Antoinette LaFarge: Appropriation Art and Ownership

GRADUATE TOPICS IN PRODUCTION: APPROPRIATION ART AND OWNERSHIP
Studio Art 236

Instructor: Antoinette LaFarge
Fall 2007
Monday 6-8:20 in ART 160

DESCRIPTION

This course will focus on the legal, cultural, and conceptual framework within which the appropriation arts exist. Particular attention will be paid to the concept of intellectual property and its socioeconomic, cultural, and ethical implications. We'll consider aspects of each student's own work that implicate contemporary conceptions of ownership. We'll also analyze specific cases that have affected artists, and consider pertinent new forms (such as culture jamming, machinima, and mashups) that artists are pioneering, Lastly, we'll look at activist practices that challenge current intellectual property law in areas of growing interest to artists such as biotech and information ownership.

REQUIREMENTS

Requirements for this class include all of the following:

There will be a final paper on some aspect of appropriation art and the legal, ethical, and/or cultural implications thereof, 1200-1500 words.
Each student will take primary responsibility for leading one in-class discussion focused on their own work.
Use your @uci.edu email account for all communications-- it's too hard for me to track other accounts.
Do all readings and assignments; participate in class discussions-- you know the drill.
Attend all classes. If you cannot attend, please make every effort to let me know beforehand. Also, if you must miss a class, be sure to speak to me or a fellow student to make sure you catch up with any missed material or changed readings.
Readings for the course will be available in several forms:

online through the "Readings" page, accessible through the dropdown menu above.
through xeroxed handouts.

SCHEDULE-- subject to sudden changes
Note: We will schedule in studio visits with each member of the class once the quarter starts.

DATE TOPICS READINGS ASSIGNMENTS

WEEK 1

Oct. 1 Course introduction and scheduling. The basics of copyright.
The Illustrated Story of Copyright by Edward Samuels, chapters 6 and 7. Feel free to poke around other chapters as well.
In addition please download and print THIS PDF to mark up and bring to class for discussion. (It is a slightly condensed version, minus most illustrations.)

(none)

WEEK 2

Oct. 8 Concepts underlying intellectual property.
William Fisher, "Theories of Intellectual Property"

Focus on: Kruger and Levine case

WEEK 3

Oct. 15 Perspectives on copyright

"The Art of Making Copyright Laws" -- by Jessica Litman (ch. 2 of her book Digital Copyright, 2001)

"Derivative Works And Copyright: Painting from Another's Photograph" -- by by Mary Ann Fergus. Detailed disussion of Rogers v. Koons.
"The Arts and Humanities in Public Life" -- by William M. Landes. Includes disussions of Rogers v. Koons and Alfred Bell v. Catalda Fine Arts.

Focus on: Koons case.

WEEK 4

Oct. 22 The digital watershed
"Selling Wine Without Bottles" -- by John Perry Barlow, 1992-1993 (plaintext version)

Ronald V. Bettig, "Critical Perspectives on the History and Philosophy of Copyright"

Focus on: etoy case.

WEEK 5

Oct. 29 The current landscape

"Innovating Copyright" -- by Lawrence Lessig, 2002. PDF (6.3 mb).

"Moral Rights and Authors' Rights: The Keys to the Information Age" -- by Mike Holderness

Focus on: Critical Art Ensemble
A one-page proposal for your final paper.

WEEK 6

Nov. 5 The idea of the commons
"Reclaiming the Commons" -- by David S. Bollier, 2003. PDF (248 kb)

Lewis Hyde, excerpt from The Gift

Focus on: Napster case.

WEEK 7

Nov. 12 HOLIDAY (no class)
(none)

(none)

WEEK 8

Nov. 19 The open source movement
"The Cathedral and the Bazaar" -- by Eric. S. Raymond.

"The Right to Read" -- a parable by Richard Stallman, founder of the GNU Project and the Free Software Foundation.

Focus on: Negativland case.

WEEK 9

Nov. 26 Guest: Lise Patt, Director of the Institute of Cultural Inquiry, on fair use in the field

"Reinvigorating Fair Use: A Social Economics Approach" -- by Benjamin J. Bates. Takes an international perspective.

"Against Intellectual Property" -- by Brian Martin. An Australian perspective.

Focus on: machinima

WEEK 10

Dec. 3 Guest speakers: Barbara Cohen, Director of Humanitech, and Stephen Franklin, NACS Director of Academic Outreach.
TBA

First possible date to turn in final paper.

WEEK 11: FINALS WEEK

Dec. 10 Roundup of key cases
TBA

Final printed paper due by class.

	GRADUATE TOPICS IN PRODUCTION: APPROPRIATION ART AND OWNERSHIP Studio Art 236 Instructor: Antoinette LaFarge Fall 2007 Monday 6-8:20 in ART 160
	DESCRIPTION
	This course will focus on the legal, cultural, and conceptual framework within which the appropriation arts exist. Particular attention will be paid to the concept of intellectual property and its socioeconomic, cultural, and ethical implications. We'll consider aspects of each student's own work that implicate contemporary conceptions of ownership. We'll also analyze specific cases that have affected artists, and consider pertinent new forms (such as culture jamming, machinima, and mashups) that artists are pioneering, Lastly, we'll look at activist practices that challenge current intellectual property law in areas of growing interest to artists such as biotech and information ownership.
	REQUIREMENTS
	Requirements for this class include all of the following: There will be a final paper on some aspect of appropriation art and the legal, ethical, and/or cultural implications thereof, 1200-1500 words. Each student will take primary responsibility for leading one in-class discussion focused on their own work. Use your @uci.edu email account for all communications-- it's too hard for me to track other accounts. Do all readings and assignments; participate in class discussions-- you know the drill. Attend all classes. If you cannot attend, please make every effort to let me know beforehand. Also, if you must miss a class, be sure to speak to me or a fellow student to make sure you catch up with any missed material or changed readings. Readings for the course will be available in several forms: online through the "Readings" page, accessible through the dropdown menu above. through xeroxed handouts.
SCHEDULE-- subject to sudden changes Note: We will schedule in studio visits with each member of the class once the quarter starts.
DATE	TOPICS	READINGS	ASSIGNMENTS
WEEK 1
Oct. 1	Course introduction and scheduling. The basics of copyright.	The Illustrated Story of Copyright by Edward Samuels, chapters 6 and 7. Feel free to poke around other chapters as well. In addition please download and print THIS PDF to mark up and bring to class for discussion. (It is a slightly condensed version, minus most illustrations.)	(none)
WEEK 2
Oct. 8	Concepts underlying intellectual property.	William Fisher, "Theories of Intellectual Property"	Focus on: Kruger and Levine case
WEEK 3
Oct. 15	Perspectives on copyright	"The Art of Making Copyright Laws" -- by Jessica Litman (ch. 2 of her book Digital Copyright, 2001) "Derivative Works And Copyright: Painting from Another's Photograph" -- by by Mary Ann Fergus. Detailed disussion of Rogers v. Koons. "The Arts and Humanities in Public Life" -- by William M. Landes. Includes disussions of Rogers v. Koons and Alfred Bell v. Catalda Fine Arts.	Focus on: Koons case.
WEEK 4
Oct. 22	The digital watershed	"Selling Wine Without Bottles" -- by John Perry Barlow, 1992-1993 (plaintext version) Ronald V. Bettig, "Critical Perspectives on the History and Philosophy of Copyright"	Focus on: etoy case.
WEEK 5
Oct. 29	The current landscape	"Innovating Copyright" -- by Lawrence Lessig, 2002. PDF (6.3 mb). "Moral Rights and Authors' Rights: The Keys to the Information Age" -- by Mike Holderness	Focus on: Critical Art Ensemble A one-page proposal for your final paper.
WEEK 6
Nov. 5	The idea of the commons	"Reclaiming the Commons" -- by David S. Bollier, 2003. PDF (248 kb) Lewis Hyde, excerpt from The Gift	Focus on: Napster case.
WEEK 7
Nov. 12	HOLIDAY (no class)	(none)	(none)
WEEK 8
Nov. 19	The open source movement	"The Cathedral and the Bazaar" -- by Eric. S. Raymond. "The Right to Read" -- a parable by Richard Stallman, founder of the GNU Project and the Free Software Foundation.	Focus on: Negativland case.
WEEK 9
Nov. 26	Guest: Lise Patt, Director of the Institute of Cultural Inquiry, on fair use in the field	"Reinvigorating Fair Use: A Social Economics Approach" -- by Benjamin J. Bates. Takes an international perspective. "Against Intellectual Property" -- by Brian Martin. An Australian perspective.	Focus on: machinima
WEEK 10
Dec. 3	Guest speakers: Barbara Cohen, Director of Humanitech, and Stephen Franklin, NACS Director of Academic Outreach.	TBA	First possible date to turn in final paper.
WEEK 11: FINALS WEEK
Dec. 10	Roundup of key cases	TBA	Final printed paper due by class.