The Art and the Environment program is offering a two-credit Group Study that will meet for the second 14 weeks of the Spring semester (“Module B”):
ARTEN 591 Deconstructing Myths of Rape through Performance Art Actions
This group study will explore the fields of new genre public art and social practice, and the potential for performance art actions to disrupt entrenched cultural beliefs about gender and sexual assault. Students will recreate a historic performance art work by Leslie Labowitz, which was originally enacted in 1977 as part of Suzanne Lacy’s project Three Weeks in May. We will document our work in an effort to deconstruct, reframe and take steps towards transforming campus culture as it relates to violence against women.
Meeting once a week, we will explore these and other historically significant performance art actions, discuss relevant readings and plan for the staging of this participatory performance art action on the Allegheny campus. Our primary goal will be preparing for the performance event. This group study will include a series of skype meetings with artists Suzanne Lacy and Leslie Labowitz, as well as additional contemporary artists who have worked closely with Lacy and Labowitz, and whose works are complimentary to our goals.
ARTEN 591 will meet during Module B (March 8 – May 4). At present we are planning to meet on Wednesdays at either 4:30 – 6:30pm or 7:00 – 9:00pm. Interested students can register for the group study until March 8th. Interested participants can email Prof Geffen (ageffen@allegheny.edu) or Title IX Coordinator Gilly Ford (gford@allegheny.edu) for details.