Learn from revolutionary artists of our time and actively build art-ifacts that prompt dialogue and reflection on some of the most complicated issues of our time.

This course is open to all experience levels - You don’t have to identify as an artist.

You should take this course if you are interested in actively engaging in dialogue on some of the most wicked problems of our time, reflect critically on your own role as a human-centered designer/student, and are excited to explore how to creatively build art-ifacts that create dialogue.

Art is a form of revolution and reflection. From literary and performing arts to murals and large scale conceptual sculptures- artists have often created a pathway for society to engage in a dialogue on the complicated nuances of social justice issues around the globe. Especially in 2020, we are grappling globally with a myriad of inequities and limited spaces to reflect, engage and act on them - this course will give interested students the opportunity to learn from revolutionary artists, reflect on their own role as designers/students in society and agency to build their own spaces for creating dialogue.

Rather than projects, the arc of each week will be as follows: pre-readings on the historical context of the artist's performance & activism roots, followed by active listening and engagement with the artist. Each class will be followed with experiential exercises that will push students to observe, interact and reflect in and on the spaces around them. This arc will be repeated over the 5 weeks, with the final milestone being an "Art is Activism" multi-layered piece created by each student in their medium of choosing.

Learn With

Teaching Team