Time Schedule:
Kolya Rice
ART H 309
Seattle Campus
Topics vary.
Class description
If we accept Webster’s most encompassing definition of politics as “the total complex of relations between people in a society,” then in some sense all art is political. That is to say, all art takes a stand—or is positioned by critics so that it does—in relation to the dominant values of its time. Since the 1960s, however, one might say that artists have become more conscious of the politics of their art. Amidst a general climate of social unrest and direct action, from the civil rights movements in the early sixties to the momentous events of 1968, the emphasis of many artists increasingly shifted from aesthetic concerns to sociopolitical interests. Rather than present a broad survey of this trend, this class will examine several of the most significant, self-conscious politics of artistic production from the 1960s to the present.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Though a great deal of the class material will be presented in lecture format, discussion will be encouraged at all times—with entire class periods devoted to debates—and students may be asked to contribute with a presentation at the end of the quarter.
Recommended preparation
Although no previous art history experience is required, some familiarity with contemporary art, history, politics, and/or critical theory is recommended.
Class assignments and grading
