STRUCTURE OF INTERTWINED

This travel course is composed of three parts: an information gathering phase in New Delhi, a six-day trip to Agra, Mathura and Jaipur, and a reflection/studio based phase at the Sanskriti Foundation. For the first phase of the course, students will be exposed to Indian History, Crafts and Visual Arts through various museums, art talks and lectures. As we move around the city they will also be introduced to neighborhoods in New Delhi and Indian culture. During this phase the students will make a visual response to their experiences at the end of each day.

After experiencing New Delhi, the students will embark on a six-day trip to Agra, Mathura and Jaipur. The purpose of this field trip is to see New Delhi in context as a city exists in contrast to its surroundings. The students will travel by bus, allowing them to see the changes as they leave New Delhi, from squatter cities, urban structures, suburban Delhi, and then opening up into agriculture land and small villages. In Mathura, the birth place of Krishna, the students will experience the many Hindu Temples erected there in honor of Krishna. In Agra, students will visit the sites of the Mughal heartland, such as the world famous Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri. In Jaipur students will experience the Amber fort and the magical textile traditions Rajastan is known for.

The final phase of the course will take place at the Sanskriti Foundation, an International Artist-in-Residency program on the outskirts of New Delhi. At Sanskriti, students will have access to studio space, a library, a computer room, and three wonderful museums (Textile Museum, Ceramics Museum and the Museum of The Everyday Object). The students will spend their time at Sanskriti visiting near by contemporary art galleries, attending art workshops and formulating their Culminating Project. Their Culminating Project will bring together the student's individual way of working with what they have learned in India.

Upon return to Chicago the students will complete their Culminating Project, whether it is a well-researched paper on the topic of their choice, a studio based project, or both (required for dual credit). During the Spring semester the group will have a post-trip gathering to present their projects and share after thoughts on their travels.

Requirements for All Students:

• Complete all assignments such as the required readings, daily visual responses and written assignment.
• Complete a Culminating Project: A self motivated project which fuses on-site research with one's own artistic practice. For Art History, this means a self directed research paper which combines a topic of interest with in-depth research. (Dual credit students are responsible for the completion of both a studio based project and a research paper.)
• Attend all trip activities, pre-departure meetings and post trip critique.
• Be involved and attentive. Actively participate in all discussions, document and conduct on-site research.
• Be responsible for the quality and safety of the group's learning environment, as well as your own well being.