AFRICAN AMERICAN ART AND VISUAL CULTURE

Catalog description

(Slashed with ARTH 52059 ) This course contextualizes American artists of African descent within the wider framework of U.S. art and visual culture. In looking at a wide range of media—across painting, photography, fashion and food—students study African American visual culture and its profound impact on American art at large. Students also explore the contested concept of “race” as it intersects with the production and patronage of African American art. Furthermore, students consider the benefits and pitfalls of the field and the ways in which art historians, critics and curators have treated African American art in U.S. museums. By the end of this course, students will have a deeper understanding of African American art and its tangled identity politics.