TEACHING

PERFORMANCE ART/THE BRAIN/YOUR LIFE

LINDA MARY MONTANO with guest: DOCTOR NETTLETON PAYNE, M.D.

IMPETUS FOR THIS FOCUS:

Exact science has allowed for a clearer knowledge of what was once considered serendipitous myth, especially when defining creativity. Previously, terms like: depression, anorexia, bipolar, PTS , schizophrenia, OCD, alcoholism, sexual addiction, and neuroses were seen as reasons for artistic genius. But now ,because of better measuring devices; an advanced and computerized understanding of the chemistry and functioning of the brain; greater funding for brain research(because of a war); an aging population that demands more services; and a quickening of curiosity due to the recession and ecologic impetuses, we are invited to consider biologic causes of creativity which reference the scientific and some of the terms used are: temporal lobe,parietal cortex, hypergraphia, the Geschwind syndrone, aphasia,transcranial magnetic stimulation and the amygdala.

Our new trust in science helps explain why we create and the brain is relegated to the status of co-muse. But knowledge is not only power but sometimes surprise and upset. For example,will the new information that Blake's ecstacies might have been temporal lobe seizures, take away our breath and our fundamentalist faith or not! And how does this information effect our past beliefs and the future history of performance art?
Some other questions we will consider:

a.If art was once seen to have originated from divine inspiration but science suggests that it is the "fault" of the hippocampus,then perchance the brain itself is divine. Why not?

b.Are artists willing to concede that their practice is brain driven? What will that do to art?

c. Is art ascending toward mind/super brain? Will art be free of human intervention in the future?

d.Are artists becoming more comfortable and actually needing to include medical/biologic reasons for their genius as well as the muse's inspiration?

e.Are artists de=throned and not seen as willfully creative but more the puppett of their chemistry?

f. Can performance artists be categorized "medically" by the nature of their work: i.e. hypergraphia causes the desire to write...
frontal -lobe epilepsy causes Blake-like ecstatic visions..so instead of being an artist, one could be a hypergraphiaist?


THE CLASS:

PART 1:

We will study 1st generation (1960-1980) performance artists and their legacy as performance art pioneers, asking how their work contributed to an understanding of the issues of their times and how their creative practices helped re-define the brain and it's functions. Marina Abromovic;Tom Marioni;Paul McCarthy;Spaulding Grey;The Waitresses;Act-up;Annie Sprinkle;Franko-B;Bonnie Sherk; etc. Each week will feature a different artist and their work will inspire in-class performances.

PART 2:

We will become acquainted with medical experts/authors/internet sites researching current breakthroughs in brain functions:
stroke,autism,musicophilia,rightbrain teaching,tourettes,meditation,brain injury and compensations,dimentia etc.

A. Doctor Nettleton Payne, M.D. a neurosurgeon who taught at Emory University, will be invited to present a lecture on the brain and creativity. He will be available in person, skype or cell phone for Q&A half way through the semester. And he will attend the last class presentation of performances so he can witness the interface the class has made between creativity, the brain and their life.


PART 3:

Each class, the participants will demonstrate a positive/safe/intelligent/intuitive understanding of the value of re-contextualizing their everyday life as A WORK OF ART in a way that uses the brain as co-collaborator.This will be in some tangible form:performance,paper,DVD,CD.


PART 4: CLASSES:


CLASS 1: PRESENTATION OF THE CALENDAR FOR THE CLASSES

CLASS 2: PREPARATION; AUTISM; MARINA ABROMIVIC(artist); CLASS PERFORMANCES/PRESENTATIONS

CLASS 3: DR . NETTLETON PAYNE, MD, IN PERSON LECTURE: THE BRAIN AND CREATIVITY

CLASS 4: PREPARATION; TEMPLE GRANDIN(AUTISM); TOM MARIONI(artist);CLASS PRESENTATIONS

CLASS 5: PREPARATION; OLIVER SACKS(MUSICOPHILIA); SPAULDING GREY(artist); CLASS PRESENTATIONS

CLASS 6: PREPERATION; KRISNAMURTI ,THE BRAIN; LINDA MARY MONTANO(artist); CLASS PRESENTATIONS

CLASS 7:PREPERATION; EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE(BRAIN);PAUL MCCARTHY(artist); CLASS PRESENTATION

CLASS 8: PREPERATION; PRESENTATIONS OF INTERVIEWS WITH ARTISTS OR BRAIN EXPERTS

CLASS 9: PREPERATION: DAVID LYNCH:CONSCIOUSNESS,CREATIVITY AND THE BRAIN; GORILLA GIRLS(artist);CLASS PRESENTATION

CLASS 10: PREPERATION: SUPER BRAIN 1-8;FRANKO-B(artist), CLASS PRESENTATIONS

CLASS 11: PREPERATION: MUSIC THERAPY AND APHASIA; SUZANNE LACY(artist); CLASS PRESENTATIONS

CLASS 12: PREPERATION: ANATOMY OF THE BRAIN; ANNIE SPRINKLE(artist); CLASS PRESENTATIONS

CLASS 13:PREPERATION: CLASS PRESENTATIONS

CLASS 14: CLASS PRESENTATIONS, FINALS.

(Where "artist" is indicated, the artist will be studied and will not be present in the class, except for Montano.)

("Preperation" indicates that different physical exercises, sound exercises and theatre exercises will be practiced each class so that an atmosphere of trust and intuitive safety can be experienced.)

("Class presentations " indicates all aspects of class presentations made by participants including papers, dvds ,etc.)

REFERENCES:

BLACK SMOKE Margarite De Wys

MUSICOPHILIA Oliver Sacks

THE MIDNIGHT DISEASE, Alice Flaherty

ANATOMY OF THE BRAIN: Internet

THE BRAIN THAT CHANGES ITSELF, Norman Doidge