The Art of Attention: Drawing, Yoga, and the Practice of Seeing

3 credits

The Art of Attention is an introductory studio art course that approaches observational drawing and yoga as complementary practices of attention. The course is open to everyone, and no previous experience in drawing or yoga is necessary. Using the human figure and embodied experience as the major source of inspiration and subject of investigation, every class will combine drawing exercises with yoga sequences.At a moment when sustained concentration is increasingly challenged by screens, speed, distraction, this course seeks to develop attention as a capacity which can be cultivated and enjoyed. Alongside studio work, students will be introduced to selected principles of yoga philosophy. In particular, we will consider several of the Eight Limbs of Yoga:asana (posture),pranayama (breath),dharana (collecting or concentrating the mind)-concepts that provide a useful framework for thinking about the relationship between body, perception, concentration, and artistic practice.Through field trips, slide lectures, and readings, students will gain an awareness and appreciation for the role of the figure in art history, and themselves as creative practitioners. By practicing drawing and yoga together, students will strengthen their capacity for sustained attention while developing a greater awareness of the body as both lived experience and a subject of artistic exploration.