African & African-American St - Art and the Sea

Catalog description

This class takes visual and material culture of the ocean as a jumping off point for considering how representations of the sea articulate questions and concerns that are political, cultural, and environmental. Examining works ranging from maps, Indigenous art, paintings, literature, and film, students will consider the formal challenges of representation, and the practical challenges of navigation, that arise from human engagement with maritime space. Emphasis will be placed on the sea as a site of cultural and existential encounter. Concepts and approaches considered will include ecocriticism, the Black Atlantic, post-colonial theory, and performance studies. From the political importance of the sea to early modern empires, to the vital urgency of understanding and altering the human impact on the health of the oceans, we will explore how representing the sea is connected with understanding its power and its fragility. This course is offered at the 300 and 500 levels with additional work required at the 500 level. Not open to students with credit in HA 573/AAAS 573. (Same as HA 373 and HIST 464.)