Students will explore the history of Meso-American Codices (handmade books/screen-folds) from a historical and artistic perspective. Students discuss how ancient peoples created books to document historical events. Often the books were altered, creating new histories over vast amounts of time (several rulers/empires), with re-written and deleted sections altering the original story, a technique similar to remixing. This technique shows different views and perspectives; it illustrated how opinions changed over time, as political structures shifted.

Students will explore making paper, while participating in the production of huge handmade paper sheets fastened together like a linear screen fold. Then students will collect and create images to collage on the codex, creating a collaborative narrative, documenting current history from the students’ perspective. Students will use the Long-count calendar, and/or created calendars to depict time, and historical events represented in the student created codex.

Phase 1: Introduction and Theory

Participants will explore the theory and practice of:
- History of Meso-American book making
            Codex Borgia (pre-colonial meso-american book)
            The Five Suns: A sacred history of Mexico (video) Berkeley Media
- Technical aspects to making paper
            Types of Codex materials (paper, wood, hide)
            Paper making supplies (pulp, screens and lint)
- Remix Culture
            Iconographic narratives
            Image mixing, image re-appropriation
            Culture jamming

Phase 2: Students will explore the history of Meso-American Codices (hand made books) from a historical and artistic perspective. Students discuss how ancient peoples created books to document historical events. Often the books were altered, creating new histories over vast amounts of time (several rulers/empires), with re-written and deleted sections altering the original story, a technique similar to remixing. This technique shows different views and perspectives; it illustrated how opinions changed over time, as political structures shifted.

Students will explore making paper, while participating in the production of huge handmade paper sheets fastened together also refered to as a screen-fold. Then students will collect and create images to collage on the codex, creating a collaborative narrative, documenting current history from the students’ perspective. Students will use the Long-count calendar, and/or created calendars to depict time, and historical events represented in the student created codex.

Students will:

• Make a large paper book called a codex, very similar to a horizontal scroll, but folded, also called a screen-fold. .
• Display collaborative work at a local gallery during the month of March, with each student’s panel being displayed as a part of the whole story.
• Learn about ancient Meso-American society, art and calendar systems.
• Explore modern concepts of narrative, remixing, and culture jamming.

Instructor: Jane Crayton