“Forget all the standard art forms. The point is to make something new, something that doesn’t even remotely remind you of culture. You’ve got to be pretty ruthless about this, wiping out of your plans every echo of this or that story or jazz piece or painting that I can promise you will keep coming up unconsciously.” -Allan Kaprow, “How to Make a Happening” Performance art is a way of extending and expanding any artistic practice. Like drawing, it’s a way of working out ideas in real time. This class explores the art, play, technique and rigorous fun involved in bringing a strong presence to the unique space of performing. It is a hands-on, conceptually based experience rooted in the visual and plastic arts disciplines rather than the performing arts (i.e., theater and dance). However, previous experience in the visual arts is not required, and students working in theater and dance are welcome. Each week students will make their own experimental performances while exploring the history and evolution of performance art. Open to all students who wish to cultivate an open mind and embrace the unfamiliar.