Art and Agriculture

Catalog description

This course is an interdisciplinary study of the central role played by agriculture in a global history of art. We will pay attention to cultural objects made of plants and animals affected by human intervention: cordage and textiles from fibers (flax, sisal, silk, cotton, wool); dye colors from plants, trees and insects; clothing and shelter from leather; writing surfaces from hide; engineered objects from fast-growing plants like bamboo. We will consider definitions of agriculture by examining perceived distinctions between foraging and farming. Exploring images of farms and farmers, we will study fundamental preconceptions of agricultural design. The course will employ concepts and methods drawn from the natural sciences and the humanities.