Course Description
Major artists and movements from the onset of World War II to the late 1960's in Europe and America.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will be expected to produce an extensive
research paper on specific works or issues related to the field
and the methodologies appropriate to the topic under
consideration in the course. This paper will be a detailed,
in-depth consideration of the student's chosen theme requiring
not only a demonstration of advanced research skills (including
the ability to read and use material presented in foreign
languages), but also an articulation of the student's ability to
understand and manipulate the critical apparatus of art history
in connection with Art From 1940-1968.
Athena Title
ART 1940 TO 1968
Prerequisite
Two ARHI 3000-level courses and permission of major
Semester Course Offered
Not offered on a regular basis.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
This course presents a selective examination of artists and movements in the United States and Europe from World War II to the era of civil unrest and anti-war demonstrations in the late 1960s. Abstract Expressionism, Neo-Dada, Happenings, Pop Art, Minimalism, and Conceptual Art are among the topics covered. Students will be confronted with the accelerated pace of artistic developments in the post-war period, and be introduced to the connections between history and culture and the art they are studying. Three exams will be given during the course of the semester, and a research paper is required on a common theme determined by the instructor. Exams and the paper will each constitute one-quarter of the final grade.
Topical Outline
I. Abstract Expressionism and the Formation of the New York School. II. "Neo-Dada": Reconciliation of Art and Life in the 1950's. III. Formalism: Color-Field and Geometric Abstraction. IV. Pop Art V. Minimalism VI. The European Avant-Garde VII. Postminimalism A. Process and Installation Art B. Arte Povera C. Earthworks and Siteworks