JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY COURSE CODE: "AS 485" COURSE NAME: "Senior Capstone Exhibition II" SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2026

SYLLABUS INSTRUCTOR: Valerio Di Lucente EMAIL: [email protected] HOURS: TH 9:00 AM 11:45 AM TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45 CREDITS: 3 PREREQUISITES: Prerequisites: AS 460 or permission of the instructor OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION: The Senior Capstone Exhibition II course will cover all aspects of exhibition making, including the design, installation, and technical requirements related to student work. Emphasis will be placed on the collective output of the exhibition, encouraging students to collaborate while thinking through the curatorial process. Both theoretical and practical aspects of exhibition making will be considered inviting students to experiment with varying roles and ideas. The course will prepare students to position themselves within the creative industries via the generation of a portfolio of exhibited work.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT: Senior Capstone Exhibition II is a studio and critique based course structured to support uninterrupted making time while anchoring progress through regular critiques and exhibition milestones. Students work independently with close faculty mentorship, focusing on how their work is installed, experienced, documented, and communicated to a public audience. The course engages students in spatial thinking, presentation decisions, professional standards of display, and the development of a cohesive portfolio. Assessment is based on exhibition presentation, documentation, portfolio materials, and the student’s ability to articulate and contextualize their work in public-facing formats.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: • Develop and present a resolved exhibition that demonstrates intentional spatial, material, and conceptual decision-making. • Translate a sustained body of work into a coherent public-facing format through installation, display strategies, and documentation. • Apply spatial and experiential thinking to the presentation of artwork, considering audience, context, and environment. • Produce professional-quality documentation suitable for portfolios, applications, and future exhibitions. • Synthesize research, making, and reflection into clear verbal and visual communication of their practice. • Assemble and refine a professional portfolio that accurately represents their artistic trajectory and capstone work.

TEXTBOOK: NONE

REQUIRED RESERVED READING: NONE RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING: NONE

GRADING POLICY -ASSESSMENT METHODS: Assignment Guidelines Weight Portfolio Assessment of the development, organization, clarity, and professional quality of the student’s portfolio, including documentation of capstone work and its presentation as a cohesive body of practice. 30 Exhibition Project Assessment of the final exhibition presentation, including installation quality, spatial decision-making, material resolution, coherence between concept and display, and the effectiveness of the work as a public-facing exhibition. 70 -ASSESSMENT CRITERIA: AWork of this quality shows excellent mastery of the course content along with exceptional levels of technical skill, artistic awareness, originality, resourcefulness, commitment, quantity of work and improvement. There has been excellent collaboration and leadership in group projects, and there have been no attendance problems. BA highly competent level of performance with work that directly addresses the content of the course, with a good quantity of work produced. CAn acceptable level of performance: the work shows awareness of the course content, but is very limited in quantity, quality, commitment and skill. DThe student lacks a coherent grasp of the course material and has failed to produce much work. FNegligent in attendance, academic honesty, engagement with the course content, or production of work. -ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS: ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________

ACADEMIC HONESTY As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

All class meetings focus on critique, mentoring, and independent studio work. Students are expected to bring visual material, installation tests, documentation, or research to every class. Week 1 – Introduction & Exhibition Context Course overview, expectations, and relationship to Capstone I. Discussion of exhibition formats, spatial considerations, and presentation goals. Review of students’ current project directions. Week 2 – From Work to Exhibition Critique focused on how current work may translate into exhibition form. Discussion of scale, sequencing, spatial needs, and audience experience. Deliverable: Preliminary exhibition concept (visual or written). Week 3 – Spatial Development Week Critique and mentoring focused on installation strategies, mock-ups, or spatial testing. Week 4 – Spatial Development Week Continued critique and studio work. Deliverable: Draft exhibition layout or installation plan. Week 5 – Presentation & Material Decisions Critique focused on display methods, material finishes, framing, supports, or technical requirements. Week 6 – Portfolio Foundations Critique and discussion of portfolio structure. Review existing portfolios and identify gaps. Week 7 – Midterm Critique Formal midterm critique focused on exhibition direction, presentation strategies, and readiness for refinement. Week 8 – Revision & Adjustment Critique centered on revising exhibition plans based on midterm feedback. Week 9 – Documentation Strategies Discussion and critique of documentation approaches. Students test and review documentation methods. Week 10 – Portfolio Workshop Group and individual portfolio reviews. Focus on selection, sequencing, and clarity. Week 11 – Communication & Public Presentation Critique focused on exhibition texts, labels, and verbal articulation of the work. Week 12 – Near-Final Installation Critique Review of near-final work, installation plans, and documentation. Week 13 – Final Documentation Critique and review of documentation. Deliverable: Final documentation submitted. Week 14 – Exhibition Preparation Final installation planning, troubleshooting, and presentation refinement. Week 15 – Final Exhibition Review Final exhibition presentation and reflective discussion.