Light and Space Art professors currently teaching in MFA programs?

[electrishan]

Does anyone know of any professors currently teaching in MFA programs that do "Light and Space" art or something similar?

 

I know most of this stuff came out of Southern California in the 60s/70s...

 

Like large scale Robert Irwin / James Turrell stuff...?

 

I'm also interested in large scale projections, large scale minimalist sculpture...

Edited July 2, 2015 by electrishan

[Blizzardfire]

i'm also curious about this too

[mirror_logic]

friend, what you seek is very unlikely to be able to be taught within the confines of a traditional institution pedagogy, if at all. Irwin in particular  was v. famously (or notoriously, depending) cagey w/r/t/ teaching in programs for any expanse of time. I would recommend taking up studies in Zen buddhism, alone or with a mentor. Perhaps a degree in physics, philosophy or ecology might be advised, for those less austere or spooked by the austerity of the void. 

[electrishan]

Friend, it's not the 1970s anymore.  Many forms that were once too avant-garde for the "traditional institution pedagogy" have now well been institutionalized.  Haha.  Since I made some posts I have actually found a few professors that would have been perfectly valid as answers to my original question.

As for me studying "physics...psychology...Buddhism" - It seems awfully contrived and boring to try to follow the paths of those artists in such a literal way.  Like, I'm not going to study Buddhism because Robert Irwin is a Buddhist.  Even if I tried to approach my studies in such a way, I would be awfully confused considering the diverse spiritual and scientific backgrounds of artists I admire.

Edited August 21, 2015 by electrishan

[mirror_logic]

More contrived than attempting to learn the deep secrets of space and light second-hand, in an MFA program, after Turrell's brought his light-show to the masses and sold out the tickets to the megaplex? I wish it *were* the 70s, when "Light and Space" actually meant anything, was any kind of frontier. Good luck getting your information download thru the tried and true, the commercialized, and the traditional avenues your heroes never had any interest in. and obviously this has nothing to do with you, as i do not know you, tho it has everything to do with your approach, which is not unique to our times, and i get it, you seek your fast route to an ephemeral knowledge, I sincerely hope you find it.

[kwonberry]

frankly no. many from a definable period of light and space, are retired or have passed. 

[Space Ayn Rand]

More contrived than attempting to learn the deep secrets of space and light second-hand, in an MFA program, after Turrell's brought his light-show to the masses and sold out the tickets to the megaplex? I wish it *were* the 70s, when "Light and Space" actually meant anything, was any kind of frontier. Good luck getting your information download thru the tried and true, the commercialized, and the traditional avenues your heroes never had any interest in. and obviously this has nothing to do with you, as i do not know you, tho it has everything to do with your approach, which is not unique to our times, and i get it, you seek your fast route to an ephemeral knowledge, I sincerely hope you find it.

Chill your smugness. Whatever "fast routes to ephemeral knowledge" you think you're seeing are projected from your own self-important ego. Same thing with that old tired illusion of the "austere void" that you keep buying into. The guy/gal is searching for an MFA program, and MFA programs are just as much in the world and useful for our journeys as any of your reified philosophies or worldviews are. You seem to have forgotten that if you meet the Buddha, you must kill the Buddha. 

Electrishan, find an MFA program or artist-teacher you like and pursue them. Even if they turn out to not be what you expected them to be, the experience will be worthwhile and useful to you, as long as you don't turn to bitterness if you discover that what you put your trust in isn't as reliable as you thought it was.

[ElizaMFA]

Electrishan,  SUNY Purchase has started offering Land Art history to the MFAs.  This year's class has students and faculty focused on the DIY/sustainability/ecological art movement. Additionally, one faculty member, Rob Swainston, focuses on what he calls monumental "printstallations."  If you can't find an exact fit for what you are looking for check out Purchase.  There are resources here that would be useful to you.

Best of luck.

[LReeves]

HI HELLO YES 

As far as MFA PROGRAMS TEACHING LIGHT THERE ARE A LOT

Especially programs that are interdisciplinary, and which have a 4D, robotics or video department. A lot of schools will also have classes structured around light, especially those with light-related medium facilities, such as neon or glass. ASU is a good one, Alfred, Chicago institute for the arts, Madison Wisconsin are a few.  Would be cool if there were a program that taught holograms.

Also You would be coming in with your own skill set and direction of work hopefully, so you would not need a program to teach you these things necessarily unless you simply needed access to equipment. Do some research. Libraries are free.