What follows is a list of examples of interdisciplinary artists/practices suggested by students during the first class of the term. We will return to this list over the course of the term to help refine our understanding of interdisciplinary artistic practices and to begin to tease out some competing understandings of this term. In other words, not everyone means the same thing when they say 'interdisciplinary' -- do you feel some of these examples are close to the idea of interdisciplinarity than others? On what basis? Use your understanding of the differences you may find between items on the list to help explore competing definitions and your own developing understanding of the term.
The performance work of John Cage was a significant catalyst in the continuing breakdown of traditional boundaries between artistic disciplines after World War II. In the late 1940s, during a residency at Black Mountain College in North Carolina, Cage organized a series of events that combined his interest in collaborative performance with his use of indeterminacy and chance operations in musical composition. Together with choreographer Merce Cunningham and artists Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns, Cage devised theatrical experiments that furthered the dissolution of borders between the arts. He was particularly attracted to aesthetic methods that opened the door to greater participation of the audience, especially if these methods encouraged a heightened awareness of subjective experience. Cage's use of indeterminacy and chance-related technique shifted responsibility for the outcome of the work away from the artist, and weakened yet another traditional boundary, the divide between artwork and audience.
Tetsu inoue - waterloo
terminal
Allan Kaprow, who coined the term "Happening," was particularly interested in blurring the distinction between artwork and audience. The ultimate integrated art, he reasoned, would be without an audience, because every participant would be an integral part of the work. As he wrote in his 1966 primer, "Untitled Guidelines for Happenings," "The line between art and life should be kept as fluid, and perhaps indistinct, as possible." This approach led to a performance style that pioneered deliberate, aesthetically conceived group interactivity in a composed environment. Happenings artists devised formal elements that allowed participants the freedom to make personal choices and collective decisions that would affect the performance.
Ghostcasting virtual dance installation Simulation and virtual environment creation tools: Cosmo, Virtus, Quicktime VR, etc. Interface devices /today & tomorrow
merce cunningham's 'biped' dance, computerized movement
Architecture. The famous piece of American architecture 'waterfall' with the use of design, interior design, dealing with the nature and wildlife around it, artistic and modernism point of view.
Interdisciplinarity in Hypertext
The Critical Art Ensemble (CAE) is a collective of six artists of different specializations committed to the production of a new genre art that explores the intersections among critical theory, art, and technology.
One piece of interdisciplinary art I experienced a few years ago - a flok band in my home town decided to hold an entire arts night where they combined visual art and artists with their music. Then they brought dancers in and all sorts of general artistic craziness. It was an experience but as I said totally, absolutely confused me.
U2 is a band that uses different art froms - music, computer images on video screens, texts, printed books, videos
Mnemonic, by theatre of complexity art and memory in theater, architecture, poetry, and music.
Laurie Anderson. In reading a book about 'women in rock' I came across ms. Anderson and thought I haven't had a lot of exposure to her and I'm really curious.
Finally, it makes me think of patty smith - she mixes poetry and a sort of theatrical attitude with music.
'live art' or 'live paintings'
chris ware (acme novelty library, comics, b.p. nichol (poet) godspeed tou black emperor (Montreal band)
anything inc. modern dance combined with spoken word or vocal music
really, old school musical theatre was interdisciplinary, blending theatre, music and dance
Julie Taymor, director of the lion king, combined several disciplines to form the show: Theatre, dance, music, visual arts - using human form as the palet for her designs
I have always viewed film as an interdisciplinary medium as it combines several froms of art such as theatre/acting, music, visual art - the actual picture, editing, how the film is put together, dance, even just movement (I am a film major)
Interdisciplinary perspective allows artists to grow and develop new ideas. Lately I have noticed many visual artists painting to music.
Chum city - different stations -- muchmusic, bravo
Tracy and the plastics -- Washington-based
punk/electro/video troupe who perfpormed at Munro's Vaseline party at the el
macombo last year. Tracy speaks to the video projectionsof the other band members.
'art' videos are incorporated in the musical experince. 
Luis Jacobs and daryl vocat's flashdance amateur striptease
Pro wrestling -- incorporates music, theatre video and acting as well as a particular tye of choreographed 'dance' Yoko ono
a. scriabin
haluk akage - designer who incorporates features from classical visual art
lord buckley 50s beat poet
busby berkely - combined dance with mathematical patterns and design
comic books
yamatanka eye, singer for the boredoms, performance artist, dj, demolition expert…
electronic visualization laboratory
