| Abstract: | Contemporary art (from World War II to the present) has tended to baffle the
general viewing public, often seeming more alien than art of other, more
distant times. Contemporary artists have tended to attack established artistic
protocols and practices, and the established art-historical paradigms have,
accordingly, had to give way to new historical and critical models to
accommodate this work. This course introduces students to the range of
contemporary art modalities in light of the socio-political context in which
they arose or flourished, with a view to illuminating the ideas and ambitions
embedded within this challenging, anti-traditional work. The course will
address both the practices of the visual arts (style, genre, media, movements),
and the multiple theoretical bases for justifying such practices -- a
conmbination that will enlighten students not only about the art itself, but
about the nature and function of art history, art criticism, and theory. |
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