Creative Project, due Friday, Dec. 12.

This is a group project for two to three people. The assignment is meant to help you understand interpretations of landscapes and gardens.

Each project should be accompanied by a written explanation of the project and the choices your group made, and who worked on which aspect of the project. Divide the work as equally as possible; if someone in your group does not participate equally in the project, I want to know about it.

Here are some ideas (but feel free to come up with your own):

1. “Discover” a “lost” landscape text or garden manual—for example, one that deals specifically with Buddhist landscapes, Daoist landscapes, scholar’s gardens, etc. For this, imagine yourself as a Chinese or Japanese monk or nun, intellectual, aristocrat, or artist from sometime in the past. Be sure to identify who the author is supposed to be and when and where he or she lived. This should be at least 10 pages of text, with additional drawings or other illustrations if necessary. Your explanation of the project should explain whether you looked at any existing landscape texts or garden manuals for inspiration.

2. “Commission” a painting of a specific landscape or garden. For this, imagine yourself as a member of the court or the aristocracy. You want an artist to make a painting that expresses your personal ideals (not simply a painting that will go well with your sofa). Write a request to the artist, explaining who you are, where and when you live, what you want in your painting, and why. Describe the landscape or garden fully and explain why you want a painting of it. Also find a way to reveal salient information about the artist from whom you are making the request. The reasons behind and context for your choices would be especially important in this case. If you choose this option, talk to me about the appropriate length of the request. Your explanation of the project should explain how all of the different components (choice of subject, status of the artist, status of the patron and his or her religious or philosophical convictions) fit together.

3. Draw, paint, or make a photograph of a landscape or garden. This could be an imaginary place (in which case a drawing, painting, photographic collage, or digital image would probably work better than a photograph) or a real place, but it should be a place that has meaning to you and suggests possible interpretations. Your explanation of the project should include at least one such interpretation.

4. Design a garden in either Chinese or Japanese style. For this I would want either a set of detailed drawings (plan and elevation from different angles) or a three-dimensional model. (If you choose a three-dimensional model, you should construct it yourself rather than buying one of those miniature Zen rock gardens and turning that in!) Your explanation of the project should include a summary of the design principles you were using, an interpretation of the garden, a description of what kind of garden it is supposed to be (a scholar’s garden? A Zen garden? A tea garden?) as well as a detailed account of the space where it might go. (If you are looking for a real place to base this on, the Houghton House grounds offer lots of possiblities.)

I want each group to check in with me by Friday, Nov. 21, to discuss your ideas and to give me a progress report of your work. The project itself is due on the last day of classes, when we will meet for a final time to discuss the projects (so you should be prepared to share yours with the rest of the class).