Topics in Art, Revolution and Empire (301-0-1)

Topic

Russia and the USSR

Instructors

Christina Kiaer

Meeting Info

Kresge Cent. Hall 2-380 Kaplan: Mon, Wed 12:30PM - 1:50PM

Overview of class

This course examines the art and visual culture of the Russian revolution in the context of empire, from the revolt against tsarist empire in 1905, to the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 that led to the formation of the Soviet Union, to the Stalin Revolution of the 1930s that aimed to establish an anti-imperialist socialist empire. Artists of the Russian empire were among the first to invent abstraction in the 1910s, and, after 1917, Soviet artists were the first to experiment with the avant-garde slogan "art into life." With particular attention to woman artists and artists from Ukraine and other regions of the Russian empire and the USSR, we will study 19th century realism and Impressionism, Neo-primitivism, Cubo-futurism, Suprematism, Constructivism, photomontage, photography and experimental film, and the invention of Socialist Realism as modern public art.

Class Materials (Required)

1. Robert Bird et al., Revolution Every Day: A Calendar (Smart Museum of Art and Mousse Publishing, 2017). ISBN: 978-88-6749-294-7.
2. Sheila Fitzpatrick, The Russian Revolution: 1917-1932 (Oxford University Press, 4th ed., 2017), ISBN: 978-0198806707.

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.