Scott Ferguson Introduction

1. What has been your favorite course of study in or out of school? Why?

My favorite classes so far have been my sculpture class visual thinking and my first digital art class. Sculpture helped me learn how to install work and actually make physical 3-D objects and digital art opened my eyes to video and sound performance along with installation.

2. How many pages was the longest paper you have written? Did it include endnotes and bibliography?

18 pages with a bibliography.

3. Which was your favorite paper? Please tell us about the topic in a couple of sentences.

My favorite paper was a research project I had to do on the artist Gordon Matta Clark last semester. It's the first time I've really enjoyed a research assignment along with writing because I was actually interested in the topic. It was over the life and work of Matta Clark who was best known for cutting buildings in half or altering them.

4. Is there a particular kind of writing you love to do?

I enjoy writing about art that interests me, but I struggle a lot with writing.

5. Which books have you read lately: art, fiction, non-fiction, sci-fi, poetry, environmental, film? Any comments are welcome.

I've recently read Submarine by Joe Dunthorne and am currently reading a book on the history of sound art.

6. Which artist or writer really impresses you? Why?

John Cage really impresses me because he completely changed my perspective on what art can be, with performances like 4:33 and Water Walk.

7. What is your main interest besides writing, art, music, (i.e., the humanities)?

Besides art my main interests are snowboarding and climbing.

8. Please describe briefly an article in a newspaper or a magazine that got you thinking lately.

I recently read an article in Climbing magazine over a hut called Refugio Frey in northern patagonia that I stayed in last summer in Argentina and it made me realize that I need to start getting outside more again.

9. Which recent cultural event has really impressed you? This can be a museum, a concert, or anything like that, but also a sports game (if you consider this a cultural event, for which there are good reasons).

I saw the band Beirut play at lollapalooza earlier this month, it was one of the best concerts I've ever been to.

10. Is there another, non-cultural event that has affected you deeply.

A family friend committed suicide a month ago a few hours after I had just seen him, it has made me think differently about a lot of situations in my life and has made think more positively about people.

11. Please share with us a thought or an idea that really widened your intellectual horizon. If possible, give a source for this idea so that those who are interested know where to go.

One of my old professors, Phil Solomon, talked about how you very rarely see people just sitting by themselves thinking how more often that not we're looking at our phones, computers, listening to music etc... This made me want to spend more time by my self in my own thoughts and with myself because for a very long time I wasn't comfortable with that.