NYU Class Taught by Coilhouse Contributor!
Attention all New Yorkers! Looking for something to do this summer on Wednesday nights? Frequent Coilhouse contributor Agent Double Oh No, aka Jeff Wengrofsky, is teaching a course this summer at NYU. The course is titled “The Postwar Avant-Garde in Downtown New York.” The course sounds amazing – I wish I could visit NYC for the summer, just to take it. Check out the description:
In the period from 1950 to 1980, New York City’s downtown art world teemed with freewheeling vitality. From the musicians of the postwar jazz scene to 1970s punk musicians jamming at CBGB’s, neighborhoods comprising an area smaller than most American towns produced many significant contributions to music, film, theater, dance, the visual arts, and the written and spoken word. In this course, we explore the history of lower Manhattan, experience some of this art and music, discuss the social conditions that nurtured creativity, and hear from a few of the people who were prime movers in these creative communities.
Jeff is a wealth of knowledge and insight – this course is not to be missed. There will be films, slides, things to read and places to explore. Guest speakers include two living legends of the avant-garde: Judith Malina, founder of The Living Theater and direct theatrical descendant of Brecht, and Andy Warhol superstar Taylor Mead.
The course runs from June 3 – July 22, and takes place every Wednesday from 6:20pm-8:40pm. Click here to learn more. You do not need to be an NYU student to enroll.
May 20th, 2009 at 10:29 am
Thanks so much for announcing the course! It would truly be extra special to investigate the history of the avant-garde with Coilhousers. If you can’t come to the class due to geographic or financial handicap, you may be buoyed to know that I’m hoping to interview Judith Malina and Taylor Mead for this here blog. Stay tuned!
As far as the class goes, I’d like folks to also know that I’m hoping to have a performance of some sort in the class and an outing to some cultural happening.
May 21st, 2009 at 3:48 am
If I had the money I’d be all over this. Heck, do you think the syllabus will be posted online? I may just do the required reading for fun!
May 21st, 2009 at 10:42 am
Katie,
As there are two weeks left before the course begins, I’m working feverishly on the syllabus. THERE IS SO MUCH TO COVER ! I curated a three week retrospective on the history of the NYC music scene a few years back at The New School and have been reading about the “downtown” arts scene for a long time, but have still found, and am finding, TONS of artists and works of art that are new to me.
My general pedagogical leanings are to introduce major schools of work and the tools so that students will be able to continue to research these topics introduced long after the course is over.
If all goes well, I hope to offer the course again in the Spring of 2010 (barring Mayan calendar apocalypse). Hopefully, by then you’ll be able to join. Thanks for your interest !!