ART 470 Art Criticism, Theory, and History

Dr. DeckerAssistant Professor of Art HistoryGeorgetown College

Office: WAB 106email: phone: 502.863.8173

Offie hours: daily after class, until 4:00 pm

Course Description:

“hate-filed, bigoted, anti-Christian, and obscene”[1]
against “general standards of decency and respect for the diverse beliefs and values of the American public”[2]
“sick” and “disgusting”[3]

When North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms decreed in the summer of 1989 that Andres Serrano’s Piss Christ was sickening, abhorrent, and shocking he had, actually, misunderstood the photograph and the (Catholic) artist’s intention. Helms’ attack is one of several that have flooded the art world in the past two decades. This “world”, if you will, has unleashed its own attack in the form of self-critical debate among critics, theorists, and historians. In fact, two decades before Helms, art historian and theorist Michael Fried lambasted then-emergent Minimalist art, deeming it corrosive and problematic precisely because it blurred the distinctions between aesthetic experiences and the ordinary objects of daily life. Fried’s critique, “Art and Objecthood” (1967), offered six analyses of minimal art and questioned the authority of cognition and aesthetic realization -- points of view that have, forty years on, cemented the hold of Minimal art.

What are the boundaries between artmaking and its interpretation? Where does a work end and its interpretation begin? What are the roles of art criticism, theory, and history in contributing to our understanding of art? This seminar will address the distinctions between art history, theory and criticism. While several recent controversies over public funding and the arts will introduce the course, the focus will turn to artmaking from the early modern era to the present. Thus, prior knowledge of art history is suggested. If you have not had an art history course, please see me for guided readings.

Welcome to ART 470: Art Crticism, Theory, and History. I sincerely hope that you enjoy this course.

Class Format & Attendance:

The class will consist of lecture and discussion. Students are responsible for taking notes during both portions of the class in addition to notes on assigned readings for the day.

Class attendance is mandatory. Students who miss class will receive a 10 point deduction per class hour or portion of hour missed (one day of class =40 point deduction). Art Department Policy requires students to attend 80% of the class meetings in order to earn credit for the course, however I strongly advise students to attend every lecture because our discussion will greatly enhance your learning. If a student misses two full days of class, or more, the student is advised to drop the course. Please see me for further clarification.

Attendance on class trips is mandatory. If a student misses a field trip, the student is counted as absent for the day and must make up any work by visiting the gallery or space on his or her own, in order to make up the material discussed.

The following class trips are scheduled for the course:

  • Studio 507, Loft 155, the Scott County Arts Consortium, and Fine Art Editions in Georgetown
  • Ann Tower Gallery, ArtsPlace, Downtown Arts Center, Loudoun House, Lexington, KY
  • The Speed Museum, Louisville, KY
  • In addition, we will visit the galleries on campus, including Georgetown College’s Jacobs Gallery, Anne Wright Wilson Gallery, and Cochenour Gallery.

Course Requirements and Expectations: There will be six class meetings the first week and five the following. Each class will consist of time to view works of art, sharing of research, and discussion. It is vital that you attend all class meetings, take notes and participate in them. Please read the assignments in the texts and any assigned articles BEFORE the classes on that subject; reading assignments are meant to supplement the class meetings, and stimulate questions, not replace them.

Texts and Readings: Two textbooks, available at the campus bookstore (The Store), are required for this course:
*Dana Arnold. Art History: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. 125 pages
*Simon Schama. The Power of Art. BBC, 2006. 0-0611-7610-9448 pages

In addition, students will be asked to review readings on reserve at the LRC. Please photocopy or print these materials and bring to class. Expect to spend at least $15 on photocopies during this term. The following are on reserve:

*Michael Fried. “Art and Objecthood” Artforum 1967. 15 pages

*Selections from Marilyn Stokstad, Art History, 3rd Edition, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2008. 80 pages [text on reserve at the LRC, pages identified on the daily schedule below]

Primary document selections from:

*Charles Harrison, Paul Wood, and Jason Gaiger, editors. Art in Theory 1648-1815: An Anthology of Changing Ideas. London: Blackwell Publishing, 2001. 1248 pages. 0-631-20064-9 [on reserve at the LRC] approx 50 pages

*Charles Harrison, Paul Wood, and Jason Gaiger, editors. Art in Theory 1815-1900: An Anthology of Changing Ideas. London: Blackwell Publishing, 1998. 1120 pages. 0-631-20066-5 [on reserve at the LRC] approx. 50 pages

*Charles Harrison and Paul Wood, editors. Art in Theory 1900-2000: An Anthology of Changing Ideas. London: Blackwell Publishing, 2002. 1288 pages. 0-631-22708-3 [on reserve at the LRC] approx 50 pages

Each student will select two journal articles to read, analyze, and present to the class. (estimated 10 to 25 pages per article: up to 50 pages total).
For Further Reading: If you are interested in any of the material we discuss in this course, I will gladly provide you with a list of sources to consult for further reading.

Grade Scale: The total number of points that can be earned in this course is 1000. Therefore, the following scale refers to total points, over the course of this term:

920-1000: A

880-919: A/B

820-879: B

780-819: B/C

700-779: C

600-699: D

599 and below: F

However, special consideration in assigning a final grade will be given to those cases in which a student's performance either steadily improves or deteriorates during the course.

Quality Work: Please note that in order to receive a perfect score (for example, 10 out of 10 points) on a written assignment, your essay or paper must be as error-free as possible. This includes spelling and grammatical perfection as well as proper citation of sources and identification of images (artist, title, date, media, where you found the image).

See Art History Helper! For writing guidelines and remember to use footnotes -- not parenthetical citation.

Late Work: Late work of any kind, including presentations, will not be accepted unless I am informed 24 hours ahead of time of a problem or verification if there is a documented or otherwise verifiableemergency [e.g. illness with Doctor’s note or campus personnel who can vouch for you]. If you have not notified me of a problem ahead of time or if you are unable to provide some evidence of your emergency, you will receive a non-negotiable zero. In fairness to all students in this course, please respect this very important policy.

A penalty will be assigned for items that are turned in later than the specified due date without prior permission: the grade will drop one full grade (for instance, from an A to a B) for each day late, including weekends. I do not accept email versions of papers or assignments left in my mailbox at the campus mailroom. You must bring the assignment to me and leave it with me or in my box outside of my office door.

Academic Misconduct: The Georgetown College Honor System defines infractions of the honor system as: cheating, plagiarism,

stealing, lying (in academic matters), forgery, double assignments (use of one assignment to fulfill the requirements of more than one

course). College policies outlined in the student handbook will be followed, should a case of suspected academic misconduct arise.

Special Needs: If any student needs assistance in the classroom due to a disability, please contact Disability Services at (863)-8004/7074/7956 in advance of the course or as soon as possible so that arrangements or accommodations may be made.

Grading Opportunities:

Assigned readings and lecture information

Students are responsible for all assigned readings. Students are required to read the material before class and be prepared to discuss the material in class. The readings will be divided into arrangements with author names and pages per class period.

Exam- 300 points – Due Wednesday, June 4 at noon

One take home exam will be assigned the last day of class, Friday, May 23. The questions will address the three aspects of this course. While the exam will address the distinctions between art history, theory, and criticism, the student is expected to identify critical areas of difference and answer the questions by integrating material from lecture, discussions, videos, readings, and class trips.

The exam must be typed and must include footnotes (not parenthetical citation). Due Wednesday, June 4.

Article Discussion 100 points- Due IN CLASS Friday, May 23

Students may read two articles from the leading journals in art history and art criticism published by College Art Association, Art Bulletin and Art Journal. Other scholarly sources may be used and students will be instructed on how to research peer-reviewed articles in art history, theory, and criticism. Students are required to present the information in their article to the class on the last day of class. The discussion should include a summary of the study or information examined and an integration of material discussed in class with the material in the article. A handout, in standard format, should be supplied to all students on the day of your presentation. Due Friday, May 23 in class.

Reflection Papers 100 points- Due IN CLASS (May, 13, 15, 19, 20, 22)

Students are expected to write five, one-typed-page reflection papers on readings. These papers should summarize the pages read and discuss the student’s opinions and ideas about the readings. Students should reflect upon the substance of art history, theory, and criticism as evidenced through classroom discussions, class videos and site visits. Artists are requested to comment on their artmaking; art historians on their research and writing experiences as related to the course material.

Visual Dictionary 200 points- Due Wednesday, May 28 at noon (spot check Saturday, May 17)

Students will maintain a visual dictionary of every work of art discussed in class and in the readings. While this may not seem like a daunting task, consider that each reading contains reference to approximately 20 works of art. While some of our readings contain images, most do not. How will you remember the works that we discuss? How will you call up the images and make comparisons? The “visual dictionary” will consist of color (preferably) reproductions of works. On the back or bottom of each work, students must identify the works with pertinent information (artist, title, date, collection, image source). The visual dictionary will need a framework -- ie a method of arrangement -- that is up to you to decide. The grade for this assignment will be based upon student’s ability to locate works as well as attention to detail, thoroughness and craftsmanship as well as overall project design.

Discussion Questions (Question Sets) -200 points- Due Wednesday, May 14 and Saturday, May 17

Students will write responses to several questions stemming from Dana Arnold’s text. Because this is a pithy overview of the three areas of focus for this course, reading of this text requires sustained preoccupation with the subject. In other words, this is not a quick read. The questions are meant to help guide your reading but should, also, encourage discussion in class and reference during site visits. A handout will be distributed on the first day of class addressing the parameters of the question sets.

Art Criticism Exercise - 100 points - Due Wednesday, May 21

Students will write a 3-5 page review of an exhibition. This review will be posted to the department’s website for all students to view. After discussing the reviews, students will re-submit the review. Excellent reviews will identify key works of an exhibition and connect these to the gallery’s focus, artistic intention, and point of view. Due on or before Wednesday, May 21.

Class Schedule: The class schedule is tentative and may be changed if necessary. Any changes to this outline will be discussed in class. It is the student’s responsibility to become aware of due dates for assignments, projects, and exams by looking at the schedule and by being attentive to any changes to due dates that are discussed in class. Please note: Approximately 850 pages of reading over the course of the term.

Day / Content / Visual Learning Experiences / Due
Week of May 12 / Week of May 12 / Week of May 12
M 5/12
10a-2p / Introduction to the course
Fave five definitions / Visits to Jacobs Gallery, AWW, and
Cochenour
ART 21 video (30 minutes) / Art in Theory selections
T 5/13
10a-2p / Overview of the Baroque
Caravaggio
Bernini / BBC Video excerpts (30 minutes) / Reflection 1
Stokstad, pp. 742-761
Schama, Introduction - p. 75
Schama, pp. 76-125
W5/14
10a-2p / Discussion Question Set #1
What is art history? writing
art history; presenting art
history / Site visit to Lexington galleries / Question Set #1
Arnold, Introduction - p. 75
Art in Theory selections
R 5/15
10a-2p / Overview of Flanders and the
Netherlands
Rembrandt / Reflection 2
Stokstad, pp. 772-93
Schama, pp. 126-179
F 5/16
10a-2p / Spotcheck on Visual Dictionary
(DUE 5/28)
Overview of Enlightenment and
the Academies in France and
Later Eighteenth Century
David / Visit to LRC:
Information literacy - introduction to
researching articles (prep for Question Set
and article discussion) / Stokstad, pp. 940-51 and
969-75
Schama, pp. 180-235
Art in Theory selections
S 5/17
9a-6p / Discussion Question Set #2
Thinking about art history;
reading art; looking at art / Site visit to the Speed Museum
Behind-the-scenes tour / Question Set #2
Arnold, pp. 76-112
Week of May 19 / Week of May 19 / Week of May 19
M 5/19
10a-2p / Overview of Romantic
Landscape Painting
Turner / Reflection 3
Stokstad, pp. 1000-05
Schama, pp. 236-295
T 5/20
10a-2p / Overview of The Birth of
Modern
Van Gogh / Reflection 4
Stokstad, pp. 1038-48
Schama, pp. 296-351
W 5/21
10a-2p / Overview of Cubism in Europe
Picasso
Discussion of art criticism
assigments / Art Criticism Exercise
Stokstad, pp. 1076-81
Schama, pp. 352-395
R 5/22
10a-2p / Overview The Final Assault on
Convention
Rothko / Site visit to area galleries and home of
Dr.and Mrs. Jacobs / Reflection 5
Stokstad, pp. 1154-58; 1190
Schama, pp. 396-439
F 5/23
10a-2p / Article Discussion / Article Discussion
Michael Fried article
Re-submit art criticism if not
already re-submitted
Post-Term Due Dates / Post-Term Assignments
W 5/28 / Visual Dictionary DUE by
noon
W 6/4 / Exam DUE

Office Hours: Office hours are every day immediately after class until 4:00. If you need to make an appointment outside of these hours, please let me know. I sincerely hope that you enjoy this course!

May Term 2008 - ART 470 Art Criticism, Theory, and History1

[1] Reverend Donald Wildmon, leader of the American Family Association, who rallied against Piss Christ to usher in criticism of the National Endowment for the Arts funding of artists.

[2] This phrase was inserted as part of the new NEA guidelines prompted by the Serrano controversy and contested exhibitions of the homosocial and homoerotic photographs of Robert Mapplethorpe.

[3] This language was used by then-New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani used to describe yBa Chris Ofili’s The Holy Virgin Mary (1996), which was on view at the Brooklyn Museum of Art for the exhibition “Sensation: Young British Artists from the Saatchi Collection”.