Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Creative Assignment
Value: Learning about the traditions of another culture, thinking about contemporary applications of ancient traditions, meeting community members with a background different from your own, applying what you learn from other traditions to your own creative work, thinking about death--what it means to you as a person and how you express that as an artist, AND 20 % of grade (creative piece) and 10 % of grade (contributions to the event).
On the evening of November 2, 6-8 PM, our class will be sponsoring a Día del Muerto, or Day of the Dead event in the Rowan County Arts Center. The event will include our own exhibit of art work and altars, the work of local artists and organizations, and traditional foods, music, and activities for the public. Each of you will be responsible for both a creative piece featured in the exhibit AND for a special task contributing to the event.
Individual Creative Piece Initial Proposal due September 28, final piece due November 1. If your piece is large, you will need to make prior arrangements with me for its delivery to the Rowan County Arts Center. If you are building an altar you will also need to set it up on the afternoon of November 1at the Center (note that this is a Monday).
First: Look at web, library, and other resources related to the Día de los Muertos provided on the course webpage. Listen to class discussion on this Mexican tradition in class.
Then: Design your own creative piece in response to the Día de los Muertos traditions for the exhibit. You may work collaboratively on these pieces. There are a variety of options: you may design a three dimensional calavera, or you may want to create a contemporary Calaca in the tradition of Posada. If you have experienced personal loss in the past year, you may want to build a private altar celebrating the life of the loved one. Or you may want to design and build an altar that commemorates other more communal losses--altars have been designed dedicated to those lost through domestic violence, breast cancer, suicide, drunk driving, etc.
Below are listed the tasks that need to be handled responsibly and creatively in order for the event to be meaningful, respectful, well-attended, and enjoyable. Please submit your application for the task you would most like to perform by September 9. In your application statement (a simple one page, typed application), please state your qualifications for this task, your plans/ideas, and what you feel you have to offer to this assignment.
Contributions to the Event
Design a poster and program for the event and the exhibit, coordinate the printing of these (cost covered by department) (due October 5)
1
student _____________________________
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Research and prepare traditional foods for opening (menu due Oct. 21, foods due Nov.2) (cost of food will be covered by the department)
8
students _____________________________
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Research and make appropriate "decorations" for event (costs for materials can be covered by department), and install/hang decorations (Due November 1)
6
students _____________________________
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Organize and host the event in conjunction with Itza Zavala-Garrett's Spanish classes and community outreach programs, (plan/ideas for activities due Oct. 5)
3 students ______________________________
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Publicize event (including to the Latin American community), drafting press releases and helping to secure features in local news venues about the event (Due October 5)
2 students ______________________________
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Document the Event and each exhibit piece with digital photography (files due Nov. 9)
2 students _______________________________
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Design Student Exhibit, Make Labels, and Assist with Hanging of Show/Setting up of Altars (November 1)
4 students ______________________________
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Design and Build Website and/or Powerpoint Presentation About the Project (Due Nov. 23)
2 students _______________________________
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EVERYONE WILL BE EXPECTED TO HELP SET UP AND/OR CLEAN UP AFTER THE EVENT! ALL WORK MUST BE PICKED UP ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30.