FA165 Contemporary Art 2015
Prof Peter R. Kalb MW 3:30-4:50 G10Office Hours:Mandel 208MWTh11-12:30 and by appt.
Course Description: Artists working today began to create what we see in galleries and museums by building on the movements of pop, minimalism, and conceptual art as well as on theories of power and representation all established by the 1970s. This course addresses art at the turn of the 20th century with attention to intersections of art and identity, politics, economy, and history. It will begin with discussions of art in the United States as New York City established itself as the capital of contemporary art and then move to consider art communities around the world that have become prominent as the art world, like politics and the economy, have become increasingly globalized.
Textbooks and Readings: 1. Peter R. Kalb, Art Since 1980: Charting the Contemporary, Upper Saddle River, NJ :Pearson,2013, 2. Articles on LATTE,
Course Requirements
Attend 2 Artist talks. Artist talks will be posed on LATTE and announced in class. Attend 2 and submit brief report (no more than 350 words) on LATTE by Dec. 10.
Write 2 Exhibition Reviews: Go see an exhibition of art produced since 1980 and write a 500-750 word review of it. Use the back page reviews in Art in America or Artforum as your model. The review should be primarily descriptive, telling the reader what was on view but do provide some historical or biographical context. You do not need to judge the quality of the show. Due Dec 10.
Art and Text Quizzes: There will be 4 in-class quizzes. For each you will be asked to ID 3 works of art and then discuss those works (or three others of your choosing) in the context of the readings. You will receive a prompt to provide general direction to your answers. It will be important to include detailed discussions of the art works and the articles. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped. Quiz dates: 9.29, 10.26, 11.16, and TBA.
2 5-page Interview Analysis Papers: For each paper choose an artistyou like and for whom you can find several interviews each. Write a 5-7 paper discussing how your artist talks about his or her own work, the creative process, or other issues involved with making art. Consider what the artists say in comparison to what they make, how their words complement the art, the style in which they present themselves, and any other issues you find relevant. When selecting your artists be sure that you have enough good interview material so that you can write a solid comparison. You may have to rule out your favorite artist because he or she hasn’t spoken enough. There are many interviews cited in the footnotes and bibliography of the textbook, many available on gallery websites and catalogs, and I am happy to talk with you about the papers at any step along the way. Due 12.15
Participation: this course is designed to be a combination of lecture and discussion. There is ample opportunity to discuss the art, and to raise questions in class. I will often invite questions, and am also happy to let the interests of the class guide the course. As much I hope everyone will feel comfortable and interested enough to talk, I also understand that for some people talking in class is just not their thing. There will be a discussion board on latte where you can post observations and raise questions for participation credit. Virtual or analog contributions count for credit, just don’t make the virtual contributions during the analog portion of class, Thanks.
Grade Breakdown
Artist Talks2 x 510
Review 2 X 1020
Quizzes 3 X 1030
Interview Analyses2 X 15 30
Participation10
General Class Policies: Alternative Test Needs: Should you require alternative test format for any reasons, with or without official medical paperwork talk to me at the beginning of the semester. We can find a format to meet your needs. Missed Quizzes Exams: Alternative dates for exams must be approved and scheduled in advance. Should an emergency prevent you from attending an exam, please come with documentation and we can discuss options. Late Work: Assignment grades will be reduced 1/3 grade per day late. Cell Phones: Please turn the ringers of your cell phones off. Academic Honesty: Unless stated otherwise, you are encouraged to share ideas and information as you write and study. You must, of course, write your own essays, no two papers to be identical in part or whole. When using the writings and thoughts of others cite your sources in footnotes. Internet sources may be used for primary sources only – ie interviews artists writing and need to be footnoted. The Honor Code, “I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this exam/essay” signed, is required on all tests and papers.
Success in this 4 credit hour course is based on the expectation that students will spend a minimum of 9 hours of study time per week in preparation for class (readings, papers, discussion sections, preparation for exams, etc.).
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Schedule of Topics and Readings. (Subject to change.)Date / Topic / Artist List / Readings: Essays & Pages in AS80
08.31 / Intro: 1979 and Questions of the Contemporary / Warhol, Judd, Morris, Smithson, Beuys, Buren, Haacke, Jarrell, Spero, Oldenburg, Chicago, Kelly / Pollock, “Feminist Interventions in the History of Art.” (1988)
Debord, Society of the Spectacle, (1967) browse
Oldenburg, “I am for an art…” (1961)
Jones-Hogu, “The History, Philosophy and Aesthetics of AfriCOBRA,” (1973) / Intro &
Ch. 1
09.02 / Appropriation andthe Politics of Representation / Levine, McCollum, Prince, Sherman Kolbowski, Kruger, Holzer / Mulvey, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema,” (1975)
Solomon-Godeau, “Suitable for Framing: The Critical Recasting of Cindy Sherman,” (1991)
McCollum, “In the Collection of…” (1985) / Ch.2
09.09
09.10 / Neo Expressionism and the Anxiety of History / Schnabel, Salle, Fischl, Clemente, , Richter, Polke, Kiefer, Penck, Immendorf, Kippenberger, Oehlen Bedia, Elso, KCHO / Ricard, “Julian Schnabel,” (1979)
Joachimides “A New Spirit in Painting.” (1981)
Huyssen, “Anselm Kiefer: The Terror of History, the Temptation of Myth,” (1989) / Ch. 3
Ch. 9 (218-225
09.16
09.21 / Out in the Streets / CoLab, Haring, Baselitz, GranFury Wojnarowicz, Hammons, Ahearn, Group Material, Goldin, Wong, Wodiczko, Kelley / hooks, “Altars of Sacrifice: Re-membering Basquiat,” (1993) Ominous, “Sex & Death & Shock & Schlock,” (1980)
Crimp, “Mourning and Militancy.” (1989)
Deutsche “Krzysztof Wodiczko's Homeless projection and the site of urban "revitalization''. (1986)
Kelley, “Statement for Prospect 89,” (1989) / Ch. 4
09.29 / Quiz 1
09.3010.07
10.12 / Commodities and Consumerism / Halley, Bleckner, General Idea, Koons, Steinbach, Bickerton, Trockel, Kosolapov, Kelley Araeen, Moshiri / Foucault, “Panopticon,” in Discipline and Punish, (1975)
Baudrillard, “The Precision of the Simulacra,” (1983)
Halley, Peter, “The Crisis in Geometry,” (1984)
Koons, The Jeff Koons Handbook (1992)
Kosolapov, “Art and Ideology: Interview,” (1990) / Ch. 5
10.14
10.19
10.21 / History, Memory, and Public Space / Lin, Gerz, Boltanski, Attie, Whiteread, Lovell, Wilson, Walker, Salcedo, Kentridge, Raad, Nguyen-Hatsushiba, Huyghe, Tayou / Kleeblatt, “Persistence of Memory,” (2000)
Merewhether, “Naming Violence,” (1993)
Young, “The Counter-monument: Memory against Itself in Germany Today,” (1992)
Ranciere ”The Work of the Image,” (nd)
Walker … “Extreme Times Call for Extreme Heroes,” (1997)
Sadek, “A Matter of Words,” (2002) / Ch. 6
Ch.10 (269-71)
10.26 / Quiz 2
10.26
10.28 / Culture, Body, Self / Piper, Orlan, Abramovic, Emin, Calle, Smith, Gonzales-Torres, Hatoum, Antoni, Margolles, Sierra Barney Vezzoli / Fusco, “Unbearable Weightiness of Art After NAFTA,” (2001)
Said, “The Art of Displacement,” (2000) Bourriaud,Relational Aesthetics (excerpts) (1998)
Margolles, “Santiago Sierra by Teresa Margolles,” (2004)
Calle, Take Care of Yourself, (2007)
Siegel, “Nurture Boy,” (1999) / Ch. 7
Ch.10 (267-75)
11.02
11.04 / Capitalist, Communist, Former Communist,: Art from Russia & China / Kabokov, Bulatov Moukhin, Kulik, Brener, Wang Guangyi, Zhang Xiaogang, Huang Yong Ping, Xu Bing, Wenda Gu, Zhang Huan, Ai Weiwei, / Kabokov, Ten Characters, (1989)
Kulik, “Why I have bitten a man,” (2000)
Brener & Schurz, “Anti-technologies of Resistance,” (2000)
Gao et al. China Avant-Garde, (1989)
Hou, “Towards an Un-Unofficial Art,” (1996)
Zhou, F*** Off, 2000 / Ch. 8
11.09 11.11
11.16 / Quiz 3
11.16 11.18
11.23 / Engaging the Global Present / Neshat, Sikander, Shonibare, Murakami, Cao Fei, Yang Fudong, Chen Chieh-jen, Liu XiaodongCollins, Leonard, Jacir, Bartana, Sekula, Ole, Beimann, Anatsui / Daftari, “Shahzia Sikander in Conversation,” 2008)
Said, “Emily Jacir,” (2003)
Matsui, “Beyond the Pleasure Room to a Chaotic Street: Transformations of cute in Japanese art of the 90s.” (2005)
Murakami, “A Theory of Super Flat Japanese Art.” (2000)
Cao, “A Wild Side of Guangzhou,” (2003)
Enwezor, “El Anatsui in Conversation,” (2011) / Ch. 9
11.30 12.04
12.05 / Contemporary Art as Contemporary Experience / Arcangel, Trecartin Horn, Eliasson, Neto, Dion, Sachs,
Hirschhorn, Elahi, Paglen, Farocki, Tuymans, Fast, Bowers, Opie, Moon & Jeon,Orta / Heck, “Interview with Cory Arcangel,” (2009)
Kitamura, “Ryan Trecartin in Conversation, (2011)Schorr & Horn, “Weather Girls,”(1997)
Ranciere, "The Paradox of Political Art," (2010)
Hirschhorn, “Where do I Stand, What do I Want?” (2007)
Didi-Huberman,“How to Open Your Eyes,” (2009)
Verhagen, “Pleasure and Pain: Omer Fast Interviewed,” (2009) / Ch.11
Ch.10 (275-79)
12.09
Quiz 4 will take place during the designated exam time for the course.
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