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Master of Fine Arts in
Contemporary Art Practices at
Portland State University
✨✨Save the dates!! ✨✨ Assembly 2022 Fri ✨✨Save the dates!! ✨✨ Assembly 2022 Friday, June 3rd – Sunday June 5th, 2022 Join us at King School Museum of Contemporary Art (@ksmoca) OR virtually via Zoom! To receive project, event, and schedule updates – RSVP - link in bio! Since 2014, the Portland State University Art + Social Practice MFA students have co-authored an annual multi-day gathering of participatory events, discussions, and presentations highlighting our collaborative work and inspirations. To create this gathering, students make and cultivate projects through existing relationships, curiosity, and chance encounters. In the past this has led us to many places around the city including a community center, city hall, a school, a panadería, a river, a senior center, and more. This year Assembly is in collaboration with the Dr Martin Luther King Jr School Museum of Contemporary Art (KSMoCA). The event is an extension of our return to in-person engagement with the school’s students and community. This will also be our first “hybrid” Assembly event with in-person and virtual access to the programming. We will share new work that has emerged in this context, as well as new conversations within existing projects and collaborations at this site. The PSU 2022 Art + Social Practice MFA graduating class will also present public talks about their work as part of the program! #ksmoca #psu #psuassembly #assembly #art #psuarts #psuart #june3 #june4 #june5
Last week’s Conversation Series, Ashley Stull M Last week’s Conversation Series, Ashley Stull Meyers shared her generative journey in failing to fit into dominant curation culture. We learned how she uses conversation and material resources to help BIPOC and Queer artists do what they want to do. She showed us how she’s uplifting living artists in local urgent conversations too. Ashley Stull Meyers’ Highlighted Quotes: “I always want to know why you're making the things you're making, and then we'll think about an appropriate container for it, and that may or may not be a gallery exhibition.” “I often have no idea what my exhibitions are gonna look like until they're happening because I have no idea what's going on with artists in their studios. I try to resource them both through conversation and material resources. To make a thing that they wanna make and have a conversation that they wanna have.” “White walled gallery space is weird like what a strange, made up environment.” “No one's better at making interesting things boring than academics.” More about @ashleyontheinternet : http://www.astullmeyers.com/
Inspired by recycling and pottery shards, Laura, L Inspired by recycling and pottery shards, Laura, Luz, and MO led a workshop in Amanda’s Beginning Ceramics class at Whitman College during the trip to Walla Walla. Photos by Laura Glazer and Amanda Leigh Evans @helloprettycity @momobirdie @dogsighs__ @amandaleighevans
This week for Conversation Series we learned about This week for Conversation Series we learned about the history of @ksmoca from Nancy Rios, Dr MLK Jr Elementary School’s Secretary and Project Manager. Nancy has worked with us from the beginning and has worked at the school for 20 years. She remembers all the bumps, redirects, and successes. "I have two positions. 1 is half-time school secretary and the other is half-time project manager. School Secretary: I take care of the attendance, classroom assignments, class lists etc. Anything connected to students and parents I deal with as I have access to the softwares to do registration and more things. Project Manager: There are a variety of things. I handle newsletters, school communication, social media pages, latino parent coffee chats, website, organize school events, create flyers, KSMOCA, and order school supplies. Basically anything the school needs support in or projects that need to be done. I also help handle the off-site covid home screeners.  What I do in this position varies and is filled by the needs of the school." -Nancy Rios
Have you heard of the Walla Walla Foundry? The lar Have you heard of the Walla Walla Foundry? The largest foundry in the US used for the purpose of art making. We are grateful and lucky to have gotten a private tour from program coordinator, Hannah Bartman, and followed by an incredible conversation about Monuments: what are they and what do they do? Big double thank you to @amandaleighevans & @tiakramer for coordinating! #wallawalla #wallawallafoundry #foundry #bronze #socialpractice #monuments
Yesterday students presented their work at Whitman Yesterday students presented their work at Whitman College for the Walla Walla community! Thank you to all who came to learn more about a series of socially engaged art projects. Special thank you to @amandaleighevans for the invitation and @tiakramer and Amanda for organizing and facilitating an amazing trip! Learn more about our current students via our website - link in bio. @shelbieloomis @jennifervanilla @cereza699 @momobirdie @helloprettycity @levelyellowproblemchild @dogsighs__ @gilnotjill @oliviadelgandio #whitman #whitmancollege #artandsocialpractice
We are embarking on our annual program trip!! 2022 We are embarking on our annual program trip!! 2022 Destination: Walla Walla, Washington 📍
This week we had Adrian Rosser as our Conversation This week we had Adrian Rosser as our Conversation Series guest, who is 11 years old and plays the violin. “You Should've kept your toys. If you didn't then you should buy new ones. Sit down and play with them because it might unlock memories from the past." Adrian gave the following prompts for play to students: 1) Everyone in the same place (the yellow house) who likes to run: go outside and play tag. Luz: find leaves - each leaf is worth 2 points 2) Justin: climb a tree 3) Mo: pet a sheep if you can 4) LP: go outside and draw whatever you find that is interesting 5) Caryn: Imagine a mystical land in your head and write a poem about it 6) Lisa: Skip outside around your house 7: Kiara: Rate the street names as your drive home from the grocery store
@shelbieloomis’ GUS (Great Uncle Skip) came and @shelbieloomis’ GUS (Great Uncle Skip) came and talked to us today in our Conversation Series Program. Here is a quote from today's conversation: “Life is very long. You have the opportunity to be many things, see many things, go many places and reinvent yourself over and over again. I encourage you to take advantage of that. It makes your life much more three dimensional.” - @skipgregory
Winter 2022 Issue of SoFA Journal – available no Winter 2022 Issue of SoFA Journal – available now – Link in bio! Slide 1: Laura Glazer with Jessica Cline Slide 2: Lillyanne Phạm with Karena Salmond Slide 3: Luz Blumenfeld with Roya Amirsoleyamni Slide 4: Marina Lopez with Jose Marcos Lopez Slide 5: Mo Geiger with Abigail DeVille Slide 6: Olivia DelGandio with Barbara Caulfield Slide 7: Shelbie Loomis with Chris Emery .... Editors: @jennifervanilla @emmasprojectarchive Copy Editor: @levelyellowproblemchild Web Publishing: @emmasprojectarchive Cover Design: @gilnotjill Cover Production: @helloprettycity Contributors: @gilnotjill with Carla Kaya Perez-Gallardo @jennifervanilla with Fernando Perez @justinmeadmaxon with Leon Patterson and H. “Herukhuti” Sharif Williams PhD @kiarajwalls with Harrell Fletcher @rebeccalcopper with Marti Clemmons, Gilah Tenenbaum, and Katharine English @levelyellowproblemchild with Wesley Chung @oliviadelgandio with Barbara Caulfield @helloprettycity with Jessica Cline @dogsighs__ with Roya Amirsoleyamni @lillyannepham with Karena Salmond @marinamarialopez with Jose Marcos Lopez @shelbieloomis with Chris Emery @momobirdie with Abigail DeVille @cereza699 with Luna Flores Advisors: @lisanicolejarrett @harrell_fletcher
Winter 2022 Issue of SoFA Journal – available no Winter 2022 Issue of SoFA Journal – available now – Link in bio! Slide 1: Becca Kauffman with Fernando Perez Slide 2: Rebecca Copper with Marti Clemmons, Gilah Tenenbaum, and Katharine English Slide 3: Caryn Aasness with Wesley Chung Slide 4: Diana Marcela Cuartas with Luna Flores Slide 5: Gilian Rappaport with Carla Kaya Perez-Gallardo Slide 6: Justin Maxon with Leon Patterson and H. “Herukhuti” Sharif Williams PhD Slide 7: Kiara Walls with Harrell Fletcher .... Editors: @jennifervanilla @emmasprojectarchive Copy Editor: @levelyellowproblemchild Web Publishing: @emmasprojectarchive Cover Design: @gilnotjill Cover Production: @helloprettycity Contributors: @gilnotjill with Carla Kaya Perez-Gallardo @jennifervanilla with Fernando Perez @justinmeadmaxon with Leon Patterson and H. “Herukhuti” Sharif Williams PhD @kiarajwalls with Harrell Fletcher @rebeccalcopper with Marti Clemmons, Gilah Tenenbaum, and Katharine English @levelyellowproblemchild with Wesley Chung @oliviadelgandio with Barbara Caulfield @helloprettycity with Jessica Cline @dogsighs__ with Roya Amirsoleyamni @lillyannepham with Karena Salmond @marinamarialopez with Jose Marcos Lopez @shelbieloomis with Chris Emery @momobirdie with Abigail DeVille @cereza699 with Luna Flores Advisors: @lisanicolejarrett @harrell_fletcher
The Winter 2022 Issue of the SoFA Journal is live! The Winter 2022 Issue of the SoFA Journal is live! Explore and read through the series of interviews from current students within the Art and Social Practice Program. Link in bio! Editors: @jennifervanilla @emmasprojectarchive Copy Editor: @levelyellowproblemchild Web Publishing: @emmasprojectarchive Cover Design: @gilnotjill Cover Production: @helloprettycity Contributors: @gilnotjill with Carla Kaya Perez-Gallardo @jennifervanilla with Fernando Perez @justinmeadmaxon with Leon Patterson and H. “Herukhuti” Sharif Williams PhD @kiarajwalls with Harrell Fletcher @rebeccalcopper with Marti Clemmons, Gilah Tenenbaum, and Katharine English @levelyellowproblemchild with Wesley Chung @oliviadelgandio with Barbara Caulfield @helloprettycity with Jessica Cline @dogsighs__ with Roya Amirsoleyamni @lillyannepham with Karena Salmond @marinamarialopez with Jose Marcos Lopez @shelbieloomis with Chris Emery @momobirdie with Abigail DeVille @cereza699 with Luna Flores Advisors: @lisanicolejarrett @harrell_fletcher
DEADLINE: MARCH 31! The Andries Deinum Prize for V DEADLINE: MARCH 31! The Andries Deinum Prize for Visionaries and Provocateurs is awarded annually to recognize and celebrate the exceptional creative potential of an undergraduate or graduate student (or students in collaboration) enrolled in PSU College of the Arts. The 2022 prize amount is $10,000. The deadline to apply is March 31, 2022 at 5:00pm APPLY https://www.pdx.edu/arts/andries-deinum-prize PAST RECIPIENTS https://www.pdx.edu/arts/andries-deinum-prize-visionaries-provocateurs
"That's what happens when you do it in public" wit "That's what happens when you do it in public" with Laura Glazer ( @helloprettycity ) and Harrell Fletcher ( @harrell_fletcher In the series of zoom discussions that students and alumni of the PSU Art and Social Pracice MFA program have with Harrell Fletcher on topics he has written about that relate to the field of socially engaged art. This discussion is on the topic of "That's what happens when you do it in public" — when a project or experience is transformed by welcoming and including a public audience and/or participation. #socialpractice #artandsocialpractice #sociallyengagedart #harrellfletcher #lauraglazer #psu #conversation #termsandtopics
Repost from @artandsocialpracticearchive On disp Repost from @artandsocialpracticearchive On display this term in the first floor of the PSU Library, be sure to check it out in person and stay tuned for more info about the exhibit and documentation throughout the month. Loose Body: A Survey of Ephemera from the Art and Social Practice Archive. Opening January 3rd, and on display through March 19. Curated by Marti Clemmons, BB Andersson, and Lo Moran with assistance from Sierrah Bettin, thanks so much to BB Andersson for the beautiful poster and exhibition pamphlet design. image description: black line images on a hot pink crinkled texture background. an abstract outline of a figure interacts and is overlaid with circular patches of textures with the information listed above included in a jagged black shape to the right.
Saturday! 2pm pacific! on Instagram Live! A new ep Saturday! 2pm pacific! on Instagram Live! A new episode of Book Looking with special guest, artist Harrell Fletcher. (He’s also the founder and director of the MFA program.) Please join us as we look at The Pond by John Gossage and published by @aperturefnd. @helloprettycity @harrell_fletcher Book Looking is a series of chats (and a newsletter!) between me, classmates, and other book-ish guests exploring publishing as artistic practice, books as art objects, and reading artist’s books. Read and subscribe to the newsletter here: https://booklooking.substack.com/
The A+D Scholarship deadline has been EXTENDED! The A+D Scholarship deadline has been EXTENDED! Students now have until MARCH 1st to apply!!! This year there is a new and improved scholarship portal which makes it easier than ever to apply! https://www.pdx.edu/student-finance/scholarships Have questions? Join one of our help sessions this month! Scholarship Info/Help Sessions Monday, February 14 – 12:00 – 1:00 PM Monday, February 20 – 12:00 – 1:00 PM Zoom link: https://pdx.zoom.us/j/7415973589
HI! I’m @helloprettycity💌 Please join me for HI! I’m @helloprettycity💌 Please join me for the first episode of Book Looking with @dogsighs__ on Monday, February 7, at 2:30pm Pacific on Instagram Live. A few weeks ago, I sent Luz an Instagram post about an art project that made me think of them and they mentioned that it reminded them of Eva Hesse’s diary entries. So I requested a copy of the book from the library and now we are going to look at it together! I **think** Book Looking will be a series of chats between me, classmates, and other book-ish guests exploring publishing as artistic practice, books as art objects, and reading artist books. Shelfie photo is by Luz and they kindly gave me permission to use it here. (I love this glimpse into their life! It’s always exciting to see what’s on someone’s bookshelf.)
❕Upcoming Graduate Project Event by @shelbieloom ❕Upcoming Graduate Project Event by @shelbieloomis ❕ “The Art We Value” art show with Jantzen Beach RV Park & Hayden Island Mobile Home Community! Debuting the resident’s portraits of objects that they value; holding sentimental value or cherished memories. Come have great conversations about art with the residents who participated in the project alongside their family and friends. PLEASE bring an object/artwork that you value to share with the community for a “show & tell” segment of show from 6-7pm. Come prepared with a quick story about the object to share with the group. The Art We Value: An Art Show of Portraits of Residents by Shelbie Loomis Saturday, February 5th 5-7pm 1503 N. Hayden Island Drive Portland OR 97217 (Behind Plaid Pantry) —> Park in the Guest Parking Lot in front of the clubhouse next to the barbershop. Snacks & Beverages will be provided (MASKS REQUIRED) See you there!
We got behind the scenes of some SoFA Journal inte We got behind the scenes of some SoFA Journal interviews during our launch party for the latest issue. Bonus details include: talking with the dead, the difference between interviews and conversations, and what we’ll do differently next time). Link in bio to watch these highlights and the full conversation. 🐣 This party was a collaboration between SoFA and Pub Club, a student-run group for discussing publishing as an artistic practice. #artandsocialpractice #sociallyengagedart
"Status Quo' with @harrell_fletcher and @_nolanhan "Status Quo' with @harrell_fletcher and @_nolanhanson. In the series of zoom discussions that students and alumni of the PSU Art and Social Pracice MFA program have with Harrell Fletcher on topics he has written about that relate to the field of socially engaged art. This discussion is on the topic of 'Status Quo' —taking something that has a normal way of operating and then tweaking it into some alternative form so that it breaks from our status quo understanding. It is important to understand and recognize the status quo in various situations so that you can then contemplate deviating from whatever that is to create an interesting project. #socialpractice #artandsocialpractice #sociallyengagedart #harrellfletcher #nolanhanson #psu #conversation #termsandtopics
YOU’RE INVITED! 🄻🄰🅄🄽🄲🄷 🄿🄰🅁🅃🅈 𝐒𝐨𝐅𝐀 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐈𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞 𝙇𝘼𝙐𝙉𝘾𝙃 𝙋𝘼𝙍𝙏𝙔 JOIN US: Thursday, Jan 6 1pm-1:50pm PST  A 50 minute group discussion on the Fall issue of the Art and Social Practice program’s interview publication, Social Forms of Art Journal. We’ll gather on zoom 🧲 the link’s in our linktree 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 📙𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙪𝙚 𝙮𝙚𝙩? 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙞𝙤! ᵖʳᵉˢᵉⁿᵗᵉᵈ ᵇʸ ˢᵒᶠᵃ ʲᵒᵘʳⁿᵃˡ & ᵖᵘᵇ ᶜˡᵘᵇ Photo by Ralph Hopkins. Cover designed by Laura Glazer.
Thinking about applying to the program? Applicatio Thinking about applying to the program? Applications are due ONE MONTH from today - January 14th, 2022 at midnight. We invite applications for the MFA in Art and Social Practice. Recently included in Artsy’s list of The Top 15 Art Programs in America, the generously funded Art and Social Practice MFA is a three-year, flexible residency (online or in-person) program combining individual practice, group work, community partnerships, and experiential learning with diverse faculty and an array of visiting artists lectures via the program’s weekly Conversation Series. A wide range of practices including curation, writing, performance, conceptual art, video, design, and visual/studio art are encouraged within a socially engaged framework. Blending critical and professional practice, alternative pedagogy, collaborative social engagement, and transdisciplinary exploration produces an immersive educational environment for students interested in working as socially engaged artists. As part of the flexible residency format, students can work from either Portland or remote locations. As an extension of the program’s unique approach, graduate students are invited to collaborate directly in ongoing program projects including: @ksmoca: a socially engaged work of art in the form of a contemporary art museum inside of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School (PreK-5th) in NE Portland, OR. @crci.art: an artist-led set of programs and classes held at Columbia River Correctional Institution, a minimum-security prison in Portland. @sofa_journal: an online co-authored program publication prompting writing and analysis dedicated to supporting, documenting and contextualising socially engaged art and its related fields and disciplines. Assembly: the program’s annual Spring co-authored social practice conference with workshops, lectures, graduate project talks, and participatory projects. @artandsocialpracticearchive: a new initiative housed in the PSU Library Special Collections. Visit our link in bio to learn more & to apply! #psu #sociapractice #mfaapplication #mfa #applyforamfa #social #practice #oregonmfaprogram
It’s here — the Fall 2021 issue of SoFA Journa It’s here — the Fall 2021 issue of SoFA Journal: Conversations On Everything, an interview-based publication on social forms of art. In this 4th issue, art & social practice graduate students continue their conversations as research, collaborative storytelling, and communal archiving. We hear from curators, performers, a librarian, an archivist, and so much more. Read it now - link in bio ✨ First slide: @momobirdie with William Padilla-Brown Second slide: @shelbieloomis with Michelle Grimes Third slide: @rebeccalcopper with Marti Clemmons and Gilah Tennenbaum Fourth slide: @illia.yakovenko with Elvin Rzaev Fifth slide: @justinmeadmaxon with Desire Grover and H. “Herukhuti” Sharif Williams PhD Editor Becca Kauffman @jennifervanilla Web Emma Duehr Mitchell @emmasprojectarchive Copyeditors Becca Kauffman and Emma Duehr Mitchell Advisor Lisa Jarrett @lisanicolejarrett
It’s here — the Fall 2021 issue of SoFA Journa It’s here — the Fall 2021 issue of SoFA Journal: Conversations On Everything, an interview-based publication on social forms of art. In this 4th issue, art & social practice graduate students continue their conversations as research, collaborative storytelling, and communal archiving. We hear from curators, performers, a librarian, an archivist, and so much more. Read it now - link in bio ✨ First slide: @helloprettycity with Elsa Loftis Second slide: @jennifervanilla with Jibz Cameron Third slide: @kiarajwalls with Darrell Grant Fourth slide: @levelyellowproblemchild with Perry Huntoon Fifth slide: @cereza699 with Jesus “Bubu” Negroa Editor Becca Kauffman @jennifervanilla Web Emma Duehr Mitchell @emmasprojectarchive Copyeditors Becca Kauffman and Emma Duehr Mitchell Advisor Lisa Jarrett @lisanicolejarrett
It’s here — the Fall 2021 issue of SoFA Journa It’s here — the Fall 2021 issue of SoFA Journal: Conversations On Everything, an interview-based publication on social forms of art. In this 4th issue, art & social practice graduate students continue their conversations as research, collaborative storytelling, and communal archiving. We hear from curators, performers, a librarian, an archivist, and so much more. Read it now - link in bio ✨ First slide: @oliviadelgandio with Starr Sariego Second slide: @dogsighs__ with Alex Olive Third slide: @connectivesomatics @marinamarialopez with Caroline Woolard Fourth slide: @gilnotjill with Ralph Hopkins Fifth slide: @lillyannepham with Aram Han Sifuentes Editor Becca Kauffman @jennifervanilla Web Emma Duehr Mitchell @emmasprojectarchive Copyeditors Becca Kauffman and Emma Duehr Mitchell Advisor Lisa Jarrett @lisanicolejarrett
Our cohort took a field trip to @picapdx to experi Our cohort took a field trip to @picapdx to experience Faye Driscoll’s work “Come On In.” Special thank you to Artistic Director @erinboberg for facilitating a private showing for us and sharing additional information for us. Show is up until December 11th - take a visit for yourself!
This is artist; Linda Montano’s, Life Vita, very This is artist; Linda Montano’s, Life Vita, very much like a Social Practice CV. A Social Practice CV is modeled after a standard CV (Curriculum Vitae), but instead of traditional content (formal education, exhibitions, etc), this CV is focused on less orthodox, but equally important aspects of an artist’s life experiences and research. #cv #lindamontano #artistcv #psu #socialpractice #artandsocialpractice
This is the first in a series of zoom discussions This is the first in a series of zoom discussions students and alumni of the PSU Art and Social Practice MFA program have with Harrell Fletcher (@harrell_fletcher) on topics Fletcher has written about that relate to the field of socially engaged art. This discussion is on the topic of "non-fictionalizing" and is with alumni Salty Xi Jie Ng (@saltythunder13). "Non-fictionalizing" is the process of adding non-fiction or documentary elements to an existing work that is fictional or abstract.
Last week we took a tour of the facility spaces av Last week we took a tour of the facility spaces available on campus including: digital printing facilities, the @ceti.institute , @workshopatpsu which includes: recording studios, audio and video equipment rentals, 3D Printers, laser cutters, woodshop, metal shop, large scale scanners, print making studios, virtual reality, t-shirt design and vinyl printing, and a visit to see alum, @michaelstevensonjr ‘s exhibit “Auditing a MFA” in Lincoln Hall, and more! Very excited to be enjoying campus once again ! ✨🛠
This past weekend we gathered for our Annual Progr This past weekend we gathered for our Annual Program Retreat and launched into our in-person school year! Our group camp out in the Columbia River Gorge included a group hike, meals, ghost stories, t-shirt making, team building exercises, scavenger hunts, Dinner Theatre, and a weekend spent getting to know one another better. ✨ Let the 21-22 school year begin! 🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲
Two projects by program students were included as Two projects by program students were included as the Best of Portland by @willametteweek! The Living School of Art project by Amanda Leigh Evans (class of 2016) is in the “Best Places” category and current student Laura Glazer’s Agnes Varda Forever project with Jennifer “JJ” Jones is in the “Best Ideas” category. Read the full articles on their accounts @amandaleighevans @livingschoolart @helloprettycity #agnesvardaforever
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