COURSE DESCRIPTION:
ARTH 009302- WRITING ABOUT THE BODY IN ART
This seminar will examine the tremendous role that the human body has played
in art from prehistory to the present and explore issues of race, gender,
and sexuality raised by representations of the body. During the course
of the semester, we will address such questions as: Why has an understanding
of the body been so crucial to artists throughout history? In what
ways have artists represented both male and female bodies in painting,
sculpture, and photography? How has the ideal body changed over time?
How have artists used their own bodies, or those of others, in creating
their works? Why have images of the body, especially when nude or
naked, been capable of creating such controversy? Where does one
draw the line between art and pornography? A variety of formal and
informal writing assignments will be central to the course. These
will include argumentative essays, critiques of articles, visual analyses
of works of art, and a research paper. Trips to the Philadelphia
Museum of Art and the Institute of Contemporary Art will enhance classroom
discussions and debates.
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