Course Description
Contemporary art from the point of view of studio artists.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Additional written assignments and reports.
Athena Title
Seminar in Contemporary Art
Prerequisite
ARHI 2400
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall and spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
This course introduces students to contemporary concepts and theories developed by artists of different disciplines working form 1970 to the present. Through lecture and discussion, this course strengthens the student's abilities to talk and write about contemporary art in a sophisticated and skilled manner. Emphasized in this class are ideas and language related to the making and meaning at conceptual art, performance art, video and digital media work, painting and sculpture. The knowledge acquired through this investigation will provide the student with the necessary discourse to enter the current world of art.
Topical Outline
This course is designed for upper level under-graduates and for graduate students in all departments of the Art School. Classroom activities include slide lectures, video viewing, critique and discussion. Each student is required to write six art reviews of six different artist projects on the World Wide Web, thus engaging the student in a relationship with the current technology being used by visual artists today. Each student is required to create three or more studio assignments based on the topics currently being discussed in the classroom. These projects help students expand their understanding of traditional object making. Lastly, each student is required to complete a final term project using research, development and writing, designing and planning, based on creating a group show of contemporary artists and contemporary thinking. Students are evaluated on the innovative interpretation and quality research of their projects, and the strength of their improvement in their ability to engage in meaningful contemporary art discourse. All of which develops a vocabulary essential to their development of professional artists.