For my place outside I chose to study the accumulation of discarded art projects that reside in the wooded area behind the art school. From the Bentley Historical online archives I learned of the history of the art program at U of M.Emil Lorch taught the first "art" class within the College of Architecture in 1906. In 1926 program in decorative arts was held in the College of Engineering and Architecture. Art was considered a discipline moving between these two schools until it was departmentalized in 1954 under the College of Architecture and Design. The post WWII boom in students led to doubling in size of the art faculty between 1954 and 1960. It follows too that the BFA and MFA programs were established in 1959. Program in Biological and Medical Illustration was added in 1964. Later areas of concentration expanded to encompass painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography, ceramics, weaving and fabric design, jewelry and metalwork. Due to a steadily increasing student population the demand for physical space prompted a new building to be constructed on North campus that would house both the Architecture and Art programs. In 1974 the department of art became the School of Art and it, along with the College of Architecture, moved to its new home on North Campus. In 1982 during the financial crisis the School of Art was one of three university programs to be reevaluated for continuation or discontinuation. All schools were continued and the School of Art's budget was cut by 18%. In 1996 we became the School of Art and Design to more accurately reflect the content and nature of our studies.
Though I was unable to look at the actual photographs yet, the Bentley Library apparently has records of Pablo Picasso paying a visit in the 1990's! Also during the financial crisis and reevaluation in 1982 the students held a protest.
My next step is to ask the sculpture studio coordinator about the origins of the sculptures out back. I've found a common theme of heads and rusted objects. I would like to explore something that could intermesh with the natural environment while still calling attention to the strange discarded objects. I almost want to rearrange them, or at least take that handkerchief off of that scarecrow. It's so unpleasant! I also might consider using a different space that's still within the art school so that I could express thankfulness toward the Architecture school for fostering our birth.
