Tisch School Holds 11th Annual Day of Community

By Richard Pierce

Each year, the Center for Art and Public Policy at the Tisch School of the Arts (TSOA) hosts a “Day of Community” symposium on a social issue of vital concern to artists and scholars. This year’s event, the 11th annual, is entitled “The Uses of 1968: Legacies of Art and Activism” and features a panel discussion, open forum, and the companion exhibition “1968: Then and Now.”
    “Even a short list of events from 1968 points to a world in the midst of dramatic transformation,” says Randy Martin, professor and chair of the Department of Art and Public Policy.  “The significance and efficacy of the 60s is still a matter of lively debate. The question of how 1968 lives on in the present is more controversial still.  1968 saw the election of Richard Nixon and the ascent of Republicans in the White House and conservative policies. Some claim that 2008 signals an equally momentous turning point in electoral dynamics, attitudes on foreign policy, and cultural sensibility.”
    Panel participants are Sheril Antonio (moderator), associate dean for film, television and new media and chair of the Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music at TSOA; Thulani Davis, journalist, novelist, playwright, and screenwriter; Nyle Emerson, a hip-hop and spoken word artist and student in the Clive Davis Department; MacKenzie Fegan (Tisch ’07), Web video producer; Jason King, artistic director and associate professor, Clive Davis Department; and Martha Rossler, artist, writer, and performer.
    “The Uses of 1968” will take place on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. in the Great Hall, Cooper Union, located at 7 East 7th Street at Third Avenue. The panel is free and open to the public. “Breaking Bread,” the open forum to share work, thoughts, food, and fellowship, will be held Oct. 22, from 11 to 1 p.m. in the Riese Student Lounge of TSOA. In conjunction with the panel is a companion exhibition, “1968: Then and Now,” on view through Nov. 22 in the Gulf + Western Gallery and in the 8th floor gallery of TSOA. “Days of Community” has been made possible by: Tisch School of the Arts, Office of the Dean, Center for Media, Culture and History, The Cooper Union, Nathan Cummings Foundation, and the Department of Photography and Imaging.