The Self and Others

Catalog description

Prerequisite: Introduction to Painting (ARTS 3060) or equivalent This course will start with a foundation of figure drawing and painting to set the stage for further exploration in identity, collaboration, and touch. We will use the body as an opportunity to build skills in proportion and perspective but also to consider the body as a location of power and vulnerability. From lectures and independent research, we will learn about traditional and experimental portraiture and think about how we can use both to communicate. We will consider the different roles involved in a work of art (maker, collaborator, subject, viewer, etc.). We will discuss topics such as clothing and fashion, agency, the five senses, and Frankenstein, to name a few. There will be an emphasis on working from observation, as well as from imagination, invention, and material experimentation. We will begin with weekly prompts and transition to longer projects and incorporate conference work, building toward a body of 8-12 completed paintings. Performance The Body Is the Medium: An Introduction to Performance Art