College Seminar (101-7-2)
Topic
Bubble: The Art of Economic Boom and Bust
Instructors
Rebecca Zorach
Meeting Info
University Library 3322: Tues, Thurs 11:00AM - 12:20PM
Overview of class
Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble: This course surveys the art and visual culture of economic boom and bust. We begin with historical examples from Dutch still life painting and its relationship to "tulipmania," to colonialism, print culture, and paper money in the "Mississippi Bubble," to Hollywood and the Great Depression. We then discuss selected modern art movements in relation to poverty, anti-work movements, gentrification, and the 2008-9 housing bubble (otherwise known as the subprime mortgage crisis). You will learn skills in interpreting art, understanding art movements, and analyzing the relationship of art and society. There will be short writing assignments and a final project that involves holding a debate on what the next bubble to "burst" will be. Generative AI and the contemporary art market are two possible examples.
Class Attributes
WCAS College Seminar
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Weinberg First Year Seminars are only available to first-year students.
Drop Consent: Department Consent Required