From Banglab

Gender and Sexuality in Art - CGS 113

Class Information

Lecturer: Micha Cárdenas, mcardenas 4+ ucsd d()+ edu

Always include CGS113 in your email subject line, it allows me to filter.

Lectures in Room TM 102, Wednesdays, 5:00p - 7:50p

Introduction

The class "Gender and Sexuality in Art" introduces students to contemporary and post-contemporary artists and theorists whose art work emerges from considerations of gender and sexuality. Focusing on artwork from the 1960's to the present, the class looks at film, media and performance art in order to explore a number of trajectories in which gender and sexuality are central to the thinking of the work. Beginning with erotic film in the 60's, the class continues with a discussion of the shift from second to third wave feminism and the reclaiming of feminine sexuality that was part of that shift. Artists across multiple genres open a discussion on what may be considered queer art. Transversal lines of racial fetishization, sex work, affect and pornography will be discussed. The class concludes with more recent developments including cyberfeminism, transspecies and transreal mixed reality art practice.

How Discussions Will Work

My approach to teaching is horizontal, based on a pedagogical model from Paolo Friere and bell hooks. My main goal is for everyone to be empowered as both learners and teachers. That means, do not only rely only on me, but also on each other and on yourself! That means, do not submit to me, the text or each other, instead, always feel empowered to ask questions. Your task here is to learn to ask better questions, to learn to think critically about electronics and technology and their interplay and intersections.

Participation in class discussions is critical to passing this class. The minimum amount of work to do in this class to get a C is to do all of the assignments, all the reading and attend every class. In order to participate in discussion, you must have completed all of the reading, highlighted or underlined important parts and have questions. You are expected to be engaging with the material in class, finding intersections, differences, problems, productive points. You are expected to be putting in, at very least, as much of your own time out of class on as we spend in class.

A few guidelines for discussions are useful to create a more horizontal learning environment where everyone is empowered as teachers and learners instead of a few people.

1. Don't interrupt when someone is speaking! If you want to say something and someone else is talking, raise your hand. Interrupting and talking over people is a common tool of privileged groups to dominate others.

2. Step up, step back. Make space for others. Make an effort to not be shy if you are. Be aware of how many people have talked and allow space for everyone to participate.

3. Treat each other with respect. When someone is presenting, pay attention. Listen actively and respond to what others have said. If you're on your laptop, you should be taking notes or looking up things we're discussing in class, not chatting on Facebook or Gchat or Twitter.

Bureaucracy

Attendance and Late Work

If you miss the first class you will be asked to do a make up reading and writing assignment. Attendance will be taken by your professor and contributes to your participation grade. Missing more than 2 classes (lectures or labs) will cause your grade to be reduced by a letter grade. Late work will be marked down one third of a letter grade every day it is late. Be on time to class and to lab, as I don't like repeating myself and you may miss essential information. Lateness will negatively affect your participation grade as well.

Assignments

Every week, you need to go to WebCT's discussion area and post a one paragraph response to the reading with two quotes and two questions.

A mid-term paper, 10 pages long, on any topic in the syllabus, referring to at least 3 of the artists discussed in class. More details here: cgs113-mid-term

Final project using social media such as Youtube, Facebook, Second Life or Flickr to consider sexual expression in online public space. The projects will be discussed in Week 10 of class. cgs113-Final-Project

cgs-113-Final-Projects-Posted

Grading

Participation, discussion and attendance: 20%

Midterm Paper: 40%

Final Project: 40%

Grading Criteria

More details TBA.

About the CGS Major and Minor

This course can be applied toward the Critical Gender Studies major or minor. The minor requires only 7 courses, so you may be on your way to completing a Critical Gender Studies minor! For more information about declaring Critical Gender Studies as a major, double major, or minor—and to learn more about the benefits of the Critical Gender Studies Program—please feel free to contact Kira Preston at kpreston@ucsd.edu to set up an appointment.

Texts

Trans Desire / Affective Cyborgs by Micha Cárdenas and Barbara Fornssler (You can get it at the bookstore or on amazon.com)

Gender Outlaws edited by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Bergman which you can purchase on Amazon.

Other readings will be in e-reserves and there is a reader available at Soft Reserves.

Topics and Examples

Week 1 - Introductions

Guerilla Girls

From Duchamp to Schneemann/Kaprow to Brugera/Cruz/Dominguez

Catherine Opie, Girlfriends

Eve Fowler, Interview with Eve Fowler

Sex on film from the 60's to the 90's

Carollee Schneeman, Fuses

Baby Water Window Breaking, Brakhage

Kenneth Anger, Fireworks, Inauguration to the Pleasure Dome, Scorpio Rising

Barbara Hammer, Nitrate Kisses, essay film, questioning documentary

Week 2 - Relational Work and Early Performance Pieces

On Psychoanalysis and Surrealism in Films from Week 1

Performance art:

Adrian Piper

WACK:

Faith Wilding,Waiting

Ukeles, Manifesto for Maintenance Art

Suzanne Lacy, Stories of Work and Survival

Marina Abramovic and Ulay, Rest Energy, Imponderabilia, Rhythm 0

Lygia Clark

Marriage, Wu Tsang and Math Bass

Mixed Relations, Cardenas and Mehrmand, slapshock

Read: Lauren Berlant and Michael Warner, Sex in Public

Cardenas, Trans Desire, p. 9-27 (up to but not including the Aporia of my Social Desire)

Week 3 - Postmodernism, Race and Transnational Feminism

Fortaleza De Mujer Maya

Nikki S Lee's Hispanic and Drag Queen projects

La Pocha Nostra

Nao Bustamante, Indigurrito

Cindy Sherman

Annie Sprinkle, Post-Porn Modernist

Kara Walker

Read: Ereserves: Ethno Techno, La Pocha Nostra

"Eso si paso aqui, Mayan Women Performing Revolution in Chiapas" in Taylor, D. and Costantino, R. - Holy Terrors : Latin American women perform

Gloria Anzaldua, This Bridge Called My Back

Online: The Problem With I Don't See Color, pgs. 1, chart on 6 and 7

Contemporary Politics Glossary

Paper proposals due

Week 4 - Feminist, 2nd to 3rd wave, Affect and the Erotic

2nd to 3rd wave

Martha Rosler semiotics of the kitchen

Carolee Schneeman, interior scroll

Annie Sprinkle, Post-Porn Modernist

Pipilotti Rist Article

Artivistic TURN*ON

Hot Rod High Heel Project, Natalie Jeremijenko

Orlan

Affect

Jordan Crandall, Heatseeking

Beau Travail by Clare Denis

Audre Lorde's erotics of the social

Ron Athey & Juliana Snapper, The Judas Cradle

La Congelada de Uva

Read: A Cyborg Manifesto: Science, Technology, and Socialist-Feminism in the Late Twentieth Century Donna Haraway

Carolee Schneeman Interview with Kate Haug

Brian Massumi, Parables for the Virtual, p.23-35

Week 5 - Porn, Post-Porn

Annie Sprinkle

Cosey Fanni Tutti, 2

Sharing is Sexy

Bruce la Bruce

Maria Llopis

Beatriz Preciado

Papers due

Read: Trans Desire / Affective Cyborgs by Micha Cárdenas and Barbara Fornssler, III - V. Creating a Queer Porn Commons p. 41-64

Linda Williams porn studies

C'lick Me Netporn Studies Reader, Katrien Jacobs, p. 217-231, Julie Levin Russo, "The Real Thing", 239-251, and Florian Cramer, Sodom Blogging, 171-176