DRAWING AS SOCIAL PRACTICE WITH TIRTZAH BASSEL

By Bianca Dunn

Tirtzah Bassel is an SVA faculty member and visual artist who brings attention to the presumed neutrality of everyday spaces through her figurative paintings and site-responsive installations. Bassel brings her critical lens to her SVA Continuing Education course, Drawing as Social Practice. We spoke with Bassel to give us more insight into the course and into the power of drawing

How would you describe your course?

Drawing as Social Practice is an exploration of the relationship between mark-making and specific spaces. The course integrates hands-on drawing instruction with critical and reflective practice. It is based on the assumption that drawing is a tool that we can use to cultivate our awareness, imagination, resistance and receptivity. In each session, we spend time drawing on-site in seemingly mundane spaces. Additionally, we allocate time for reading critical writing and examining historical and contemporary works that help us contextualize our work and inspire creativity.

How do you think the act of drawing changes in different environments?

Drawing in a space can feel almost like a performance; we become aware of ourselves as agents in the environment. We are conscious of how people perceive us and how our actions affect our surroundings. This sensation can vary significantly.

It’s also important to consider how a drawing or work of art can impact a space. During the course, we create imaginary “commissions” for different types of spaces. Then, we have to “listen” to the space. The drawings become a kind of dialogue with the place we make it for. We might come in with certain ideas, but ultimately, the goal is to open up to a two-way conversation with the environment.

Do you have any insight for people who are new to drawing or intimidated by drawing?

Start by focusing on the physical experience of drawing. Bring your attention to the touch of pencil or charcoal on the paper, the movement of your hand, and the position of your body in space. Notice what gives you pleasure. Go back to the five-year-old you were, who was only concerned with how it felt to make marks on a surface—the joy and discovery of that.

Drawing is a fundamental tool for grounding us in the present moment. It’s a way to spend time looking at something, helping us see beyond labels and access our direct experience of what we encounter, giving form to an idea or story. Over time, drawing can also change our relationship to a person or a place; we can use it to share ideas or discover new things.

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“In retrospect, I found that the art creation is not trying to make other people believe what I believe. Instead, it’s a creating process of having conversations with myself and letting my own experience be revealed in the space or through a medium to present itself.”

—Ying Zhan, fall 2023 student

- “This class was everything I’d hoped it would be. [It] was a great way to continue thinking about place, materials and relational aesthetics (and doing weird stuff on sidewalks). I found this course invaluable in both giving myself space to play as an artist and fresh ideas to incorporate into my teaching practices.”

—Sarah Gerth v.d. Berg, fall 2023 student

Captions:

Hero and first two images: Students working in the classroom in the course Drawing as Social Practice.

Last three images: Students completing an in-class assignment of drawing in an unconventional space.

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