History of Art and Visual Culture
2012-13 General Catalog
D-201 Porter College
(831) 459-4564
havc@ucsc.edu
http://havc.ucsc.edu
Lower-Division Courses
7. Issues in the Arts. *
Interdisciplinary examination of various topics and issues in the arts featuring invited guest speakers. (Also offered as Art 7. Students cannot receive credit for both courses.) May be repeated for credit. (General Education Code(s): IM.) E. Cameron
10. Introduction to African Visual Culture. *
An interdisciplinary approach to the study of the basic structures (gender, art within political sphere, and spiritual aspects of visual culture) and cultural institutions (initiations, closed associations, kingship, title association, etc.) around which the study of African visual culture revolves. (General Education Code(s): CC.) E. Cameron
20. Visual Cultures of Asia. W
An introduction to the art and architecture of East Asia, including China, India, Southeast Asia, and Japan. In order to achieve a fuller understanding of the arts of these countries a historical, cultural, and religious context is provided. (Formerly course 10D, Presence and Power in the Visual Cultures of Asia.) (General Education Code(s): CC, IH, A.) The Staff
22. Religion and Visual Culture in China. *
Introduction to the study of religious currents and practices in China and their visual expression. In addition to "religious art," topics include such pivotal matters as body concepts and practices, representations of the natural world, and logics of the built environment. (Formerly course 80G.) (General Education Code(s): CC, A, E.) R. Birnbaum
24. Southeast Asia Visual Culture. S
Introduces the visual cultures of Southeast Asia. Topics include indigenous megalithic art, textiles, and jewelry, as well as Hindu and Buddhist art and architecture. Also considers shadow play and dance performance as alternative lenses to looking at ritual and visual narratives rendered on stone temples. (Formerly course 10C.) (General Education Code(s): CC, IH, A, E.) B. Ly
27. Image and Ideology in Indian Art. *
Examination of the ways social, religious, and political patronage have affected the production and reception of art in the Indian subcontinent. The course is designed as a series of case studies from different periods of Indian history. (Formerly course 80N, Indian Art: Image and Ideology.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A, E.) K. Thangavelu
30. Introduction to European Visual Culture. *
An introduction to the European tradition in visual culture, from antiquity to the present, but not in chronological order. All media, including the fine arts, architecture, film, video, and installation and performance work are incorporated. Presents the major visual regimes of representation while it probes the meanings and limits of Europe and the European tradition in the context of the visual. (Formerly course 10G, Europe.) (General Education Code(s): IM, IH, A.) The Staff
31. The Nude in the Western Tradition. S
The human body without clothing in European and European-American art and visual culture from ancient Greece to the present day. Among the themes to be addressed: gender, youth and age, sexuality and sexual preference, fecundity and potency, erotic art and pornography, primitivism and the naked body of the non-European. (Formerly course 10F.) (General Education Code(s): IM, IH, A.) D. Hunter
40. Museum Cultures: The Politics of Display. F
Explores the history of collecting and displaying art (museums, galleries, fairs) since the mid-19th century and the effect of institutional changes on aesthetic conventions. Follows the history from the origins of museums and collections to contemporary critiques of institutional exclusion and misrepresentation. (Formerly course 80D.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) The Staff
41. Modern Art in Context. *
Examines the social, economic, and political significance of European and U.S. modernist art and architecture, moving from French realism to American minimalism. Provides the historical background and theoretical frameworks needed to make sense of modernist art and culture. (Formerly course 80V.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) M. Berger
43. History of Modern Architecture. F
Examines the origins and development of modern architecture, from the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution to the 20th Century and beyond. Buildings, urban plans, and works of art and design are discussed in relation to political, social, and cultural currents. (Formerly course 46.) (General Education Code(s): IM, IH, A.) The Staff
45. Photography Now. W
Explores recent methods and approaches in photography. Surveys significant aesthetic, conceptual, and theoretical shifts occurring in the photographic medium and related discourses. Special attention given to the "current" landscape of contemporary photography (1980-present). (General Education Code(s): IM.) D. Murray
46. Introduction to U.S. Art and Visual Culture. *
Overview of U.S. art and visual culture form the late 18th Century to the present. Examines art as evidence for understanding evolving beliefs and values of Americans. Explores the social and political meanings of art, and pays particular attention to how artists, patrons, and audiences have constructed nationalism, race, class, sexuality, and gender. (General Education Code(s): IM.) M. Berger
50. Ancient Mediterranean Visual Cultures. *
The role that ancient art and visual culture play in constructing social identities, sustaining political agendas, and representing various cultural, ritual, and mythological practices in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, including the sociology of ancient cultures, mythology, religious studies, gender studies and history. (Formerly course 80E.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) The Staff
51. Greek Eyes: Visual Culture and Power in the Ancient Greek World. *
The central role of visual communication in ancient Greek civilization: examines the construction of cultural, social, political, religious, and gender identities through material objects and rituals. Includes discussions of images of the public and private sphere, athletic and theatrical performances, mythology, pilgrimage, and magic. (Formerly course 80X, Greek Eyes: Visual Culture and Power in the Ancient Greek.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) M. Evangelatou
58. Gardens of Delight: Fifteen Centuries of Islamic Visual Culture. F
Examines some of the most representative creations of Islamic visual culture from the 7th Century to the present in order to appreciate the richness of this tradition and its extensive influence on other cultures. Focuses on the social, political, and religious role of a variety of materials, from mosques, palaces, and gardens to visual narratives, ceremonies, dance, and contemporary films. (Formerly course 180.) (General Education Code(s): CC, A, E.) M. Evangelatou
60. Indigenous American Visual Culture. *
Selected aspects of art and architecture of the first peoples of the Americas, north, central, and south, from ca. 2000 B.C.E. to present. Societies to be considered may include Anasazi, Aztec, Inca, Northwest Coast, Maya, Navajo, Plains, and others. (Formerly course 80M.) (General Education Code(s): ER, A, E.) C. Dean
70. Visual Cultures of the Pacific Islands. S
Interdisciplinary course examines visual cultures of Australia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia from the archaeological past through contemporary periods. (Formerly course 105P.) (General Education Code(s): CC, A, E.) S. Kamehiro
80. Colonial Histories and Legacies: Africa, Oceania, and the Indigenous Americas. W
A comparative study of the arts of selected cultures which developed outside the spheres of influence of the major European and Asian civilizations. Emphasis is on the function of the arts in these disparate geographic regions. Students cannot receive credit for this course and course 100E. (Formerly course 10E, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas.) (General Education Code(s): CC, IH, A, E.) S. Kamehiro
99. Tutorial. F,W,S
Supervised study for undergraduates. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
Upper-Division Courses
100A. Approaches to Visual Studies. W
Introduction to major issues of method and critique in study of art and visual culture. Focuses on understanding disciplinary and critical modes of scholarly inquiry in the visual arts, including role of historical research. Emphasizes intensive reading, discussion, and writing. Course 100A is a prerequisite for all History of Art and Visual Culture seminars. (Formerly Methods in History of Art and Visual Culture) Prerequisite(s): satisfaction of Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements. Enrollment restricted to sophomore, junior, and senior History of Art and Visual Culture majors and minors. (General Education Code(s): W,A.) D. Hunter
110. Visual Cultures of West Africa. *
Explores visual cultures of West Africa through time (Nok to present). Attention paid to relationships between peoples and impact of European/Arab presence on visual cultures. Prerequisite(s): course 10 or 80 recommended. (Formerly course 107B, West Africa.) (General Education Code(s): CC, A, E.) E. Cameron
111. Visual Cultures of Central Africa. *
Examination of visual cultures of Central Africa within a historical sequence from the Sanga archaeological excavations to contemporary easel painting. (Formerly course 107A, Central Africa) Prerequisite(s): course 80 suggested. Enrollment restricted to sophomores, juniors and seniors (recommended). (General Education Code(s): CC, A, E.) E. Cameron
115. Gender in African Visual Culture. *
In Africa, relationships exist between gender and visual culture. Course examines where categories come from, differences in men's and women's visual cultures, and how visual cultures teach, reinforce, and negotiate gender definitions. When are male/female boundaries crossed, and why? (Formerly course 185B, Gender.) (General Education Code(s): A, E.) E. Cameron
116. African Architecture. *
Study of the built environment in Africa. Focusing in depth on 10 major architectural forms or sites, this course explores the diversity of architectural types and how gender, politics, religion, and culture shape and are shaped by architectural spaces. (Formerly course 185C.) (General Education Code(s): A, E.) E. Cameron
117. Contemporary Art of Africa. *
Examines contemporary arts in post-colonial Africa, 1960-present, including new popular cultural forms; arts resulting from new class and national structures; commodification of culture; Pan-Africanism; exhibitionism; and questions of destiny. (Formerly course 185D.) Enrollment restricted to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. (General Education Code(s): IM, A, E.) E. Cameron
118. Art of the Contemporary African Diaspora. *
Considers contemporary art by African artists operating in metropolitan centers, as well as Afro-British, Afro-Caribbean, and African-American production. Topics are organized thematically and address constructing and deconstructing the idea of Africa; cultural authenticity; diaspora; Creolité and creolization; hybridity; cosmopolitanism; post-black; and globalism in the arts. (Formerly course 189Y.) Recommended: background in art history. Enrollment restricted to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. (General Education Code(s): A.) The Staff
122. Visual Cultures of China.
122A. Sacred Geography of China. *
An examination of the close relationship of religious traditions and the natural world in China, and its expression in visual representation. Particular emphasis on the ways in which competing groups sought to define or re-envision an understanding of the terrain. (Formerly course 154A.) Enrollment restricted to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. (General Education Code(s): CC, A.) R. Birnbaum
122B. Constructing Lives in China: Biographies and Portraits. *
Consideration of biographies and portraits in China as representations of human types and individuals, and the use of these representations as models for constructing lives. Attention to historical and social contexts, early times to present. Special focus on Chinese Buddhist traditions. A previous course that focuses on traditional China or Buddhist studies strongly recommended. (Formerly course 155.) (General Education Code(s): CC, A, E.) R. Birnbaum
122C. Writing in China. *
Examines material and conceptual phenomena of writing in Chinese visual culture. Focuses on the intersections of places and practices of writing through various inscribed sites, ranging from oracle bones, seals, and mountain facades to hand scrolls, architecture, and contemporary art. (Formerly course 159D.) (General Education Code(s): A.) The Staff
122D. Chinese Landscape Painting. *
Examines the history and significance of the subjects most prominent in Chinese painting during the past one thousand years, focusing on the cultural factors that made landspace a fundamental value in the Chinese tradition and the methods whereby painters created pictorial equivalents. (Formerly course 159B.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) The Staff
123. Visual Cultures of South Asia.
123A. Modernity and Nationalism in the Arts in India. *
Deals with artistic responses to the forces of modernity, colonialism, industrialization and globalization in India during the 19th and 20th centuries. Addresses the complex and often painful climb toward re-establishing a truly Indian artistic identity. (Formerly course 189D.) (General Education Code(s): A, E.) K. Thangavelu
123B. Religions and Visual Culture of South Asia. *
South Asia is the home of many religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, and Sikhism). Introduces the role images (painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, film) play in shaping these diverse religious traditions. (Formerly course 106A.) Enrollment restricted to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. (General Education Code(s): CC, A, E.) B. Ly
124. Visual Cultures of Southeast Asia.
124A. Arts of Ancient Southeast Asia. W
Focuses on Hindu and Buddhist arts of ancient Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand). Materials covered include indigenous megalithic arts, stone sculptures, and monumental temple architecture such as Angkor Wat, Borobudur, Prambanan, and the Bayon. Enrollment restricted to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. (General Education Code(s): CC.) B. Ly
124B. History of Photography in Southeast Asia. *
Examines how photography was used in Southeast Asia to document the racial difference and the exotic "Others" under the regime of colonialism. Considers the role photography played in "documenting" the Vietnam-American War and how contemporary Southeast Asian-American artists challenge this photographic history in their art. Enrollment restricted to sophomores, juniors and seniors. (General Education Code(s): CC.) B. Ly
124C. Arts and Politics in Theravada Traditions. *
Consideration of the arts and architecture in Theravada Buddhist traditions in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. Topics and themes include ritual, relics, visual narrative, mural painting, contemporary art, mass-meditation movement, and political protest. (Formerly course 163B.) Enrollment restricted to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. (General Education Code(s): CC, A.) B. Ly
124D. Contemporary Art of Southeast Asia and its Diaspora. *
Examines the respective national notions of modernity in the region through a comparative lens. How global capital flow and transnational cultural exchanges impact the production of arts of Southeast Asia and its diaspora. Themes and issues include: colonialism and art education; nationalism; identity politics; memory; trauma; gender; race; sexuality; and the body. Enrollment restricted to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. (General Education Code(s): CC.) B. Ly
127. Topics in Cross-Regional Studies in Visual Cultures of Asia.
127A. Buddhist Visual Worlds. F
Introduction to the study of Buddhist visual traditions, from their beginnings to the present day. Case studies examined with careful attention to historical, social and cultural contexts; particular emphasis on the relation of visual traditions to Buddhist practices. (Formerly course 114.) Enrollment restricted to sophomore, junior, and senior students. (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) R. Birnbaum
127B. Buddhist Pure Lands. *
Conceptions of "pure lands" have engaged the imaginations of Mahayana Buddhists for more than two millennia. Course considers literary and visual representations of pure lands and their inhabitants, as well as related practice traditions. Special emphasis on Chinese traditions. Previous courses in Asian visual cultures and/or Buddhist studies recommended. (Formerly course 154D.) (General Education Code(s): CC, A.) R. Birnbaum
127C. Ritual in Asian Religious Art. *
Examination of interaction between image and ritual in Asian religious art. Case studies from different historical periods and geographical locations (e.g., China, Tibet, Japan, Indonesia, India). Examples include mandalas, ritual bronzes, tankas, sacred caves, temples, tea ceremonies, and calligraphy. (Formerly course 105E.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A, E.) The Staff
127D. Storytelling in Asian Art. *
Combination of theoretical perspectives on narrative from literary criticism, rhetoric, folklore, and film theory with art historical focus on images (cave temples, stone reliefs on stupas, scrolls, dance-drama, etc.) from India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Cambodia, and Indonesia. (Formerly course 160.) (General Education Code(s): A, E.) The Staff
133A. Themes in the Study of Medieval Visual Culture. *
Many issues associated with contemporary artistic production and visual culture originated in the Middle Ages. Themes to be considered: role of secular art; women as artists and patrons; aesthetic attitudes; relationship between cultures in holy war, crusade, and pilgrimage. (Formerly course 129.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) V. Jansen
135. History of Art and Visual Culture in Europe.
135B. German Art, 1905–1945. *
Expressionism, agitprop, the Bauhaus, New Objectivity, attacks on modernism, National Socialist realism. Painting, sculpture, graphic art, and some architecture and film, studied in the context of political events from the eve of World War I to the end of World War II. (Formerly course 136.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) D. Hunter
135D. French Painting, 1780-1855. W
The art of David, Gros, Ingres, Gericault, Delacroix, the Barbizon School, and Courbet studied in relation to the changing status of the art and the political events from 1789 to 1848. (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) D. Hunter
135E. Jewish Identity and Visual Representation. *
An exploration of the theoretical and practical or experiential applications of Jewish identity in European visual representation. Brief background on pre-emancipation textual and cultural issues followed by study of the Jewish subject and Jewish subjectivities in modernity. (Formerly course 172.) Enrollment restricted to juniors and seniors. (General Education Code(s): IM, A, E.) The Staff
135F. History of the Book. *
History of book production and use in the West from antiquity to modern times. Development from roll to codex and from script to print. Emphasis on the relationship between text and image. Class conducted in Special Collections, McHenry. Exhibition as class project. (Formerly course 153.) (General Education Code(s): A.) E. Remak-Honnef
137. Renaissance.
137A. Northern Renaissance Art. <*
Considers the painting and prints produced in Northern Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries. Major issues include the status of realism and classicism, the role of religion and religious reform, and the rise of popular imagery. (Formerly course 105R.) (General Education Code(s): A.) The Staff
137B. Italian Renaissance: Art and Architecture. W
Lives of Italian Renaissance people from birth to death, examining the nature and roles of the institutions which defined human existence in this period. Uses visual arts both illustratively and to study how institutions fashioned their images through art and architecture. (Formerly "Italian Renaissance: Representation and Institutions.") (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) A. Langdale, The Staff
137C. High Renaissance. *
An investigation of the High Renaissance as a period and stylistic concept, using the major artists and monuments of the period 1480–1525 to discuss issues of theory, history, and art. Artists considered include Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael. (Formerly course 168.) Enrollment restricted to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) The Staff
137D. Art of the Venetian Renaissance. *
Considers Venetian art in the 15th and 16th centuries. Topics include major artists (the Bellini, Carpaccio, Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese, Palladio) and the relationship of the city to outside forces (Byzantine Empire, Turkish Empires) and other Italian cities. (Formerly course 189V.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) The Staff
137E. Renaissance Prints. *
Examines the issues surrounding the technology and uses of printed images from the early Renaissance through the end of the early modern period. Topics may include the political, religious, and satirical uses of prints and the representation of women in prints. (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) The Staff
140. History of Art and Visual Culture in the U.S..
140A. America in Art. *
Introduction to American visual arts: architecture, painting, photography, sculpture, and performance art, from the nineteenth through the twenty-first century. Explore social and political meanings of art and what art reveals about our nation's values and beliefs, in particular, gender and race. (Formerly course 126.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) M. Berger
140B. Victorian America. W
Examines how American writers and artists negotiated complexities of U.S. society during the 19th century. Emphasis on issues ranging from women's rights to laissez-faire capitalism, and from Reconstruction to manifest destiny. Considers how the era's cultural products provided artists, patrons, and audiences with metaphorical coping strategies to counteract what Victorians perceived to be the period's overwhelming social and political changes. (Formerly course 178A.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) M. Berger
140C. Race and American Visual Arts. *
Investigation of the role played by visual arts in fashioning racial identities of European-Americans, African Americans, Native Americans, and Latinos in the United States. (Formerly course 156.) (General Education Code(s): ER, A, E.) M. Berger
140D. Chicano/Chicana Art: 1970-Present. *
Taking the terms "Chicano" and "Chicana" as a critical framework, addresses cultural and conceptual themes in visual art production since 1970. Questions concerning aesthetics, identity, gender, and activism in painting, photography, murals, and installation art explored. (Formerly course 182.) (General Education Code(s): ER, A, E.) J. Gonzalez
141. Modern Art and Visual Culture in Europe and the Americas.
141A. Modern Art: Realism to Cubism. F
Modern art in Europe and America, 1848-1914. Consideration of painting, graphic arts, and sculpture in Realism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism (Symbolism) Art Nouveau, Fauvism, and Cubism as well as exploration of photography's changing status and influence. Lower-division work in modern art, literature, or history is recommended as a prerequisite. (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) D. Hunter
141B. Modern Art: Cubism to Pop. W
From Paris to New York, cubism to conceptual art, an introduction to visual arts and theories of representation produced in the U.S. and Western Europe between 1910 and the 1960s, with attention to the social and political role of the art market, criticism, and censorship. (Formerly Surrealism to Postmodernism) (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) J. Gonzalez
141C. Modern Art: Pop to Present. S
Surveys major art forms and critical ideas that have shaped artistic practice from the 1950s to the present, including an overview of the socio-political, economic, and cultural forces that inspire artists to articulate human experience in visual form. (General Education Code(s): IM.) D. Murray
141E. Histories of Photography. S
Introduction to the histories of photography and the critical debates around different photographic genres such as medical photography, art photography, and political photography. Students will develop a critical language in order to analyze photographs while considering the importance of social and institutional contexts. (Formerly course 149A.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) J. Gonzalez
141F. The Camera and the Body. *
Through the study of historical and contemporary visual texts (from ethnography and portraiture to advertising and erotica), this course explores how photographic images of the body, while masquerading as "natural," "self-evident," or "scientific," participate in highly coded sign systems that influence who looks at whom, how, when, and why. (Formerly course 180.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) J. Gonzalez
141H. Media History and Theory. F
An introductory examination of the writing about the issue of "medium" and media theory in visual culture. Technologies, discourses, and practices from all periods that use the comparison of media as a major approach to understanding the problems of the visual are highlighted. New media, film, television, video, traditional arts are also treated. (Formerly course 131.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) The Staff
141I. Environments, Installations, and Sites. *
A study of conceptual and formal issues that have informed the production of temporary, site-specific art works since 1960. Works that seek to transform the role of the audience, to escape or remake museum and gallery spaces, to introduce environmental concerns, or to situate art in "the land" or in "the street" serve as a focus. (Formerly course 181.) Enrollment limited to 35. (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) J. Gonzalez
141J. Critical Issues in Contemporary Art and Visual Culture. F
Considers the relationship between art, cinema, and postmodernism. Specific, thematically oriented topics are considered including: the impact of cinema aesthetics on contemporary art; film and digital technology; cinematic structure as cultural critique; and filmic strategies as an ideological tool. (General Education Code(s): IM.) D. Murray
141K. Activist Art Since 1960: Art, Technology, Activism. *
Students explore art and technology produced for social change since 1960 within the context of major historical ruptures, such as the Vietnam War, the women's movement, environmental protection, AIDS activism, anti-capitalist, and international human rights movements. (Formerly course 141C.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A, E.) The Staff
141M. Museum Practices. W
How are museums organized, categorized, visited? How are objects physically handled, documented, and displayed? Going beyond the practical, course interrogates the concepts that practice is based on and the impact these concepts have on society and cultures in the United States. Prerequisite(s): course 40 and permission of the instructor. Enrollment limited to 40. E. Cameron
143. Architecture.
143A. Contemporary Architecture and Critical Debates. S
Examination of practitioners, projects, issues, and theories in contemporary architecture circa 1968 to the present. Topics include the architecture of aftermath, the ethics of memory and memorialization, the corporatization of museums, the role of criticism and exhibitions, and the cult of the brand-name architect. (Formerly course 124.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) The Staff
143B. History of Urban Design. *
Examines urban design from the Renaissance to the present, including Latin American colonial cities, Utopian plans, and sites such as Brasilia and Chandigarh. The course focuses on social justice, diversity, and the role of art and architecture. Enrollment restricted to juniors and seniors. (General Education Code(s): IM.) The Staff
143C. Latin American Modern Architecture. *
Presents Latin America's modern architecture with relation to colonization; the influence of immigrants from Europe, Africa, and Asia; the presence of indigenous cultures; and the search for autonomy. Case studies include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Venezuela, and Uruguay. (General Education Code(s): CC, A, E.) The Staff
143D. Architecture and the City in Modern and Contemporary Visual Culture. W
Examines the modern and contemporary depictions of cities in visual and material culture, from paintings and photographs to logotypes and souvenirs. Also examines the roles of narrative in spatial representations, including literature, film, and television productions. Enrollment restricted to juniors and seniors. (General Education Code(s): IM.) The Staff
151. Greek Myths Antiquity to the Present. *
Myths dominated the culture and visual production of the ancient Greek world, and their presence is still strong today. How did they codify social, political, and religious realities and needs? How were they perceived in different time periods? In addition to ancient Greek and Roman and later European sculptures and paintings, this course considers less conventional sources, such as modern films, comics, and advertisements. Course 51 recommended as preparation.. (Formerly course 106I, Myth in Greek and Roman Art.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) M. Evangelatou
154. Byzantine Visual Culture: Politics and Religion in the Empire of Constantinople, 330-1453 A. C.. F
Centered on the capital city of Constantinople (modern Istanbul), the Hellenized and Christianized Roman Empire of the Easter Mediterranean today known as Byzantium played a major, yet often overlooked, role in European history for more than a millennium. This course examines its visual production and relation to politics and religion in court and church ceremonial, expressions of Christian faith, and cultural interactions with Western Europe, Islam, and the Slavic world. (Formerly course 104A, Byzantine Visual Culture: Politics and Religion in New Rome, 300-1453 A. D.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) The Staff
155. Constructing Cleopatra: Power, Sexuality, and Femininity Across the Ages. S
The construction of female identity and the "production" of history through the myth of Cleopatra. Critical analysis of archeological data and ancient sources, later sculptures and paintings, and contemporary films, movies posters, Internet sites, advertisements, comics, games, dolls, and household objects. (General Education Code(s): IM.) M. Evangelatou
160. Topics in Pre-Hispanic Visual Culture.
160A. Pre-Hispanic Visual Culture: Mexico. S
Art and architecture of selected pre-Hispanic cultures from the gulf coast, central, western, and southern Mexico including the Olmec, Zapotec, Toltec, Mixtec, Mexica (Aztec), and others. (Formerly Pre-Hispanic Mexico.) Offered in alternate academic years. (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) C. Dean, The Staff
160B. Pre-Hispanic Visual Culture: The Andes. *
The art of selected pre-hispanic cultures of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia including the Nazca, Moche, Chimu, and Inca. (Formerly Pre-Hispanic Andes.) (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) C. Dean
162. Advanced Studies in Pre-Hispanic Visual Culture.
162A. The Maya. F
The art and architecture of the Maya of southern Mesoamerica from the first century C.E. to ca. 1500. Courses 80, 60, or 160A recommended as preparation. (Formerly course 150A) (General Education Code(s): CC, A.) C. Dean
162B. The Inka. *
The visual culture of the Inka of the Andean region of western South America including textiles, metalwork, and the built environment. Courses 80 (formerly 10E) or 60 (formerly 80M) recommended as preparation. (General Education Code(s): CC.) C. Dean
163. The Native in Colonial Spanish America. *
Indigenous contributions to colonial Spanish American visual culture including architecture, manuscripts, sculpture, painting, textiles, feather-work, and metallurgy. Focus on colonial Mexico, the Andes, and California. (Formerly course 151A.) (General Education Code(s): A, E.) C. Dean
170. Art of the Body in Oceania. F
Explores "art of the body," defined broadly, from various perspectives. Examines colonial representations of Oceanic bodies, self-representation through bodily adornment and display (including tattoo, scarification, body painting, ornament, and dress), and bodily metaphors in Oceanic visual cultures. (General Education Code(s): ER, A, E.) S. Kamehiro
172. Textile Traditions of Oceania. *
Investigates how textiles contribute to cultural fabric of Oceania. Explores women's roles in socioeconomic exchanges and cultural production; gender issues regarding production and function of Oceanic textiles; and history of processes, functions, and aesthetics. Prerequisite: Prior coursework related to Oceania recommended. (Formerly course 187A.) (General Education Code(s): CC, A, E.) S. Kamehiro
190. Seminars in the History of Art and Visual Culture.
190A. African Art and Visual Culture. *
Advanced seminar requiring intensive research and writing on changing topics related to a specific area of African art and/or visual culture chosen to demonstrate critical mastery of this subject. (Formerly course 191O.) Prerequisite(s): courses 100A, and 80 or 10. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors or minors or by permission of instructor. May be repeated for credit. (General Education Code(s): A, E.) E. Cameron
190B. Play and Ritual in Visual Cultures. *
Compares how play and ritual construct worlds and regulate visual cultures—from dolls to "ritual" objects and performances. Attention given to areas where play and ritual overlap and the visual cultures that result. (Formerly course 191F.) Prerequisite(s): course 100A. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): A, E.) E. Cameron
190C. The Mediterranean from the Rise of Christianity to the Rise of Islam. S
Examines the visual culture of the Mediterranean from the 3rd to the 7th centuries A.D., focusing on the historical and cultural developments which led to the survival of the Eastern Roman Empire and its transformation to what we call Byzantium. (Formerly course 153.) Prerequisite(s): course 100A. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors. (General Education Code(s): IM, A.) M. Evangelatou
190D. The World of the Lotus Sutra. W
Close study of the principal text of East Asian Buddhism as a self-enclosed vision of reality, with careful consideration of the forms and functions of the world of visual and aural representation that it has inspired. Prerequisite(s): course 100A and 127A. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): A.) R. Birnbaum
190E. Huayan Visions. *
Explores the distinctive conceptual world of the Buddhist Huayanjing (Avatamsaka-sutra) and its expression in visual forms. This long text, composed in Sanskrit and later translated into Chinese, is a principal scripture of the international Mahayana Buddhist traditions of Asia. (Formerly course 190I.) Prerequisite(s): course 100A; course 127A. An upper-division course in Buddhist studies is recommended. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): A.) R. Birnbaum
190F. Chan Texts and Images. *
Examines selected issues in history of Chan (Zen) Buddhist traditions in China from medieval times to the present day. Concepts, methods, and visual expression of Chan practice situated through study of texts and visual materials. (Formerly course 191H.) Prerequisite(s): course 100A, and course 127A. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): A.) R. Birnbaum
190G. Buddhist Wisdom Traditions. *
Careful study of Mahayana Buddhist perfection-of-wisdom traditions--texts and related material culture, including visual imagery and illustrated books--with focus on the particular vision of reality that they aim to produce or reveal. (Formerly course 191Z.) Prerequisite(s): courses 100A and 127A. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): A.) R. Birnbaum
190J. Visual Cultures of the Vietnam-American War. *
Examines the visual culture of the Vietnam-American war and its legacy in contemporary art of Southeast Asia. Considers representations in different media: painting, drawing, photography, film, novels, and material cultures. Issues addressed include memory, trauma, identity politics, body, race, gender, pornography, and prostitution. (Formerly course 191A.) Prerequisite(s): course 100A or permission of the instructor. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor . (General Education Code(s): ER, A, E.) B. Ly
190K. Thematic Approach to Visual Cultures of Southeast Asia. *
Undergraduate seminar that takes topical and thematic approach to looking at ancient or modern and contemporary arts of Southeast Asia (e.g., textile, water in arts and architecture, comparative modernity, race, gender, and sexuality). The specific topic and theme varies from year to year. Prerequisite(s): course 100A, or by permission of instructor. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. Enrollment limited to 18. B. Ly
190M. Representations of Women in Indian Art. *
Deals with representations of the female divinity in Indian religious imagery, and of women in secular and courtly paintings. Also examines roles women play in the production of art in the Indian subcontinent. (Formerly course 190U.) Prerequisite(s): course 100A. Enrollment restricted to junior and senior history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): A, E.) K. Thangavelu
190O. Berlin: History and the Built Environment. *
Explores Berlin's urban and architectural history through themes: the meaning of memory in architecture; the political and cultural implications of preservation, globalization, and tourism. Because these questions are relevant beyond Berlin, course draws comparisons with other cities. Prerequisite(s): course 100A. Enrollment restricted to junior and senior history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): A.) The Staff
190P. Death and Patriotism: The Case of the French Revolution. *
What are the relations between the mortal body and politics in times of crisis? What purposes can death, or the threat of death, serve? Examines representations of executions, assassinations, and funerals during the French Revolution, with an emphasis on the Terror. Prerequisite(s): course 100A. Enrollment restricted to junior and senior history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): A.) D. Hunter
190Q. Portraiture: Europe and America, 1400–1990. *
Western portraiture and self-portraiture at certain key moments (early modern Italy, 16th-century Germany, 17th-century Holland, France from the reign of Louis XIV to the Revolution, contemporary U.S.) are explored by reading 20th-century interpretations and some primary sources. This course can be taken for senior exit credit only by permission of the instructor. Prerequisite(s): course 100A. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): A.) D. Hunter
190S. Critical Issues in Contemporary Art and Visual Culture. *
Explores how critical theory illuminates forms of cultural production, from art and cinema to popular culture. Considers how scholars, artists, and filmmakers use critical theory both creatively and in the study of aesthetic objects and experiences. Prerequisite(s): course 100A. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. D. Murray
190T. Topics in Pre- and Post-Columbian Visual Culture. S
Seminar on changing topics related to the current scholarship on pre-Hispanic and colonial Spanish American visual culture. Prerequisite(s): course 100A. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors or by permission of instructor. The Staff
190U. Word and Image in Illuminated Byzantine Manuscripts. *
Religious, scientific, and secular manuscripts of Byzantium: examines how words and images interacted to express and promote central concepts of Byzantine culture; serve liturgical needs of private devotion; reflect imperial ideals; diffuse moral values and knowledge; and proclaim social status and cultural affiliations. (Formerly course 190R.) Prerequisite(s): course 100A, and course 154 or permission of instructor. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): A.) M. Evangelatou
190V. Cult of Mary in Byzantium. *
Why did the cult of the Virgin Mary become so important in Byzantine culture? Examines historical, cultural, theological, political, and social reasons for this development, seen through the interaction of Byzantine visual culture and literature. (Formerly course 191X.) Prerequisite(s): courses 100A and 154. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): A.) M. Evangelatou
190W. Art and Culture Contact in Oceania. *
Examines impact of culture contact on Oceanic and Euro-American visual cultures in context of "discovery," colonialism, and "postcolonialism." Topics include 18th-century visual culture, colonial identities, primitivism, syncretism, impact of Christianity, contemporary art/market, media, tourism, transnationalism, and globalization. (Formerly course 190O.) Prerequisite(s): course 100A; prior course work related to Oceania recommended. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors, or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): A, E.) S. Kamehiro
190X. Art and Identity in Oceania. F
Theoretical discussions and Pacific Basin case studies on 1) definitions of cultural, ethnic, and national identities; 2) relationship between art, museums, and construction of historical and cultural narratives; 3) ways "tradition" defined in art practices and used by groups to assert an identity in their present. Participants first develop a theoretical framework and vocabulary for analyzing artistic production in a variety of cultures. Through specific case studies, will explore how art, architecture, and museums actively contribute to define and challenge ethnic and national identities. (Formerly course 191P, Art and Identity in the Pacific: Creating and Challenging Ethnic and National Identities.) Prerequisite(s): course 100A. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors, or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): ER, A, E.) S. Kamehiro
191. Seminars in the History of Art and Visual Culture.
191A. Iconoclasm. *
What happens when, to control an object, it is destroyed? Examines destruction of art as a way of ending the object's life cycle, as a device of social tension/change, and as a colonial and post-colonial mechanism of religious/political control. (Formerly course 191C.) Prerequisite(s): course 100A; and course 80 or permission of instructor. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): A, E.) E. Cameron
191B. The Virgin of Guadalupe: Images and Symbolism in Spain, Mexico, and the U.S. *
Focus on the histories of miraculous images of La Virgen de Guadalupe de Extremadura (Spain) and La Virgen de Guadalupe de Tepeyac (Mexico). The foundations and growth of the cult of the Mexican Guadalupe during the colonial period is examined along with the multivalent symbolism of her image. Considers contemporary "appearances" of the Virgin of Guadalupe, from the miraculous images on a tree in central California and the compositions of Chicano artists, to mass-produced kitsch. (Formerly course 190B.) Prerequisite(s): course 100A. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): A, E.) C. Dean
191C. Subalternatives: Representing Others. *
Explores how visual representation (in fine art, popular art, film, and television) encodes difference in selected cultural and historical contexts. Considers (post)colonial image-making both as a strategy of domination as well as resistance. (Formerly course 190C.) Prerequisite(s): course 100A. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): ER, A, E.) C. Dean
191D. Semiotics and Visual Culture. *
How can visual culture be understood as the production, circulation, and recirculation of signs? This course offers a history of semiotics and its methodological application in the analysis of images in popular culture and within the discipline of art history. (Formerly course 190S.) Prerequisite(s): course 100A. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): A.) J. Gonzalez
191E. Feminist Theory and Art Production. *
A close reading of works of art and theoretical texts by feminists working from 1970 to the present. The course encourages debate around the past, present, and future relevance of feminist theories to visual cultural studies, paying particular attention to issues of cultural and ethnic difference. (Formerly course 190T.) Prerequisite(s): course 100A. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. Enrollment limited to 18. (General Education Code(s): A.) J. Gonzalez
191F. Image and Gender. *
Examines what visual representations (feminine and masculine) reveal of gender in 19th- and 20th-century European and American culture; how images reflect norms of gender; and how we are conditioned to read images in gendered terms. Explores how femininity and masculinity were conceived during historical periods and how gender ideals changed in response to social, political, and economic pressures. Students encouraged to consider the fluid nature of 21st-century notions of ideal femininity and and masculinity and possible alternatives. (Formerly course 190Y.) Prerequisite(s): course 100A. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): A.) M. Berger
191G. Art, Cinema, and the Postmodern. *
Explores how theory can illuminate various forms of cultural production from art and cinema to popular and material cultures. Considers how scholars and visual producers utilize theory creatively and in the study of aesthetic objects and experiences. Prerequisite(s): course 100A. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. D. Murray
191H. History and Theories of Architectural Preservation. *
Examines the meanings of architectural preservation with relation to memory, identity, tourism, gentrification, and urban disasters. Combines the study of theories and concepts of preservation with examples of buildings and urban sites from the whole world. Prerequisite(s): course 100A; and one of the following or permission of instructor: course 43, 143B, 143C, or 143D. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. The Staff
191I. Topics in Architecture and Urban History. *
Focuses on selected topics in the history of art and visual culture. Topics vary depending on instructor. Prerequisite(s): course 100A. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
191M. Museum Exhibitions. S
Students create and install and exhibition. Students take the roles of museum departments, moving the project from concept to installation.The impact exhibitions make in culture and society is examined throughout each step of the process. Prerequisite(s): courses 100A and 141M. Enrollment restricted to History of Art and Visual Culture majors and minors. Enrollment by instructor permission. E. Cameron
191N. Topics in Renaissance Art and Visual Culture. W
Seminar on changing topics related to the current scholarship on the art and visual culture of the Renaissance. Prerequisite(s): course 100A. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. May be repeated for credit. A. Langdale
191P. Topics in Contemporary Art. F,W
Addresses changing topics in contemporary art. The specific topic varies with each offering to keep up with new directions in scholarship. Prerequisite(s): course 100A. Enrollment restricted to history of art and visual culture majors and minors or by permission of instructor. (General Education Code(s): IM.) The Staff
195. Senior Thesis. F,W,S
Students submit petition to sponsoring agency. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
198. Independent Field Study. F,W,S
Independent field study away from the campus. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency. The Staff
198F. Independent Field Study (2 credits). F,W,S
Independent field study away from the campus. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
199. Tutorial. F,W,S
Individual study in areas approved by sponsoring instructors. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
199F. Tutorial (2 credits). F,W,S
Individual study in areas approved by sponsoring instructors. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
Graduate Courses
201. Introduction to Visual Studies. F
Introduces the visual studies discipline and the History of Art and Visual Culture Department, providing students with an overview of the field's development, its issues of central concern, and its dominant research methods. Features intensive readings, student-led discussions, and exposure to some of the primary texts instrumental in the development of the field. Required seminar for all first-year visual studies graduate students. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. D. Sandler
202. Theories of the Visual. W
Offers detailed theoretical readings to familiarize students with the methodological frameworks and debates that laid the groundwork for the field as well as those that have proven productive for practitioners of visual studies. (Formerly Critical Theory.) Enrollment restricted to graduate students. D. Murray
203. Theories and Histories of Seeing. S
Provides an in-depth case study of the visual practices and culture of a specific society. Builds on the foundation established by courses 201 and 202, offering sustained application of the general methods and theories to which students were previously introduced. The society under consideration rotates each year depending on the research interest of the faculty member teaching the course in any given spring. Prerequisite(s): courses 201 and 202. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. May be repeated for credit. R. Birnbaum, The Staff
212. Yoruba Visualities and Aesthetics. *
Yoruba conceptions of visuality are explored and compared to seeing through Western eyes. Critical reading focuses on Western and Yoruba scholars' work on visualities and complementary theoretical writings on Yoruba aesthetics and philosophy. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. E. Cameron
213. Theories and Visual Cultures of Iconoclasm. *
Examines theories that attempt to explain iconoclasm, the willful destruction of religious or political objects, by applying the theory to various case studies. The universal aspect of iconoclasm and the differences in understanding and practice are explored. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. E. Cameron
220. Topics in Asian Visual Studies. S
Examines selected and changing topics in the visual studies of Asia. The specific topic varies with each offering to keep up with recent directions in scholarship. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. May be repeated for credit. B. Ly
222. The Image of Arhat in China. *
Indian Buddhist sage-monks (arhats) are portrayed in China in ways that represent a remarkable variety of visual/historical/practice traditions. This seminar examines these depictions and explores the ranges of means and functions attached to this theme. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. R. Birnbaum
224. Engaged Buddhism and Visual Culture. *
Begins with an analysis of photography and films capturing the Gandhian and Dalit movement in India. Students then read key Buddhist texts on engaged Buddhism, and look at the rise of engaged Buddhism in Southeast Asia in the 1960s and how it impacted modern and contemporary art in Southeast Asia and its diaspora. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. B. Ly
232. The Monument Since 1750 in Relation to Nationhood and the Experience of War. *
Investigates modern monuments (1750 to present) and the creation or maintenance of a nation, especially in terms of war and its immediate aftermath. Destruction or alteration of monuments and production of anti- or counter-monuments are also examined. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. D. Hunter
233. Topics in Contemporary Art and Visual Culture. W
Examines selected and changing topics in the contemporary art and visual culture. The specific topic varies with each offering to keep up with recent directions in scholarship. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
240. Seeing Race. *
Investigates how discursive systems racialized the sight of various racial and ethnic groups in 19th- and 20th-century U.S. society. Focuses on the construction and maintenance of racial values systems and on the historically specific ways in which an eclectic assortment of visual artifacts have been read by groups over time. Considers the visual and material implications of race-based sight. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. M. Berger
243. Alternative Architecture. *
Focuses on what is commonly left out of architectural history: the ephemeral, informal, illegal, and uncertain. Topics include: anonymous and collective architecture; temporary interventions; everyday urbanism; and vestigial urban spaces. These topics are understood through theories of space as socially produced (Henri Lefebvre, Michel de Certeau, among others), and through cultural movements and manifestoes (Situationist International, Aesthetics of Hunger, etc.) Enrollment restricted to graduate students. The Staff
245. Race and Representation. *
Explores how human subjects come to be visually defined and marked by "race" discourse. Covers diverse theoretical literatures on the topic, primarily in visual studies, but also in cultural studies, post-colonial studies, and psychoanalysis. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. J. Gonzalez
250. The Cult of Mary in Byzantium. *
Why did the cult of the Virgin Mary become so important in Byzantine culture? Students examine historical, cultural, theological, political, and social reasons for this development seen through the interaction of Byzantine visual culture and literature. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. M. Evangelatou
260. Visual Literacy in Spanish America, 1500-1800. *
Visual literacy is considered as a particular predicament of colonial societies. Students consider the legibility of artifacts in colonial Spanish American contexts given its culturally diverse audiences and examine specific instances of (mis)interpreted images and transcultured representations. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. C. Dean
270. Colonial Cultures of Collecting and Display. *
Examines collections and exhibitions of colonized people, places, and objects through primary sources, theoretical texts, and analytical case studies (with some emphasis on Oceania). Focuses on visual discourses of race, science, religious conversion, colonial settlement, nation-building, education, and entertainment. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. S. Kamehiro
294. Teaching-Related Independent Study. F,W,S
Directed graduate research and writing coordinated with the teaching of undergraduates. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
295. Directed Reading. F,W,S
Directed reading that does not involve a term paper. Students submit petition to course-sponsoring agency. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
297. Independent Study. F,W,S
Independent study or research for graduate students. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
297F. Independent Study (2 credits). F,W,S
Students submit petition to course-sponsoring agency. Enrollment restricted to graduate students. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
299. Thesis Research.
Students submit petition to course sponsoring agency. Enrollment restricted tro graduate students. May be repeated for credit. The Staff
