This travel course is a cross-disciplinary Liberal Arts + studio collaboration between THAD and PRINT. Together they offer students an in-depth exploration of the Tokyo and historic Kansai region to see and draw the most important Shinto, Buddhist and secular sites in Japan, and to couple that visual exploration with 9 days of paper making.
Co-led by Daniel Heyman (Senior Critic, Printmaking) & Elena Varshavskaya (Senior Lecturer, Theory & History of Art & Design)
Course Dates: Jan 5, 2020 — Jan 27, 2020
Minimum 2.5 GPA required. Open to first year students with approval from the Dean of EFS.
Includes accommodation, field trips, local transportation, some group meals, museum entrances, health and travel insurance. Airfare not included.
This two-component course (Printmaking and Art History) offers an in-depth exploration of the Tokyo and historic Kansai region to see and draw the most important Shinto, Buddhist and secular sites in Japan, and to couple that visual exploration with nine days of paper making. Through an intensive workshop students will work side by side with the finest Japanese paper makers as they learn paper making skills and gain an understanding of the continuing vitality of traditional Japanese crafts. Through historical site visits students will gain an in-depth understanding of the background of Japanese visual culture. Returning to Providence, students will spend an intensive week creating a final project using the paper they have made that reflects on their experiences in Japan, as well as write 2 art history papers.
Accommodations will vary depending upon to availability, with the goal of experiencing a variety of traditional and contemporary hotels, ryokan, dormitories, and so on.
This is a co-requisite course. Students must plan and register for PRINT-4525 and THAD-W525. Students will receive 3 studio credits and 3 liberal arts credits.
The Wintersession Travel Course 2026 application will open on August 15, 2025 and close on October 1, 2025. The opportunity to apply for scholarship is embedded in the course application.
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Wintersession 2020
Wintersession 2020
Wintersession 2020
Wintersession 2019
Wintersession 2019
Wintersession Travel 2019
Wintersession 2019
Have questions? The RISD Global team is available to meet for a 1:1 advising session. We can give you more information about your study options, help you figure out which program makes sense for you, and assist you with the application process.
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