All my notes, very exciting stuffSept 2

DiscussionWhat are the defining principles of creativity?What is creativity?- going beyond what is expected- spontaneous- going beyond what it the norm and expected / love and care and pride- an expression of through the soul- the ability to have viewers feel inspired or related- a conveyance of an idea that isn’t otherwise there (ideas), an invitation to look at somethingdifferently- concerted effort to create a specific thing / can be unconscious / taken to the next level withthe mind- aesthetic innovation - a way to solve a problem using original combinations, connections, driven my curiosity, aresponse to a barrier, joy, and a desire to reach a solution, or a desire

Ken Robinson: Do Schools Kill Creativity?TedTalks • Feb. 2006 • Cal.- Human beings have a huge capacity in creativity - Everyone has an interest in education 1. it’s meant to take us into a future that we can’t grasp 2. People take pride in their education Creativity is as important as literacyChildren aren’t afraid of being wrong - to be creative you must be prepared to be wrong

Education came to feed industrialism - post 19th century

David Kelly: How to build your creative confidenceTedTalks • Mar12 • Cal

Tim Brown: Tales of creativity

We fear the judgement of our peers (partner drawing exercise) - sorry, embarrassment, laughter - children have no shame in showing drawings

- People are afraid of being judged creatively Dr. Albert Bandura Stanford works with phobias - “guided mastery"

Exploration: which bilds quantity: i.e. plywood from stints to the lounge chair Thinking with your hands: prototypes, creations, hands on thinkingRole Play: children mimic social constructs that they learn from adults, empatheticdecisions ,try on experiences

Play has rulesA code of negation leads to fail play

Trust:you need trust to playyou need trust to be creative

Tim Brown: Tales of creativity and playKen Robinson: How schools kill creativityDavid Kelley: How to build your creative confidence

Finite and Infinite GamesJames P. Carse

Part 1: There are at least two kinds of games

Chapter 1:Finite: played to win the gameInfinite: played to continue playing

Chapter 2:- agreement of players must determine and win the game- players must freely choose to play

C.3.- finite games must have a precise beginning- all parties must play by the rules, even in WAR!- when players don’t play by the rules, then the game can be challenged, victory is debatable- you need an opponent, can’t play alone- the license never belongs to the licensed

C.4.- date, place, and membership are externally defined

C.5- players must follow all of the rules, they are necessary

C.6 Compare and contrast= Infinite players must play freely; if they must play, they must not play - they cannot say when their game began X infinite games are internally definedX there may be any number of infinite worlds, anyone can play, beginning and end isundefined

C.7 - finite games can be within infinite, not vice versa

C.8.- rules limit the players freedom, not govern behavior - important to follow, they help determine who won

C.9- rules are valid only if and when players freely play by them, they are not validated by theircreator, i.e. coach, president, Moses, God

C.10- the rules of finite games must not change during play or the game will change- the rules of infinite games must change - rules must change to continue play, increase number of players, and stop anyone fromwinning - i.e. language grammar rules vs. rules of debate

C.11- rules have a purpose in infinite games: to stop the threat of the end of play due to threats:i.e. deadlines, exhaustion, money/debt, resources, death. etc. - Infinite: play with boundaries / Finite: play within boundaries

C.13 —> READ AGAIN- Finite players must forget their freedom for the sake of competition- “To believe is to know you believe, to know you believe is not to believe.” (Sartre)

C. 14- playfully take up the roles and mask themselves, not hiding it from themselves, or others.They regard players as that person playing, not as a role played by someone.- seriousness is a dread of the unpredictable outcome of of open possibility • to be playful isto allow the possibility, whatever the cost to oneself

C. 15- Finite = theatrical • Infinite = dramatic- Dramatically we become mothers • Theatrically we take on the role of mothers - the play of finite games is dramatic in that the outcome is unknown, but theatrical in that

there is an outcome

C.16- finite players seek to surprise - infinite players seek surprise

C. 20,21 —> READ AGAIN- life in death and death in life in finite games

C. 22“The information that my soul is to last forever could be of no more personal concern to methat the news that my appendix is to be preserved eternally in a bottle.” (Flew)

C. 25Infinite players have only their names - they have the unknown future before them

C. 26Titles work backward in time and separate

C. 27The titled are powerful

C. 29- Only some can have power, but anyone can have strength —> yet everyone is seeking andplaying for power- You don’t have strength because because of force executed in play with them but becauseyou allow them to do what they wish as you engage with them

Finite and Infinite GamesCarse begins with a stark definition of what is necessary in a finite game. It's what we're allfamiliar with.

RulesChoicePlayersBoundariesVoluntary playWinners and losers

Unable to predict where the text is trying to go, you attempt to envision a soccer or footballgame.

Infinite games, on the other hand, play with (not within) boundaries, only to continue play,increase the number of players, and keep anyone from winning. Infinite players play withstrength, not power. When one decides to engage in infinite play, the possibilities are endless.

Then, BOOM, you're talking about war, slavery, and dictatorships. Well, why not? They are

after all games, and all players are their by choice. I could not disagree. It’s this comparisonto how humans choose to play out their lives, and deaths that is so shaking about this book.Most likely you will respond in one of three ways.

1. Why would I want to play an infinite game? This doesn’t make sense.2. OMG! I’ve been playing for the wrong team this entire time. I finally see the light.3. Phew, someone finally said what I’ve been trying to internalize for years.

Personal ResponseI was a lovely mix of 2 and 3. The social theory of endless possibilities is not a new exploration for me, especially on apersonal level. There are lots of readings that deal with this ideas, especially those targetedtowards creative. “I’m Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams, I Am, I Am, I Am” or “The Artist’sWay” are two to name a few. However, this is not a self-help book for those struggling withcreative insecurities. Cases continued simple yet profound presentation clearly lets you openthe window and look into your own life and see how you’ve been playing a finite game. Sure,you may see

September 9

The Creative Personality Part III

What determines a creative person? What traits must they have?

I. potential facilities for creativity: predisposition in a particular domain • difficult to prove due to special cases, i.e. Beethoven being deaf, however, heightenedsensory may contribute to interest in medium

II. All creative people are open to experience, curious, and willing

III. Access to a domain:cultural capital - often out of ones own power

IV. Access to a fieldmust have opportunity to learn, work, and exist in the field

Explaining Creativity: The Science of Human Innovation

Part 1

I. Creativity:

• Historically: understood yet valued and considered one of the highest achievements ofhuman potential

• Reasons for studying: -help in individual discovery and identification of creative strengths - positively influence (and assist) world leaders - assist in becoming better problem solvers - increase mental health - create better educators

• to properly study creativity, you must consider more than just ‘high art’ but allhemispheres and cultures - must include: applied sciences and all genres and mediums ofcreation, including performance creativity because it includes improvisation, collaboration,and communication

II. Conceptions of Creativity

• The Creative Vision: the result of Csikszentmilalyi’s studies •Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers emphasized the importance of peak experience, innermotivation, self-actualization, and creativity. - Artists who most regularly experience this ‘flow’ hadhappier lives and more successful careers • Compares the task of defining creativity to the task of defining God…impossible, personal, andsubjective

Historical Concepts of Creativity • creativity is a gift of the divine: only the blessed may be creative Artists: - have a high social status / work alone (contemprerory) - poor and low class (old European) • this is interesting to me, regardless of the time period, artists exist in a class of theirown, all being defined by the boundaries of external classes and their desires Historically: - 15th Century: Renaissance, portraits, sculptures, the artist was seen as a uniqueindividual - 16th Century: employed by the church or court (state), influences contemporary thinking - 16th-18th Century: - official institutions were established. for art. i.e. museums, schools, etc. - ability to purchase materials - change in location / loss of the studio

pg 24Originality: newness and truth of observation

pg 27Big C - the creation of a socially valuable productLittle c - a good idea

pg. 28: In response to Harry Partch’s crazy instruments and compositions That doesn’t mean it’s not creative! Just because something isn’t easy to reproduce I don’t think this i

s a sound argument, appropriateness. When cameras were first produced, they weren’t easy to use. They were viewed as tools, so it was accepted. If they were presented as art, they may have never developed into what they are today.

pg. 39: in response to artists being pressured to remain recognizableThe result of money, and the ownership of art.“But many created products are created by groups, organizations, and entire societies."

pg. 40: Societal Creativity - reread"The conceptions of art that a society holds follow logically from the styles and techniques of art, thesocial organization of the work, and the functions that art plays in that society."

pg. 43“freedom of expression and movement, lack of fear of dissent and contradiction, a willingness tobreak with custom, a spirit of play as well as of dedication to work” This seems like a natural conclusion after the previously described corporate hierarchy society.

pg. 53: in response to the "threshold theory" This theory supports the notion that intelligence is created by nature. threshold theory: the theory that creativity requires a certain level of intelligence

pg 55: in response to Berkley's researcher’s list of creative traits Is this contributed to creativity, or rather a desire to be successful? I think that successful business people might spoken of the same. Perhaps it would be phrased as “risk takers”

…and women?Talking about gender introduces an entirely new can of works. i.e. “SEEMED to be homosexual.” What SEEMED homosexual at that time, isn’t necessarily true today. How relevant or timely is this? Thiscan’t be a considered universal conclusion.

The same amount of time given to learning something else may or may not have led to a lifestyle that isn’t defined as ‘creative’ Experiences shape our personalities. Creatives often tend to be multi-faceted. How does this come into play?

pg 58-59The Second W(Ve Cognitive Psychology

In response to Csiksgentmihalyi’s results from the 100 creative subjects

Is this coincidental? I would be interested in known the races, genders, age, state/country of origin of these people. It sounds like a pretty similar group he people he was working with. I think most would argue that this doesn’t necessary stand true. i.e. walk into the IMRC. and that’s in MAINE. Head to Paris, or NYC, or Asia. How would this line up?_____· Insight is the subjective experience of having the idea-the"aha"or"eu-

reka"moment.

· Vertpcation includes two substages: the evaluation of the worth of the in-sight, and elaboration into its complete form._____

pg 61: in response to creatives not having mental illnesses, “being creative would be impossible if aperson were mentally unstable, etc."…or is it that they are no longer ill because they are creative? What about the fact that creativityhelps to promote a mentally and physically healthy existence and is a healthy outlet foranxieties, traumas, etc.

pg. 65: in response to creative performance and performance pressure:Interesting, as I teach ESL students and sometimes, with Middle Eastern students, this is the case. The ones with whom it’s not, tend to have shied away from religious, family, or living obligations. Some of these arguments are lacking exploration and/or depth. (at least it goes unmentioned)

p.72

pg. 77: Knowledge and skill are necessary to recognize value and worth.

pg 78: in respnose to: “high productivity = higher qualityI don’t disagree, buthigh productivity doesn’t necessary always have to equate to high quantity. Obviously there needs to be a continued production of finished products, but I would think that continually working, is what defines an artist as productive. Some mediums, or methods, simply require a longer timeline. Perhaps this is where working on multiple projects helps things out.

pg 79: The four-stage model I’ve just described is a little too linear; the creative process is morecyclical.

pg 86: In response to: "But if a writer were severely depressed all the time, she’d never get any writing done."Or, are writers able to cope with their severe depression because they write all the time?

pg 23: Creativity happens in the interaction between a person’s thoughts and socioculturalcontext

pg. 24: Are these nutty scientists really running on creativity? Or is it something else, such aspride?

pg. 25: misused creativebrillant >> talent (Idk if I agree)personally creativeculture changing creatives - creative without qualifications

John Bardeen

pg. 27: The Systems ModelDomain: symbolic rules and proceduresField: all individuals who act as gatekeepersPerson: individual

Creativity is any act, idea, or product that changes existing domain, or that transforms anexisting domain into a new one.

Creative person: someones whose thoughts or actions change a domain, or establish a newdomain - so if you don’t change the domain, you’re not creative? Must we all be making

discoveries?

pg. 29: Creativity changes overtime pg. 30: creativity can be discovered in other people, i.e. Gogh, Bach, through a continuedreassessing of the past

p. 37: recognizing and interacting with patters pushes us beyond the boundaries of biology

pg. 41 domain is necessary for innovation, field is necessary to determine worth of innovation

pg. 43: Rate of creativity impacts by field1. reactive or proactive2. narrow or broad in selection of novelty3. connection to the social system that can support the domain

Jacob Rabinow1. knowledge in the domain2. willingness to contribue3. ability to weed out the junk

October 28th

Art as a Human Behavior: Toward an Ethological View of ArtEllen Dissanayake

pg 125: Ethology: the biology of behavior (what living creatures do in their normal)

• behavior can be defined and observed • this study depends on the view that humans are animals: evolution and adaptation

sensationalist reductionistmechanist

pg. 126-127• Humans have animal characteristics• “art” is unique to humans and found in no other species • the beginning of art (carvings, cave paintings) is not the beginning of ‘art as a behavior'• the concept of art does not refer only to specific artistic acts of making and enjoyingartworks - it’s a human characteristic , not a trait of a certain minority

October 31stDickie_Defining Art

• 1, the imitation theory - art’s relation to a subject matter• 2. the expression theory - art’s relation to the art• Wittgenstein’s - no necessary and sufficient conditions• art has mistakenly been defined because of what is being labeled as art at particular time…instead of art as a whole• Morris Weitz “The Role of Theory in Aesthetics" • genies-species relationships • the classification argument - no artifactuality necessary • Mandelbaum - art as a game, some features will and can be found in all that define it as art

• 3, Nonartifactual works of art • Brancusi’s Bird’s In Space and the piece of driftwood • concludes that "artifactuality is unnecessary” is incorrect • non-artificuatual “art" is a derisive of “works of art"

p. 121 “Works of Art"1. Primary or classificatory • the “work of art” belongs to a certain category2. Secondary or derivative • if the driftwood shares a number of properties with anoretic paradigm of work, itbecomes a derivative piece of “art" 3. Evaluative • if the driftwood’s derivative properties are of value to the speaker

Arthur Danto • “The Artworld"Aeschylus

p. 125: adventuresomeness

A work of art in a classificatory sense is 1) an artifact 2) upon which some person(s) acting onbehalf of a certain social institution (the artworld) has conferred the status of candidate forappreciation

pg. 126• on the discussion of confuring, he mentions that multiple people are required to make upthe artworld but only one is necessary to confer a piece of art (I would say this is evaluativeand an act of classification) however, he also says that often times are can be created alone,and never shown to anyone, and still be art. This brings up an interesting thought, becausetheatre, in which most theories argue, an audience is required. If theatre is art, but can’t betheatre without an audience, is it still art? The piece of writing may be, as subject of literature,but is it still theatre? So, I think I disagree.

p. 129 Dickie talks about chimpanzee’s art not being labeled as art because of the fact that theywere not on display at in an artworld. This leads me to consider art-science. Is the science

element not science, if it is not conferred by someone within the scienceworld? Or is sciencedefined differently? If science is a systematically organized system does this mean thatanyone and any thing that falls within that system as art? Or is it human intentionality thatmakes these classifications valid?

Arthur Danto_ArtworldSocrates: mirrors reflect what we already see (no cognitive benefit)Hamlet: mirrors reflect what we don’t know or can’t see (reveals us to ourselves, we can’t seeour own faces without a mirror)(IT) The Imitation Art Theory • (RT) Reality Theorypg. 573: according to it, the artists in question were to not be understood as unsuccessfullyimitating real forms, but as successfully creating new ones, quite as real as the older art hadbeen thought, in its best examples, to be creditably imitation

Art as Imaginative Expression: From The Principles of Art

1. The Two Conditions of An Aesthetic Theory A. We must know when to use to word art B. We must define the word art

2. Artist Aestheticians and Philosopher Aestheticians A. Artist aestheticians can define, and recognize art from pseudo art and why othersdefine it as they do B. Theory based on classic art

pg. 98 usage it particular, theory is universal

3. The Present SituationArtist are training themselves in philosophy and bridging the two latter categories ofaestheticians

4. History of the Word ‘Art'Greek: craft or specialized form of skill, e.g. carpentry or smithying, surgery

5. Systematic Ambiguitypg. 100: “What are we trying to mean?" a. obsolete meaning: meanings that continue to exist because of historical and habitualuse b. analogical meaning: meaning that derives from our own identity, and association c. courtesy meaning: meaning that is derived from importance, emotion, or desire to bedefined by certain qualities • • • 1. Art and Craft

Craft: must have a preconceived intention heretical relationship between parts, means, and materials

2. Technical Theory of Art (pg. 105)Plato RepublicSocrates Metaphysics, v

3. Explaining the TheoryIt is possible that unplanned work is art, but it is not necessarily art

pg. 112: there is in art a proper distinction resembling that between means and end, but notidentical with - hence reasons that craft and art are often both misusedpg. 113: art has something to do with emotion, and it resembles and arousal of it pg 113: art has something to do with making things, but not material

pg: 115: the expression of emotion is a means to an end, but the difference between craftbeing that the ends is unknown “expression is an activity of which there can be no technique"pg. 119: betraying emotion: merely portraying symptoms of an emotion“it is not her ability to weep real tears, but it is her ability to make to herself and to heraudience what her tears are about"Thomas Hardy is ranting

“as a spokesman of the community, the secrets he must utter are theirs” pg. 123“the reason that they need him is because no community knows his own heart” “Art is the community’s medicine for the worst disease of mind, the corruption ofconscienceless"

global fund for women muslima medieval Latin: any special form of book-learning• as aesthetics became involved, the definition of art came into existence

November 15

Antagonism and Relational Aesthetics, Claire Bishop

pg. 51. (2) :The truly contemporary exhibi- tion should express connective possibilities and make propositions. And,perhaps surprisingly, such an exhibition should reconnect with the laboratory years of twentieth-century exhibitionpractice."

pg. 53: the institution may overshadow the work that it otherwise highlights: it becomes thespectacle, it collects the cultural capital, and the director-curator becomes the star.

pg. 54 on Bourriaud...In other words, relational art works seek to establish intersubjective

encounters (be these literal or potential) in which meaning is elaborated collectively (RA, p. 18) ratherthan in the privatized space of individual consumption / But Bourriaud is at pains to distancecontempo- rary work from that of previous generations / It seems more pressing to invent possi- blerelations with our neighbors in the present than to bet on happier tomorrows

pg. 55 Rirkrit Tiravanija

Underlying much of Tiravanija’s practice is a desire not just to erode the dis- tinction betweeninstititutional and social space, but between artist and viewer

pg. 57 Although the materials of Tiravanija’s work have become more diverse, the emphasis remainson use over contemplation.

pg. 58: dematerialized projects revive strategies of critique from the 1960s and ’70s, it is arguablethat in the context of today’s dominant economic model of globalization, Tiravanija’s itinerantubiquity does not self-reflexively question this logic, but merely reproduces it.17 He is one of themost established, influential, and omnipresent figures on the international art circuit, and his workhas been crucial to both the emergence of relational aesthetics as a theory, and to the curatorialdesire for “open- ended,” “laboratory” exhibitions.

pg. 58 Liam Gillick

A prevailing theme throughout his work in all media is the production of relationships (particularlysocial relationships) through our environment. His early work investigated the space betweensculpture and functional design

pg. 60 Rather than having the viewer “complete” the work, in the manner of Bruce Nauman’s corridors orGraham’s video installations of the 1970s, Gillick seeks a perpetual open-endedness in which his artis a backdrop to activity.

For Gillick, the task is not to rail against such institutions, but to negotiate ways of improving them

pg 61not as a targeted critique of the present order, but “to examine the extent to which critical access ispossible at all.

Gillick is keen to trigger open-ended alter- natives to which others may contribute. The middleground, the compromise, is what interests him most

pg 62:Eco regarded the work of art as a reflection of the conditions of our existence in a fragmented

modern culture, while Bourriaud sees the work of art producing these conditions