Monthly Archives: February 2016

Tutoring Hours

Ok, so your Professor is now also an official Tutor in AG 31 — part of the Atrium Learning Center (AG 18) — that’s the basement of the same building the Library is in. If you would like to have Prof. Schmerler as your tutor, come by:

Wednesdays from 10AM to noon.

Mondays app. 12:30PM to 7PM (there may be a break time).

Library Instruction Session is Feb. 23, 1PM–2:15PM

Hi Class,

Don’t report to the classroom on Feb. 23. Rather: our Session with a Librarian has been assigned to us at the above date, Feb 23.  Please show up outside the Ursula C. Schwerin Library on the fourth floor where we will take roll at 1:PM sharp. We will then go inside the library and get our research tour, which is scheduled to last the rest of class time.

C U!!

Sugimoto sea of buddha

(Above, a still from the video installation by artist Hiroshi Sugimoto, “Sea of Buddha,” 1997, on view soon at Pace Gallery, Manhattan. Hopefully, we will look as calm on Library Day.)

Assignment # 1: Inner Dialogue/Outer Dialogue

Wilner detail have a nice dayFirst class, some inspiration for you: Martin Wilner is an artist who works on the subway. He records the things he hears around him — conversations of fellow passengers, sounds — and he even notes, along the bottom of his notebook pages (which combine image and text) the exact times of his subway rides, the train # or letter, and the stops announced by the conductor. He calls his project the “Journal of Evidence Weekly.”

Wilner full have a nice day(Here’s an image of that same page, further back.) Wilner also puts, onto the same page, the “inner dialogue” he hears in his head at the same time — stuff he’s thinking to himself, or feeling.

Your Assignment. Make 5 entries of Inner and Outer Dialogues. Please note the time-range/date/and location of each one to keep them clear to yourself. You can work on the subway, in a Starbucks, in the Cafeteria, on a street corner, in any public place, really. You don’t have to draw or make pictures. You do, however, have to take out your “small journals” for this assignment, and, working unobtrusively like Wilner with only your pen, note down or otherwise record the dialogues and speaking you hear around you. At the same time, listen to yourself: how are you thinking/feeling? Note that down, too.

There is no specific length or time limit for each entry. Keep at it as long as you want or need to get good material. It can be anything. So don’t censor yourself.

Bring the results of the first 2 you do to class on Friday, Feb. 5. By Tuesday, Feb. 9, all 5 should be completed. Grading: these will not be given a letter grade, but will be checked and will go in your Journal. Your Journal will constitute 15% of your overall grade (Class Participation). Aspects of this exercise will be incorporated into future, letter-graded assignments.

Wilner full sittin Wilner Detail sittin

Welcome. Now, What Am I Doing Here?

You are in the right place, 1101 Students. Let me direct your attention to the nav bar, above. “Course Profile” will give you a box in which you can view Documents associated with this course — things like grading, overall info… Check “Assignments,” above. Check “Readings” periodically. “Policies” will also include rubrics and other stuff in future. Welcome.