Introduction to Contemporary Art (260-0-1)

Instructors

Antawan I Byrd

Meeting Info

Block Pick-Laudati Auditorium: Tues, Thurs 12:30PM - 1:50PM

Overview of class

Contemporary art names a field of cultural practice defined by its relation to time—by being of, responsive to, and in dialogue with the social, political, and economic realities of a given moment. Proceeding in a roughly chronological fashion from the 1960s to the present, this introductory course surveys key artworks, exhibitions, movements, and debates that have shaped contemporary art across media and geographies. The course will emphasize the movement of artworks, exploring how meaning and value are produced across sites of encounter ranging from artist studios, galleries, museums, alternative art spaces, community centers, and the street to publications, the internet, auction blocks, and the domestic interior. Through this lens, students will examine how artworks are displayed, interpreted, and contested as they move through public and private, local and transnational contexts. Together, we will grapple with the illuminating and challenging questions artists ask of their audiences, examining how artworks can function as critical reflections on society and its values. By examining artistic responses to concerns including love and community, political conflict and catastrophe, and issues of attention, citizenship, humor, and justice, the course foregrounds contemporary art's potential to alter our ways of thinking and being. Assignments will include section presentations, short writing responses, a midterm exam, and an open-format final project.

Class Attributes

Historical Studies Foundational Discipline
Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Historical Studies Distro Area
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Pre-registration -- Reserved for Art History majors and minors, & Art Theory majors and minors.

Associated Classes

DIS - Lunt Hall 102: Thurs 3:00PM - 3:50PM

DIS - Lunt Hall 102: Thurs 4:00PM - 4:50PM

DIS - Kresge Centennial Hall 2-343: Fri 9:00AM - 9:50AM

DIS - Kresge Centennial Hall 3-410: Fri 10:00AM - 10:50AM

DIS - University Library 3670: Fri 11:00AM - 11:50AM

DIS - University Library 3670: Fri 12:00PM - 12:50PM

DIS - University Library 3322: Fri 1:00PM - 1:50PM

DIS - University Library 3322: Fri 2:00PM - 2:50PM