Diagrams in Art and Activism

The roles of diagrams as forms of communication, as tools of multi-modal reasoning, and as artistic strategy are central to this seminar. While cosmic diagrams in the form of Mandalas are firmly embedded in Eastern art, Western artists have used diagramming approaches not only to map themselves and their contexts, but to effectively address aesthetic, poetic, didactic and multiple cross- disciplinary concerns, including music, art history, economics, politics, physics and conspiracy theories. Fluxus founder George Maciunas, Oyvind Fahlström, Alfred Jensen, Komar and Melamid, Mark Lombardi, and activist collectives including Group Material and bureau d’etudes are some of the examples that will be addressed. Student work may be introduced and discussed.

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