Teaching

My art work is inspired by the idea of social practice, where human relationships and social interactions constitute a central aesthetic, positioning the public as a presence that completes the work, rather than being passive consumers of it. This way of working integrates with the nature of my teaching practice as well; which is generally structured as a collaborative investigation and conversation with all involved in the course.

In my teaching for Parsons’ MFA & BFA Design and Technology Program, I experiment with new forms of creative research methodologies to facilitate students to see in new ways from a variety of perspectives. As my own practice incorporates aspects of art, design, emerging technologies and critical theory, I find little use in drawing distinctions between these continually evolving areas, and feel that methods involved in one can greatly inform the other.

I encourage the development of individual voice, to facilitate students to openly discuss their work as creative interventions within a larger system, containing social, political, aesthetic, technological and environmental variables.

My classes involve very little lecture in the traditional format. Factual material, design methods and artist projects are rather presented in the form of conversation, augmented by visual media and interactive exchange to examine, critique and test what is being tested and learned.

The longer I teach, the more I feel that effective pedagogy is facilitating students to ask themselves the right questions, so that they might discern the answers themselves. Freire described education as being the practice of freedom, though I feel that it is up to each learner to know what that freedom means for them.

At this point in my studies, I approach the practice of learning as one of learning to see.

Examples of studios I have written and taught over the last few years:

Occupy Earth, 2017-2018
Immersive Narrative, 2015
Design for Housing Reform, 2014
Collaborative Futures, 2013
Possible Worlds, 2012
Social Book, 2012
Building Better Speech, 2011