Time Schedule:
Robin K Wright
ART H 435
Seattle Campus
Approach to Native-American art through themes and issues. Focus varies from year to year (e.g. Shamanism in Native-American art, gender identity in Native-American art, social and political aspects of Native-American art, issues in contemporary Native-American art). Recommended: some background in Native American art, history, languages, or literature.
Class description
This course will provide methods for understanding the southern Northwest Coast arts of the Coast Salish peoples and the relationship of these arts to the arts of the Central and Northern Northwest Coast peoples. The design principles that govern their visual language will be studied with the goal of distinguishing stylistic features that are unique to this area, understanding the history of their development over time, and familiarity of issues facing contemporary Coast Salish artists.
Student learning goals
Knowledge of Coast Salish art traditions from pre-history through the present, including various media, styles, and artists.
Knowledge of the visual characteristics and terminology for comparing Northwest Coast art styles.
Understanding of the stylistic variations through time and between neighboring tribal groups.
Ability to distinguish between different regional, tribal and artists’ styles.
Familiarity with the current scholarship in the field of southern Northwest Coast Native American art history.
An appreciation for the ways Coast Salish artists have mediated issues through the arts, the role art plays in the lives of Pacific Northwest Coast peoples today, and the wide variety of media, styles, and subjects represented in contemporary Coast Salish art.
General method of instruction
Slide illustrated lectures, class discussion, assigned readings, writing assignments, team project, guest speakers.
Recommended preparation
Recommended background in ArtH 206, 233 or 331
Class assignments and grading
Assigned readings and written critiques/summaries, class discussion, 2 written reflections, 1 research paper, 1 team project&class presentation& report.
Research Paper - 30% of grade, 300 points Team Project/Presentation/Report – 15% of grade, 150 points Written Reflections – 30% of grade, 300 points Reading Assignments and written summaries/critiques – 10% of grade, 100 points Class preparedness and participation - 15% of grade, 150 points
