Undergraduate Seminar (390-0-2)

Topic

Black Portraiture

Instructors

Antawan I Byrd

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-335: Tues, Thurs 12:30PM - 1:50PM

Overview of class

In recent decades, portraiture of Black individuals has gained significant prominence, establishing itself as a focal point in museum and private collections, a driving force behind major exhibitions, and a recurring theme in public art commissions. As a category of cultural, social, and political analysis, "Black Portraiture" encompasses a range of creative forms, from collage and comics to film, painting, photography, and sculpture. In this seminar, we will explore recurring approaches to producing and theorizing the likeness of Black subjects since the advent of the twentieth century. We will critically question the utility and limitations of portraiture, asking what desires it fulfills and whose interests it serves. Through a range of case studies, we will interrogate the role of art criticism and the art market in shaping the value, reception, and institutionalization of Black Portraiture. Students will probe notions of "visibility" and "representation," carefully considering the increasingly blurred boundaries between empowerment and exploitation. Additionally, we will engage with debates surrounding the influence of social media, meme culture, and artificial intelligence on evolving definitions of portraiture. Students will ultimately gain a deeper understanding of portraiture's cultural and political stakes and its ability to both shape and reflect racialized systems of power.

Class Materials (Required)

There is no required textbook for this course.

Class Attributes

Advanced Expression