PRE-REQUISITE:  Art 2202 or permission of the instructor

 

REQUIRED TEXTS:

·  Edward Lucie-Smith Movements in Art Since 1945 (new edition) ISBN-10: 050020344X or ISBN-13: 978-0500203446 available from http://www.amazon.com/ , http://www.abebooks.com/ , or other online vendor (several editions available, make sure you get the right one to coordinate reading assignments)

·  Gill Perry and Paul Wood, eds., Themes in Contemporary Art

·  Brandon Taylor Contemporary Art – Art Since 1970

·  Michael Rush  New Media in Late 20^th-Century Art (or New Media in Art  2^nd edition).

·  (optional) Richard J. Powell Black Art A Cultural History

All except Lucie-Smith available in the bookstore.  Assigned readings are specified on the CLASS CALENDAR. Additional sources will be placed on the website or on reserve in the library.  Material presented in PPT video lectures presupposes that you have completed reading and writing assignments prior to using videos.  You should expect to re-read and study texts and video files again, perhaps several times. Text readings supplement material presented in lectures.  They are not a substitute for engaged attention in online presentations, and it is the online arrangement that give form to the course.

WebCT Vista: We will be using WebCT Vista in this course, for the lecture sessions (through PowerPoint (PPT)).  It is advisable to work with a DSL or other fast connection. Use a computer lab on campus only if it has sound (or bring earphones), as online Power Point presentations have audio tracks. If you have a dial-up connection, you are likely to encounter difficulties since there are large image files associated with both lectures and tests and they will load very slowly (or not at all) if you do not have a network or DSL connection.  To access WebCT Vista go to: http://WebCT Vista.westga.edu/ and highlight  "Log on to MyWebCT Vista@UWG". IMPORTANT: the alternative way to log into Vista, if UWG web is down, is through the address: http://westga.view.usg.edu. We will have instructions on use of Vista by Alicia Williams of the WebCT Vista staff. You must use the WebCT Vista site to communicate with me by private e-mail and submit all of your assignments through the Vista site. If you have difficulties with WebCT Vista connections, you should contact them at the hotline at Technical support for WebCT Vista: distance@westga.edu 678-839-6248 during their office hours (MF 9-5) After hours: 24 hour/7days a week help available at http://view.usg.edu 1-877-708-2910

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES: We will explore the concepts and formal characteristics of Late Modern, Post-Modern, and other categories of contemporary art in drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, environment, performance, and, to a limited extent, architecture.  Our main emphasis will be on concept and innovation.  As usual, the chronological structure of this course emphasizes an understanding of works of art within their art historical framework – as expressions of complex and changing social structures, but within a pluralistic and non-synchronous environment.  We will examine the art in relationship to effects of societal and cultural complexity, and in view of response to the potential of newly evolving media, and with particular regard for specific artists who challenge traditional views of art from prior eras, often through specific reference to it, in reactionary fashion. We will examine them in terms of technique and types of subject matter which have been drawn from context.  While the artists draw from a great variety of stimuli, a select few will provide recurrent areas of focus: formal issues, topics of gender and ethnicity and enculturation, and the potential of new media.  This presumes a mastery of the basic vocabulary of form and ability to verbalize spatial and artistic concepts, as demonstrated through 4 exams, written exercises, a research paper, and online class discussions. The successful student will be able to identify and to write about contemporary and recent works in relationship to their historical foundations and to their contemporary contexts in the artistic, social, cultural, and political realms, while addressing the iconology of media.

RELATIONSHIP OF COURSE GOALS TO PROGRAM GOALS. This course facilitates progress towards Art Department goals of familiarity of students with works and intentions of major artists/designers and movements of the past and present; helps to develop visual sensitivity and the conceptualization means of artists, including technical processes.

 

Writing Across The Curriculum: This course has a “W” designation, as it is a Writing Across the Curriculum course.  WAC accepts as a guiding principle that writing is valuable tool for learning and communication.  Therefore, the course writing components are designed to help you learn the material and communicate what you have learned.  As a WAC course, it demands a variety of informal and formal writing assignments which are intended to stimulate “writing to learn” (WTL) as well as “writing to communicate” (WTC).

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:  UWG adheres to requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  If you need accommodation, contact Disability Student Services at 678-839-6428. Disabilities accommodation cannot be made without substantiation.

EXAMS: All exams are in essay format (WTC). Final Exam is cumulative.  You are expected to accrue and retain skills, concepts, and terms throughout the term.  Exams might include (but may not be limited to) image identifications and analysis or comparison of known or unknown works, themed essays.  You are expected to make your own intelligent observations, based upon thoughtful consideration of works from class, texts, lecture material. No Makeup Exams Will Be Given.

ONLINE DISCUSSION (WTL/WRC): There will be discussion topics posted and a discussion room open for your participation. You will receive up to 5 points for each discussion topic, with a total of 12 points possible for this activity. The total of 12 discussion points for the course will allow you to accumulate a little bit of extra credit.  The evaluation of  the credit points for discussion contributions are explained in the Discussion Board instruction on WebCT Vista. For this activity, you will not accumulate extra credit, but your apparent engagement and enthusiasm will result in favorable consideration if you are on the verge of a higher grade when the final tally is made. Remember that this is a WAC class in your discussions postings, and pay careful attention to your writing.

EXTRA CREDIT:   There are opportunities for extra credit on discussions (see above), on each exam, on each writing assignment, and on the term project, in the form of a class or web presentation.

ARTICLE REVIEWS (WTL/WTC): You will also write 3 reviews of articles on electronic reserve in the library, and an annotated bibliography on the research topic.  They will be submitted electronically through WebCT.  This requires that you use MSWord for word-processing.  (If you do not have this, it is available free to students through SITS).  Full Article Review directions will be posted on class website. This fulfills part of your WAC requirement. Again, the reviews and annotated bibliography can earn up to 4 points each and the total of 12 writing assignment points for the course will allow you to accumulate a little bit of extra credit.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING:  You are responsible for all assigned readings, for material presented in lectures, for assigned writings, and for term papers.  Requirements and guidelines for term papers will be provided.  Attendance at lectures and participation in discussions are issues in determining the grade for class participation.  Grades will be calculated as follows:

 

Academic Honesty:  (see http://www.westga.edu/~vpaa/handrev/207) The University has adopted a policy for promoting high ideals and the greatest possible learning for each individual.  Improper academic conduct on the part of the student shall be interpreted to mean obtaining and use of information during examination by means other than those permitted by instructor, including supplying such to other students. Also improper is plagiarism, i.e., purchase and use of ghost-written papers and reports, or incorporating into a report, term theme, research paper, or project, ideas and data obtained from another person without credit to the person from whom such information was obtained.  Further, inclusion of published or unpublished writings of another person without noting sources according to scholarly procedures acceptable for the discipline of art history shall be considered plagiarism. The definition of academic misconduct applies equally to improper use of electronic sources of information and opinion. At West Georgia, the student is urged to seek truth and beauty in and for themselves, as well as skills needed for a productive life.  Academic honesty is essential in preserving one's own integrity, that of the institution, and in gaining a true education.  The West Georgia student pledges not to lie, cheat, or steal in the pursuit of his or her studies and is encouraged to report those who do.

ONLINE HONESTY:   There will be a temptation in the online format to copy data from your texts or from online sources.  This will not be tolerated.  What is expected from each student is a personal synthesis of the material presented in texts and online videos.   You will demonstrate the careful consideration of those sources through writing that reflects the information presented there, but shows both your attention to those and your own thought.  Any direct copying from those sources or any others without proper citation is considered plagiarism and will result in a ZERO (O) for the assignment.  A second infraction will result in a ZERO (0) for the course.

TERM PROJECT: You are required to complete a term project – an individual research project on a topic or issue related to art of the late 20^th–21^st century.  This will result in a written paper (8-10 pages text), due on the 15^th of April.  The purpose of the assignment is to incorporate the object or subject of your choice into the framework of issues of this course.  Your project must follow certain guidelines and specifications, but you will have some latitude in choice, subject to my approval.  Among the possible choices of theme will be that work of art in relationship to other works, or to a cultural or social issue.  It is my hope that you will find a topic for which you have enthusiasm, and that you will pursue it with energy and pleasure.  Detailed directives and requirements will be posted on the website.

MUSEUM FIELD TRIP: There is a required visit to the High Museum of Art, Atlanta. They have a fairly good collection of modern & contemporary works to view. Among them are choices for you to use as subject matter for your term project. I will provide you with a list of acceptable works.  You should plan to go early in the semester and select a work for which you will create an annotated bibliography of at least 8 library sources (not from the Web)

ATTENDANCE AND CLASS PARTICIPATION: Despite the online format and its apparent freedom in scheduling, you are still expected to “attend” class by engaging with the online lectures and to participate in discussions.  You are responsible for awareness of any changes of assignment or course schedule announced through the home page or by e-mail. (check your WebCT Vista e-mail EVERY DAY, more often if you have sent me a question) As thorough lecture notes and visual familiarity with images shown are essential to the successful completion of the course, you must pay careful attention to the online lectures.

The WebCT Vista system keeps track of every “visit” that you make there, of all discussion readings and contributions, of the times of your assignment submissions, and of your inquiries to the help desk.  Examination of these records helps me to assess your participation in the online venue.

 

LECTURE SCHEDULE & READING ASSIGNMENTS: See attached calendar sheets

 

If at any time during the semester you have questions or problems, please be sure to contact me.  I will be happy to consult with you about taking notes, preparing for exams, or any class-related difficulties.  Come to my office during office hours, set an appointment, or contact me by e-mail (only on WebCT Vista)

 

 

 

                                                                                                      

 

 Nikki de st. Phalle               Kara Walker                          Nam June Paik

 Black Venus  1967                 safety Curtain  1998                      Family of Robots: Aunt and Uncle 1986.

 

 

NB:  This course will often be concerned with controversial, confrontational, and unsettling work, since that is the subject matter of many artists of this period.