AIT Library (AIT Room, Daikanyama, Tokyo)

MAD - MAKING ART DIFFERENT

MAD stands for Making Art Different.

MAD is one of AIT’s core programs, initiated in 2001. It is a contemporary art school, with no formal affiliations to institutional educational establishments. Anyone can attend, and there is no entry requirements, only a keen interest to learn and discuss. All sessions are held in AIT Room in Daikanyama, Tokyo and start at 7pm until 9pm. The majority of people who take our courses are working people, average age between mid 20s to mid 30s. The courses are fee-based. MAD accounts for the majority of AIT’s annual income.
Core tutors and course directors are AIT’s founding members Keisuke Ozawa and Roger McDonald. We also invite guests to lecture, from curators, critics, artists, gallerists, museum directors and academics.
All courses are held in Japanese only, hence native Japanese skills are required.


CURATORIAL STUDIES (1 year)
AIT offered the first curatorial studies course in Japan in 2002. Since then over one hundred people have attended the courses, many going on to work professionaly in the art field, as gallerists, museum curators and independent curators. Every year a small number also go on to study abroad. Curatorial Studies is open to anyone with an interest in contemporary curatorial practices. Lectures cover the history of exhibition making up to the present and practical and technical aspects of organising exhibitions and events. Guest speakers are invited throughout the year. There is a focus on trying to locate global curatorial practices within a Japanese context. The course offers two exhibition grants and two research grants to students. Students are free to apply and realize projects, talks, exhibitions or events. There is no formal examination or entry qualification.
Student number: Approx 20
Past students have gone on to work at: Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo (MOT), SCAI The Bathhouse Gallery Tokyo, ARTiT Magazine, Bijutsu Techo art magazine, CAMP alternative art space and others.
 
ART + COMMUNICATION (3 months)
Intensive courses introducing basic ideas and histories of twentieth century art. Art + Communication is offered in three parts: Part 1 looks at ‘traditional’ media such as painting, sculpture and installation. Part 2 explores more recent tendencies since the 1990s such as new media arts and socially engaged practices. Part 3 introduces the workings of the art world from market mechanisms, museums to the possibilities for alternatives. The course is open to anyone.
Student number: Approx 20
 
ARTIST (3 months)
Course for practising artists with a focus on development and presentation skills. Portfolio making and presentation workshops are held, in addition to group crits of work. Tutors are AIT staff and a guest artist. Offered three times a year.
Student number: Approx 15
 
MAGAZINE (3 months)
An informal but informative course involving reading current English language contemporary art magazines and media sources in a group, with discussions and analysis. The course is popular, with many people repeating. Offered three times a year.
 Student number: Approx 15

SPECIAL LECTURES (1-2 days)
In addition to the core MAD courses we also organise a series of special intensive lectures which normally span two days. The topics for 2010 all revolve around reflections of the nature and questioning of modernism as it has been understood in Japan. Special lectures are given by highly respected scholars and artists, reflecting specialist fields. Open to anyone.
Student number: Approx 20
 
E-MAD
The below courses, "E-MAD" are offered in Japanese, ONLINE. This is a new program launched in May 2010, designed to meet the needs of those unable to attend inclass courses and living outside of Tokyo.

■ART SINCE 1900 (6 months)
Video lectures based on the 2004 text ‘Art Since 1900’, covering approximately 100 years of modern art. The course tutor, Roger McDonald, introduces and explains each chapter in Japanese, using images and keywords. This course also accepts comments from students on an open comments board where discussion can be generated and questions asked. Each lecture is approximately 30-40 minutes in length.
 
■ART INFORMATION (3 months)
An online version of Magazine course. 30-40 minute video lectures introducing the latest news and reviews from the world wide web. Course tutor, Roger McDonald, uses images and keywords to translate and explain pertinant issues and the occasional gossip news.