Humanities designed a weeklong workshop called "The Artivism Project" wherein the role of the artist in society was studied, discussed, and observed. After a close reading of Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience," and a viewing of Cornel West's interview from the film Examined Life, the students considered the work of several political artists who address social issues through various means (Sue Coe, Robbie Conal, Mark Rakowitz, Krzysztof Wodiczko, The Beehive Collective and more). With all this in mind, the students are creating zines and/or micro-docs exploring social issues of personal importance and proposing some preliminary ideas for moving forward. 
Each section also took a fieldtrip to further this study. Two popped down to the Oakland Museum of California for their current show "Fertile Ground: Art and Community in California" (highly recommend) which showcases not only the work of artists but also traces their relationships to each other via pedagogical lineages. P.S. Chris is famous.
The third section truly lucked out with a visit to a biodynamic farm in Petaluma run by our science teacher's close friend and former colleague, Seth James. Open Field Farm raises grass fed beef and chickens and grows various crops throughout the year. As we toured the property, "the role of the artist/farmer/consumer/citizen/innovator in society" was on full display in every way from the manner in which the farm was established and maintained, the way in which the community is directly incorporated via a CSA, and the information shared with us by Seth. Considering our earlier discussion about Sue Coe (who creates large drawings of deplorable factory farms), this was an incredibly relevant experience in order to observe the positive alternatives.
Leaving Open Field Farm was difficult, but class with Lordy Rodriguez (our current Visiting Artist) was scheduled for that afternoon. Check back next week for photos and reflections on his residency!
Photos of Open Field Farm by Camilla T and Megan Broughton
