon Pylypchuk, and Paul Thek (ultimate creator of this whole project with his famous "teaching notes" from the 70s.), you can't lose.
