The course will culminate in an immersive three-day field study workshop at the Salton Sea scheduled for the weekend of November 19 – 21, 2010. During this workshop students will be able to directly experience and respond to place over an embedded field research period.  Visiting artist/architect, Chris Taylor, director of Land Arts of the American West at Texas Tech, will join us for this weekend field experience. Students will be prepared before embarking on the field trip through readings and presentations on diverse topics related to the site including but not limited to regional water politics, agricultural/real estate economies, local ecologies, military presence, tourism, outsider art, fringe subcultures among others. A culminating art exhibit and publication will be organized to document student interdisciplinary projects resulting from this course and workshop.

More information concerning field trip logistics to follow.