Sexuality and Modern Visual Culture

Catalog description

ENGL 225N / ARTH 225N / WMNST 225N Sexuality and Modern Visual Culture (3) (GA;GH) An examination of the visual expression of gender and sexual identities in English-speaking cultures since the late nineteenth century. The terms "feminist" and "homosexual" were invented by the Victorians and reflect profound shifts in conceptions of identity. Another invention of the nineteenth century was the idea of the literary and artistic "avant-garde" as a minority contingent with politically and/or aesthetically advanced views. These ideas of minority culture were deeply enmeshed with one another, and have exerted profound influence ever since. This course explores that history with the objectives of expanding students' knowledge of modern art and literature, and of fostering more sophisticated understandings of how evolving socio-political ideas affect our sense of who we are and how we relate to texts and images. The course is relevant to students of American and English studies, art, art history, and women's, gender and sexuality studies.