In the summer of 1943, Peggy Guggenheim commissioned Jackson Pollock to create a monumental painting. Marcel Duchamp suggested that Pollock use a canvas instead of painting directly on a wall, ensuring the work could be moved. Pollock later wrote of the project, “I’ve had to tear out the partition between the front and middle room [of my apartment] to get the damned thing up. I have it stretched now. It looks pretty big, but exciting as all hell.”
This studio course will focus on the challenges and possibilities of painting on an expanded scale. When a painting is too large to fit on an easel, it requires a different approach. We will explore working horizontally on the floor as well as vertically on the wall. One way to approach large-scale work is to imagine the painting under a microscope: at a larger size, every artistic choice is amplified, offering an opportunity to explore facture, gesture, application, and follow-through at a close range. Another strategy we will explore is engaging the whole body in the act of painting. The increased scale provides space to interact more dynamically with the materiality of paint and its physical application.
Throughout the semester, students will present works in progress, with the goal of completing at least four paintings, each measuring at least 4 x 5 feet. Materials, including lumber, canvas, and gesso, will be provided for these large-scale works. We will also research and discuss Bennington’s legacy of large paintings, examining the work of artists such as Helen Frankenthaler, Paul Feeley, and Alexander Liberman, alongside peers like Sam Gilliam, Jack Whitten, and Kazuo Shiraga.
Learning Outcomes:
Developing the capacity for solitude and self-reflection via a rigorous studio practice
Augmenting problem-solving and problem-finding skills
Exercising and expanding imaginative thinking
Investigating complicated ideas through open-ended conversation
Delivery Method: Fully in-person
Prerequisites:
One 2000-level painting course and permission through application process. Priority for registration will be given to students who make an appointment during office hours to discuss their interest in the course.
To register: Please email jblackwell@bennington.edu starting Monday November 18, with EASEL in the subject line. Submit a brief paragraph outlining your interest in the course, how it fits into your Plan of study, your current term, as well as other courses you intend to register for in VA next term. Students will be notified by email of their enrollment status. Email inquiries sent will not be considered if they do not contain all required information.
Course Level: 4000-level
Credits: 4
M 1:40PM - 5:20PM (Full-term)
Maximum Enrollment: 12
Course Frequency: Every 2-3 years
Categories: 4000 , All courses , Four Credit , Fully In-Person , Painting
Tags: Intermediate Painting , painting , Studio Space , visual arts